The experience of a New York City Christmas vacation is magical.
Bright. Colorful. Loud. Boisterous. Fun. Delicious. A Fairy Tale.
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Spending a week in New York City at Christmastime does not qualify me as an expert on the ins and outs of the city.
After hours of my usual over-the-top trip planning and research, I thought I was prepared. I was not, and as a result, my typical ambitious itinerary went nowhere.
We covered the highlights. What is more important is the fact that we had a blast on our New York City Christmas vacation.
As a travel blogger, I would love to provide you with pertinent information for your Christmas vacation to New York City in order to help you plan.
I love those Top 10 Lists and Travel Tip posts, but I just can’t do it.
Why?
Because I didn’t master this beautiful city. Unfortunate, but true.
Here are six New York Christmas vacation posts that I will NOT be able to provide.
- How to do New York City on a budget (ha, not even close).
- 10 ways to avoid the crowds (impossible).
- Tips on using the subway. (I only have one tip, ask the attendant, he/she is super helpful).
- Experience the best rooftop bars (traveling with kids).
- Best instagrammable spots (people galore).
- Best ice skating rink in the city (didn’t want to break a hip).
And here’s is what I learned in my seven day New York City Christmas vacation.
- GPS/Google Maps. Not the best. It’s okay, but seriously, just grab a fold-up map of Manhattan. The streets are all numbered, it is a grid. There aren’t too many surprises. Figure out the closest intersection to your destination. Count the blocks up or down and over. Easy.
- Get Up Early. This is my best advice to attempt to avoid the crowds. Plus, the lighting in the morning is glorious. AND furthermore, the sun goes down at 4:30, so the earlier you get started, the more you can see before it gets dark.
- Walk. It is really the best mode of transportation around the city. With the traffic considered, a taxi/Uber/Lyft ride is often slower than walking to most places.
- Take the Subway. If it is too far to walk, take the Subway. The subway is quick and easy. The attendants are super helpful for those of us who don’t know what the heck we are doing. AND it is definitely part of the city experience that you don’t want to miss.
- Marijuana is Legal. Well, kind of…You won’t be arrested if you are caught smoking a joint in public. You will, however, be issued a ticket. This “ticket” is actually a court summons, which means that you have to show up in court and issue a plea. Your fine will be up to the judge. It took me a few days of smelling the stuff several times a day before I realized that people were walking around the city smoking weed. Bold, in my opinion. Not my thing, but to each his own.
- Winter Days are Short. I mean like the sun went down at 4:30/5:00. And on December 21, 2018, Winter Solstice, this day was 5 hours and 50 minutes shorter than on June Solstice. Bizarre for me. Luckily, this is a city that thrives at night. The lights are stunning. Not a major deal on holiday, just different.
- The City is Clean, Safe, and Friendly. I was amazed by how the city could be so clean with so many people. We always felt safe. People are super nice, helpful, and patient. We were only yelled at once by a frustrated driver. We didn’t take offense.
- IT IS COLD. Ok, so it is freaking cold in New York City. I am telling you, bring a warm coat or parka. Bring your gloves, scarves, and winter hats. 30 degrees can feel like 22 degrees with the blustery winds and the high humidity. They say the cold is different in Colorado, and trust me, it is! New York City is COLD. Dress in layers and peel if need be. But, be prepared.
- Which brings me to this…WEAR CHAPSTICK. And bring some good moisturizer. I like Burt Bees Tinted Chapstick and Aquafor.
- New York City is Packed at Christmastime. If you want good seats at a show or sporting event, reserve early. Make dinner reservations early. Buy tickets for attractions before you get there. Be the first on the ferry to the Statue of Liberty, or you’ll be face to butt on the stairway up to the pedestal (this has happened to me, but not this time).
Know this…
- Where you are going, how you will get there, AND how long it will take to get there.
- How you will get back to where you are staying ahead of time.
- The weather, especially if you plan on walking.
- The cost and if you will need to tip.
- Create a “soft” itinerary for your New York Christmas vacation.
- And be flexible.
- If you miss some things, catch them on the next visit.
New York City is absolutely beautiful. The sites are truly breathtaking. Just walking through Times Square is exhilarating.
During the holiday, the city is crazy busy. Everywhere. Because of this, my ambitious itinerary was not going to work. We hit the highlights and had the best time. We will be back, for sure.
I hope you all find this helpful and if you have any bits of advice that I can add, I would love to hear from you.
A few more fun photos of our New York Christmas vacation and it’s a wrap!
