Granted, there are many good reasons to live in South Florida. The food is incredible, whether you are talking about fresh seafood caught just miles away from where you are eating it or the incredible tastes that so many adoptive Floridians have brought with them.
Historical, natural and family attractions abound, ranging from the deep expanse of the Everglades to the short jaunt to the family theme parks of Orlando and, of course, the miles and miles of beaches that beckon so many tourists from the cold and bitter northern part of our country each year.
Yet, even though the weather in the sunshine state during the deeps of winter can make even the oldest heart feel young, there are reasons to travel north and to visit New York even when the weather is at its worst.
Winter Wonderland
When the temperature is hovering in the 60s, it is difficult to appreciate the change of the seasons from autumn to winter. In Florida, we drag out a sweater or throw on a jacket in December, yet you will find residents wearing shorts and sandals while watching blizzard reports from cities to the north. Many of us have had our fill of snow and cold temperatures well before moving here and the idea of returning – even briefly – to the land where “bundling up” means more than putting on long pants makes us shiver.
Yet, after a few years of balmy temperatures and year-round access to the great outdoors, we lose our sense of what winter means. There has been snow in Miami once in the last 122 years of record keeping and it missed Christmas by almost a month. Snow flurries on January 19, 1977 surprised the residents and meteorologists that year, but a white Christmas is nearly out of the question.
If you want to really experience the holidays, you need to head north.
New York knows how to celebrate the holidays
Starting with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in November and lasting until the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration ends in January, New York is the place to be to enjoy the holidays. For Floridians, taking a weekend or a week to head north, enjoy the celebration and then return to the warmth and sunny skies of our home state reminds us why we live here and allows us to appreciate both the holiday spirit and home.
In addition to the parade and ringing in the new year, New York is host to a staggering number of holiday events and traditions. Just a few of these include:
- Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. If you missed the live lighting on November 29th, the iconic Christmas tree will remain lit through the first week of January.
- Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Beginning in early November, the Radio City Music Hall brings back their Christmas show featuring the Rockettes.
- New York City Ballet performs The Nutcracker. From late November through December, the New York City Ballet brings a holiday classic back to the stage.
These, of course, represent the tip of the holiday iceberg in New York. Hundreds of other events and attractions beckon us from our sun-drenched tropics to feel, once more, the joy of a winter holiday.
Getting around
One of the distinct challenges visitors to Manhattan face is getting around the city. During the winter season, those challenges become greater as colder weather, snow and ice become more likely. Personal cars can be a liability for tourists, while walking around the streets or catching the subway can be tiring and frustrating.
TopView Sightseeing, with their fleet of hop-on, hop-off buses, can make catching planned events and seeing the more traditional sights of New York easier and less stressful. The holidays can be stressful enough without worrying about getting around.
Shawn Barton has been working as a freelance copywriter over the last four years. His passion for working with clients in all aspects of online marketing flows through in his writing work. In addition to copywriting, Shawn also provides ghostwriting and guest blogging services for businesses of all sizes.
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
