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I’ve always assumed the Christmas song “Silver Bells” was written about New York City. The Big Apple glows, literally and figuratively, at Christmastime. It’s easy to get into the holiday spirit here, which is why so many people come here to do just that.

As lifelong New Yorkers there are things our family makes sure to do year after year after year between Thanksgiving and New Years Eve. And there are things we avoid at all costs. We also have our favorite only-in-NYC stores and favorite cafés and bakeries to pop into when we need to warm up.

Here are my best tips for what to see and do, where to find fun holiday food, what to avoid, and which hotels deck the halls. So you can start planning your own jolly Christmastime weekend in NYC.

Choose a NYC Hotel with Extra Holiday Cheer

New York City hotels put their best foot forward between Thanksgiving and New Year with long-coated doormen, festooned lobbies and seasonal dishes and drinks at their bars and restaurants. The more stars a hotel has the more elaborate the decorations are likely to be.

Here are a few special offers and deals that I think will make any family’s holiday-season visit especially magical.

Find the best available rates at other NYC hotels on TripAdvisor.
Live like a New Yorker with a vacation rental in an iconic NYC neighborhood from VRBO.
Find for the best flights to JFK, Laguardia or Newark airports on Expedia.

The InterContinental New York Barclay hotel in Midtown will celebrate the season with mid-month holiday concerts in the lobby as well as activities like caroling in the lobby, cookie decorating for children and hot chocolate with the chefs.

the courtyard of the lotte new york palace hotel glows with a white lights on birch trees, a huge christmas tree ad its stone arches.

The Lotte New York Palace, steps from St. Patrick’s cathedral always tops the lists of best decked out NYC hotels at Christmas time. Kids who check in with you during the season receive postcards they can write to Santa Claus and mail at a special box in the lobby. Santa will send a reply directly to your room during your stay.

Book any room at the Refinery Hotel in December and you can request the Winter Spectacular Stay Package,” which includes a Christmas tree, gingerbread house and family friendly treats including hot cocoa, eggnog and decorated cookies and milk.

The luxurious Peninsula Hotel has two packages to help make your season festive and bright, the Nights before Christmas package, which is ideal for younger kids with its candy cane scavenger hut and the Holly Jolly Holiday Package, which always includes a tour of one of the city’s Christmas highlights and VIP treatment at a local attraction or store.

Splurge on a park-view suite at the Mandorin Oriental and enjoy some of its Festive Season fun, including splendi holiday decorations, carolers and a special holiday-season tea.

Get in the holiday season mood:
• 13 Classic Movies About Holiday Travel
• The Best Seasonal Activities Across the U.S.
• How To Save On Christmas-Season Airfare

9 Top NYC Christmas Season Do and Don’ts With Kids

Do See the Macy’s Balloons

For New Yorkers, the Christmas season officially starts when we see Santa Claus head down Central Park West in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The night before the Parade an army of employees and volunteers inflate the giant balloons and assemble the floats at the start of the parade route on Central Park West. It’s a neat event. You can see the giant balloons up close and sometimes even grab a volunteer to answer questions.

You have to file through NYPD security and bag checks on 72nd street, then walk north to the staging area around the Museum of Natural History. Once you get to the balloons the crowd thins out. But it’s a very busy event. And once you’re “inside” you need to circle around to the end before you can easily exit the staging area.

It was fun and super easy when I took my teenager in 2022. Younger kids seem like the natural audience but they don’t necessarily know who all the floats are and it’s a lot for a little one to deal with. I think 7 and up is ideal.

bluey is a balloon popular with little kids at the macy's thanksgiving day parade in nyc

But if you want to take little kids, know that everything you read will advise you to leave your stroller home. I endorse this. It’s stressful for you to push it through the crowded bits (and unpleasant for the people around you).

Your kids are going to want to get out of the stroller to see everything and you’ll want to take photos of them in front of the floats. Your shoulders are your best best for toddlers and up, and a carrier is best with babies.

It usually happens between noon and 6:00 PM. Aim to be where the action is between 2:00 and 3:30 if you want to see the balloons take shape. They were all inflated by the time we were there around 4:00.

Plan to spend a good 90 minutes or more getting into and through everything there is to see. Brings snacks and drinks for little ones and dress very warmly. Toward the end you can pop down into the 86th street subway station for an easy exit.

