Highlights and deals on a holiday New York visit

What’s more festive than a holiday time visit to New York City? Here are some special city highlights not to miss during December and into January, 2009:

• Take a spin on skates at the rink at Rockefeller Center, rockefellercenter.com. Through Jan. 9, adults pay $12.50 per session; $12.50 for Seniors and children ages 11 and under. Rentals $9.

More affordable is Central Park’s Wollman Rink at 63rd St., wollmanrink.com. The cost is $9.50 on weekdays; $12.00 on weekends for adults (Seniors 60 and up $4.75 weekdays; $8.25 weekends); children ages 12 and under $4.75 weekdays; $5.00 weekends. Skate rental is $5 with a $10 for lock and deposit.

Through Jan. 25, skate free on the 170’ x 100’ rink - called The Pond - at Bryant Park. The free part includes admission, special skating shows and events. Skate rental is $12; $7-$10 to check a bag (medium/large price) and $9 for a lock purchase. Grab a snack ringside or dine indoors at Celsius: A Canadian Lounge. Open Sun.-Thurs. to 10pm; to midnight weekends. Skip the lines and reserve a skate time in advance online, http://www.ThePondatBryantPark.com. The Pond is located behind the New York Public Library in midtown Manhattan, between 40th and 42nd Sts. and Fifth and Sixth Aves.

• Head to the Bronx Zoo to celebrate the season. Take a horse-drawn wagon rid through the holiday-decorated zoo and the wintry scenery, $5 per person. Several special events are planned through Jan. 4, http://www.bronxzoo.com.

• The beautiful sky ceiling at Grand Central Terminal comes to life with the Holiday Laser Light Show. One of six unique five-minute shows will grace the terminal ceiling every half hour from 11am-9pm daily throughout December. Admission free, http://grandcentralterminal.com

• The Rockettes return to Radio City Music Hall through Dec. 30 Radio City Christmas Spectacular, a classic New York City show in production for more than 75 years, http://www.radiocity.com

• Skip the big box stores and instead shop at the unique Holiday Market at Union Square. Open daily until 4pm on Christmas Eve, the market offers a variety of specialty gifts such as handcrafted jewelry, fine art, clothes, handmade ornaments, imported gifts and toys for kids of all ages. Open until 8pm Monday-Saturday; 7pm Sunday. The park is bordered by 14th Street on the south side; 17th Street at the north.

• More than 120 artisans and merchants from around the world sell unique and handmade holiday gift items - one-of-a-kind jewelry, hand-knit sweaters and scarves, holiday ornaments, toys, artwork, food items, and more at The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park through Christmas Eve. Located at 6th Ave. at 42nd St. Open daily to 8pm Monday-Friday; 9pm Saturday; to 6pm Sunday.

• Get to South Street Seaport to shop, eat and be entertained. During the holiday season a 50-foot Chorus Tree becomes a 3-D stage for the Big Apple Chorus, performing six times each weekend in December in the historic cobblestone district; Fridays 6 and 7pm; Saturdays, Sundays and Christmas Eve 3 and 4pm, http://www.southstreetseaport.com

• One of New York City’s favorite neighborhoods, Little Italy, is transformed into a quaint winter wonderland through Dec. 21. Special events - beyond holiday music in the streets - are held on the first three weekends such as a live Nativity performance on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 6:15pm and the 2nd Annual East Meets West Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec. 20, at 2pm, http://www.littleitalynyconline.org

• More than 100 replicas of historic New York buildings, railway trains and trolleys are featured during the annual Holiday Train Show which runs through Jan. 11 at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, http://www.nybg.org

• If you can’t get to NYC around Christmastime, plan to visit during two wonderful weeks in January when nearly 250 of the cities finest restaurants offer three-course lunch and dinner prix-fixe meals. Lunch rates should be about $24; $35 for dinner menus. In January, those special dates are Jan. 18-23 and 25-30. Reservations will be accepted starting Jan. 5. Reservations fill fast! The Web site still needs lots of work to get ready for that Jan. 5 date, but stay tuned at a few Web sites: http://nycgo.com/?event=view.article&id=83520

http://www.nycvisit.com

and http://www.opentable.com

More savings: More money-saving tips at Your Money.