What to Pack for New York in Winter

What to Pack for New York (2022)

If you’re visiting New York City over the holidays or anytime in winter, you’ll want to bundle up!

New York gets pretty cold in the winter time, especially around January and February, when certain large streets like Broadway become wind tunnels, where the wind seems to blow you away with every step!.

New Yorkers are famous for wearing black, black and more black so if you’re puzzled on what to wear in Manhattan… think dark neutrals in variations of grey, black and navy.

I’ve included all the essentials for what to pack for New York in the winter below!

NYC Winter Packing List

You’ll want to wear thick comfy sweaters, jeans and lots of layers for a a winter time visit to New York City.

City slickers love a head-to-toe outfit in black, so black denim, a cozy sweater, and black puffer with blank ankle boots will have you fitting right in!

1. Down Jacket

Definitely bring an extra thick winter jacket filled with plush, super warm down.

As we mentioned, streets like Broadway or any of the north-south Avenues are wind tunnels! I recommend bringing a “nicer” wool jacket for any night time events like going to a Broadway show or a nice dinner out but for sightseeing, you’ll be so much more comfortable in a puffy down jacket.

I swear by my Canada Goose Expedition – it’s an investment but one that’s been paid many times over in New York’s coldest months.

I’ve had mine for 10 years, and it still looks good as new. Plus, it’s so toasty that if I wear it for a long subway ride, I start to overheat!

And finally, wear comfortable clothes. Universal Standard makes classic staple pieces and they’re size inclusive!

Other super warm jackets that are worth getting:

Amazon Orolay jacket (a cult favorite with over 7,000 reviews + Oprah’s pick)
Everlane minimalist parka (sustainable, tons of pockets)
Ralph Lauren quilted parka (for a more streamlined look)

2. Cold Weather Boots

If you really want to blend in and dress like a New Yorker, boots are what everyone wears in the winter. Ankle boots, shearling booties, thigh high boots, over the knee boots – any kind of boot will do! I highly recommend adding these shearling shoe inserts to your boots to make them extra cozy, like UGGs.

I love a good over the knee boot with a heel for a nice dinner or night out. They’re sleek, slimming and surprisingly warm! You can find affordable over the knee boots here.

If it’s snowing, snow boots by Sorel are a good option. White snow turns quickly to black mush on NYC streets so you’ll definitely want to keep your toes warm and dry.

It doesn’t snow too often here (maybe once or twice a year in January and February) so you can also get by with regular Hunter boots and thick socks.

Other super warm boots that are worth getting:

Nordic lace up boots (guaranteed coziness and compliments that they’re cute)
Shearling ankle bootie (lugged sole has great traction on wet or dry surfaces)

3. Comfortable Sneakers

Let’s face it. New York is a pedestrian city, so chances are you will be walking a lot! I suggest comfortable sneakers for sightseeing days:

Clarks makes classic retro sneakers
Golden Goose is a pretty popular designer option
Everlane has an extra cushy unisex style
Thousand Fell makes classic white sneakers that will match any outfit.

Read more: The Best White Sneakers that Match Any Outfit

4. Hats, Gloves & Scarves

Winter accessories may seem like gratuitous expenses, but try telling that to your extremities when they are freezing in the bitter New York cold!

You’ll definitely want a cozy beanie or earmuffs to protect your ears. It gets cold in the city!

Scarves

Scarves are also a must have – the thicker and longer, the better.

I absolutely love Club Monaco’s cashmere scarfs for something luxurious and classic that you’ll wear forever.

For more everyday, affordable options Nordstrom has a huge range of colorful options.

Gloves

Chances are, you’ll pull out your phone often to check directions or keep in touch with your group. Leather gloves are sleek but pack touch screen gloves that will work with phones!

I swear by the North Face Etip gloves which are thin enough to not feel bulky, and all the glove fingers are touchscreen compatible.

