Things To Do In NYC For Chinese New Year For Tourists

By Casey Makovich

Spending time in NYC for Chinese New Year? Ring it in on January 25, 2020 and get ready for the year of the rat with plenty of special events in the Big Apple where you can celebrate. After celebrating the traditional New Year holiday on January 1, it’s round two with the Chinese New Year. From firecracker celebrations and wild dance performances to martial arts demonstrations, there’s plenty of ways to have fun during the many events in the city. The streets in New York turn festive during the celebration of the Chinese New Year. Free entry to tons of popular New York attractions and activities you can include in your Chinese New Year celebration are included on The New York Pass®. Used by over 3.5 million travelers, the New York Pass is the ultimate sightseeing pass, which includes admission to 90+ attractions. Learn more about the New York Pass benefits & how to save up to 70% off attractions. Here’s a list of 9 fun things to do in NYC for Chinese New Year:

1. Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade and Festival

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18th Annual New York City Lunar New Year Parade (Image credit: betterchinatown.com)[/caption] This celebrated parade is vibrant and colorful with its dragon dancers, lion dancers, marching bands, and floats. This coming year, it’s the “Year of the Rat.” The 2020 parade route stretches from Mott to Chatham Square to East Broadway, past the grand entrance to the Manhattan Bridge and towards Grand Street right next to Sara D. Roosevelt Park. The parade is a positive riot of color, costume and conviviality that lasts nearly 5 fun-filled hours. This street party welcomes in the Year of the Rat with all sorts of vendors and food. The parade also features some amazing day-time firework displays. Admission to the Lunar New Year Parade is free and open to the public.

2. The Chinatown Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony

The Better Chinatown Society organizes the Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony. Enjoy hundreds of thousands of sparkling fireworks designed to ward off bad spirits for the new year. Afterward, there are a number of colorful dance performances. It’s a can’t-miss event. You can even book a Chinese dinner cruise on the Hudson River to see the fireworks. Circle Line Cruises offers a gourmet 12-course dinner. Admission to the Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony is free and open to the public. Tickets to the Lunar New Year Fireworks Cruise are separately ticketed.

3. The New York Philharmonic Lunar Concert

The New York Philharmonic puts on an annual Lunar Concert to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Experience Beethoven’s grand Choral Fantasy by renowned artists, such as the Farmers’ Chorus of the Yunnan Province and 13-year-old pianist Serena Wang. It’s a gala event. Tickets to The New York Philharmonic Lunar Concert are available for purchase online.

4. The Temple Bazaar

The Temple Bazaar celebrates the Chinese New Year with bright red lanterns floating through the streets. Enjoy Chinese music and martial arts demonstrations. Learn Chinese crafts like calligraphy and paper cutting. You can even munch on authentic Chinese food from Taiwan and Shandong. The Temple Bazaar celebrates the Chinese New Year with plenty of fun activities for everyone, including tourists. Admission to The Temple Bazaar is free and open to the public, some events and activities may be separately ticketed.

5. Savor the Dim Sum

Gather a hungry crew to feast on egg rolls, dumplings and more at some great Chinese restaurants in NYC. Visit the Nom Wah Tea Parlor for some mooncakes. It’s the oldest dim sum parlor in NYC and dates back to 1920. At Tim Ho Wan, you can chow down on some exceptional pork and steamed rice rolls. Jade Asian is well known for its turnip cakes and seafood-stuffed hot peppers. Try the Katz’s pastrami egg roll at Red Farm. It’s a delight. Hakkasan New York celebrates the Chinese New Year featuring a mix of traditional Cantonese dishes and invites guests to celebrate by placing wish ribbons on a wishing tree. There’s even a lion dance performance. Call restaurants in advance for reservations--they're sure to be busy during the New Year!

6. The Madison Street to Madison Avenue Parade

This action-packed festival is all day long. There’s shopping, dance performances, and family entertainment. There’s also traditional Chinese face-changing, colorful lion dancers, and calligraphy demos. It’s just one more way to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Admission to the Madison Street to Madison Avenue Parade is free and open to the public.