Maybe see the Thanksgiving Day Parade

I admit I’ve always been afraid to drag my kid to the Macy’s Parade. The cold, the crowds, the wait. There are so many ways it could be a total fail. But it is one of the most iconic parades in the U.S.

santa's sleigh is the end and the high point of the nyc thanksgiving parade.

The ideal way to see it is from the windows or balcony of an apartment or hotel along the route.

From Central Park West it turns left at Columbus Circle onto Central Park South, then right on the Avenue of the Americas (6th Avenue) and ends in Herald Square at 34th street. If a room with a view isn’t an option, find a spot along the upper part of 6th Avenue, ideally on a block with a Starbucks or café. You can pop in to warm up, by hot cocoa and use the bathrooms.

For that indoor viewing, start looking at VRBOs well in advance. And secure your hotel by late summer. Options include the famous Essex House on CPS, or the Warwick New York, Hilton Midtown or 1 Hotel Central Park. Sometime the hotels offer packages or a brunch around the parade but they often don’t announce them until October. So it’s probably smart to secure a reservation and then follow up to make sure you’ll have a good parade view.

Skip the bleachers along Central Park West. They look inviting but you have to get up super early to secure these. And once you’re there you aren’t leaving until the parade has passed you by, no matter how cold you are or done with it all your kids are.

Do: Brave the crowds to see the Christmas Show at Radio City

the rockettes kickline is the star attraction of the radio city christmas spectacular

Radio City Music Hall is a city classic for locals and tourist alike. The Christmas Spectacular really is. It incorporates music, actors, 3D effects, live animals and those Rockettes, who really are impressive when they do that kickline. And it’s probably the most all-ages show ever created. I’ve seen it as a kid, a college student and a grown-up and each time I’ve walk out feeling ready for Christmas.

Keep your eye out for discount tickets; the popular ticketing sights frequently have them. If you go, brace yourself. The crowds around Rockefeller Center are thick both before and after the show, which is pretty much all day long fromNovember into January.

Don’t: Overlook other holiday shows

You’ll always find a handful of off-Broadway holiday shows around town. They can be traditional, quirky, fun and sometimes a bit irreverent. But most are kid-friendly and well-done and the ticket prices are easy on the wallet.

In any given year you might see a live rendition of A Charlie Brown Christmas, any number of interpretations of A Christmas Carol or even A Sherlock Carole, a mash-up of the Dickens and Conan Doyle characters. The Irish Repertory in the Flatiron district often does a holiday-themed play in December, such as Meet Me in St. Louis.

Playbill always has an extensive list of the bigger off-broadway shows. Mommy Poppins and Time Out NY can lead you to the quirky, offbeat ones.

Do: See the Nutcracker

the nutcracker at the nyc's nutcracker ballet has a splendid costume and is a can't miss in nyc at christmastime.

The most kid-friendly ballet. Ever. The New York City Ballet’s colorful full-scale rendition is the Nutcracker for many people. The level of dance and production quality are a worthwhile splurge for kids 10 and up.

Don’t: Make little kids sit through a full-length ballet

I’ve had plenty of friends who buy tickets for kids as young as 4. Some of these youngsters do make it through the whole ballet and enjoy it. Others get fidgety and want to leave early. One or two kids we know actually fell asleep in the middle of it. These are expensive tickets, so if you do want to try taking a tot, buy them with the full knowledge that it might not work out as you hope.

Do: See the decked-out NYC shop windows & Christmas lights

But for New York City in its holiday best, take a stroll that starts at 59^th Street and 5^th Avenue. Admire the glitter and dazzle of the Plaza Hotel (wave hello to Eloise), then take a look at Tiffany, Cartier and Bergdorf’s, which is usually pretty outrageous but worth a peek.

the best view of nyc's famous rockeller center christmas tree

While it may sound fairly obvious, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree really is a sight to behold. The best views of this iconic NYC tree is from 5th avenue, looking down the line of trumpeting angels.

at the lego store in nyc, they've recreated the rockefeller center mosaics in legp bricks

Saks 5^th Avenue, across the way, has historically had one of the best windows in the city. Lego fans must stop by the Lego Store above the rink for its Rockefeller Center mosaics NYC icons done in Lego bricks. The NBC Studios Shop across the rink is the place to shop for fans of the network’s latest hit shows.

