(11/30-12/7) Each week City Guide's Things to Do in NYC brings you the best in special NYC events, exhibits, sightseeing activities, fun for kids, concerts, and nightlife. The holiday season is in full swing, with the Rockefeller Center Tree lighting and myriad pop-up holiday shops, including Grand Central, Bryant Park, Union Square, and Columbus Circle! Bring the family out for festive holiday programs. Shoppers, click through for great coupons and savings throughout the month of December on sightseeing tours, museums, shopping, dining, and more!

THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK: THE BIG EVENT

(11/30-1/7/17) The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting for 2016 takes place on Nov. 30th, but you can appreciate its majestic beauty all throughout December. The towering tree in Rockefeller Center is a global symbol of the holiday spirit. You can also enjoy the surrounding holiday shop windows and The Rink at Rockefeller Center, the world’s most famous patch of ice. This year marks the rink’s 80th anniversary and to celebrate Rock Center will be flashing back to opening year with nostalgic touches. The rink will play Billboard #1 songs from the last 80 years and Rock Center Café will serve the throwback specialty cocktail “The Preakness.” To further bring the mood of opening year, the skate house is decorated with historic photos. Take advantage of a package deal, like Après Skate (appetizers and drinks), a Starlight Skate on the night’s last session, or a combo ticket with the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes™ that’ll get you both into the show and onto the rink. rockefellercenter.com

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(now-12/31) For the first time ever, The Paley Center for Media will transform into a holiday wonderland when It’s Holiday Time in Paleyland opens to the public, with free admission for all. Visitors will have the opportunity to come in from the cold, warm up with complimentary hot cocoa, and enjoy holiday activities including: non-stop screenings of beloved holiday TV classics, a photo opportunity with a stunning four-foot tall menorah crafted out of woodland materials of white birch bark and evergreens, craft activities, and a visit from Santa! At the center of the experience is a display of the iconic “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” costumes worn by the Radio City Rockettes in their long-standing production of the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes™.

(New! Now-12/24) The Grand Central Holiday Fair returns to Grand Central Terminal with 40 artisans in Vanderbilt Hall selling art and home goods; holiday-themed items; bath and body products; toys; and clothing and accessories for men, women, and children. The Holiday Fair is open Monday through Friday, 10am-8pm, until 7pm Saturdays, and 11am-6pm Sundays. Closed Thanksgiving and open 10am-6pm on Christmas Eve.

(12/3) Christmas Jazz Vespers at Resurrection Church NYC. Under the musical direction of Anne Phillips, (creator of the renowned Jazz Nativity), the "Holy Smokin' Band" will provide a stirring performance to which vocalists will let loose on Christmas jazz and gospel favorites.

(12/3-12/4) Wintercon 2016 at Resorts World Casino. The largest Sci-Fi Convention in the New York area is back! Featuring the 35th Anniversary reunion of the cast of MAD MAX: ROAD WARRIOR and appearances from cast members of STAR WARS, STAR TREK, THE WALKING DEAD, THE WARRIORS, and more! 

(now-3/5) Bryant Park Winter Village offers a wide array of vendors to find that perfect gift, plus tasty cider and chocolate snacks, ping pong tables, and more! wintervillage.org.

THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK: EXHIBITION OF THE WEEK

(now-2/5/17) Explore contemporary art and design through a craft lens at The Museum of Arts and Design, an intimately sized museum in the heart of Columbus Circle. MAD offers five exhibition floors, open artist studios, an award-winning store, and an iconic restaurant, Robert, with spectacular views of Central Park. The new exhibit Chris Antemann: Forbidden Fruit celebrates the collaboration between Oregon-based artist Chris Antemann and the renowned MEISSEN Porcelain manufactory, founded in 1710. Antemann’s limited editions are displayed here in an installation that reinvents and refreshes the figurative tradition

