Get Excited for 2014 in Westchester County
White Plains, NY (PRWEB) December 12, 2013 -- Westchester County Tourism today announced a line-up of fun-filled events and spectacles through the end of the year and beyond that will make the winter season memorable. Begin 2014 with amazing things to do for the entire family.
From quick day trips to extended long weekends, Westchester County, the first stop in the Hudson Valley, is an easily accessible destination with so much to offer year-round.
“From festive events and entertainment to family fun and more, Westchester County offers countless ways to enjoy the winter season,” said County Executive Robert P. Astorino. “Whether looking for outdoor adventures or indoor events at stylish hotels and restaurants, visitors will find everything they want and more to start off an exciting new year in Westchester County.”
Upcoming activities and events are highlighted below:
Entertainment Galore
Just before the year ends, don’t forget another helping of holiday entertainment in Westchester County. This time of year is not the same without a spectacular performance of The Nutcracker that provides fun for the entire family. Don’t miss the magical holiday classic presented by the Westchester Ballet Company with inspiring dancing, spectacular scenery and costumes, traditional choreography and extraordinary stage effects at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. Show times are Saturday, December 21 at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and Sunday December 22 at 2:00 p.m. Ticket costs are $20 for adults and $15 for children and seniors. The Westchester County Center is located at 198 Central Avenue in White Plains. For more information, visit http://www.countycenter.biz or call 914-995-4050.
Light up the night at the New Year’s Eve Spectacular in White Plains starting at 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31. Main Street and Court Street will be closed off so that hundreds of locals and visitors can be thrilled outdoors with a stage set with live music and fun for both adults and children. The night will end with a countdown to the New Year, a magnificent ball drop and a fireworks show at midnight. Open to New Year’s Eve Spectacular attendees 21 years and older, Heineken USA will provide free rides to residential destinations within Westchester County at the Safe Rides transportation stand on the corner of East Post Road and Mamaroneck Avenue between 11:00pm and 3:00am.
Stay indoors and get a kick out of the DoubleTree by Hilton Tarrytown’s annual New Year’s Eve Murder Mystery Celebration on December 31. Actors and actresses from The Killing Kompany dress in costume and put on a crime scene performance for guests during dinner while the guests try to solve the case. At $349, this package includes overnight guest accommodations; cocktail hour with the characters in costumes, and passed hors d’oeuvres; a buffet dinner with complimentary beer, wine and soft drinks (cash bar available for hard liquor); DJ and dancing; a champagne toast at midnight; as well as a breakfast buffet on New Year’s Day with more crime to solve. There is limited availability and reservations are required. For more information, call 914-524-6404.
Howl in the New Year with winter wolves and start the year off with a family fun day at the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem on January 1 at 11:00 am. This is the best introduction to wolves for families with young children. Kids can learn about the mythology surrounding wolves and the important role of wolves in the natural world. Guests will visit Ambassador wolves Atka, Alawa and Zephyr as well as the center’s critically endangered red wolves and Mexican gray wolves. Guests will enjoy hot beverages in a woodstove-heated classroom. Pre-registration is required. Information and registration are available at http://www.nywolf.org, where a schedule of year-round events is listed.
With the arrival of cold winter weather, Westchester is host to ice skating, cross country skiing and sledding fun at many county park locations. Round up the entire family for ice skating at the following parks:
• Lasdon Park, Arboretum and Veterans Memorial, Route 35, Somers (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
• Blue Mountain Reservation, Welcher Avenue, Peekskill
• Wampus Pond, Route 128, Armonk
• Mountain Lakes Park, Hawley Road, North Salem
• Willson’s Woods Park, East Lincoln Avenue, Mount Vernon
• Tibbetts Brook Park, Midland Avenue, Yonkers
For country skiing, go to the following locations when snow cover permits:
• Blue Mountain Reservation, Welcher Avenue, Peekskill
• Croton Gorge, Route 129, Cortlandt
• Croton Point Park, Croton Point Avenue, Croton-on-Hudson
• Kitchawan Preserve, Route 134, Yorktown
• Lasdon Park, Arboretum and Veterans Memorial, Route 35, Somers
• Mohansic Golf Course, Baldwin Road off Taconic Parkway, Yorktown Heights
• Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Routes 35 and 121 South, Cross River*
• Cranberry Lake Preserve, Old Orchard Street off Route 22, North White Plains
• Maple Moor Golf Course, North Street, White Plains
• Marshlands Conservancy, Route 1, Rye
• The trails at Merestead, Byram Lake Road, Mount Kisco
• Saxon Woods Park, Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains
• Saxon Woods Golf Course, Mamaroneck Road, Scarsdale
• Dunwoodie Golf Course, Wasylenko Lane off Yonkers Avenue, Yonkers
• Lenoir Preserve, Dudley Street off North Broadway, Yonkers
• Sprain Lake Golf Course, Grassy Sprain Road, Yonkers
• Tibbetts Brook Park, Midland Avenue, Yonkers
Sledding is also allowed (weather permitting) at Croton Gorge, Lasdon Park (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), Ward Pound Ridge Reservation and Dunwoodie, Sprain Lake, Saxon Woods, Mohansic and Maple Moor golf courses.
