January is usually the coldest month in New York but this year the city has experienced some brutally cold weather that made Trump showed his craving for Global Warming on twitter, which then drew heaps of attention explaining the differences between weather and climate. When I was thinking if the American president was trying to make a joke or he really meant what he said, I was also concerned about my upcoming flight to New York. Luckily, the weather did me a favor by pushing the temperature back up to above zero during my stay so I had the opportunity to enjoy the city.

If it’s your first time in NYC, landmarks like Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, Times Square and The Metropolitan Museum of Art should be the top priorities on your itinerary. But for those who have visited all these iconic attractions like me, you may wonder what else you can do to take in the city, especially during the winter season. The first thing came into my mind was outdoor ice-skating, just like what I’ve seen in the movies.

A number of options showed up when I googled ice skating venues in NYC. The most popular one is The Rink at Rockefeller Centre, a historic landmark located at the heart of Midtown Manhattan. If you go there in December, you can twirl your night away with your loved one against the backdrop of a splendid Christmas tree. It sounds like a romantic date idea only if you and your partner don’t mind to wait in line for two hours. If patience is not your strength, I’d suggest going in the non-peak season (January to April) when the ticket price drops from $33 to $25.

Though ice skating amid Rockefeller Centre is a cool thing to do, my friend and I decided to go to the rink at Bryant Park’s Winter Village that is twice bigger in size. Thanks to the low season, there’s no queue at all when we arrived. The rental fee of a pair of skates is $20, but if you bring your own, the rink is actually free of charge. Lockers for storing your bags and shoes are provided, but remember to bring your own lock or else you’ll have to pay $12 extra. Don’t put your belongings in the locker without securing it as the staff will clear them from time to time. Other than the rink, the Winter Village also features The Lodge – a bar and food hall – and an observation deck where you can watch your friends or kids skating while enjoying a selection of chess.

After dusk, the temperature drops even lower. It’s a good idea to do something indoor like going to a concert, attending a sporting event or to shop until you drop. But my favorite activity is going for a Broadway show. We all know that watching a celebrated musical is expensive but doing some research beforehand can give you a real bargain.

Some Broadway shows offer digital lotteries on the day and you can find their links through Playbill.com, which lists out all the productions that are running in theatres. Winners will have the chance to get discounted ticket as cheap as $25 and you will be notified through email about the result. Though only a few lucky souls could get the prize, it doesn’t hurt to try, right?

If things go as expected – you lose, unfortunately – there’re still chances to grab discounted tickets on a variety of online platforms and mobile apps, such as Broadwaybox.com, cheaptickets.com, and Todaytix app. While tickets could be purchased days or months in advance, the seats are usually automatically assigned.

Those who have a lot of free time may consider lining up at TKTS booths, which offer 20% to 50% discount off some of the shows on the day. Operated by non-profit corporation TDF (The Theatre Development Fund), the booths are located at Times Square, South Street Seaport and Lincoln Centre. Their waiting lines are notoriously long that can occupy you for more than an hour. Surprisingly, when I walked by, there’re only a few people in the queue. I guess the cold weather scared people off.

TKTs booths usually offer a good bargain for the best seats available but that’s still not the way to get the cheapest ticket. A lot of box offices offer lotteries or a closeout just right before curtain times of their shows. Buying this kind of extremely cheap tickets is a test of luck, so for those who are determined to watch a specific show, this may not be an ideal method.

Before you pay, be sure to check the latest offers from different websites. I bought a ticket for the highly acclaimed show Jersey Boys at $70 on Playbill.com. I thought it’s a nice prize until I arrived at New World Stages – the box office – realizing that they’re offering 20at20 promotion, which means you can purchase the ticket at $20 by simply showing up 20 minutes before the show starts. I bet you can imagine how I felt at that moment, so please do your research thoroughly!

If you’re still thinking what to watch next time you hit New York, I highly recommend Jersey Boys, which presents the dramatic story of the 1960s popular rock ‘n’ roll group The Four Seasons. Maybe you have never heard their names but I bet you know the song ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’. The show doesn’t have the magical stage design of Wicked or the special effects of The Lion Kings, but the voice of the actors and the atmosphere they create are guaranteed to blow your mind and get you up to dance. You won’t regret it.