In celebration of Women’s History Month, NYC & Co., the official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau for the five boroughs of NYC, is encouraging New Yorkers and visitors to support women-owned and operated businesses, including hotels, restaurants, and shops, and to explore numerous cultural offerings and sites of historical significance throughout the year with an “NYC-cation” in the five boroughs.
According to NYC & Co. marketing director Nancy Mammana (photo), as Women’s History Month begins, NYC & Co. proudly celebrates all the women who have made and continue to make an indelible mark on NYC. 
“Women-owned and operated businesses are so vital to our City and our industry, and we invite New Yorkers and visitors to support these businesses now and in the future. It is an honor and privilege to celebrate these women today and every day alongside my wonderful and talented female colleagues at NYC & Co.,” she said.
Nancy Mammana reminds everyone to wear masks, practice social distancing, and wash and sanitize hands frequently, and to check with individual businesses for current hours of operation as well as health and safety protocols before visiting.
Below is a brief selection of staycation ideas and women-led businesses to support during Women’s History Month and beyond.
1) Stay at Women-Owned and Operated Hotels:
- The InterContinental New York Times Square offers stylish rooms and a tranquil experience for guests at the Crossroads of the World. General Manager Gul Turkmenoglu oversees the iconic 36-story property.
- The New Yorker, a Wyndham hotel, is known for its iconic Art Deco architecture and proximity to Herald Square, the Javits Center, and Hudson Yards. Ann Peterson was appointed President & General Manager in 2012.
- The Lotte New York Palace, led by General Manager Rebecca Hubbard, is just steps from St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Rockefeller Center. With 909 guest rooms and suites and five-star service, the hotel is a true NYC landmark.
2) Explore Arts and Culture Highlighting the Lives and Works of Women:
- The Met Fifth Avenue will present Alice Neel: People Come First from March 22 to August 1, showcasing approximately 100 works by the radical feminist painter and social justice advocate who called East Harlem home.
- From March 11 to September 6, MoMA PS1 in Queens will highlight over 100 artworks by feminist artist and Franco-American activist Niki de Saint Phalle in Niki de Saint Phalle: Structures for Life.
- Morris-Jumel Mansion is Manhattan’s oldest surviving residence,
built in 1765 for British Colonel Roger Morris and his wife, Mary Philipse. The Washington Heights museum, currently open to the public, also offers insight into the home’s first female owner with a Virtual Parlor Chat: Who was the Real Mary Philipse Morris? - On March 18, the National Museum of the American Indian will present Native Women Making Change as part of its Youth in Action series: Conversations about Our Future. In this free virtual program, Aidan Graybill (Wyandot Nation of Kansas) and Representative Christina Haswood (Diné [Navajo]) will discuss the roles that Indigenous women play in their communities and in society at large.
- Although temporarily closed to the public, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture of the New York Public Library in Harlem presents Femmetography: The Gaze Shifted, an online gallery and resource that explores photography through the lens of Black women, curated as part of the center’s Teen Curators program.
3) Shop at Women-Owned Retailers:
- Fishs Eddy, co-founded by Julie Gaines, is a NYC icon in Manhattan’s Flatiron district, known for its unique and quirky dinnerware and other home items.
- Owned by Sarah McNally, McNally Jackson is one of NYC’s most recognized independent bookstores, with locations in Nolita, the Seaport District, Williamsburg, and Downtown Brooklyn.
- Founded by Eliza Blank, the plant store The Sill has locations in Manhattan’s Lower East Side and Upper West Side, and in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. The company also offers plant delivery service, online workshops, gift cards, and more.
4) Visit Parks and Outdoor Sites Honoring Women:
- On the Far West Side of Manhattan near Hudson Yards, Bella Abzug Park is named in honor of feminist, civil rights activist, lawyer, and U.S. Representative Bella Abzug.
- In March 2017, the Fearless Girl statue, symbolizing female empowerment, was unveiled in front of the Charging Bull statue in Lower Manhattan. Now located in front of the New York Stock Exchange, artist Kristen Visbal created the four-foot bronze statue.