5. Crossbody Bag

If you’re visiting New York to sight see or shop, I recommend wearing a large, roomy zippered tote bag or crossbody bag instead of a backpack.

Most museums in the city do not allow backpacks and will require you to check them in. Plus, on the subway, you don’t want to be keeping valuables behind your back!

If you absolutely must carry a backpack, I recommend taking it off when getting in the subway and holding it in front of you. This creates more room for other passengers and also wards off quick-fingered pick-pockets.

Read more: The Best Museums in New York City

Here are some more great travel bag options. Make sure your bag has a zipper closure!

Lipault carry on tote (waterproof outer, roomy interior)
Everlane zippered tote (slides right over your carry-on and is surprisingly spacious)

6. Helpful Accessories

Insulated Water Tumbler

Travel is often really dehydrating, so bring along a water bottle to make sure you can enjoy your trip to New York!

Plus, tumblers like these are much more environmentally friendly (and cost-effective) than buying plastic water bottles.

I’m obsessed with Takeya stainless steel tumblers – they come in every possible design and keep drinks hot for 8 hours or cold for 24!

Packing Cubes

I swear by packing cubes to keep my suitcase organized throughout my trips! I like to group clothing by color or function and pack each group of items snugly in their own cube!

This set is under $20 and includes multiple sizes to fit all your things, even shoes!

Suitcase

I love this super sleek hard case from Delsey luggage which is incredibly durable yet still looks stylish. It’s one of the lightest suitcases on the market, weighing only 4.7 pounds when empty!

I love the two interior pockets that come with zipped dividers (so your stuff doesn’t shift too much in transit) and Delsey even includes some laundry and shoe packing bags, which I think is a nice touch.

Portable Charger

Although more of NYC is starting to offer public Wi-Fi, unfortunately we’re still a little behind!

You can typically catch Wi-Fi in subway stations and by electronic information stands. It’s not the best though, as service will cut in and out frequently.

I definitely recommend packing a couple portable charges to keep your phone charged. Download an offline map of New York City on Google Maps before your trip, too.

I always bring Anker’s portable chargers – they’re small, sleek and have enough battery life to fully charge an iPhone…twice!

Electric Converter & Adapter

If you are visiting from abroad, you’ll need a US converter.

Once I used a travel sized power strip for the first time, it was a game changer. These let you charge multiple devices in one go, so even if the hotel room only has 1 well placed outlet, no one will fight over who gets to charge first!

SPF Lip Balm

My lips are always chapped in the winter so a hydrating lip balm is an absolute must have when coming to New York City.

My favorite day balm is Lanolips (its an ultra moisturizing ointment balm); my night version is from Vaseline and my heavy duty must-have is by French brand Aquaphor.

Toiletry Bottles

If you’re staying at an Airbnb or inexpensive hotel, don’t forget to bring your own toiletries and shampoo & conditioner.

Where to Stay in New York

Most first time visitors base themselves in Times Square. I understand the appeal, but personally I think you’ll have a much nicer experience if you stay in SoHo, Chelsea or even Brooklyn!

1 | The NoMo Soho if you want a chic, downtown location. The on site restaurant is beautiful and also the perfect brunch spot!

Book rooms: Booking.com | Check rates: TripAdvisor

2 | The Boro Hotel if you don’t mind being slightly farther in Long Island City, Queens, one of the city’s hottest new neighborhoods. LIC has a subway, so getting around is still quite easy. Best of all? Great views of the Manhattan skyline!

Book rooms: Booking.com | Check rates: TripAdvisor

3 | The Mandarin Oriental for classic luxury. If there’s one place to splurge in New York, I love the Mandarin. Their restaurant, Asiate, is also incredibly good!

Book rooms: Booking.com | Check rates: TripAdvisor

4 | The Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn for hipster chic. They’re located in Williamsburg and have beautiful rooms as well as a great brunch restaurant on the ground floor.

