WalletHub calls New York City a top spot for holidays; here’s why

Revelers and travelers looking for a top cold-weather destination to spend the holidays should head to New York's metro area.

From the lighting of the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center near Times Square to the Christmastime celebrity appearances at Pandora’s Box Toys & Collectibles in Lafayette, there's no shortage of holiday attractions in the New York metro area.

So much so, WalletHub has placed NY's metro area near the top of its "Best Winter Holiday Destinations" ranking. Here's why.

WalletHub gives NY's metro area high rankings for access, attractions and costs

Finance advisory website WalletHub analyzed six metrics — activities; attractions; local costs; travel costs and hassles; safety; and weather — of 69 of the nation's most populated areas for its "Best Winter Holiday Destinations" ranking.

New York's metro area, which according to WalletHub also includes Jersey City, Newark and parts of upper Pennsylvania, ranked second, slightly behind the Atlanta metro area.

"New York City (has) the cheapest flights from major cities having no connections and costing as little as $209," read a portion of WalletHub's findings. "New York City naturally boasts a ton of attractions, including ones that are perfect for winter vacationers.

"The metro area has the fifth-most ice skating rinks per capita, for example, along with a very high number of music venues, spas and affordable restaurants with at least 4.5 stars."

New York's low crime rate factored into WalletHub ranking

WalletHub also cited New York's metro area's relatively low crime rate as a factor in its high ranking.

"The New York City metro area actually has the second-lowest violent crime rate," read WalletHubs' survey, "and the fifth-lowest property crime rate among the 32 metro areas for cold destinations in our study."

Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.