If you caught my full post about what to do during the holidays in New York City, you noticed it was pretty long! There’s no shortage of things to do during the most magical time of the year in the greatest city in the world, so I wanted to break my guide up into two different posts. Here’s my suggested three day itinerary if you’re visiting NYC during the holidays. As always, you can message me if you have any specific questions and you can get my full 18 page guide with a custom Google Map link here!
TIPS/NOTES
- The best time to go to see all of the holiday décor is between Thanksgiving weekend and Christmas. A lot of the decorating happens during the week of Thanksgiving and the Rockefeller Tree isn’t even unveiled until the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, so keep that in mind when picking your dates!
- I highly recommend reservations for restaurants! And book as early as possible because the holiday themed dining destinations are extremely popular. If you can’t get a reservation, plan to go at off times (either right when they open or early dinner around 4/5 PM) or be prepared to wait to get a seat.
- Wear comfy shoes! A lot of what I put together below includes a lot of walking because that’s the easiest way to get around the neighborhoods I’ve mapped out below. It’ll also save you some money because NYC is expensive. Cabs, food and experiences are expensive so if you aren’t comfortable navigating the subway and want to save some money, walking is your best bet!
- Which brings me to my next point. I tried to group activities together for efficiency and cost savings. You can definitely cab places, but Google Maps and the MTA MYmta apps (iPhone/Android) are also really great at helping lay out subway directions so you can definitely give the subway a try! But also keep in mind, NYC is massive in the sense that it can take forever to get around sometimes. It’s not huge land-mass wise, but definitely be prepared to factor in public transpiration and traffic when getting from point A to point B.
- Photos! I love a good photo op and if you’re looking to avoid crowds in photos, you’ll have to be prepared to get out early to explore and beat the crowds. Or if you’re not a super early riser, just be prepared to spend some extra time taking photos because places will get crowded! I added some walking times below but these don’t include stopping for photos so keep that in mind.
- What to wear: it can get cold in NYC during the winter so definitely plan to bring layers! I recommend including the following in your suitcase: a hat, gloves, heavy coat – wool or down, sweaters, thick leggings/jeans, wool socks and boots – potentially rain or snow boots depending on the forecast. Uniqlo heat tech has great affordable layering options and I’d also bring a portable phone charger and some hand warmers.
WHERE TO STAY
I’m mostly suggesting hotels in Midtown because there’s so much to do there and nearby. Note I’m not really suggesting anything in Times Square because I personally try to avoid Time Square at all costs so I would not want to put you in the throes of it with a hotel suggestion (especially when there are so many other great options that are still central!).
- 1 Hotel Central Park
- Le Meridien NY Central Park
- Park Lane Hotel
- Refinery Hotel
- Andaz 5th Avenue
- Bryant Park Hotel
- Park Terrace Hotel
- A few splurge options include: the Plaza, the Peninsula, the St. Regis, Lotte New York Palace Hotel, the Pierre, the Four Seasons New York (reopening in 2024!) and the Park Hyatt New York
DAY 1
Get ready because this will be your fullest day. Make sure you fuel up with a good breakfast and then check out the Bryant Park Winter Village shops before they get too busy. From there take a stroll up Sixth Avenue toward Central Park (approx 20 mins without stopping for photos). Follow the main road through the park to walk down the Mall and see Bethesda Terrace (14 mins without stopping for photos). From Bethesda Terrace you can pop out onto 72nd Street and grab a warm beverage from Ralph’s (approx 7 mins) to take with you as you make your way back downtown from the Upper East Side. Make sure you take a stroll down the side streets to catch some festive townhouses! Aim to end your stroll at 59th Street/Fifth Avenue so you can head back down Fifth Avenue and check out the store and hotel decorations. If you’re not too tired at this point, stop off at Rockefeller Center for an ice skating sesh and a moment to admire the tree. At this point, you’re probably going to be ready for dinner so head to your reservation at Rolf’s or Serra by Birreria. Or if you’re into the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, grab a bite to eat at Del Frisco’s Grill, Avra Rockefeller Center, Felice 56, or L’Avenue for a nice dinner before or after the show.
DAY 2
Again, after fueling up for a full day, either grab a cab or take the subway downtown to check out Brookfield Place and Westfield World Trade Center. At Brookfield Place you can check out the beautiful Luminaries installation and if you didn’t get an ice skating session in at Rockefeller Center, you can lace up on the rink overlooking the Hudson River. Stop for lunch at Eataly (assuming you didn’t eat at Serra by Birreria the night before!) or if you were able to make a reservation at The Rooftop at Pier 17, head over for a meal! Make sure you check out the Wall Street Tree (in front of the NYSE) while you’re downtown. If you made a dinner reservation at Pier 17 and need to kill some time you can take a stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge which is one of my favorite places in the city. If you ended up at Pier 17 for lunch, either head back up town to make sure you see the Rockefeller Tree at night or make your way out to the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights for a walking tour.
DAY 3
Head to the New York Botanical Gardens for the train show which will take up a decent chunk of time. With any other time you have left you can check off anything you didn’t get to (like grabbing a frozen hot chocolate from Serendipity 3), seeing The Nutcracker or making your way over to Hudson Yards for all the holiday lights.
That’s it! I hope you enjoy your trip to New York City during the holidays! You can pack a lot in and I hope this itinerary has been helpful. For a full list of all the holiday activities in NYC, check out my guide with everything listed or purchase my 18 page guide with a link to a custom Google Map!
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