21 wonderful things to do in NYC this Christmas
Christmas in New York City is a magical place to be, and it’s never too early to start planning Christmas I say!
You’ll have almost left it too late if you wait for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade to be done, but as soon as that’s over, it’s all baubles and Santa Claus and reindeer and shop windows filled with Christmas cheer. In fact, if you’re staying at the iconic Plaza Hotel, staff work through Thanksgiving night to trasnform the hotel into Christmas by morning!
You can read my picks for the best hotels to stay in for a magical Christmas in New York, and most won’t break the bank!
If your bucket list includes the beautiful light installations in department store windows on Broadway like Saks Fifth Avenue’s, Macy’s and Bloomingdales, and the massive Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center, you’ll love everything about Christmas in New York City – and indeed the whole build up.
I was here for a couple of days just after Christmas last year to take a whole lot of festive photos for you!
Grab one of my cute New York souvenirs to celebrate your trip: Girls trip, Thanksgiving, Christmas
Below are some of the best attractions and sights to see in New York City during the holiday season, including bustling Christmas markets, seasonal shows, best Christmas-themed restaurants, and so much more.
Traveling at Christmas time can also be fraught with chaos and delays and tempers get frayed, so I whipped this post up with 10 things to do to stay sane as you travel this Christmas!
You don’t have to spend Christmas Day in New York to get amongst the festivities, many of these below run for around a month, most start from the day after Thanksgiving and run through the new year.
*This post contains affiliate links. That means if you make a purchase I may make a commission at no extra cost to you.
Things to do in NYC at Christmas time:
Take a Christmas walking tour
If you’re a bit like me and are on a time limit in New York this Christmas, and you don’t really know where to start, this small group walking tour would be great.
With a local guide you will see the Rockefeller Christmas Tree and skating rink, you’ll stop at St Patrick’s Cathedral for a photo op, you’ll see the best festive windows and shop at the Christmas Market in Bryant Park, wander by the Empire State Building and see the top sights.
I’ve also just written this post on the best shoes for walking in New York. For the thousands of steps we walk in New York, both summer and winter walking, I’ve got you covered!
See Santa in Macy’s
Even if you don’t have kids with you, you really should pop into Macy’s at Herald Square to see the jolly old fella. (And yes adults do go visit Santa!)
It’s free, but you will need to book, and allow 60-90 minutes in Santaland. Dates and times aren’t available yet, so bookmark this link and check back closer to the time. He is in residence from Black Friday until Christmas Eve.
Take a Christmas Day brunch cruise
Splash out (see what I did?) and take a Christmas Day three-course brunch or dinner cruise sailing around the harbor on the Hudson and East Rivers aboard New York’s glass-enclosed Bateaux.
If you choose the evening dinner cruise, the menu will have all the traditional Christmas fare like roast turkey, as well as salmon, beef short ribs and of course, New York cheesecake.
Book tickets here for Christmas Day cruise >
Visit the Santa Clauses Winter Wonderland
Last year this pop-up, immersive Christmas winter-wonderland experience, inspired by the Disney + series The Santa Clauses, ran from mid November. Check back here closer to winter where I’ll have more info on the possible 2024 event.
It’s a fun family-friendly event, to step into the North Pole (at Pier 15) into this magical Christmas village where Santa’s elves walk among you, and gigantic candy canes and enormous snow globes make the perfect Insta pic.
Rug up warm, as this is mostly an outdoor event. Come to drink in the free cocoa or try something a bit stronger like mulled wine, eggnog and cocktails. Stay for the ‘s’mores and sweet treats in front of Santa’s fireplace.
Admire the Dyker Heights Christmas lights
If you love all the Christmas lights and neighborhood decorations, you must head to the Dyker Heights Christmas lights in Brooklyn.
This family-friendly event is a hit amongst local New Yorkers who take their Christmas decorating to a whole new level, but Dyker Heights is now a full-fledged holiday tourist attraction, complete with hot chocolate stands and live music performances with a Christmas carol or two thrown in.