7. The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA)

One of the best ways to fully appreciate your trip to NYC for Chinese New Year is to take a visit to the Museum of Chinese in America where you can learn all about the Chinese culture and traditions you'll be celebrating with the Lunar New Year and learn about what life in NYC and beyond is like for its large Chinese population. The MOCA is a former machine shop inspired by a Chinese house with rooms extending from a central courtyard. It has exhibits that trace the development of Chinese communities along with mixed-media displays of Chinese restaurants and Laundries in New York. Tickets to the Museum of Chinese in America are available for purchase at the door or in advance online.

8. The New Kam Hing Coffee Shop

Get your sugar and caffeine fix at the New Kam Hing Coffee Shop. This 30-year old coffee shop doesn’t look like much but serves up the best boat-shaped white-sugar cake, coffee, and green tea. It also has an angel-food-like interior that is light and airy. Nearby, you should make the time to shop for some great Asian cuisine at the Hong Kong Supermarket. It’s a Chinatown megastore that has everything for Asian food fanatics. Get fermented black beans, fresh noodles, dumpling wrappers and a whole host of other goodies. Everything’s super fresh, and the sushi stall offers tasty fresh rolls to-go. The New Kam Hing Coffee Shop is open to the public.

9. Concerts at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall

Enjoy world-renowned symphonies featuring film and harp projections. There’s even a pre-concert reception where you can dine with the artists. Previous performers include Jiaxin Tian and conductor Gregory Singer. Music is at its best at the Lincoln Center and Carnegie Halls. Tickets are available for purchase online. Guided Lincoln Center Tour tickets and guided Carnegie Hall tickets are included with The New York Pass. From dazzling fireworks shows and colorful parades to great museums and concerts, there's no shortage of things to do in NYC for Chinese New Year. Whether you’re a local or a tourist, there's nowhere better in America to celebrate Chinese New Year than the Big Apple.

Remember To Save on Attraction Admission

If you're looking for things to do in NYC for Chinese New Year, spend some time in Chinatown checking out all of the festive events, and be sure to add some New York City sightseeing to your itinerary, too. Save on attraction admission with New York Pass which grants you free entry to over 90 attractions in New York so that you can enjoy more and save more during your trip. For more information on the New York Pass, click here.

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Fall in New York City: Take a Tour

