Lunar New Year is one of our favorite winter celebrations in New York City, and we're particularly excited for 2019's family activities. School-aged kids ought to be excited, too, as the holiday gives them an extra day off from school.

Often referred to as Chinese New Year, although many Asian nations celebrate it, this year the holiday takes place on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, and ushers in the Year of the Pig. Mark this cultural holiday with a family-friendly celebration. We've got the scoop on the best Lunar New Year parades, family dance parties, museum events, crafts, and more for NYC kids.

Commemorating Lunar New Year is a great way to learn about Asian culture and enjoy the food. Check out one of these dozen NYC eateries where you can enjoy Lunar New Year banquets, snacks, or desserts. With celebrations and parades in almost every borough, it's also an opportunity to get out and explore a new-to-you neighborhood such as Manhattan's Chinatown, Flushing in Queens, Sunset Park in Brooklyn, or Midtown Manhattan's Koreatown.

If you feel like you've already exhausted your favorite NYC museum or indoor play space, why not try a nearby public atrium or garden? New York City is full of semi-secret indoor public spaces, as well as not-so-secret gardens perfect for staving off cabin fever this winter with an antsy child.

Finding an indoor, tropical hideaway right in your neighborhood can be a real winter lifesaver. My son was a winter baby, and when he was a newborn, it was freezing everywhere. We found our own indoor oasis just a few blocks from our Midtown apartment, in the lush, green garden that occupies the atrium of the Ford Foundation building. There are a number of similar indoor public spaces dotted around the commercial areas of Manhattan thanks to a zoning initiative in which the city granted buildings the rights to additional air space (i.e., taller buildings) in exchange for indoor and outdoor public areas. 

Bonus: Public atriums are FREE to wander into, and many offer seating, snacks, Wi-Fi, and public art. Some gardens are so steamy and warm you'll feel as if you booked a tropical getaway. (This is why we love New York, right?) Here are 12 of our favorite kid-friendly indoor urban oases for NYC families. 

When there's no snow to be found in NYC, or your neighborhood sledding hills are worn down to dirt, you still can find perfect slopes for snow tubing with the kids just a short drive away.

Sliding down my parents' front lawn is one of my fondest childhood memories, and now our family's winter trek to a nearby snow tubing spot recreates those magical moments. It's a wonderful seasonal activity that, unlike skiing, requires no skill or gear. Everything you need—a tube, a hill, and snow—is provided by the parks. Just dress warmly and you're good to go.

Here are nine ski resorts in upstate New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania that offer snow tubing. Most are less than a two-hour drive from Midtown Manhattan. They typically open in late December or early January, depending on the temperature, so be sure to click through to the listing to read about the day's conditions. You can find more winter sports in our Skiing, Snowboarding, and Snow Sports Guide.