Book rooms: Booking.com | Check rates: TripAdvisor

You can check current NYC hotel deals via Booking.com – I book with them since they have a great cancellation policy and guarantee the lowest rates.

The Best NYC Hotels Under $200/Night

New York City Winter Bucket List

While you’re visiting, check off some of these New York City winter activities. While it will definitely be cold, there’s still plenty of fun things to do in New York winter.

See the Christmas Spectacular

The Rockettes are a NYC institution.

Celebrate Christmas in full festivity at Radio City to see Santa, the dance of the tin soldiers and plenty of high kicks. Don’t worry – even if one person in your group has been before, the show changes it up every year!

Grab last minute discounts on tickets here.

Watch The Nutcracker

My favorite annual winter tradition is seeing The Nutcracker. There’s a couple different variations of the winter classic, but I always love George Balanchine’s traditional ballet at Lincoln Center.

Grab last minute discounts on tickets here.

Or, for something different, check out the avant garde retelling at BAM, or the cabaret twist, Nutcracker Rouge.

Shop at the Holiday Markets

By mid November, holiday markets pop up all over the city.

Our personal favorite? The Bryant Park Winter Village! Not only does it have plenty of food stalls and artisan shops, it also has a small ice skating rink! So there’s plenty to keep everyone occupied for at least a couple of hours. Wear an ugly Christmas sweater to get especially festive!

Read more: The Best Ugly Sweaters to Wear this Holiday Season

Visit a Pop Up Holiday Bar

It gets really cold, so warm up at a kitschy holiday bedazzled bar to end the night. Need some recommendations?

Rolf’s in Gramercy Park is a cult favorite
Bierra at Eataly is a high end winter chalet
Boilermarker’s traditional tiki theme becomes a “Sippin’ Santa” holiday bar

Best Souvenirs from New York City

New York City has lots of typical souvenir stands and tons of visitors like to visit Fifth Avenue, SoHo and Chelsea for great shopping. For unique finds, you can check out Brooklyn’s flea markets.

There’s also a unique vintage NYC holiday train that you can ride!

It runs on the regular F line route, but the transit authority pulls out vintage subway cars (complete with ads from the 50s and 60s inside!) during the holiday months. We saw lots of families having fun with it.

Fun Day Tours in New York

Best Camera & Photography Equipment for NYC

The best lenses for capturing New York, in my opinion are something wide like a 35mm and a standard 50mm lens.

A 50mm will be great for all your food shots while the wide angle can best capture Central Park in all its glory! Or, a 24-70mm zoom lens is versatile enough to capture both.

I bring a professional DSLR camera and a couple lenses to shoot all the photos you see on this blog. I also bring my spare battery, battery charger and extra SD cards.

To keep everything organized, I use a memory card case and a travel accessories case so the wires, chargers and small things don’t get lost. You can find all my gear here.

Shop Warm Clothes for New York

Visiting NYC – Travel Checklist

New York City has 3 airports: John F Kennedy (JFK), the bustling international hub; LaGuardia (LGA), the run down smaller airport near Astoria Queens; and Newark Airport (EWR) which is actually in New Jersey. You can check for flight deals here for your upcoming trip – for better rates, make sure you include all 3 airports.

Be sure to visit New York with travel insurance. Whether you get injured and need to be hospitalized, or your phone gets stolen, or a delayed flight leaves you with nothing but the clothes on your back, travel insurance will help when you need it most. Get a quote for your trip here.

Everything about the city is expensive (sorry). From food to accommodation to sights, try to save up a healthy vacation fund and then enjoy the entire visit. I do recommend booking hotels in NYC – Airbnb is illegal in the city, so only book an Airbnb for nearby New Jersey. You can check here for last minute accommodation deals.

Getting around, on the other hand, is easy! The subway system is extensive and follows a North South grid (for the most part). If you want to avoid the grime, use Uber and Lyft on your phone or hail a cab by sticking out an arm. Cabs with lights on the roofs mean they’re open and available!

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