Every day, a white rose is placed to recognize the birthdays of the men, women, and children whose names are inscribed on the 9/11 Memorial.
Seriously huge New York City Pretzels!
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge.
New York City Public Library. I had to explain to them how to use a Card Catalog. And what is that funny thing on top of the Card Catalog (the Pencil Sharpener)?
Strawberry Fields in Central Park is a living memorial for John Lennon. Usually full of people, but on this rainy and cold day, we were alone to reflect.
Desserts on display at Eataly! Need I say more?
Maple Latte from Grumpy Café.
“Sunrise, Sunset” at Pier A in Battery Park. 27 aluminum panels embedded with 9,000 crystal prisms. The prisms create all of the colors of the rainbow when activated by natural light.
Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World.
This is not a book, it is a tablet with the inscription July 4, 1776, the date of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
New York City Public Library. They were more excited about their NBA store merch.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral is breathtaking.
This is a 900 pound Swarovski Star atop the tree in Rockefeller Center. The ornament has 70 glittering spikes with 3 million crystals (I read this in the New York Post). It is stunning!
Ha! “Here are 5 posts I will be unable to provide!” Hilarious! And so true. We LOVE New York City but it is so expensive and there’s just no avoiding the crowds- you have to earn to embrace them!
This is so true. Just know it is going to be crowded and love it!
Very useful tips. Some places are just impossible to travel spontaneously, especially at such busy time. It’s better to plan ahead as you advised. I’ve never been to New York, but it’s on top of my bucket list 🙂 Pinning your guide for later!
We had so much fun. It is a beautiful city to visit. Next time, I think I will try in the off season (if there is one)!
Reading this brought back memories of our trip to NYC. Would be amazing to visit at Christmas time though! Definitely agree with the advice about getting up early – the walk across Brooklyn Bridge at dawn is amazing.
It really is. I try to get out there early most days, sometimes it is just me, but that is okay, too!
Wow I learned a lot about NY from this post! Had no idea it was legal to smoke Marijuana there now!
Yep. I am thinking they need a medical card of some sort, but I saw people (or smelled it) pretty much every day with pot!
Love all the pictures of your family adventure in New York City. I have been several times but a few years back I went during Christmas time because I had it on my bucket list to see the famous Rockettes Christmas Show at Radio City Music Hall. You are right the city is amazing during Christmas. I loved just sitting at 30Rock with the big tree watching the ice skaters and people scurry about. Also I totally agree that you need to take the subway because those NYC blocks are forever long. We just had to go several streets but they blocks were so long it took us forever!
It is so much fun. When we go back, I think it will be off season! We loved it, so bright, vibrant, exciting and busy.
Seeing New York at Christmas time is high on my bucket list and I totally agree that using a map is the best way to navigate the city. I you need to do is be able to count and you can figure out how many blocks away things are.
It took me a while to realize that, plus getting irritated with the GPS. Then I was free, it is so easy with just a map, or even just the intersection. It is such a beautiful city.
Great article! Love seeing NYC through a tourist’s eyes. Just to clarify, medical marijuana is legal in NYC but you aren’t allowed to smoke it on the street. The reason you’re seeing it more is that instead of making arrests for it the police are now only issuing tickets and I guess that makes people more bold. That’s how I understand the new rules, at least. It’s not my thing but I didn’t want anyone to come visit and get into trouble.
Haha! I get it. It was a very curious thing to me. It was like they were smoking a cigarette. Maybe I should clarify the law in my post!
I looooove Christmas in New York <33 Can't wait to go back!
I have read a lot about Christmas in New York but you described it in such a fun way. You used so many adjectives, I felt that I was there enjoying the festivities
I actually haven’t been to the battery park area that much, but I imagine it would be less crowded than the rest of the spots, especially in NYC during winter time … the zone between Christmas and New Year’s is sooo crowded, that I’m looking forward to a break from tourists. Great post and cool photos
There’s so much to experience at New York! I agree with your suggestion of a ‘soft’ itinerary. One should not aim to cover everything that can be done.
I’d glad take that maple latte any day. Even if it does mean an early get up and get going. NYC does seem like the perfect city to explore at Christmas time
New York City is also the place I want to visit someday. The many movies patronizing this city keeps me updated.
Oh wow! A fresh view on things, a very realistic portrait of traveling with kids! Just returned from our road trip with a one-year-old and I was not feeling inspired at all to start putting the blog post together – this definitely provided great motivation and inspiration!
Seriously, I didn’t have enough for one of those top ten posts! I had every intention, but didn’t happen. I learned a few things to share, though.
