Christmas in New York!
Thanks to the TV and film, New York is often portrayed as the ultimate Christmas destination. Elf, Home Alone and Miracle of 34th Street to name but a few classic festive films set in the Big Apple depict New York as a winter wonderland with humungous Christmas trees all around and Christmas cheer felt in every corner. We went to see whether real life Christmas in New York could live up to the movies!
Rockefeller building at Christmas
WHEN TO GO?
Christmas celebrations in New York tend to kick off straight after Thanksgiving which is celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November every year. Decorations begin the show before this time but a lot of the Christmas tree lights and street decorations won’t be switched on until Thanksgiving has passed.
WHERE TO STAY?
New York is so easy to get around, you can literally stay anywhere in Manhattan and get from A to B in less than half an hour. We visited New York at Christmas on a budget so stayed in a boutique hotel slightly out of the way in Central Park West called Astor On The Park. This was perfect for us as we were right across the street from Central Park which looked so beautiful and wintery, and it meant that we got to experience what life is like for real New Yorkers as we shared the subway with commuters every morning. Wherever you say, be sure to get a metro card so that you can travel on the subway easily throughout your stay, at the time of writing you can get a 7 day unlimited metro card for just $32, find out more here.
THINGS TO DO IN NEW YORK AT CHRISTMAS
GO ICE-SKATING
There as so many great spots to go ice-skating in New York at Christmas, a few of our favourites are at Rockefeller Centre, Bryant Park and South Street Seaport Rink where you will be serenaded by carol singers whilst skating, but an absolute must for us is ice-skating at the famous Woolman’s rink in central Park. Nothing says Christmas to us more than ice-skating hand in hand in snowy Central Park with Christmas music playing and New Yorks skyscrapers in the background!
Woolman ice rink Central Park, New York
GO TO A CHRISTMAS MARKET
Again there are so many fantastic christmas markets in New York, our favourites have to be Bryant Park which is a very pretty and slightly more up market fair where you can also so a spot of ice-skating. Union Square’s Holiday Market which has a trendier feel downtown, or if you want to take a break from the cold weather outside, head to Grand Central’s Holiday Fair which is indoors and is full of all sorts of one-of-a-kind handmade items from clothing to furniture.
GO ON A HORSE AND CARRIAGE RIDE AROUND CENTRAL PARK
Nothing can sum up the words Christmas, New York and romantic more than a horse and carriage ride around Central Park. Cosy up with your loved ones and snuggle up under a blanket in a horse drawn carriage as a driver takes you around the best bits of Central Park past the Alice In Wonderland Statue, the icons ‘Friends’ fountain, past the Jacqueline Kennedy Reservoir and past Belvedere Castle. It’s one of the best ways to see the park!
And finally we’ve saved the best until last…
SEE RADIO CITY’S CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR
This is our number 1 thing to do in New York at Christmas. If we have only had a few hours to spend in New York at Christmas, this is exactly where we’d be spending it! We’ve never known a show like it all over the world. It will fill your heart with Christmas joy and make you feel like an excited kid waiting for Santa all over again. This show caters for families and couples of all ages and has everything; singing, dancing, a heart warming storyline, 3D visuals and real life animals live of stage! We went with no clue of how the show would be whatsoever and were totally blown away! I would go as far as to say it was better than any West End or Broadway show i’ve seen in my life! Can’t recommend it highly enough!
Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular is a must if you’re going to New York at Christmas!
Of course there are so many other things to do in New York at Christmas, why not combine New York Christmas festivities with sightseeing and go up the Empire State Building or see the Statue of Liberty? Not forgetting all the fantastic shopping that can be done! Whatever you do, we know you’ll have a blast in the city that never sleeps!
Leave us a comment below and let us know what your favourite things to do at Christmas in New York are?