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(New! Permanent) The Museum of the City of New York presents NY at Its Core. Ten years in the making, New York at Its Core presents the compelling story of New York’s rise from a striving Dutch village to today’s “Capital of the World.” The exhibition captures the human energy that drove New York to become a city like no other and a subject of fascination the world over. Entertaining, inspiring, important, and at times bemusing, New York City “big personalities,” including Alexander Hamilton, Walt Whitman, Boss Tweed, Emma Goldman, JP Morgan, Fiorello La Guardia, Jane Jacobs, Jay-Z, and dozens more, parade through the exhibition. mcny.org

(New) The exhibit ¡Cuba! at American Museum of Natural History explores the island's rich biodiversity and culture.

(now-1/17) The exciting new exhibit Dinosaurs Among Us, at the American Museum of Natural History, examines how one group of dinosaurs evolved into the birds of today. 

(Now-2/26/17) The First Jewish Americans: Freedom and Culture in the New World at the New-Yrok Historical Society. This exhibition examines the story of newcomers to the New World, both Jewish and of Jewish ancestry, who made their way to colonial America and engaged fully in the cultural, social, and political life of the young nation. The exhibition showcases more than 170 rare early portraits, drawings, maps, books, documents, and ritual objects, illuminating the birth of a new Jewish American tradition and the extraordinary contributions of 18th- and 19th-century Jewish artists, writers, activists, and others to the development of American culture and politics.

(Now-2/5/17) Dreamlands: Immersive Cinema & Art: 1905-2016  at the Whitney Museum of American Art focuses on the ways in which artists have dismantled and reassembled the conventions of cinema—screen, projection, darkness—to create new experiences of the moving image. The exhibition will fill the Museum's 18,000-square-foot fifth-floor galleries, and will include a film series in the third-floor theater. Dreamlands spans more than a century of works by American artists and filmmakers, and also includes a small number of works of German cinema and art from the 1920s with a strong relationship to, and influence on, American art and film. Featured are works in installation, drawing, 3-D environments, sculpture, performance, painting, and online space.

(now-2/17) The Holiday Express show at the New-York Historical Society is about more than trains; it includes boats, planes, and even dirigibles. With items from the Jerni Collection of more than 10,000 toys and trains dating to between 1850 and 1950, it modernizes the old-fashioned miniatures with a multiscreen, multimedia display. You'll hear the clanging of bells and the mooing of cows as a train passes them in the countryside. A figure eight of track runs overhead. In one display, kids can crawl to a transparent bubble and pop their heads in for a close-up look as European and American trains swirl around them. 170 Central Park W., 212-873-3400, nyhistory.org

(now-1/11/17) Agnes Martin at the Guggenheim Museum, which traces the artist’s career from her early experiments of the 1950s through her final paintings in what is the first comprehensive survey of her work since her death. Influenced by Asian belief systems including Taoism and Zen Buddhism and the natural surroundings of her home in New Mexico, Martin’s restrained style was underpinned by a belief in the expressive power of art. This retrospective presents the scope of Martin's output, including her biomorphic abstractions of the 1950s, signature grid and stripe compositions, and final paintings. Together these works illuminate Martin's practice as she developed and refined a format to express her singular vision.  

(now-1/8/17) The Battle of Brooklyn at the New-York Historical Society presents the dramatic story of the largest single battle of the American Revolution. On August 27, 1776, on the marshy fields of Gowanus and Red Hook, George Washington and his ragtag army of untrained soldiers fought Great Britain’s Royal Army, one of the most powerful military forces in the world. Things did not go well. In the first major armed campaign for the colonies after declaring their independence, the British seized control of the strategically important city of New York. Washington was able to make a surprising retreat that saved the day for his troops and ultimately for the American cause. Through 90 objects and documents, including Hugh Gaine’s printing of the Declaration of Independence, a camp bed used by George Washington during the war, Thomas Paine’s 1776 Common Sense, which lays out the arguments for independence, and a rare hunting shirt that became the first “uniform” of the Continental Army, this new exhibition presents the dramatic story of the near-disaster that played a major role in the making of America. 

