Don’t let your PTO disappear at the end of the year. December is the perfect excuse to take a day off, or a few, and explore the incredible experiences New York State has waiting for you. Carve twists and turns on snowy slopes, discover charming new-to-you towns, unwind with a restorative wellness retreat, or spark your curiosity in world-class museums and galleries. With so much to see and do across the state, it’s time to step away from the desk and make the most of your vacation days.

Settle into Savings on a Mid-week Mini-Cation

Credit: @innsofaurora on Instagram

Spoil yourself with a mid-week escape at one of New York State’s most luxurious resorts before the holiday hecticness. In the Finger Lakes, the Inns of Aurora offers a weekday getaway package. While you’re there, treat your tastebuds to a unique culinary experience. In Cooperstown, The Otesaga Resort features unbeatable super savings days, and it’s a great excuse to book a relaxing spa service. Over in New Paltz, the majestic Mohonk Mountain House invites you to unwind with a midweek getaway special, timed perfectly to enjoy their enchanting Victorian Holiday Celebrations. And if a coastal retreat with an indoor heated saltwater pool is calling your name, Gurney’s Montauk Resort is offering major savings with its cyber sale.

Unleash Your Wild Side

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If you’d rather spend your day with furry, feathered, or finned friends than your coworkers, you’re in good company. Join the pack at an animal adventure in New York. Trek the trails with a llama or alpaca at Clover Brooke Farm in Hyde Park, or waddle over to the Aquarium of Niagara in roaring Niagara Falls for a personal penguin encounter. Howl with the wolves of North America at the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem. Dive into pure aquatic adrenaline with a shark dive (pictured) at the Long Island Aquarium, where you can come face-to-face with some of the ocean’s top predators.

Try a New Talent

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For the curious culinarian, try a hands-on cooking class. Spend a day at the Culinary Institute of America (pictured) in Hyde Park and learn from CIA chef-instructors during a single-day class. While you’re there, enjoy a memorable meal at one of the student-run restaurants (closed December 19-31) on the captivating campus. Refine a regional Italian dish at Eataly in Manhattan, a triple-threat immersive cooking classroom, food destination, and market. In the lakeside town of Canandaigua, NYK (New York Kitchen) hosts cooking classes alongside its top-tier Tasting Room, where you can sip New York State’s incredible wines, beers, ciders, spirits, and zero-proof offerings.

If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at improv, say “Yes, and…” as you head to The Peoples Improv Theater (the PIT) in Midtown Manhattan, a comedy training hub where drop-in classes run daily. Afterward, wander a mile downtown to catch acclaimed comedians onstage any night of the week at the iconic Comedy Cellar.

Want to dance the day away? Take a class at Broadway Dance Center, led by world-renowned choreographers in styles ranging from jazz and tap to hip-hop, ballet, and breakdancing. And while you’re in the neighborhood, why not experience Broadway! You can easily see a show at the last minute or on-a-budget.

For a truly extraordinary creative class, visit the Corning Museum of Glass, (pictured) the premier destination to see over 50,000 glass objects representing more than 3,500 years of history, where you can partake in glassblowing, flameworking, fusing, sandblasting, and engraving.

Drink Around New York

Explore the pours and tours of New York’s vibrant breweries, cideries, and distilleries. Angry Orchard in Walden is more than a cidery, it’s a full orchard experience with a tasting room, production tour, and expansive grounds that invite you to sip, lounge, learn, and take a bite of the Empire state.

Dive into the decadence of Dassai Blue Sake Brewery, the Hudson Valley’s brand-new, 55,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art sake brewery and tasting room. Dassai is considered the highest level of premium sake. Take a tour and learn about the sake-making process, followed by a tasting of Dassai Blue sake with add-on gourmet food options.

