What evening activities would be good for tween son during mid-Dec visit?

Question

I and my 12 year old son will be visiting NYC for just 3.5 days in mid December.
*He* wants to know how much chance there is it will snow.
*I* want to know what he and I can do in the evenings other than walk around looking at Christmas window decorations. Our daytime activity list has more on it than we can possibly do, but for the evening... nada. And I sure don't want to spend my first trip to NYC in 20 years just sitting in my room watching TV at night. Ok. MAYBE I can afford tix to a show one night, but everything else I've found to do at night doesn't appear to be age appropriate. Or requires the ability to withstand great cold!
Sadly, I'm also on a budget so I can't just throw money at the problem and we have four nights to fill.
Any good ideas?
Thanks,
Karen

Answer 1

http://www.nytours.us/tours/tourDetail.cfm/tid/5898

Well, if I was going I'd want to take one of these. Pretty expensive though.

http://www.december.com/places/nyc/blue.html

This site looks like it has just about everything, so depending on your preferences, you should be able to get SOMETHING out of it.

Answer 2

You're gonna be POOPED after a hard day of NYC sightseeing. I recommend a nice dinner somewhere, do a different ethnic cuisine every night (is he open to new food? This is the chance of a lifetime for variety) then a short activity then back to the room to crash.

4 nights....

1 Show
1 Movie
1 Time Square at night/Rock center
1 Find something in timeout

Watch out, theres one channel on cable in NYC that has a LOT of adult content.

There is a fair chance of snow. Maybe 1 in 5 of there being -some- snow....

You need to go to the tree at Rockefeller Center, the store across the street does a great (short) light show as well.

Go Ice Skating either in central park or at Rockefeller Center.

Go to Rolfs (a little german restaurant on 3rd ave, in the 20's, they decorate the hell out of it for Xmas)

Grand Central Terminal does laser light shows on the ceiling during xmas season.

TKTS sells cheap theatre tickets especailly during the week.

IMAX theatre at the Sony Theater (in the 60's somewhere west side near Lincoln Center I think) they do regular movies sometimes on a HUGE screen



Mars 2112 scifi themed restuarnt

Ninja themed restaurant... http://www.ninjanewyork.com/ maybe a little expensive....

Times Square at night is quite lovely. Get some nuts from a street vendor warm and yummy.

TimeOutNY is a magazine and website that lists all kinds of events

newyork.CitySearch.com is another great website resource


add to your day list:
Buy him a fake rolex in Chinatown (30$....)

Answer 3

This might sound a little boring, but maybe you could go to a movie theatre and watch a movie. And if its available, a movie set in New York. That would be interesting because you could get all excited about seeing the empire state building in the movie which you just saw in real life. Little things like that.

And since you're on a budget, maybe just one broadway show.

Answer 4

Try the Staten Island Ferry.
Its free and the view is outstanding ! after dark and the lights are on the skyline, The Statue of Liberty.
Not to be missed.
But bundle up.. it can be chilly.
Chance of snow... near zero till January.

Answer 5

It might snow, i dont know the chances.

Visit santa land on the top floor of macys. It is like no other santa experience your child is likey to have, its a LONG winding world of all things xmas.i think its open until 9. Dress in layers.. its ALWAYS hot there, when its 30 degrees outside.
Go to wolmann rink in central park, or the rink at rockerfeller center.
Have dinner!
take a carrige ride.
go to bed early.

Answer 6

Ice Skating?