I’m so glad you enjoyed your time in New York. It’s such a wonderful city, but you’re right: it gets COLD in the winter. I do wish the pictures were larger!
thank you for the advice, I will check them out and see if I can resize!
I like your idea of having a soft itinerary. Thank you for your simple, practical tips!
A “soft itinerary” is a must with kids!
I love going to New York, I haven’t been in a couple years but each visit I feel like I see something different. I’ve stayed in NYC twice, once in Brooklyn, and once in the Bronx.
It’s defintiely mesmerizing. Walking was always best, except when I was in the Bronx lol. I’ve never gone for Christmas though that could definitely be a new experience.
Does your family normally travel for Christmas instead of buying a load of presents?
We try to take a trip the week before Christmas. And, yes, that means less gifts. We have done this for several years and the kids love it. They often pick our destination.
What a lovely article about New York City. We were there back in August of 2017 and it sounds like not much has changed. It is funny because some of the things you described happened to us during our stay. Your posts are always entertaining. Keep it up, The Saltbox 🙂
Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I think next New York City visit will be in Spring or Summer. That cold was something else for this Floridian.
Heh, NY seem to be much better than Finland to spend Christmas. Finland is famous for Santa Claus village, but other than that, Christmas is boring 🙂
It is far from boring in New York City. Super fun destination for that time of year. But, I was ready to head home after a week!
I was thinking of visiting New York this year for Christmas. How where the lines for the attractions?
It was really packed everywhere, so the lines were long. Best bet is to either get to the attraction early, buy a tour that meets at a specific time, or buy tickets online before your visit. If you are willing to pay a hefty price, there are VIP tours. There is one at the Museum of Natural History, that takes you in before the museum even opens. It is really beautiful and so much fun. It is worth the visit. But, just prepare ahead of time that there are tons of people that time of year. It should not keep you from going, just be prepared.
We loved NYC at Christmastime! Yes, it’s crowded, but it’s busy city life and if you do follow all your tips, you will have a great time!
So true, you have to be prepared for the crowds. It is so beautiful and so much fun.
That does sound fun. I’d love to visit there one day. Thanks for the tips!
It is really beautiful and fun. WE had a an amazing visit. Next time, I will go in Spring or Summer. A bit too cold for this Florida girl!
Love this as I’ve never been to New York but plan to go. Never thought about it being cold!
Oh yes, it is COLD! Just be prepared and you will be fine. It is so beautiful and worth the visit!
This is such a great post! Love all the things you’ve mentioned here. It took me back to the all times I’ve visited New York, but I’ve never been there during Christmas 🙂 Thanks for such a helpful article.
It is truly magical at Christmastime. I wish it would have snowed more than two minutes! But, it was amazing anyways.
Love this post! Great tips and I love how honest you are! That goes a long way!
Right, I couldn’t really do anything else but be honest. We had a blast, but I surely did not master that beautiful city enough to post!
New York is so high on my travel list!
Actually, I will be visiting the USA for the first time in September!
I won’t be making it to NYC on this occasion, but I cannot wait – and your blog makes me even more excited to visit 🙂
Maybe next trip here you can visit NYC. There are really so many places here that are totally worth the visit. You will love it.
Love this! I really want to visit New York one day so you’ve given me major envy.
It is so much fun. We are ready to go back, but will wait til it is warmer!
New York is such a huge topic to cover in a blog post, and I love how you pair it with the holidays to be able to focus on season-specific aspects of visiting. It definitely is very cold in winter, but it looks like you guys got some clear, sunny weather! Glad you enjoyed the holidays here, and hope you’re able to go back someday and experience this fun city when it’s a bit warmer!
We will be back. We really loved it, everything about it. But, next time it will be during a warmer season, as we are kinda wimpy down here in Florida.
NYC at Christmastime is a dream of my daughter’s. Someday I hope to take her there.
It is dreamy, for sure. My kids, who were tweens at the time, loved NYC.
Sounds and looks amazing! Great photos and interesting facts. I’ve never been, it will be years away if I ever do get to visit. Would love to visit though, one day.
I hope you get to visit one day, it was the trip of a lifetime for us as a family.
This is such a beautiful blog! I loved the pics, I loved the way you have written…I want to visit NY during Christmas time now.
Thank you so much. Our trip to NYC was fantastic. A little crazy, but so much fun.
New York at Christmas is so magical. It is definitely one of my favourite places to travel. We got engaged in Central Park so it has a place in my heart.
It is truly magical. We had a great time, but I think next time we head up that way, it’ll be a bit warmer! It is always beautiful.