If you need a sugar break, detour to Magnolia Bakery on 6th Avenue at 49^th Street. Sex & the City made its cupcakes famous and touts its banana pudding. I prefer the shop’s cookies and lemon bars.

Have a sweet tooth?
Here are my favorite NYC spots for dessert and sweet snacks.
Try a cupcake walking tour of Greenwich Village, one of several tempting NYC food tours on Viator.

If it’s getting dark out, consider heading to Top of the Rock to see the city lights from above.

visit the real winnie the pooh and friends at the new york public library

Otherwise stroll down to 42nd Street and say hello the New York Public Library Lions. There is a large, comfortable children’s section in the basement of the library that’s a nice place to warm up, use the restrooms and take a break. Look for the case that features the original Winnie the Pooh stuffed animals from the Milne household.

Bryant Park is just behind the library and has a lot going on at the holidays.

macy's chose animals celebrating the holidays in a candy-coated city for its 2022 holiday windows.

From here you can continue south to Macy’s at 34^th Street and Broadway. The store has had some really fun interactive windows in the past few years.

Don’t: Underestimate NYC winters

The skyscrapers create wind tunnels that bring the temperature down a few degrees. Dress warmly for this holiday hike. Gloves, scarf, hat, layers and warm, comfortable boots.

Do: Go ice skating

Nothing is as magical as skating around Wollman Rink in Central Park. You have the park’s hushed woods around you and the city skyline gleaming in the background.

It’s handy to bring a lock but you can rent everything you’ll need at the rink.

the ice skating rink and winter village shops in bryant park, next to the ny public library.

Winter Village at Bryant Park (42nd Street) has become a popular place to skate in recent years. It’s free if you have your own skates, but renting them is exorbitant, as is checking a bag. You have to make reservations to skate and there aren’t many slots for people who bring their own skates; this is perhaps not a problem for tourists.

fancy hot chocolate with whipped cream and a giant, rainbow marshmallow on a stick, available at the lodge deck at bryant park winter village.

Even if you don’t skate, walk through the winter village around the rink (photo: top). There are shops with some unique gift ideas, and fun food vendors. The new thing last year was elaborate, Instagram-worthy cups of hot cocoa at the Lodge Deck. And you’ll find a Waffles & Dinges outpost here.

Don’t: Skate at Rockefeller Center

The rink is tiny, the line is long even when we aren’t in a pandemic, the fees are sky high and your skate time is very short. Take a photo in front of the famous rink and do your actual skating at the rinks above.

Do: visit the Macy’s Santa Claus

Santaland really is worth a visit. The line winds through an imaginative and fun North Pole and leads to a cabin with a very convincing Santa Claus.

santaland at macy's has some of the most convincing santas anywhere.

They actually have many Santas, but the way they lay things out, kids believe they are visiting the one and only. When she was going on 10YO tween traveler still loved this ritual and got caught up in it. Even for this adult it was easy to believe this is the real Santa.

Tip: If your family would prefer a black Santa or one that speaks Spanish, just ask an elf!

You have to make a reservation online these days. You can do so starting in Mid-November, no less than 30 minutes and no more than 5 days ahead.

The line passes through a North Pole with magical trees and other colorful critters. It’s well done and my daughter loves it, probably more than meeting Santa. But even with this sizeable diversion it can be a long wait for little ones, and some do melt down before the get to see the big guy in red.

Santa’s last day in the store is December 24th. Then it’s back to the North Pole for the big night.

Don’t: Try to dine at Macy’s

shake shack's trio of holiday season shakes always feature chocolate, sprinkles and lots of whipped cream.

Macy’s does have in-house dining options but they aren’t very interesting and during the holidays they’re often mobbed. If you exit on the 6th Avenue side of the store there is a Waffles & Dinges cart in Herald Square, which is great for an afternoon snack. The Shake Shack at 36th street will be busy, too, but its shakes, burgers and fries are far more worth waiting for—and mom and dad can have a beer if they like.

32nd and 33rd streets, east of 6th avenue are full of Korean restaurants including high-end barbecue places (with table top grills) to inexpensive fried chicken and noodle spots. Keen’s Steakhouse on 36th Street is a genuinely old New York restaurant, and one of my favorite steakhouses. It’s a festive way to end a day of holiday sightseeing, but you absolutely need a reservation.