The event spans from 83rd street to 86th streets between 11th and 12th Avenue in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn.
Be sure to check out Lucy Spata’s home, as she was the first person to begin the annual Christmas tradition and continues to decorate her front yard to the nines. This festive South Brooklyn hidden gem is totally worth the train or express bus ride from Manhattan.
You can take one of these Dyker neighborhood Christmas tours that start in Manhattan and includes a walking tour through Dyker Heights, then stops to take in the view of the skyline from DUMBO and ends in Bryant Park Winter Village.
Take a photography tour
I love taking photos and find it’s a never ending art of learning new techniques, as well as finding new places to capture. If you are wanting to photograph New York City at Christmas time, then booking a photography tour with an expert will ensure you get some truly great shots. Even in bad weather, the things you can do with reflections, or black and white, is amazing!
I’ve also written this guide for how to take amazing photos with your phone with these simple techniques.
Take a holiday lights and movie sites tour
This 2.5 hour tour is on a warm bus driving you around some of the most iconic Christmas sites in New York.
See the apartment where Buddy the Elf stays with his Dad in Elf. Marvel at the electrifying storefront displays on Fifth Avenue. Relive a Home Alone Christmas moment outside the Rockefeller Center. Enjoy a photo-op in front of the Lincoln Center Christmas tree.
Book your Christmas lights and movie sights tour here >
Visit a New York City Christmas Market
Pop-Up Christmas markets are what makes this season so exciting for me! They are dotted all over the city during the holiday season and even shortly afterwards through January.
The most famous of the NYC Christmas market, Bryant Park Winter Village opens October 25 through January 2. It has over 170 vendors, a heated lodge with a full bar, and an ice-skating rink. The skating rink will open in late fall.
As well as holiday markets, NYC is also home to many flea markets year round, where you can score great deals on gifts – or a little something for yourself.
Visit the Union Square Holiday Market which runs from November 21 through December 24. Last year 150 of the local restaurants, entertainment and retailers came together to create a magical experience for shopping, eating and taking in a live performance. It is closed Thanksgiving Day.
Visit Hudson Yards from November 18 through mid January for 100 shops and dining establishments.
See the iconic Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting
We obviously couldn’t talk about Christmas in the city without noting the famous Rockefeller Christmas Tree lighting that occurs annually at Rockefeller Center. This year it will be on 29 November 2024 and stays lit until the new year.
One lucky tree is chosen from a list of nominees each year and the winner sees the chainsaws come out and their gigantic tree felled, wrapped and shipped (sometimes across states) to NYC to stand in pride of place. Usually, the chosen evergreen tree is around 80 feet tall, towering over the entire block.
You can buy tickets to visit the Top of the Rock any time here >
Visit the less crowded Christmas Tree in FiDi
Everyone knows about the Rockefeller Tree, but many forget about the tree lighting hosted yearly outside the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street in the Financial District.
This tradition first began in 1923, making it even older than the Rockefeller Tree lighting celebration – and less crowded.
Enjoy an Advent or Christmas church service
If you love a good Christmas carol, or want to attend midnight mass on Christmas Eve, you’ll find churches throughout the city hosting various events and services. If you’re downtown, Trinity Church Wall Street is Episcopalian, located at 76 Trinity Place.
Or head to mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral, the largest Roman Catholic Church in the United States, at 631 Fifth Avenue, up by the Rockefeller Center.
Attend the Christmas Concert at St John the Divine
I visited the incredible Cathedral of St John the Divine, in Morningside Heights, as a teenager on a school trip from Maryland, and when the organ thundered from the rafters my bones shook. It was incredible. This one-off Christmas concert features carols you know and love on Saturday December 14 from 4-5.30pm. Tickets are required.
Dine at Rolf’s German Restaurant
You can get into the Christmas spirit year-round at Rolf’s German Restaurant. The entire restaurant is covered head to toe in extravagant ornaments and string lights, making it a perfect destination for an Instagram-worthy holiday picture.
