The Empire State Plaza - Albany, NY

Winter is an ideal time to visit Central New York and New York's Capital Region. Visit Albany, New York’s Capital City, this season and be dazzled by the 15th Annual Holiday Lights Display in Washington Park. After a festive holiday season, Central New York’s Syracuse and the Village of East Syracuse set their focus on the fun of Winterfest. Situated on the east side of the Hudson River, New York’s historic town of Poughkeepsie is mid-way between New York City and Albany. Home of Vassar College, one of the nation's top liberal arts colleges, Poughkeepsie makes a delightful getaway in any season.

Presented by Hannaford Supermarkets, Albany’s Holiday Lights Display show runs through January 2nd. Drive through Albany's Park Washington and see over 125 light displays and holiday scenes. Be sure to stop at the Washington Park Lake House before you exit for holiday treats and to browse the crafts. A great family holiday tradition, don’t miss the 2011 Hannaford Capital Holiday Lights.

Start 2012 off right at the Albany Chef’s Food & Wine Festival: Wine and Dine for the Arts. Events include a Grand Tasting, featuring samples of over 200 wines, beers and spirits; cooking competitions featuring Albany’s best chefs and the rising stars of the Albany restaurant scene; and the Grand Gala Reception and Dinner to end the event. Join Central New York’s Capital Region foodies, January 12 through the 14th at Wine and Dine for the Arts.

Poughkeepsie’s Mid-Hudson Civic Center & McCann Ice Arena is the winter gathering spot for the Poughkeepsie community. McCann Ice Arena hosts Millbrook Youth Hockey, open hockey and three adult hockey leagues – a team for all ages and abilities. MHCC hosts a full schedule of events and performers including Larry the Cable Guy on December the 10th and TNA Wrestling’s World Tour on December 30th. When you visit Poughkeepsie, be sure to check the calendar at the Mid-Hudson Community Center.

Skinner Hall on Pughkeepsie’s Vassar College Campus celebrates 80 years of beautiful music in 2011. The Vassar College Department of Music closes 2011 with December’s Senior Recital, the Vassar College Orchestra and the Vassar College Jazz Ensemble. Celebrate the sounds of the season at Vassar’s Skinner Hall of Music. Concerts are open to the Poughkeepsie community and are free.

East Syracuse and Onondaga County celebrate the winter season at the 2012 Syracuse Winterfest, February 16th through the 26th. One of Central New York’s most popular winter events, Winterfest features indoor and outdoor festivities, cook-off competitions, parties and loads of events and entertainment. Winterfest is the ideal event to get you out of the house this winter.

Empire State Building &
NYC Skyline

Winter is here in NYC, pick up a scarf – Bloomingdales, Bergdorf’s or a New York City street vendor, it all works - bundle up for a Manhattan adventure. See the city from Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center; the SKYRIDE and Observatory at the Empire State Building; or a Circle Line cruise around Manhattan island, the views are breathtaking. Pick a Borough – Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens, the Bronx or Manhattan, your New York adventure awaits. Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, a ride on the Staten Island Ferry, or a trek across the Brooklyn Bridge, the New York City Metropolitan area truly doesn’t sleep.

The National September 11 Memorial and Museum, one of New York's latest and evolving destinations is a must-see. In lower Manhattan, across from the World Financial Center, the memorial currently features the memorial water features set in the footprints of the original World Trade Center and the Memorial Museum. Visit and share in the memories of September 11th, 2001.

Before the New York City Ballet goes on March’s tour to Germany and April to the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, enjoy February 2012 performances at New York’s iconic Lincoln Center. Enjoy the classic Romeo and Juliet February 14th and 16th or visit earlier in the month, as NYCB performs Concerto Barocco, Taratella and the Seven Deadly Sins. Exceptional talent in amazing surroundings in the David H Koch Theater – it’s a New York experience.

March brings the New York International Children’s Film Festival to the city. The 2012 NYICFF is March 2nd through the 25th showcasing 100 films geared for children from 3 to 18, as well as children’s workshops and activities. Films are selected from across the globe from a variety of genres, all supporting more compelling film for today's youth. Screened in venues like the Asia Society on Park Avenue, IFC Center on Avenue of the Americas and West Third Street and Symphony Space on Broadway on the Upper West Side, the New York International Children’s Film Festival.

Celebrate winter in Brooklyn. Winter Jam 2012, the early February event, sponsored by the NYC Parks Department, features skiing, snowboarding and plenty of fun to keep you warm. Prospect Park in Brooklyn is the place to be February 4th. Athletes don’t rest too long this winter; Prospect Park hosts the 2012 Spring Duathlon on March 17th. Distances include a Prospect Park sprint distance, classic and international distances. The competition moves to Manhattan on March 25th for the 26th Annual March Madness Duathlon at the Central Park Boathouse. Head back to Brooklyn in April for the 22nd Annual Brooklyn Duathlon, also at Prospect Park. There is lots of fun in the greater New York area this season.