(now-1/2/17) Marking the 200th anniversary of her birth in 1816, Charlotte Brontë: An Independent Will celebrates Brontë’s life and successes, tracing her life from ambitious teenager to celebrated novelist, at the Morgan Library and Museum.

(now-1/8/17) Who Shot Sports, A Photographic History, 1843-Present at the Brooklyn Museum gathers together approximately 230 works—from daguerreotypes and salted paper prints to digital images—that capture the universal appeal of sports, highlighting unforgettable moments of drama and excitement from around the globe.

(now-1/17) The American Museum of Natural History welcomes an exhibit with bite: Crocs: Ancient Predators in a Modern World provides a fascinating look at the world of archosaurs, a group that includes alligators and crocodiles as well as extinct dinosaurs and modern birds.

(permanent) New York’s latest resident is a 122-foot-long dinosaur so new it has yet to be formally named. Going by “Titanosaur” for now, it has taken up residence at the American Museum of Natural History, in a cast of 84 fossil bones uncovered in Patagonia in 2014. The find included a colossal 8-ft. thigh bone, whose shape and size indicated a new species—and one of the biggest dinosaurs ever found. The titanosaur is so large, in fact, that it doesn’t fit in the gallery: a 39-ft.-long neck in a new permanent exhibit extends out towards the elevator banks.

(ongoing) On The Line: Intrepid & The Vietnam War is up at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Intrepid made three tours of duty in Vietnam between 1966-1969.

Click here for our Intrepid Coupon to save $3 now (max 4 persons) off general admission!

THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK: COMEDY 

(12/2, 12/3) Sarah Colonna: Has Anyone Seen My Pants? The Chelsea Lately regular tells tales from her recent book at Gotham Comedy Club.   

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(now-12/28) Lady Bunny Brings Trans-Jester to Historic Stonewall Inn Brassy, sassy drag performer Lady Bunny—a world-renowned DJ and comedienne on the LGBT scene, as well as creator of New York’s annual drag-fest Wigstock, has brought her brazen show Trans-Jesterback to New York’s historic Stonewall Inn in the West  Village for a second run, now extended through Dec. 28. Strictly adults only!

(12/1) #partythursday at Stand Up NY, with Damien Lemon, Liza Treyger, Cipha Sounds, Emily Galati, and Derek Gaines. 8pm.

(12/2) Stand Up NY Showcase, with Mike Yard, Marion Grodin, Gina Brillon, Paul Mecurio, and Liz Miele, at Stand Up NY. 8pm.

(12/3) Stand Up NY Showcase, with Mike Yard, Marina Franklin, Aaron Berg, Russ Meneve, and Paul Mecurio, at Stand Up NY. 10pm. 

Get free admission for two to Stand Up NY!

THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK: KIDS

(New! Now-1/8/17) Pip's Island at Skylight Modern lets loose 21st-century pop culture goodies (graphic novels, web series, apps, video games, etc.) and tosses in live actors, a propulsive storyline, and creative problem solving for an all-immersive theatrical experience.

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(12/3-12/11) Peter & the Wolf with Isaac Mizrahi at the Peter B. Lewis Theater at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Works & Process at the Guggenheim presents ten performances of Sergei Prokofiev's charming children's classic, Peter & the Wolf. Reviving the sold-out 2015 production, for the tenth year, renowned fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi will narrate the production. Brad Lubman will conduct Ensemble Signal. Mizrahi will narrate, direct, design the set and costumes, and his special cast will perform choreography by John Heginbotham.

(12/4) Sixth Annual Holiday Sing-a-Long with Dan Zanes and Friends, Early Show at City Winery. Doors open, 10am, show, 11am. 

(now-12/31) Children of all ages will love the perennial holiday favorite, George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, performed by the New York City Ballet. 