In Cooperstown, Brewery Ommegang (pictured) is a beer-lover’s oasis, pairing award-winning craft brews with a vibrant food menu. Take a guided tasting and learn about the brewery’s history. Bourbon fans will want to check out Buffalo Distilling Co., (pictured) the city’s first bourbon distillery, crafting farm-to-bottle spirits using locally-grown grains. Tour the venue then pull up a bar seat and sip on signature spirits. 

Wine and dine (and spend the night) like royalty at Belhurst Castle in Geneva, where you can indulge in wine and cheese pairings, curated tastings, fine dining, and even spa services. If a cup of tea is what you fancy, afternoon tea experiences await you throughout the state.

Rest & Relax

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Two of the best acronyms in life are PTO and R&R, and you deserve both. Treat yourself to a restorative retreat at one of New York’s sensational spas. At the acclaimed Mohonk Spa, you’ll find 16 treatment rooms, a solarium, eucalyptus steam room, and a menu of 80 unique nature-inspired treatments. Mirbeau delivers luxury across three locations in Albany, Rhinebeck, and Skaneateles. Each offers various day-spa packages, gourmet on-site dining in your robe, and specialized spa services, with Rhinebeck and Skaneateles also providing overnight lodging for an elevated escape. For a rustic lakeside retreat, Mirror Lake Resort Inn & Spa features salt therapy, float therapy, a salon, and an expansive menu of full-service treatments accompanied by unparalleled views of Mirror Lake. Hit the slots and the spa all at once at the award-winning Skana spa (pictured) within the Turning Stone Resort and Casino. Browse more of our best recommendations for luxurious wellness getaways, affordable wellness options, and easy day-trip and on-site lodging spa experiences.

Meander a Museum

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History, science, art, natural history, and so much more, in New York State there’s a museum for every mind. Take the day to check out the very recently re-vitalized Studio Museum in Harlem, an architectural masterpiece in its own right, celebrating Harlem’s rich history while showcasing works from over 800 artists spanning more than 200 years. At the New York State Museum in Albany, catch exhibits on New York Pride: The Fight for Marriage Equality (open until February 22, 2026) and George Washington: An American Paradox (open until January 4, 2026) before they’re gone! New York Transit Museum’s seasonal Holiday Train Show (open until February 2026) captures the magic of miniature trains and New York City in Grand Central. For an alluring and educational Adirondack adventure, the Wild Center is featuring the Climate Solutions exhibit, where four galleries showcase stories of individuals building climate solutions in their lives and communities. The Buffalo AKG Art Museum beckons you to Become One with Eternity (pictured) this winter (open through March 2, 2026), featuring three immersive installations, including two iconic Infinity Mirror Rooms. Check out our full guide for more must-see exhibits and museums.

Experience Small Town Charm

Wandering a new town, stumbling upon a one-of-a-kind shop, and grabbing grub somewhere different is a great way to spend a day. If antiquing is your thing, Hudson, Huntington, and Ballston Spa are teeming with new-to-you treasures waiting to be found. Art lovers will feel inspired in Beacon, Saratoga Springs, and Ithaca, where galleries, performing arts venues, and marvelous murals fill the downtowns. For outdoor enthusiasts and sports fans, towns like Lake Placid, Ellicottville, and Cooperstown cover all of the bases. Explore our guide for what to see, eat, and do on main streets and in New York’s lively winter towns.

Opt Outside

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Sometimes the best way to spend a vacation day is by clearing your head in nature. Take a tranquil trek along New York’s snow-dusted mountains, glimmering lakes, and frost-covered valleys. Traverse miles of scenic trails on the Mohonk Mountain House grounds (pictured), summit a peak in the Adirondacks (be sure to check daily weather/condition reports), or chase the waterfalls at Letchworth State Park. For more inspiration, explore our curated list of winter hikes across the state.

Photo courtesy of ORDA

If you’d rather spend your day on the slopes, grab a day pass at Gore, Hunter, Whiteface (pictured), Holiday Valley, or any of New York’s ski resorts. Weekdays offer the perfect combination of lower lift ticket prices and fewer people, making it the ideal way to spend a vacation day.

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