What would you do??

I had set my heart on visiting NY from 24th Nov - 2nd Dec. It would have been our 1st visit to NY and I wanted to experience the Christmas feel.

However......if I delay my visit until February we can go for half the price so would have more money to spend while we are there.

What would you do? Am I missing out on too much by not going in time for Christmas. Is February a good time to go?

Advice appreciated!!

What would you do??

In February everyone has in the winter blahs and can%26#39;t wait for winter to be over. :-)

For your first trip, I%26#39;d come when you want to. New York City for the holidays is indeed magical.

What would you do??

The weather in NY in February is usually pretty nasty. Wet, cold and dank are the best way to describe it here. Christmas season in NYC is a pretty hectic time, but it will just be getting started when you%26#39;ll be here.

I wouldn%26#39;t want to be anywhere near the city on Black Friday, but you may have a ball. I hope you like crowds. But be careful when shopping or walking with thick crowds at this time.

If I didn%26#39;t live here, and wanted to visit, I would come during the warmer weather. There%26#39;s so much more to see and do, and people are in better spirits.

I think a first visit to NYC is always great whenever you go. Without knowing you or your particular tastes and financial situation, I%26#39;d say do what you think is best, not what other people tell you. It sounds as though budget is a consideration and if that%26#39;s the case, go when you can get better deals.

It%26#39;s really crowded over Thanksgiving weekend which is when you%26#39;d be here. It%26#39;s harder to find discounts for theater at that time. I personally hate crowds.

There%26#39;s a bank holiday weekend Feb 21 and Valentine%26#39;s day is a big deal here.

If it%26#39;s actually half the price, go in February, stay a little longer or buy a few more things.

It%26#39;s hard to say without knowing what you value most from your vacations, but... If you really have your heart set on ';Christmas feel in NYC'; then go in Nov, otherwise I%26#39;d say go in February. You%26#39;re not talking about Sept. vs. Feb. Last time I was in NYC at the end of Nov it was wet and cold anyway, not as nasty as Feb, but still, wet and boots, gloves, scarves cold. There%26#39;ll be more snow/slush in February but you%26#39;re still going to need to bundle up for November. The time you spend indoors at museums, shopping etc. will be just the same. NYC is most fun in the nice weather, but it is great all year - go in Feb and splurge on great seats for a show, maybe upgrade your hotel choice, and treat yourselves to a wickedly decadent meal at a place you wouldn%26#39;t otherwise have gone. I think those things would add more to your overall experience.

Caroline, we went in February this year and, although the Christmas decorations had all been taken down, we still had a wonderful time. The biggest attraction of that time of year is the lack of large crowds making everything much more relaxing (travelling, sightseeing, dining). As whiz says, ultimately it%26#39;s a matter of personal choice but February has a lot to offer!

What%26#39;s Black Friday??

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. People line up at stores at four in the morning to get the best bargains offered during the season. It%26#39;s Hell on Earth.

If you had ';set your heart'; on going 24th Nov - 2nd Dec, it will be difficult to take it out of the mould and choose February instead. If money is the only limiting factor, why not try to earn some extra over the next few months ? Or sell off something valuable that no longer interests you ? That way you get the Christmas feel of New York accompanied by the reassuring touch of a full purse to fuel your consumer needs.

Thanks for your advice so far. I%26#39;ve printed this off and am going for a think!! please feel free to add further responses!