That said, it can be challenging to get a reservation last-minute. If you cannot reserve a table, so try the walk-in option, but there are many fabulous rooftop restaurants around the city to enjoy a nice view of the Manhattan Skyline instead.
Dine at Oscar Wilde
This eccentric Irish pub celebrates all things playwrite Oscar Wilde and the Victorian era.
Located in the Flatiron District in a 1909 building that once served as HQ for Prohibition Enforcement, it is utterly fascinating any time of year to visit for a pint and a meal. It boasts NYC’s longest bar (at 118.5 feet/36 metres) with gold beer taps, and the art and furnishings date back to the 1800s.
But at Christmas time Oscar Wilde goes all out with decorations. Trees, lights, garlands and bows, this is must-see for your NYC Christmas selfie.
Go ice skating in 3 rinks
You can try out your ice-skating skills at Rockefeller Plaza, Wollman Rink in Central Park or Bryant Park Winter Village – if you’re a fan of slipping around on the ice.
As mentioned, I have a slippy-slidey phobia, so prefer to drink in the holiday spirit with a hot chocolate (or something stronger) and do some shopping for Christmas decorations, while watching everyone else glide gracefully on the ice.
Located in Manhattan’s famous Central Park, Wollman Rink is the perfect place to skate with your own skates, followed by a nice walk through the park. It’s not as busy, nor as expensive as Rockefeller or Bryant Park – and looks magical in the wintertime, especially if snow is on the ground.
Get your skating tickets for Wollman Rink here >
Rockefeller Ice Skating opens October 19 through mid March.
Bryant Park’s Winter Village is only a few blocks from the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. They also offer skate rental. Or, if ice-skating isn’t your thing, you can shop the holiday market or grab a hot toddy at the “lodge” while your group skates.
Visit Grand Central Station
Have your main character moment inside Grand Central Terminal where so many romantic comedies and holiday films feature scenes have been filmed.
New York City’s Grand Central Station is the largest and prettiest terminal in the five boroughs. There are shops, eateries and bars in here and every year a holiday fair is held inside Grand Central Terminal.
The event was canceled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but we expect to see vendors return this December.
See the famous Radio City Rockettes
I went to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall last year! I’d always wanted to see them, so why not combine Christmas too.
We lined up on the street for the 2pm show, filed in behind little girls bringing their American Girl dolls and dressed in their finest mini fashion, got ourselves a plastic cup of bubbles, and went in to find our seats.
New York City boasts a lot of live shows, from a Broadway show to low-key performances at music venues like Wild Birds in Brooklyn. But Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular is the ONLY show you should see in NYC this December. It runs from November 8 through January 5.
The talented Radio City Rockettes always put on a fantastic performance in even more fantastic costumes. Is the show better than Hamilton or Wicked? No, but it is something that every child and Christmas-loving adult will cherish for a lifetime.
Get your tickets on Get Your Guide for Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular.
This post has a handy map of which are the best seats to book. I compared that with the prices to choose ours. If the tickets are sold out on the Get Your Guide link, go direct to Radio City Rockettes website.
Take a sight-seeing cruise
This cruise on the Hudson and East Rivers is super cheap and lets you see the city from a whole new point of view.
Starting at 12th Ave and cruising past Hudson Yards, you’ll be able to take photos of the all the iconic New York buildings and bridges, including right up close to Lady Liberty. Then sail under the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, after cruising along lower Manhattan and finishing back where you started.
This tour is popular and sells out regularly. Just be aware of daylight timings if you’re booking this in winter – and rug up warm!
Visit the miniature trains
Located in the Bronx near Fordham University, the New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show is severely underrated.
Aside: I built a miniature dollhouse after being inspired by the one in Washington, DC at the National Museum of American History. Then I spent about an hour staring at Queen Victoria’s dollhouse in Windsor Castle when I last visited (it has a running water and electric lights!) and still collect miniatures to this day.
At the New York Botanical Garden you can go see working miniature models of trains, trolleys, and notable landmarks like the Apollo Theater, Brooklyn Bridge, and Yankee Stadium.
