There's Yet Another Reason to Stay in the City This Month: Must-See Week through February 10

Back for its third year, Must See Week is a visitor’s and local’s delight. While no one would call New Yorkers cheap, we definitely love a bargain. And here’s a great one if you haven’t been to any of these must-see places:  two-for-one pricing.  New York has no shortage of tourist attractions and whether you’re an out-of-towner or a local finally getting it together to create a staycation and act like a tourist in your town, you’re sure to find a lot of things to do with these 57 experiences on discount. I know you haven’t been to all of these iconic NYC attractions, sites, historic locations, museums, unexpected tours, sightseeing cruises, performances.  I haven’t either. Get ready to walk if it’s not too cold, or take the subway as you explore the city’s five boroughs and visit these locales. Tickets are available through NYC & Company at nycgo.com/mustseeweek.

Here’s just a smattering of what you can do to keep busy (and stay warm):

Go underwater without ever getting wet: At the National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey in Times Square, you can pretend you’re in the Caribbean snorkeling along a coral reef or learn about the need for eco-sensitivity with our waters. Plan on spending a couple of hours here – it’s amazing.

National Geographic Encounter - Photo:National Geographic Encounter

 Test your espionage and negotiating skills: Super-sleuth your way over to Spyscape: Interactive Spy Museum in Midtown Manhattan, one of the city’s newest haunts that rivals the one in Washington, DC; or line up for a tour of the United Nations, an important meeting site for world leaders.
 

Check out the View: Travel to the top of the Empire State Building Experience or book the One World Observatory for stunning cityscape views from Midtown Manhattan or Lower Manhattan from the observation decks.
 
Pretend you can stop and smell the roses and soak up a little history too:  For a dose of quiet New York, surround yourself with the flowers (and plants) in the Bronx at The New York Botanical Garden, or step back in time at the antebellum Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden on the Upper East Side in Manhattan -- the gorgeous 1799 stone home sits in serene contrast with its next-door high-rise building.
 
Become a Virtual Architect: Discover authentic and groundbreaking Himalayan architecture at Staten Island’s Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art or visit the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building near Central Park on the Upper East Side now celebrating its 60th anniversary.
 

Intrepid - Photo: Christopher Postlewaite

MOMA - Photo: Museum of Modern Art

Visit a Museum Each Day: Learn about the history of your favorite city at the Museum of the City of New York, or soak up a bit of design in the former mansion of Andrew Carnegie, today the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, both on Museum Mile on Fifth Avenue.  Expand your horizons at the museum on a ship at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum on the Hudson River; at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in Midtown; or at the world-class Brooklyn Museum near Prospect Park. Take a deep dive into culture at the Rubin Museum of Art with its extensive Himalayan art collection, into the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) in Chinatown, and at the Museum at Eldridge Street Synagogue on the Lower East Side, dating from 1887.
 
Bring the kids: Enjoy Poppy’s Best Day Ever at DreamWorks Trolls the Experience, zipline at the Bronx Zoo, or catch the winter production “Odd Day Rain” at Tada! Youth Theater, a theater that initiated the careers of numerous Broadway kids.
 

Empire State Building - Photo: Julienne Schaer

Take to the water: Grab a different view of the city and its amazing skyscape from a Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises, or turn your tour into an upscale, Champagne-filled glide with a sail on Bateaux New York.
 
Relive important moments in New York City history: Grab a bite at Fraunces Tavern and check out the second-floor Revolutionary War-era Fraunces Tavern Museum, now celebrating its 300^th anniversary and a place visited by George Washington. To learn more about the building and the downtown area, take a fact-filled Lower Manhattan Tours walk, followed by a visit to the 9/11 Tribute Museum.
 
Get a ticket to a backstage tour: With these tours, you won’t have to practice, practice, practice to get to Carnegie Hall; or play a sport to see the underpinnings of Madison Square Garden or Yankee Stadium.
 
Spot the stars:  Reserve a spot on On Location Tours, with The Tour at NBC Studios, or a visit to the life-sized figures at Madame Tussauds New York – all are perfect for filling your Instagram feed.
 
Take in a musical or dance performance: Score a ticket to the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the New York City Ballet, Dance Entropy located in Queens, or the Distinguished Concerts International New York which offers a range of shows in venues like Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.

If you still can’t find something to do, leave a comment for me – I’ll be glad to help you!