When does fall start? Fall officially starts September 23rd, 2019. There are exactly 12 hours of dark and 12 hours of light on this day. The word "fall" gradually overtook use of the word "autumn" in the U.S. in the 1600s, influenced by poetry and literature describing the "fall of the leaves". When does fall end? December 22, 2019, when the U.S. enters the winter solstice. The seasons may have changed, but that won't stop New York from being one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. And with the crowds thinning out and weather cooling, this could be the best time see this iconic city. This list of New York City fall tours will make sure you see the best sights in town. When visiting NYC in the fall, wrap up in a light knit and jacket and a scarf; pack an umbrella in case the skies open. Then grab a steaming coffee and kick through the leaves on an outdoor walking tour. Fall Walking Tours Central Park Sightseeing Walking Tour Take an adventure through the United States' 1st major landscaped park and discover 843 acres of beautiful scenery. The orange leaves falling from the trees make for a memorable 2-hour tour in Central Park. Greenwich Village Walking Tour Explore the bohemian capital of New York City, Greenwich Village. You'll get a chance to stroll through Washington Square Park and pass some of the city's most interesting dining options. Why not find out what seasonal options they have on the menu? High Line-Chelsea-Meatpacking Tour Get a new view of New York City as you walk on the High Line, which is an elevated park/walkway stretching throughout Manhattan's Midtown section. This walking tour also takes you to key areas in Chelsea, showcasing the history of the Meatpacking district. Fashion Windows Walking Tour Tour the city in style as you venture to some of New York's most famous and iconic storefronts. You'll get a first-hand look at high-class fashion on 5th Avenue in the "Fashion Mecca of the Eastern Hemisphere". Perhaps you are interested in a bicycle tour. There are many bike tours as well as bicycle rentals that can give you a front-row seat to New York's gorgeous fall scenery. Fall Biking Tours Central Park Sightseeing Bike Tours & Rentals Similar to the walking tour, Central Park Sightseeing Bike Tour is a 2-hour excursion in New York City's Central Park. This tour allows you to enjoy the outdoors and explore an iconic landmark. If you're looking for the perfect spot to get a picture or two, head over to the area known as Pond at Central Park South between 5th & 6th Avenues. Gapstow Bridge there lights up with colors making it a favorite fall spot for photographers. Hudson River Sightseeing Bike Rentals Take your time enjoying the sights of New York City in the fall with a 24-hour bicycle rental. Experience picture-perfect autumnal landscapes and stunning undisturbed views across to Manhattan - the perfect photo taking opportunity. Experience Chinese dining and decorations in Chinatown at its best. And visit Time Square: one of the brightest and most popular areas in the world. Blazing Saddles Bike Rentals & Tours Choose between a full-day bicycle rental and a 2-hour guided tour of Brooklyn Bridge with Blazing Saddles Bike Rentals & Tours. Indulge in the scenery of the city while riding to the Statue of Liberty, set against the gorgeous skylines of Brooklyn and Manhattan. As you can see, there are many great opportunities for sightseeing in New York City during the Fall Season. Whether you prefer to tour the city by bike or on foot, the New York Pass makes it easy for you to visit your favorite destinations and plan out your itinerary. For more ideas on attractions and tours in New York City, click here and view a full list of tours offered on The New York Pass.
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Maybe the vast Asian art galleries? The masks in the African galleries? Don’t forget the Treasury full of gold pieces in the Ancient Americas galleries, or the beautiful period rooms. If you need some peace and quiet, the Astor court with its calming koi pond is the place to go. [caption id="attachment_3001" align="alignnone" width="800"] Put The Metropolitan Museum on your list of the five New York museums you must not miss[/caption] Museum of Modern Art Wasn’t MoMa recently renovated? How do I explore it? Yes. With its expanded gallery spaces, completely reinstalled collections, and new spaces for live and experimental programs, it’s pretty much like a completely new museum. Drop into their new Creativity Lab to ask questions, participate in conversations, and even make some art. Check out the new store and dining options (an art lover’s gotta eat). And that’s a good question that doesn’t have a right answer. You probably won’t want to miss the section that showcases works of art from the 1880s-1940s (yes, Starry Night is there) and the one that will undoubtably prove to be among the most popular--the space that showcases works from the 1970s-1970s. Some permanent installations will be switched every six months (so they’re not really permanent.) Different kinds of art are now displayed in the same gallery, as are works of art from different periods of time; there’s more of sense of connection among different works. You’ll want to visit several times--and that’s kind of the point. [caption id="attachment_2978" align="alignnone" width="2000"] Installation view of Architecture Systems (gallery 417), The Museum of Modern Art, New York. © 2019 The Museum of Modern Art. Photo: Robert Gerhardt[/caption] The New Museum So, it must be asked. What’s new about the New Museum? The New Museum was founded in 1977, so it’s new-ish. 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The museum is kind of like one of those grand dames you see having a pot of tea and some crumpets at an elegant but faded tearoom—a little incongruous, but somehow reassuring and necessary. Housed in an elegant mansion on Fifth Avenue, the building is home to the collection of Henry Clay Frick. It includes works by eminent European artists including Fragonard and Vermeer, as well as gorgous porcelain and furniture. Just strolling through the galleries is like stepping into another era, and because it’s small, you can cover pretty much everything in one visit. It’s also incredibly calming just to walk around. Fun Fact: The Frick is the model for the Avengers Mansion in the Marvel Comics. [caption id="attachment_3003" align="alignnone" width="6000"] The Frick, on Fifth Avenue, is one of our picks for the five New York museums you must not miss[/caption] The Brooklyn Museum [caption id="attachment_3008" align="alignnone" width="800"] Across the Brooklyn Bridge you’ll find the world-class Brooklyn Museum[/caption] Is it worth going to Brooklyn to visit the museum? Yes, absolutely. Did you know that the Brooklyn Museum has 1.5 million works of art? Or that it has one of the finest collections of Egyptian art in the world? Even if you didn’t (well, now you do) it’s worth a visit—or several. They also have a fine American art collection (Rothko, Hopper, Rockwell, and Homer, to name a few of the artists), as well as a Memorial Sculpture Garden, featuring salvaged architectural pieces from around the city. They’re also known for great special exhibits and public programs. Looking to up your cool factor after you've explored some museums? Check out the way hipsters inhabit Brooklyn
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