New York City is a mecca of art, culture and fashion, but it also a city of tremendous possibilities for achieving fitness. If you want to go anywhere or get anything in the city, you have to walk, and you have to climb stairs. New Yorkers don't slow down, even on snowy, freezing cold days when the wind is chilling their bones and it's dark outside by 5 p.m. Since New York is a place that has everything, you only have to be motivated to find your activity of choice.
Outdoor Sports
Movies set in New York often feature ice skating as the magical winter sport of the city, and gliding around one of the city's rinks can be enchanting, especially in the evening. The Pond at Bryant Park offers free ice skating in the winter, and also private lessons for a fee. But New York City is also full of public parks with perfect sledding hills and places to snowshoe and even cross-country ski. It's a picturesque workout to ski the bridle paths in Central Park, as you can enjoy both the park landscape and the skyscrapers in the distance. If you don't want to rent or buy equipment, head to one of the many green spaces and public squares for a good old-fashioned snowball fight.
Winter Holidays
The winter holidays are a busy and beautiful time in Manhattan, with all the midtown stores lit up and decorated for the season. Window shopping the big stores like Barney's, Saks and Macy's can take hours of walking if you can brave the cold. Plan a stop at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree on the way and visit the Top of the Rock observation desk for a splendid view of the city.
Sightseeing
If you'd prefer a guide and some history on your urban hikes, take one of the active walking tours offered in every neighborhood and for every interest, from the food of Chinatown to movie locations in Greenwich Village. For a better workout and to cover more ground, take a guided bike tour. Many operate as long as there's no snow or ice on the ground.
Indoor Sports
In New York City, you also have the option to play or practice all your sports indoors, where your game will never get rained or snowed out. The city has indoor tennis, rock climbing, soccer, driving ranges and golf simulators. If you want something out of the ordinary, take indoor trapeze lessons, play indoor sand volleyball or take swing dance lessons. Ping pong halls are becoming popular, too, and the table rentals operate under the same concept as renting pool tables by the hour. You'll also find indoor basketball courts, ice rinks, lap pools and boxing rings.
Indoor Escapes
When it's terrible outside and you want to stretch your legs at your own pace, visit one of the expansive museums. You can walk for miles and climb hundreds of stairs in a single afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art--and still not see a quarter of the exhibits there. The American Museum of Natural History has a tropical butterfly exhibit every winter, and the 80-degree sanctuary is a welcome relief from the cold. If you still can't shake the winter blahs, then both the New York and Brooklyn botanical gardens have enclosed rain forest and desert environments to warm you up.
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