Do: Visit a Christmas market

There are a handful of outdoor holiday markets around manhattan where you can buy quirky, creative and unique gifts at prices that are pretty good. The biggest is in Union Square Park, but you’ll find others in Columbus Circle and Grand Central Station.

the holiday market at nyc's union market at night with empire state building behind it.

I go to these markets for the food vendors as much as for the shopping. Snack on gooey grilled cheese sandwiches, hot cocoa, Polish pierogi and Chinese porl bao in between trying on Tibetan hats and handmade earrings.

Go to Union Square on Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday and you can also check out the city’s biggest outdoor farmer’s market. Nosh on fresh bread and hot cider; sample beer, wine and spirits from local purveyors and buy a bag of hard pretzels for later.

Don’t: Leave Union Square without a little more shopping

strand book store with its bright red awnings, is one of the biggest used book stores in the u.s.

If you have book-lovers in your family don’t miss the famous Strand Books, on Broadway and 12th street. It has 18 miles of new, used and rare books spread across several floors. Teen Traveler can easily spend an hour browsing here.

Stop by Forbidden Planet right next store if you or your kids are into comics, manga, graphic novels or role-playing and other fantasy-based games. You’ll find all this plus apparel, action figures and more at this legendary store.

Buy the most unique Christmas gifts with a personalized guided shopping tour on Viator.
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My Teen LOVES the city’s vintage clothing shops. Have a local take you to the hippest ones.

Do: Visit the Bronx

The Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden is unique. Kids can’t get enough of the trains. Parents appreciate the surprisingly authentic renderings of city landmarks made from twigs and leaves.

train show at the ny botanical garden, a holiday must!

Time it so you can have lunch or dinner in the Bronx’s old Italian enclave on Arthur Avenue afterward. It’s a five-minute drive or cab ride.

Dominick’s is famous, but usually has quite a wait. You can’t go wrong with whatever restaurant looks good to you. Make sure to save room for some cannoli, cookies and marzipan rainbow cake from any one of the handful of bakeries on the Avenue.

Don’t: Just show up

Order tickets online well before you leave home and show up 15 to 30 minutes before your entry time.

Do: Take Your JK Rowling fans to the new Harry Potter Store

Yes, there is a new Flagship Harry Potter Store near Madison Square Park. Yes, it’s huge. It has everything a Wizarding World fan could ask for, with items related to both the Potter and Fantastic Beast Movies. There’s a Honeyduke’s department full of wizarding candy, a section on the dark arts, a butterbeer bar, and copies of scenery, props and creatures you’ll recognize from the movies.

You can buy tickets to two VR experiences that take you, respectively, on a tour of Hogwarts and a broom ride over the school and through London.

There is a virtual queue to get into the store and it can be long. I recommend you show up early, get your timed entry, which will be sometime later in the day, and then go sightseeing or shopping. Come back within 30 minutes of your ticket time.

Don’t: Miss NYC’s small stores

For all the flagship stores the city offers, it’s the small independent shops that make New York a unique place to shop.

babest is one of several stylish kids clothing and toy stores in nyc

Try like Kidding Around in Chelsea, Boomerang Toys in Battery Park City and the stylish Babesta in Tribeca for toys and baby goods.

For older kids don’t miss the Compleat Strategist, a legendary shop full of popular, cutting edge and hard-to-find board games. It’s on 33rd Street, near the Empire State Building. If your family really likes games you can spend a long time browsing here.

For New Yorkers, the Christmas season officially starts when we see Santa Claus head down Central Park West in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The night before the Parade an army of employees and volunteers inflate the giant balloons and assemblet he floats at the start of the parade route on Central Park West. It’s a neat event. You can see the giant balloons up close and sometimes even grab a volunteer to answer questions.

Maybe see the Thanksgiving Day Parade

The ideal way to see it is from the windows or balcony of an apartment or hotel along the route.

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christmas is one of the best times of the year to visit nyc with kids. here are the best things to do from ice skating to unique city shopping to the best view of the rockefeller center tree

Photos: Legos, Library’s Milne animals, Macy’s windows, Santaland and Thanksgiving parade balloons by FamiliesGo!©. Rockettes (MSG Entertainment). Nutcracker, Rockefeller Center tree, Winter Village shops and hot cocoa, Christmas market and the Strand (NYCGo). Shake trio (Shake Shack). Botanic Garden trains (the NYBG) Harry Potter and Babesta courtesy of the stores.