New York City is the place to be during the holidays. The Big Apple welcomes locals and people from all over the world to enjoy the snowy streets of Manhattan, ice skating in Central Park, the beautiful window displays along Fifth Avenue and a huge Christmas tree that glows in the city’s skyline. Get the joy of Christmas in New York City and have a wonderful experience that you’ll never forget.
The Joy of Christmas at Rockefeller Center
Since 1931, the huge Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center is one of the main attractions in The Big Apple during the most wonderful time of the year. Every winter, millions of tourists go to Rockefeller plaza to take a photo or two under the magnificent tree with its more than 50,000 LED lights.
The best time to go is right after dark, when the lights bounce off the Prometheus statue. People can also enjoy skating in the Rockefeller Ice Rink. The lights are off at 11:30 pm through Christmas and then at 9 pm through New Year’s Eve.
Window Shopping And Retail Therapy Time
Tourist can do some last-minute shopping spree at the Union Square Holiday Market, where there are different stands with great items from local artist and craftspeople. The market is open daily, from November 1st until Christmas Eve.
And for the visitor that doesn’t want to spend but wishes to enjoy walking down the street, they can take part in one of the best traditions that the city offers during this time of the year: Enjoying the elaborate window displays! Stores such as Barneys, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman go all out and transform their windows into magnificent works of art. There’s also the Santaland at Macy’s, an intricate display with elves, toy trains and snow; and it’s the current home of the “real Santa Claus” following the story of Miracle on 34th Street.
A Spectacular Show And an All Time Classic
For anyone visiting the city during the season, they cannot miss the chance to see an authentic Christmas in New York City tradition: The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. For more than 75 years, the Radio City Rockettes have been a Christmas staple with its family-friendly holiday variety show held at the largest indoor theater in the world, Radio City Music Hall, located in midtown Manhattan. This event tend to be sold out by the time Christmas comes, but there are discount tickets available since November.
For the classic soul, there’s also the opportunity to see The Nutcracker, performed by the world renowned New York City Ballet. This event have been stunning the public for more than 60 years at the Lincoln Center NYC. No Christmas in New York City is complete without seeing Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy, Mouse King, and the rest of the charming characters from Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet.
Christmas In New York City Accommodations
There are plenty options for accommodations right there in Manhattan, most of them are at a short distance from Rockefeller Center and other attractions in the city. During the holidays, NYC hotels offer great travel deals, making Christmas time the perfect opportunity to book a stay at the best five-star hotels and boutique hotels in town.
There’s a great chance to enjoy a luxury NYC experience at a budget price since many hotels lower their prices on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but it’s vital to make the reservations ahead of time. The best part of staying right in the heart of the city is that tourists can be near the major events and attractions, since most of them are accessible by a walking distance.