For all activities, participants must bring their own equipment and all sports are permitted seven days a week during daylight hours only. Admission and parking are free unless otherwise noted. Visit http://www.westchestergov.com/parks for directions and contact information for the parks.
For arts and culture in 2014, don’t miss the exhibits at the Neuberger Museum of Art in Purchase. Starting in January, Cleve Gray’s Threnody: Forty Years will be a site to see. Threnody (1973–74) is a monumental 250-foot-long site-specific painting in 28 panels that was created by American artist Cleve Gray for the opening of the Neuberger Museum of Art forty years ago and since then in the museum collection. Cleve Gray’s Threnody: Forty Years celebrates this extraordinary project as part of the Museum’s anniversary festivities. The Neuberger Museum of Art is located at 735 Anderson Hill Road in Purchase. For more information and a complete listing of exhibits throughout the year, call 914-251-6100 or visit http://www.neuberger.org.
Stay & Play
Feeling lucky? Start off the new year on a good note and head to Empire City Casino for a comedy show, music concert, or to make a bet at the slot machines and other casino games. Then, stay at the Renaissance Westchester hotel in White Plains and receive a discounted overnight stay, as well as complimentary shuttle service to the casino as part of the Casino Package. Rates start at $139. The Renaissance Westchester is located at 80 West Red Oak Lane in White Plains. For more information about this package, visit http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/hpnsh-renaissance-westchester-hotel or call 914-694-5400.
Need more play and laughter in 2014? Try the Stay and Play at LEGOLAND package at the Sheraton in Tarrytown. LEGO fans young and old will delight in learning how their favorite toys are made at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester in Yonkers. Enjoy films, rescue a captured princess on the exciting Kingdom Quest ride, and build, build, build. Special areas are also available for younger budding architects. This package is available Thursdays through Sundays. Rates begin at $169 per night. Children under 12 eat free with the purchase of an adult meal at the hotel’s SB&G Restaurant. The Sheraton Tarrytown Hotel is located at 600 White Plains Road in Tarrytown. For more information, visit http://www.sheratontarrytown.com or call 914-332-7900.
Looking to get a head start on a New Year’s resolution to add more enjoyment next year? Try the Luxury Escape Package at the Doral Arrowwood in Rye Brook. Arrive early and stay late with this Westchester County winter vacation package. Guests enjoy special benefits including complimentary cocktails in the Pub, an evening of fine food and fun at the hotel’s Saturday Night Dinner Dance and a sumptuous hot breakfast buffet the next morning in the Atrium overlooking the golf course. This package starts at $259 per couple. Doral Arrowwood is located at 975 Anderson Hill Road in Rye Brook. For more information, visit http://www.doralarrowwood.com or call 914-939-5500.
For more of the latest events and happenings in Westchester, log onto http://www.visitwestchesterny.com, like us on Facebook (facebook.com/westchestercountytourism), follow us on Twitter @westchestertour or call 1-800-833-9282.
To view the Westchester County Destination Guide, please visit http://digital-editions.mediatwo.com/westchester-destination.
About Westchester County Tourism & Film
Tourism & Film is Westchester County’s official destination marketing organization. Its mission is to generate economic benefits by enhancing the image and promoting Westchester County as a premier business and leisure destination in the Hudson Valley region. The Tourism & Film Office in Westchester County is a Division within the County Executive’s Office of Economic Development.
Hope Salley, Thompson & Bender, +1 (914) 762-1900 Ext: 25, [email protected]
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