Adirondacks State Park, New York

Winter is here in New York’s Adirondacks and it is time to enjoy upstate New York. Now is the time to enjoy the best snow of the season at Lake Placid, Saranac Springs and Whiteface Mountain. Strap on snowshoes for Adirondack Park’s trails; clip into the cross-country skis to venture the Jackrabbit Trail: or bind yourself in for boarding and downhill skiing the slopes of Whiteface Mountain – winter recreation abounds in upstate New York and the Adirondacks. Head to Warren county when New York's winter is at its coldest for an ice-fishing adventure on Lake George. Don't miss winter in upstate New York.

Whiteface Mountain has a full calendar of winter and spring events. The New York Ski Educational Foundation hosts the New York High School State Championships, February 27th and 28th, with the 2012 Lake Placid International Invitational Hockey Tournament March 1st through the 4th. The Lake Placid Olympic Sports Complex hosts the Nor/Am Biathlon March 3rd through the 4th. This amazing winter sport is a combination of cross-country skiing and rifle marksmanship. A fascinating challenge, the Nor/Am Biathlon features men and women’s events in junior, senior and master classes.

New York’s Warren County is the home of Lake George. The slopes at West Mountain, south of Lake George, and Gore Mountain are filled with winter fun. Ski, snowboard or tube your way down West Mountain on popular trails like The Face, Folic, Inchworm and Outback. A great family resort, there are trails and activities for all ages and abilities. Gore Mountain's 94 Alpine trails are nestled in the Adirondacks across the most skiable acreage of New York’s winter resorts. Challenge yourself with a day of skiing North Creek Ski Bowl and Burnt Ridge Mountain. Remember, if the snowfall is short, Gore’s snowmaking system is powered by the Hudson River.

Deep winter in the Adirondacks - don’t pass up the opportunity to do some fishing. Ice fishing to be specific - it is rewarding and an authentic Adirondack experience. Snagging yellow perch is a given, make yourself a comfortable shanty and Pike, Walleye and Trout are your reward. Lake George, The Queen of American Lakes, offers nearly 32 miles of premier ice fishing grounds. The colder, the better, dress warm for a day on the ice fishing and enjoying the ice city community.

Saratoga, Saratoga Springs and Saratoga County, now called the Spa City, developed around the wealth of mineral waters in the region. Then came the Saratoga Race Course, which is arguably the city of Saratoga’s most well-known attraction. You’ll have to wait for summer for Saratoga’s oldest continually operated sporting event at Saratoga Race Track.

Spring is just around the corner; enjoy winter’s delights in upstate New York in their prime season.

Niagara Falls, New York

Western New York, anchored by the cities of Buffalo and Rochester, celebrates winter, with an eye on spring. The Buffalo Niagara Visitor Center hosts “Waterfront Glimpses Exhibit” through the end of February. Visit Niagara Falls to see if the annual ice bridge has formed. Travel east to Rochester, New York’s Festival City, to enjoy the winter and spring activities on the city's agenda. A hub for culture and the arts, University of Rochester hosts’ world-class musical performances at the Eastman School of Music – check the schedules for Kilbourn Hall, Hatch Recital Hall and Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre for 2012 events. Visit Western New York this season and enjoy Buffalo and Rochester.

The Buffalo Museum of Science opens “CSI: The Experience” January 28th for a run through April 29th, 2012. Based on the CBS hit CSI, museum visitors put their forensic science skills to the test. Fun and educational, join the investigation and solve the crime at Buffalo Museum of Science with forensic scientists and CSI television show investigators on hand to help. Ideal timing for spring break – make a getaway to Buffalo for “CSI: The Experience”.

Sports Fans fill Buffalo’s First Niagara Center for a choice of hockey with the Buffalo Sabres or Lacrosse with the NLL Buffalo Bandits. Located near Buffalo Harbor on Lake Erie, the First Niagara Center is conveninetly off the Buffalo Skyway at the intersection of Interstate 190. Catch a Lacrosse game with the Bandits through the last 2012 regular season home game April 21st against the Knighthawks. Join the frenzy on the ice with Buffalo Sabres hockey, also through April, when the Sabres host the Maple Leafs on April 3rd for their last 2012 regular season home match.

Make Winter Break special for the kids with a visit to the Corning Museum of Glass. From February 17th through the 25th, 2012, the museum has planned special activities and exhibits geared for school aged youth. Hours are extended for “Make Your Own Glass”, for the kids. Enjoy are different craft projects each day during Winter Break. Mark the calendar as well for the 2012 “Family night at the museum” March 9th.

The popular 2012 Rochester St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a must-attend event. Irish or not, join the fun downtown Rochester Saturday March 17th. Celebrating its 35th anniversary, the parade starts on East Avenue, winds down Main Street to the finish at Plymouth Avenue.

Winter is a unique time to visit Niagara Falls State Park. America’s oldest state park, Niagara Falls is magic in winter. Visit to see if the cold has formed the annual ice bridge across the river. See the majesty of Niagara Falls surrounded by layers of ice covering trees rocks, railings and walkways. Many attractions are closed for park safety, however the main attraction is never more stunning – it is well worth a winter visit to Niagara Falls.