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Are you heading to New York City for Christmas and looking for tips to enjoy the experience to the maximum? You’ve come to the right place.
I absolutely love New York at Christmas but it’s true that it’s also the busiest time of the year, especially if you are staying for New Year’s Eve as well, and therefore it requires a bit more planning and preparation than usual.
🎄 Quick New York City Christmas Mini Guide 🎄
🏨 Where To Stay:
– 💲West Side YMCA
– 💲💲 Freehand Hotel in Midtown (my fave ❤️)
– 💲💲💲Renaissance New York Chelsea Hotel
🎟️ Tickets To Book in Advance:
– Go City Pass (Discount Code: BEELOVEDCITY5)
– Radio City Rockettes (must see!)
– Dyker Heights Tour
– Ice Skating at Wollman Rink
💡 My Top Tip: If you are planning to visit several of the main attractions (like Top of the Rock, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial, Museum of Modern Art), a GoCity pass will save you a fair bit of money.
I used it several times and it’s very practical as well because the app lets you choose different times and reschedule if needed. You can use the code BEELOVEDCITY5 for 5% OFF.
There are so many things you can do in NYC at Christmas but since it’s so crowded, it can make the experience a bit difficult. Here are all my best tips to enjoy NYC at Christmas!
1. Get up early to avoid the crowds
NYC is absolutely packed at Christmastime which means that everything takes longer. There are people everywhere which makes it more difficult and longer to move around but also, all the main attractions have longer lines.
For this reason, I would highly recommend getting up early so you can beat the crowds.
For example, if you go to the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree before 8:30AM, there will be literally no-one which means you can easily walk around and take beautiful photos.
This also goes for the main attractions. For example, I went to the Empire State Building when they opened at 9AM between Christmas and New Years Eve and we didn’t queue at all. I would have had to stand in line for ages if it was later on during the day.
As they say, the early bird catches the worm and that couldn’t be more accurate when it comes to NYC at Christmastime.
2. Be prepared to stand in line
While getting up early will allow you to avoid standing in line and enjoy the hot spots without the crowds, you can’t do everything in the morning, you also have to fill up your days.
So, no matter what, you need to be prepared to stand in line because you’ll have to do it anyway.
Personally, I would recommend doing activities that don’t require standing in line as much like going to Brooklyn Bridge, DUMBO or Central Park for example. Sure it will be busy anyway but at least you can move around and don’t have to just wait in a line.
3. Don’t overplan
This is probably the number 1 mistake people make in New York City. Firstly, if you’ve never been to NYC, let me tell you one thing. It’s bigger than you think.
Yes, public transport is amazing but still, it takes ages to go from one place to another. Also, since there are so many people at this time of the year, you have to fight your way through the crowds (especially if you go to places like 5th avenue).
For this reason, make sure to not overbook your days otherwise you’ll end up having to run everywhere and that won’t be enjoyable. Also, you might not even make some of these reservations on time. Keep plenty of free time to move around at your own pace.
Also, one of the most enjoyable things in NYC at Christmas is simply to wander around.
If you’d like to see my New York Christmas itinerary, here it is.
4. Dress appropriately
New York City in December is cold! While I can’t predict the weather and it’s possible you have a bit of a warmer week, it’s safe to assume that it will be cold and you need to be prepared for that.
This type of coat is ideal because it's fleece lined which will keep you warm and there is a hood.
Make sure to pack loads of layers, a scarf, gloves and wear a warm coat. Rain is also quite common at this time of the year so if you have a winter coat that is somewhat waterproof or at least has a hood, that will be helpful.
If you need more information on how to dress in NYC in December, I wrote this guide for you.
5. Book everything in advance
This is one of the most important things to know about NYC in December. Since it’s packed, it’s almost impossible to go anywhere without a booking, especially if you are more than 2 people.
This applies to attractions of course but also to restaurants and some rooftop bars.
While I know it’s difficult not to overplan when you have to book everything, it’s a necessary evil.
You will be able to find places to eat without booking too much in advance but the closer you get, the less choice you will get.
If you want to eat to specific places, make sure to book early.
6. Get the Go City New York Pass
This is a tip that is valid all year round if you want to visit the main attractions in New York City but it’s particularly true at Christmas time.
The Go City Pass gives you access to all of NYC’s main attractions and that will save you money. They are all quite expensive and it adds up very quickly.
You can either get an unlimited pass for a few days (in which case I would recommend hitting all the ‘paying’ spots during these days.
Or, you can get a pass for 3 attractions for example which would cover the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock and The Edge and save you a lot of money.
But regardless of the money aspect, the thing that I find amazing with the pass and that you don’t get if you book the attractions individually, is that you can cancel your booking up to 1 hour before.
This is incredibly practical at this time of year because everything takes more time and sometimes it’s literally impossible to make it on time without rushing or missing out on something.
Also, the weather changes all the time and it’s a shame to be stuck with a booking at a viewing platform when it’s foggy and you can’t see anything.
I changed my bookings to the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock several times last year and that was a game-changer.
The weather was terrible for most of the week and that allowed me to keep an eye on the forecast and go to the observation decks at the best time.
If I had to stick to my initial bookings, I wouldn’t have seen anything and literally wasted my money.
7. Everything is more expensive so plan your budget accordingly
New York City is an expensive destination all year round but the prices skyrocket at the end of the year.
Everything is so expensive, from accommodation to meals and attractions. This is definitely something you need to take into consideration because you will spend more than you have planned for and that can put a damper on your trip.
8. Go see the Radio City Hall Christmas Spectacular
The Rockettes show is, in my opinion, the single best thing you can do in New York City at Christmas. I don’t even think you should consider doing anything else as long as you haven’t booked that.
Firstly, it’s as festive as it ever gets. Secondly, this is such a magical show. The Rockettes are incredible dancers. Everything is so synchronised and the costumes are magical.
Also, the Radio City Hall is an incredible venue and you don’t get to see many shows there otherwise.
It truly is magical and I really can’t recommend it enough.
They have several shows per day so you can really book at a convenient time.
PRO TIP: Since it’s located right next to the Rockefeller Center, I would recommend going to the Top of the Rock for sunset so you can see the views during the day, at sunset and nighttime, and then you can go to Radio City Hall for the 10PM show. This gives you enough time to grab a bite and a drink and you make the best of your time in this area (which is particularly packed).
In that having been said, the 10PM show is quite late so if you are really tired, it would be better to book the 8PM show.
9. Go to Dyker Heights
Dyker Heights is the ultimate Christmas neighbourhood in New York City. Every year, the houses are decorated with so many Christmas lights. It’s absolutely beautiful and stunning!
It’s not exactly a hidden gem as many people know about it and therefore it can be quite crowded but a lot of locals go (which is always a good sign).
You can get there with public transport but it’s a bit of a hassle and there is a fair bit of walking, for this reason I think it’s better to simply book a tour. Also, the guide will give you some information about the lights which is very interesting.
I hope all these tips were helpful and that you now feel ready to spend the most magical Christmas in New York City.
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