Full disclaimer before we begin: this was a family trip to New York in December 2022. I decided to share these images and tips with you lovely readers as my family and I were sat around the Christmas tree in our living room reminiscing on the fantastic trip we took one year ago and how truly magical it was to experience. I also know several people who are planning trips to New York in the near future and figured this would be a great place to share all of our trip recommendations and must do’s when in town. Now that is out in the open and we have full transparency we can get started on the reason you clicked this blog post anyway… to find out everything you need to know about visiting New York City during the Christmas period. This has been a bucket list holiday for my mum for as long as I can remember and to be able to say we were finally able to do it was a dream come true. I have been fortunate enough to have visited New York several times, so to see it through my mums and sisters eyes for the first time gave me a fresh perspective on the city and a new appreciation for travel. For the most part travelling has not been ideal for people in the wake of a global pandemic, but thankfully this trip came and went rather smooth all things considered.
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Getting There & Where To Stay
New York City is probably the easiest city in the world to get to considering it is one of the busiest airspaces in the world and serviced by three major airports: John F. Kennedy (JFK), Newark Liberty (EWR) and LaGuardia (LGA) depending on the airline you are choosing to fly with, you will likely fly into one of those airports. As we flew with Aer Lingus from Dublin International Airport (DUB) we were able to have U.S preclearance when going through security meaning when we landed in New York at John F. Kennedy airport we would be treated as a domestic arrival and got to avoid long queuing delays for immigration and customs.
When it comes to choosing where to stay in New York it is important to consider your budget and proximity to the sights and attractions you want to do and see. Thankfully this has become much easier in recent years thanks to the introduction of Uber and easy to navigate subway maps but for a safe first time visit to New York I highly recommend looking into hotels in Midtown. It is as central as it gets and no more than a short walk to Central Park. For this trip we stayed in Hotel 57 (130 E 57th Street) which was affordable and central to everything we had on our itinerary. A short 7 minute walk to Central Park and 13 minute walk to Times Square meant we were far enough from the intense New York magic to unwind after a long day exploring.
Rockefeller Christmas Tree & Top Of The Rock
Nothing is more recognisable for spreading festive cheer than an image of New York’s iconic Rockefeller Christmas Tree and skating rink. The first thing on our itinerary was to wait until the sun had set before heading 70 stories above ground to witness unobstructed views of the entire New York skyline. The observatory boasted three floors of both indoor and outdoor observation decks so you could see New York and beyond from every direction. The photographs I was able to capture are like something from a professional shoot. I am in awe every time I look at them.
Once we had enough of the heights and sights we headed back down in the elevator and straight outside to view the fantastic Christmas tree and watch the magic unfold before our very eyes. Unfortunately we didn’t have time for a skating session due to time slots being fully booked but it was magical to watch from the sidelines if you ask me.
@noelsmithstories Bucketlist: Christmas in New York 🎄 #NewYork #NewYorkCity #NY #NYC #Rockefeller #RockefellerCentre #empirestatebuilding #radiocity #radiocitymusichall #radiocityrockettes #topoftherock #fyp #fypシ #travel #traveltiktok #travellife ♬ All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey
Radio City Music Hall: The Rockettes
The Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes is an annual holiday stage show presented at Radio City Music Hall. Since the show was first presented in 1933 it has gone on to become a staple in New York Christmas traditions and features more than 140 performers and an original music score. The programme runs for 90 minutes and due to the increasingly high demand is now running into the new year.
Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Tour
Dyker Heights located in Brooklyn has become one of Americas most festive neighbourhoods and it is all thanks to a lady named Lucy Spata who began the tradition in 1986. This neighbourhood will go above and beyond to spread festive cheer for you and your family if you visit anytime from December 1 through to New Years Eve. The breathtaking lights display runs from 11th to 13th Avenue (also known as Dyker Heights Blvd) from 83rd to 86th and there is endless amounts of tours and buses to take you there and back again from Manhattan. Expect over the top Christmas decorations including life size Santas, sleighs and snowmen taking over the neighbourhood. Some houses even go the extra mile and play Christmas music through speakers. It is truly one of the most magical experiences and really makes you excited for the holidays.
@noelsmithstories 📍Dyker Heights Christmas Lights 🎄 No amount of photos or videos can do this neighbourhood justice 🤩🎅🏻🤩 #DykerHeights #dykerheightschristmaslight #dykerheightslights #Christmas #christmastree #christmastiktok #christmasdecor #christmasdecorations #NY #NYC #NewYork #NewYorkCity ♬ ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE – BRENDA LEE
Brooklyn Bridge
We had a walk across Brooklyn Bridge on the itinerary during this trip… unfortunately this came on the last day of the trip and we all had to listen to our bodies tell us it needed just a few extra hours in bed that day before the night flight back to Dublin airport. We were however, able to stop at Dumbo to get a view of the Brooklyn Bridge coming home from the Dyker Heights tour and what an incredible view that was! To see Manhattan in it’s glorious entirety makes you stare in awe of how breathtaking the city truly is. To feel the crisp air coming off the river while you feel completely at home in a city you are anonymous in is quite a strange feeling to try and explain. The only word I can use is magical. New York makes you feel alive – one can’t paint New York as it is, but rather as it is felt.
Santa at Macy’s
Macy’s Herald Square (131 W 34th Street) is the brands flagship store and has made a name for itself during the festive period thanks to the now legendary Santa’s Sleigh Thanksgiving Day parade which firmly marks the start of the holiday period. The parade signals the opening of Santaland which is located on the eighth floor of the department store and is a 13,000 square-foot Christmas village holiday display and indoor landscape that families can walk through. Expect everything on your travels including rainbow bridge, a giant Lionel train-scape, Santa’s bustling workshop to a shiny red sleigh being prepped for the big night. Twinkling lights, snow topped trees and other fun exhibits lead the way to Santa in this enchanting experience. This was truly the most magical Santa encounter I have ever had in my entire life and I strongly recommend it if you are able to add it to your itinerary. Your time slot must be booked in advance.
@noelsmithstories 📍 Macy's Herald Square 🎄 Macy’s Holiday Celebration 🎅🏻 Macy’s Santaland Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2024 #macys #macyssantaland #santaland #santalandmacys #santa #santaclaus #christmas #christmastiktok #christmaseve #christmascountdown #christmastree #christmasdecor #christmasgift #fyp #fypシ #NY #NYC #NewYork #NewYorkCity #family #fanilytime #travel #traveltiktok ♬ Last Christmas (Pudding Mix) – Wham!
Statue Of Liberty
One does not think of New York and the iconic skyline without thinking of the Statue of Liberty. Located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor getting there includes a short fifteen minute ferry from Battery Park. There are different types of tickets and tours available for both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and they sell out weeks, if not months, in advance. During this trip we were fortunate enough to access the Pedestal – which is the furthest I have ever made it and the second time I was able to visit Liberty Island since 2003! We were incredibly fortunate that day when you look at the photographs – it is so picturesque it looks photoshopped but I promise you it is not. Minus the strong winds coming in from the open water the skies were bright blue and the sun was shining.
@noelsmithstories Statue Of Liberty National Monument 🗽 Pedestal access and view of New York 🏙️ #NewYork #NY #NewYorkCity #NYC #StatueOfLiberty #statueofliberty🗽 #travel #traveltiktok #traveltok #travellife #travelbucketlist #traveling #christmastiktok #christmas #fyp #fypシ ♬ Elf – Main Theme – Geek Music
Bryant Park Christmas Market
The Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park has been named the best Christmas Market in the world for 2023. Bryant Park is located between 40th and 42nd Street & Fifth and Sixth Avenues behind The New York Public Library, it is often overlooked by tourists the remainder of the year in favour of Central Park but the winter village boasts a European inspired open-air market. Choose between a photo with Santa, a less crowded skating rink, The Lodge food and bar grill, Cosy Igloo private spaces and endless stalls of food, beverages and collectables from local and international artists and shops.
@noelsmithstories 🌳 Bryant Park Ice Skating Rink ⛸️ 🚂 Grand Central Train Station ☕️ Hot Chocolate and Christmas Trees 🎄 #BryantPark #bryantparknyc #bryantparkwintervillage #bryantparkiceskating #iceskating #iceskatingtiktok #travel #traveltiktok #travellife #traveltips #traveling #travelbucketlist #travelling #NY #NYC #NewYork #NewYorkCity #christmas #christmastree #christmascountdown #christmastiktok #christmasdecor #fyp #fypシ #grandcentral #grandcentralterminal #grandcentralstation ♬ It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas – Michael Bublé
Central Park
Home Alone 2: Lost In New York and I don’t even need to say anything more. The bridge where Kevin first met Pigeon Lady is called Gapstow Bridge and is in the south east end of the park. It runs across the north most part of the pond and The Plaza Hotel can be seen in the distance. Unfortunately you can not enter the hotel unless you are a guest but standing outside (in view of the scaffolding for renovations) to take photos was more than enough to keep everyone happy.
Once you take a few steps into Central Park you suddenly hear the entire city surrounding you disappear. It has like you have stepped out of the city and into another realm altogether. Here you are able to escape the hustle and bustle and reconnect with nature, which is so spare to find in the city especially coming from Ireland. You could easily get lost for a few hours taking in all of the sights that Central Park has to offer alone – including a zoo, playground, reservoir, conservatory garden, pool and tennis centre.
The Summit
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt blends elements of art, technology, architecture and thrill to take the concept of New York City observation decks to entirely new heights. Located at 45 E 42nd Street the incredible building is located next door to another landmark: Central Station. This is a truly immersive and interactive experience that heightens all of your senses and offers outstanding views of the city. The photos we took up there are some of my favourite and the true cherry on top was that while we were up with New York City below us it started snowing for a brief moment. We purchased tickets that allowed us to get a cocktail at the top and they were some of the most delicious (and strong) drinks we had during our trip.
@noelsmithstories The Summit One Vanderbilt is the ultimate observation deck in New York City 🍎 #NewYork #NY #NewYorkCity #NYC #Summit #TheSummit #SummitOne #Vanderbilt #SummitOneVanderbilt #observationdeck #ovservation #TaylorSwift #taylorsversion #taylornation #taylorswifttok #taylorswiftsongs #fyp #fypシ ♬ Welcome To New York (Taylor's Version) – Taylor Swift
Did we leave anything out of our New York itinerary? What are locations and landmarks you think we need to visit next time? Let me know in the comment section below and thank you for visiting my blog.
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