What to do in New York City at Christmas
After years of dreaming, I planned a 48 hour trip to New York City to experience the city’s Christmas magic. Here is what I did.
Day 1 in NYC at Christmas
Arrive in NYC by 11 am: Met my friend Jonathan at his apartment and then immediately went to grab a slice of New York pizza. Jonathan invited me to visit the city during the holidays and was a gracious host and tour guide during my trip. We had the best time, and I felt safe and loved, which was so nice.
After lunch, we walked down to the Union Square Christmas market. This is one of three main markets in the city. We then went across the street to Max Brenner Chocolate Bar for chocolate fondue and hot cocoa.
Then, it was time to take the subway to Macy’s to see the decor inside and out. I loved all the store windows.
We headed up to the eighth floor to see Santa, but you need a reservation and it is a closed off experience.
For dinner, we had reservations at Marseilles, a French restaurant. The food was divine.
We then went to see the Broadway show Guttenberg, which stars Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells. It was hilarious.
Day 2 in NYC at Christmas
We got up nice and early to see Rockefeller Center before it got crowded. We stopped by the famous Ralph’s coffee cart for some cocoa (I don’t drink coffee).
As we walked down to Rockefeller Center, I loved all the storefronts that were decorated, especially Cartier.
The tree area was not busy at all and the perfect time to get some photos and experience the wonder of the decor.
I also LOVED the Dior & Saks display.
I did some shopping then at FAO Schwartz, which I love visiting every time I am in NYC.
Be sure to take a picture with the toy soldiers outside the store when you visit. I have a whole series of these!
Then, we went to an 11 am performance of the Rockettes. It was worth all of the hype and totally spectacular. Perfect for all ages. I smiled throughout the whole show.
Afterward, we saw the big candy canes and ornaments on 57th and 6th. We then walked up to see the Berdorff windows, which were astonishing.
I also wanted to visit The Plaza Hotel (my kids love Home Alone 2). The hotel only allows guests inside the hotel, but I was able to convince the security guard to let me in for a quick picture for my kids. He said they only allow people in before 8 am and after 10 pm.
After the photo, we walked to Central Park and got lunch at the Christmas Market there. The cheese wheel pasta was amazing.
We then took the subway back to the apartment, got freshened up and went to dinner at Print. It was wonderful. We then saw Purlie Victorious on Broadway, starring Leslie Odom, Jr. It was very good, though it hindsight, I think I would have preferred to see another musical.
After the show, we walked back to Rockefeller Center to see everything lit at night. Though it was crowded, we were definitely able to get photos and enjoy the beauty of everything lit at night.
It was a fun, full two days. I am so grateful to have checked off New York at Christmas off my bucket list!
Tips on Making NYC More Affordable
New York is an expensive place to visit. A few ways I made this trip more affordable were:
- Traveling mid-week. There were less people, so better opportunities to buy things last minute and save. My flight was also pretty inexpensive (around $200).
- Buy last minute theater tickets: You can save on tickets by going to the box office and buying tickets just days before or day of a show.
- Eat food from street vendors: A lot of times food on the streets will be cheaper than a sit down restaurant.
- Staying with a friend: I know this isn’t an option for everyone, but I was grateful to stay with my friend Jonathan, which saved me at least $600 on a hotel.
For more New York travel tips and things to do, read this post on a weekend with my mom in NYC and a weekend with my daughter in NYC.