Now that the stress of final exams is behind us, it is time to take full advantage of that wonderful and vast stretch of guiltless leisure time also known as winter break. While wintertime is arguably the season that suits Manhattan best, it is also an opportunity to get away from all that touristy, holiday traffic and explore what lies beyond the bridges and tunnels of New York City.
In the first of three guides, we’ve picked eight cultural activities around the outer boroughs that are all affordable, easily accessible, and promise to be (mostly) hipster-free.
Brooklyn: Coney Island
While Coney Island is better known for its kitschy Boardwalk and olde Brooklyn amusements, the New York Aquarium at Coney Island is a great year round destination—if you don’t mind the smell of fish. Visitors have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the aquarium’s sea stars during feeding times. The Pacific Walruses never disappoint.
Back on Surf Avenue, Coney Island’s main drag, grab a bite at Nathan’s Famous—remember you are, after all, visiting the birthplace of the hot-dog—and then head over to the Coney Island Museum for a brief history of the area that costs less than your hot-dog.
Nearest subway: D/Q/N/F train to Stillwell Avenue.
New York Aquarium at Coney Island
Surf Avenue and West 8th Street; 718.265.FISH
Winter Hours (Nov 2-April 2): 10am-4:30pm daily
Cost: $13
Nathan’s Famous
1310 Surf Avenue; 718.946.2202
Hours: Nathan’s is open year-round
Cost: $3.15 (originally 5 cents in 1916)
Coney Island Museum
1208 Surf Avenue; 718.372.5159
Hours: Saturdays and Sundays only, 12pm-5pm
Cost: $.99
Queens: Astoria
If you’ve ever been moved by a motion picture or are fascinated by the art of digital media, you’ll want to pay a visit to the Museum of the Moving Image. Tune into the Pinewood Dialogues that have recently included Tim Burton, Judd Apatow, Gael Garcia Bernal, and Jerry Lewis. Historical theater furnishings, early technical equipment, and vintage advertisements are among their large collection of image artifacts. Check out their website for a calendar of upcoming movie screenings.
Queens is known for being an ethnically diverse enclave, and popular destination for any kind of Greek cultural adventure. In Astoria, indulge in some authentic Greek cuisine with a stop at Opa Souvlaki for an inexpensive but delicious gyro. Check out our comprehensive guide to all things Greca in this outer borough.
Museum of the Moving Image
35 Avenue at 36th Street; 718.784.4520
Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 10am-3pm;
Holiday Hours: From Saturday, December 26, through Sunday, January 3, 2010, the museum will be open daily (including New Years Day) from 10am-5pm.
Nearest subway: R/V train to Steinway
Cost: $7
Opa Souvlaki
2844 31st Street; 718.728.3638
Hours: Monday to Friday, 11am-1am; also open Saturday
Nearest subway: N/W train to 30th Avenue/Astoria
Cost: $9-$15
Queens: Long Island City
The story of the Socrates Sculpture Park has all the elements of a New York City success story. Up until 1986, the site was an illegal dumping ground and riverside landfill when a group of artists and local community members decided to transform it into an outdoor exhibition space and garden. The art atmosphere in Long Island City is pervasive, and a short walk from the sculpture garden is the Noguchi Museum, a series of thirteen galleries within a preserved factory building dedicated to the works of Isamu Noguchi, the Japanese-born American sculptor.
Post cultural amblings, stop by Sweetleaf Café for a cup of Stumptown coffee (named the “Best coffee in the world” by NPR). Also check out oM’s guide to a French-inspired tour of Long Island City.
Nearest subway: N/W train to Broadway; F train to Queensburdge-21st Street
Noguchi Museum
9-01 33rd Rd (at Vernon Blvd); 718.204.7088
Hours: Wednesday to Friday, 11am-5pm; Saturday and Sunday, 11am-6pm; Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Cost: $5 for students with i.d.
Socrates Sculpture Park
32-01 Vernon Boulevard at Broadway; 718.956.1819
Hours: Monday to Friday, 10am until sunset
Cost: Free
Sweetleaf Coffee & Tea
10-93 Jackson Avenue; 917.832.6726
Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:30am-7pm; Saturday 8am-7pm; Sunday 10am-6pm
Cost: $1.75 for a regular cup of joe
Sooo, what are you still doing here? Go!
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram