Few places rival New York City for holiday activities, and the upcoming Christmas vacation in NYC offers families plenty of free time to sample them all. We’ve rounded up all of our favorite staycation ideas for winter break in NYC, most of which can be accessed with a subway ride.

Fill your kids' winter break in NYC with awesome museum outings, live holiday stage shows, fancy Christmas meals, and magical must-do holiday experiences. Your family might even be up for braving the crowds at popular tourist attractions like the Rockefeller Center tree and department store holiday windows.

NYC public school students are on Christmas vacation from Wednesday, December 24, 2025, through Friday, January 2, 2026. If you need more fun things to do over the holiday break in NYC, bookmark our Family Activity Calendar, which is continuously updated as we learn about new, kid-friendly happenings.

If you are staying in town during Christmas vacation, you may find yourself wondering what to do to get out of the house while school's out.

Fortunately, there are tons of fun events and activities in Westchester and the Hudson Valley to keep your family entertained well into the New Year, from holiday light shows to kid-friendly New Year's Eve countdowns.

With Christmas vacation for Long Island kids swiftly approaching, you may be looking for fun things to do to over winter break to keep the festivities going. For many Long Island students, winter break this year runs from Monday, December 22, 2025, until Friday, January 2, 2026. 

We've rounded up 30 family-friendly holiday break activities to make your staycation merry and memorable. From must-do holiday events to pop-ups and incredible museum exhibits, we've got you covered. 

For even more fun things to do with kids on Long Island this season, check out our Holiday Fun Guide and our Ultimate Winter Bucket List. 

As soon as that first crisp December day arrives, I get excited about planning the kids' holiday break. Choosing just a couple of activities for the week is the tough part! The state is packed with must-do Christmas vacation fun—from dazzling light displays to classic cold-weather adventures.

Read on for the best things to do with kids during winter break in NJ, and check out our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events for NJ Families for even more ideas. 

Things to do to get out of the house this winter break.

With so much to do, it will be hard to choose plans for the holiday break! 

Winter break is almost here, and the kids are going to need full-time entertainment. After they've binged all the Christmas movies or have had their fill of Hanukkah happenings, it's time to get them up and off the couch for all the winter adventures they can handle. We've got everything you need to fill your winter break bucket list, from holiday lights to winter excursions and more. So plan an entire week's itinerary with our picks below.

If you're looking for more ways to keep the kids busy this winter break, check out our Winter Activity Guide and our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events.

There’s a reason millions of people travel to the Big Apple during the holiday season—there’s just nothing like Christmas in New York City. Families can ice skate outdoors, watch eye-popping holiday performances, and take in the sights of the city at its brightest.

New York is also home to a vibrant and diverse church community, with hundreds of congregations housed in soaring cathedrals and hole-in-the-wall storefronts. Below is a sampling of some family-friendly Christmas church services in New York City, along with some insider tips for making the most of your visit. Find all our ways to celebrate this season in our New York City Kids' Guide to Christmas and the Holidays.