(Now-1/2) The NYC perennial holiday favorite Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes™ returns. Fan favorites include "New York at Christmas," where the Rockettes board a real double-decker bus, and the high-energy tap number "Twelve Days of Christmas." Of course, beloved classics like "The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" and "The Living Nativity" will also be back. rockettes.com

(Ongoing) Explore the beautiful interactive exhibit Connected Worlds at the New York Hall of Science in Queens. 

THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK: SIGHTSEEING

(12/1-12/30) Throughout December, check out A Slice of Brooklyn's Holiday Lights Tour, which goes through Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, a neighborhood full of eye-popping displays. Offered every day except Christmas Day. Take $5 off your next tour with this coupon! 

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(Now-1/8) Experience THE RIDE: HOLIDAY EDITION. Celebrating the celestial lights of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, “THE RIDE Holiday Edition” is a 21st- century sleigh ride with original seasonal music, videos and hilarious hosts that support dazzling holiday performances you will discover along a 4.2 mile journey through New York City. 

Click here to take $20 off THE RIDE: HOLIDAY EDITION now!

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(12/1-12/30) Spirit of New York is offering a variety of lunch and dinner Holiday Cruises. 

(now-1/16) The annual Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden is back! Enchanting model trains zip through a display of 150 landmarks, each re-created with bark, leaves, and other natural materials—all under the twinkling glow of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Marvel at G-scale locomotives humming along among familiar sights such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, and Rockefeller Center on nearly a half-mile of track. The recent exhibition expansion continues with more trains and a true New York finale featuring a whimsical tribute to the iconic Coney Island amusement park’s architecture and attractions.

(12/3) Jingle Bell Jog at Brooklyn's Prospect Park. A "Holiday Gift Wrapped as a Race": this festive family favorite is more than just a road race, it's also a celebration and a fundraiser for NYRR's youth programs. Not only does your entry fee snag you jingle bells for your sneakers and post-race hot chocolate, the proceeds from this race fund youth running programs in schools all over the city.

(Ongoing) Grab a date or friend and enjoy the most incredible views of NYC at Top of the Rock.

(ongoing) Catch the Ghostbusters Experience (walk through/immersive) and Ghostbusters Dimension, a Virtual Reality Experience at Madame Tussauds. Get ready to strap on some gear and laser some ghosts against breathtaking, realistic backdrops. The technology puts you right there!

(ongoing) Take a one-hour tour of one of the world's most important buildings, the United Nations, now celebrating 70 years. (Tours offered weekdays only.)

Check out the new "tour about nothing" When Harry Met Seinfeld with On Location Tours. 

Explore NYC's Financial District with Wall Street Walks. 

As the holiday season approaches, One World Observatory offers new Holiday Ticket Packages for friends, families, and couples to celebrate the holidays on the top three floors of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. Beginning on November 28th, guests who select the Holiday Cheer Package can enjoy a festive cocktail, such as the Holiday Martini, on their visit and take home a collectable One World Observatory Shaker. Families can select the Family Holiday Pack and take a trip to the top of the world, which includes two (2) adult tickets, two (2) youth tickets, four (4) hot chocolates and a collectable One World Observatory Snow Globe. Whether you’re rounding up the family for some hot chocolate or choosing to relax over a holiday cocktail, there will be something for everyone to enjoy along with stunning 360-degree views from 1,250 feet above New York City!

THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK: NIGHTLIFE & MUSIC

(now-4/29/17) New York Theatre Ballet 2016/17 Season at St. Mark's in the Bowery.   

SNEAK PEEK, NEXT WEEK

(12/5) Every Monday, Broadway Under the Stars presents performances from the most popular shows on Broadway, at The Shops at Columbus Circle. Today, it's Waitress!  

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(12/5-12/17) Mariah Carey: All I Want for Christmas is You at the Beacon Theatre.

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