This holiday event is exciting for kids of all ages, particularly if they love trains or the 2004 Christmas film Polar Express.
Window shop along Fifth Avenue
As you know, Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan is one of the best places to shop in New York City which I list here.
But this is the reason I booked two nights during last year’s holiday season and stayed in Times Square! The gorgeous holiday window displays are synonymous with Christmas in New York as the department stores of Fifth Avenue take things up a notch, boasting bright and beautiful window displays that change from year to year.
Start at Macy’s Herald Square and head up Fifth Avenue stopping along the way to see Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and ending at Tiffany & Co.
This is one of the best things to do at Christmas time – and it’s free!
Expect crowds throughout the day and night, – especially as nighttime is the best time to view the lights in all their glory.
Saks Fifth Avenue has an iconic holiday set-up at its flagship storefront, including a ten-story light show. The Saks Light Shoe Ceremony is on November 25.
Other must-see Christmas windows in New York include Macy’s, Bergdorf Goodman, Macy’s Santa Land, Bloomingdales, Prada, and Tiffany and Co.
Since the Fifth Avenue shops are near Radio City Music Hall and the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, you can easily visit all of these festive attractions in one afternoon.
See the Empire State Building lights
Not to be outdone by the lights twinkling in the windows on street level, the Empire State Building takes lighting to a whole new level. Literally.
The building lights up in the clouds each night depending on causes or memorial days or celebrations, but in December its Christmas holiday light show is set to music.
Before that though, in mid-December it shows Chanukah lights of blue with a “candle” of white in the middle.
Then about a week before Christmas the lights change to red and green with a candy cane red and white stripe on the top, choreographed to music. This runs through until New Year’s Eve when it erupts into a lighting fiesta to bring in the new year, then back to Christmas colors until about January 4th.
Check out the Empire State Building lights calendar which shows the colours year round.
Get your skip the line tickets to the top of the Empire State Building here >
Where to stay in New York City that won’t break the bank!
We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott Times Square for easy walking to the twinkly lights and sights. It was perfectly adequate. Not too expensive. Nothing amazing, but easy walking distance to all the festivities.
>> Check out rates for Courtyard by Marriott Times Square West, which is located on 37th Street and close enough to peer in the windows without too much walking!
Yes, staying in New York is mostly expensive, but I’ve found a bunch of hotels in Manhattan that are under $300 a night in May – so they’ll be even less in winter.
Check them out here if you want stay nice and close to the action! Cheap and lovely hotels in NYC.
The Best Tours in New York City
There are so many fabulous people running tours in NYC, so I’ve picked out my favorites to help you narrow them down!
- Take a helicopter flight and get some amazing photos over Manhattan. This a trip you’ll never forget!
- Love Gospel music? Head out to Harlem on a Saturday and nourish your soul on this 1-hour tour, foot tapping experience.
- Love art? You’ll love this exclusive before-hours tour through MoMA with an art expert as your guide.
- Join ex NYPD officers on this fun mobster walking tour through the streets, by those who chased them!
Grab one of my cute New York souvenirs to celebrate your trip: Girls trip, Thanksgiving, Christmas
Want more of New York?
I have more New York posts you might like to read next:
The best shoes for walking in New York. For the thousands of steps we walk in New York, both summer and winter walking, I’ve got you covered.
See my picks for the best hotels to stay in for a magical Christmas in New York, some luxurious, and some that won’t break the bank!
New year’s eve in NYC is another huge excuse for celebrating and this post lists lots of great places to party including ticketed events with live music, rooftop restaurants you should book early, and where to stand to see the ball drop in Times Square.
Where to have Thanksgiving Day at one of these NYC restaurants.
Best, dreamy rooftop restaurants in New York
Where to go for the best brunch spots in New York
Awesome flea markets in New York to get your bargain hunting on
Where to find great shopping in NYC from malls to vintage neighborhoods
Or if you would rather go somewhere warm in the US in December, you need to check out these great locations.
I’ve also written about how to have a wonderful Christmas in New Orleans. There’s nothing like Christmas caroling with a slide trombone!
