Guide to Christmas in NYC

The holiday season is one of the best times to visit New York City, it really is so magical! There are SO many things to do and see in the city during the most wonderful time of the year. I have put together a list of the top things you should do if you plan on visiting NYC during the holiday season.

1. The Tree at Rockefeller Center

The tree at Rockefeller Center is the most popular tree in NYC and for good reasons, it’s spectacular. With that being said, you should always be prepared for large crowds when visiting the Rockefeller Tree. The entire plaza is fully decorated, it’s absolutely breathtaking.

I would recommend coming as late as you can for the smallest crowds, the tree stays lit until around 11:30 pm every night. It’s lit all day long as well but I definitely think it’s more magical at night :)

2. Lotte New York palace

I am absolutely in love with the Tree at the Lotte New York Palace hotel. It’s located in the hotel’s courtyard area. If you are a Gossip Girl fan like myself, you will definitely recognize this hotel, it was Serena van der Woodsen’s home during the show!! This location gets extremely busy, I’ve gone around 1pm and 4pm; both times were packed with people but it is still possible to get a photo :)

Location: 455 Madison Ave

3. Dyker Heights Christmas Lights

The Christmas lights and decorations at the houses here are INSANE, I’ve never seen so many houses go all out like this! It’s worth the trip for sure but be prepared for large crowds.

You can visit the lights in Dyker Heights in Brooklyn starting the weekend after Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve. You can get there by Taxi/Uber/Lyft, taking the Subway (cheapest option, but a 20 minute walk from station to the houses), or with a Bus Tour. The houses here typically have their lights on from 5pm to 9pm.

Location: From 83rd to 86th Streets between 11th & 13th Ave.

4. Winter Village at Bryant Park

New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink is located at Bryant Park. However, you will need to pay to rent skates (or bring your own!) The winter village is open from October 31, 2019 – January 5, 2020. You can buy a ton of unique gifts here and try so many delicious local foods. Bryant Park is pretty close to Times Square as well.

The tree lighting ceremony takes place during the first week of December here. A few other popular Christmas markets to check out are the Union Square Holiday Market and the Columbus Circle Holiday Market.

5. Radio City Music Hall

These giant Red Ornaments make for a great instagram photo opportunity with Radio City Music Hall in the background. This location was not as crowded (note: during the first week Dec) as some of the other holiday hotspots in NYC .

Location: You will find the giant Ornaments on 6th Ave. between 49th & 50th Sts. There’s also giant Christmas Lights right by the Ornaments on on 6th Ave. & 48th St!

6. Cartier store

The Cartier store is one of the most popular & trendy NYC Holiday Instagram shots. As you can see, I clearly love this spot as I’ve shot photos here two years in a row during both the day and at night. This is an iconic spot to see AND snap a few photos at!

Location: 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue

7. Washington Square Park

There is a gorgeous Christmas tree under the famous arch at Washington Square Park. This is a great place to visit anytime of the year but especially during the Holidays!

location:F ifth Avenue & Waverly Pl or West 4th St. between Macdougal & Wooster St.

8.Saks Fifth Avenue

Here you can watch the famous Saks Fifth Avenue Christmas Light Show, it’s a MUST during the holidays in NYC! The light show takes place everyday from around 4:35pm to 11:35pm, every 10 minutes and the show lasts about 5 minutes. The theme for the 2019 light show is a collaboration with Disney inspired by Frozen 2! The best way to watch the light show is from Rockefeller Center!

Saks also has so many amazing holiday window displays, it’s definitely worth the visit during the daytime or at night.

Location: Saks is located on Fifth Avenue between 49th & 50th Sts.

9. MACY’S BELIEVE SIGN

I loved visiting the iconic Macy’s “Believe” holiday display! Compared to the other places on this list, this location is not as crazy/crowded/full of tons of people which was really nice!

Location: On 34th St between 7th & Broadway.