Christmas in New York

​Can you ever get enough of NYC?  And really, visiting during Christmas elevates it to a whole new level.  

There is an extensive list of things to do in the City that Never Sleeps.  And it really never does, especially with all it normally has to do and more!  But you come during the holidays and you get the added bonus of festive activities abound and the city dressed to the nines. 

 We spent this holiday season soaking in everything about this magical season in a city that truly brings it to life.  And we hope that a little glimpse into our packed itinerary inspires you to start planning for your holiday there!

Top Things to Do for Christmas

Stroll and shop at a Christmas market 

• Grand Central
• Union Square
• Oculus Mall
• Bryant Park 
• Chelsea Markets
• Columbus Circle​

Go Christmas tree spotting around the city 

• Rockefeller
• Bryant Park
• NYSE 
• Washington Square
• Lotte New York Palace
• Hudson Yards
• South Street Seaport​

Get in the spirit by catching a holiday show

• The Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall
• The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center
• A Christmas Carol, off Broadway

Go ice skating at one of the many rinks 

• Rockefeller
• Central Park 
• Bryant Park 
• Brookfield Place
• Chelsea Piers

Stroll the city taking in all the holiday displays or simply just getting in the holiday spirit!

• Saks & 5th Ave 
• St. Patrick's
• Macy's & Santaland
• Hudson Yards
• Brookfield Place
• Little Italy

Dine in style at a holiday styled venue 

• Papillon
• Rolf's
• Tavern on the Green
• Oscar Wilde
• Serendipity
• Lillie's

Drop into a Christmas Pop Bar! Some restaurant/bars may allow kids but a fun adult-only trip can come from this too

• Frosty's 
• Miracle on 9th
• Loreley Beer Garden
• Jingle Jangle at Dead Rabbit
• The Winter Domes 
• Pete's Tavern

More holiday activities to add to the list

• Central Park for a cozy Carriage Ride
• Visit the Plaza Hotel for classic Home Alone memories
• Sneak a peek at the New Year's Ball in Time Square
• Ride the Holiday Nostalgia Train (operating on certain weekends)
• Take a Classic Harbor Line Holiday Cruise
• Walk the High Line and stop by The Standard Biergarten 
• Enjoy Santa's Winter Wonderland in Seaport

Itinerary

Now what to do with all of the above?  We find it easy broken up into pockets, so it's easy to visit certain sections at certain times.  

One look at this map and you'll understand why - its best to have a version of your own to highlight all your must do items and decide when to visit!

​If you're coming from an easy same time zone flight, maximize that with a morning flight and use the first day to hit the ground running. You can easily build a jam packed 4 day itinerary with this. But if you need an extra day for travel, take some time and location appropriate activities to maximize this into a 4.5 day itinerary. 

Day 1 - Arrival + Chelsea & Union Square
Jump on an early flight so you can maximize your time in the city.  We recommend flying into into JFK and taking public transportation to the city.  It's not everyone's cup of tea, but we couldn't think of a more appropriate way to dive into the city than hitting up the subway.  Just fall the the AirTrain signs, which requires a separate ticket that will take you to your respective subway stop. 

Depending on when you arrive, the time to get in will be the same AND it will be cheaper for a smaller group than taking a cab or ride share.  A taxi cost us $60 after tip from airport and we were quoted $85 at rush hour. A 10 trip AirTrain card (if in more than 1 ppl and going to the airport more than once/round trip in on stay); $25 (to use with subway)
$8 each way

Head straight to your lounging of choice - we always recommend a hotel and the closer to Midtown the better.  Midtown is a great option for bountiful options, being near lots of places to eat and near cabs & subways galore.  Plus, a bonus to hotel vs a vacation rental is ease of check-in.  Even if your room isn' t ready, you can drop your luggage and be ready to go! ​

• Start at Hudson Yards walking the mall & taking in the sites. 
• Continue on to the High Line as you take the city from above and let it lead you to the Standard. 
• Check out The Standard Biergarten for a lunch and some beers - and finish it off with Bump, a fun ice bumper activity.
• Head back to Chelsea Market 
• Union Square Holiday Market
• Grab reseravations for dinner at Rolf’s 
• Finish the night at Pete's Tavern and then Miracle on 9th 

Day 2 - Midtown
You had a running start to the first day, so use today to again ease into the city but also fill it up with activities. 

• Start the day early and head to grab a bite at a bakery and visit the Rockefeller tree - the earlier the better!  You'll find that there are no crowds if you make an early appearance.  
• Visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral and take in the spendlor of this beauty during the holiday season.

• Head to the Empire State Building around 3p and you can be there to watch the sunset 
• Make reservations for a festive dinner at Lillie's on 49th Street 
• Watch the Rockettes during their Christmas Spectacular - catch the last evening show so you can do all of the above with time to spare!

Day 3 - Upper Manhattan

• Start the day early and enjoy ice skating at Bryant Park!
• Head up to Grand Central Station to visit their holiday market. 
• Make a reservation at Papillion for lunch at the decor! ​
• Head up to Columbus Circle Holiday Market.

• Spend the afternoon exploring Central Park!
• Have a dinner reservation for Serendipity - an iconic spot of the movie namesake for the holiday!  Order the Frozen Hot Chocolate. 
• End the night with a stroll down Fifth Avenue to look at the window displays. You'll get another chance to see the tree lit at night!

Day 4 - Lower Manhattan
You're in the vicinity of the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridget - so use today to sneak any of those traditional NYC icons in! 

• Head to the Statue of Liberty first thing in the morning to maximize your time. 
• Stop by Jingle Jangle for holiday drinks and even some lunch!
• Walk the Brooklyn Bridge for iconic views.​

• Oculus for the holiday markets + Brookfield Place for ice skating. 
• Lorely Beer Garden for a drink. 
• Visit Little Italy to see it all decked out at night – have dinner at Casa Bella & dessert at Cannoli King!

Day 5 - Departure
Use today to finish doing anything you couldn't get in - or to even do some more traditional NYC sightseeing to finish up your holiday trip!  This is also a great chance to go on an organized tour or take a boat tour of the city.

Then before you leave, make sure that you save some time to visit the TWA hotel at JFK!  The hotel, a throw back to the iconic airline, is just a short walk from the departure terminals and is a great way to spend some time waiting on your flight.  Everything in this location is thrown back to the glory days of traveling, tied neatly with nostalgic memorable. 

The hotel offers a pool for pay per use access during the summer views, and every time a bar with the lounge of the hotel and Connie, the classic plane where you can have a drink as you escape!

​Another perk to flying in and out of JFK! 

However you tie it up, the NYC is definitely a perfect way to get in the spirit! The city just exudes holiday energy from its festive decor, vibrant energy, and ever changing scene but nostalgic warmth - to definitely get you in the season!

What's your favorite Christmas in NYC activity?