Christmastime in New York City is wonderful.
Christmastime in New York City is also busy, crowded, and expensive.
So this time last December, Michael and I sleepily boarded a 6:00 a.m. flight out of Florida with our return flight booked for 8:00 p.m. the following evening. December is peak travel season, so we spent $150 each for plane tickets, $320 on a one-night reservation at the now-defunct Hotel Dumont, and $160 on two tickets to see the Rockettes (plus meals at restaurants both thrifty and not).
It was an outrageously expensive two days in the city, for us at least. We were exhausted by the end of it, surviving on the city’s energy rather than sleep.
But it was magical.
We got to see and do all of the things I’d dreamed of as a kid: peering into the storefront windows, watching the Rockettes’ famous kick line, exploring the Christmas markets, seeing the Rockefeller tree, and walking through the red, green, and white-lit city in the snow.
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With so little time in the city, we had to hit the ground running. After dropping our luggage we headed for the Great Northern Food Hall (now closed) for Scandinavian holiday pastries and walked through the small holiday market within Grand Central Station.
Between holiday shopping for friends and family at places like Everlane’s Cashmere Cabin pop-up, Sockerbit, Dover Street Market, and Scandinavia House, we stopped at the big-name department stores to see their holiday window displays. No matter the time of day, the sidewalks surrounding the stores are crowded and foot traffic swells and flows like the waves of an ocean, which makes it difficult to linger.
We’d also made reservations at the recently-opened Augustine (now closed) and Le Coucou, which meant we had a schedule to keep to. Throughout the weekend, we stopped at the other holiday markets located in Union Square, Columbus Circle, and Bryant Park (the last of these was already open when we visited the city just last month!).
We ordered tickets to the final Rockettes Christmas Spectacular show of the evening, which meant we saved money (peak tickets cost more!) but were exhausted by the time 10:00 p.m. rolled around. I had to wake Michael up several times during the show, and other kids around us were also nodding off. But, I’m glad to have finally seen the toy soldier segment in person and I have checked this off of my holiday bucket list.
After the show, we walked back out into the chilly air to see the Rockefeller Tree. Even close to midnight, the surrounding area was thick with visitors. These are the types of crowds I dislike – groups of people who aren’t paying any attention or courtesy to those around them, and also areas where pickpockets thrive. We quickly snapped a couple of not-so-great photos and ducked back out.
Our visit coincided with SantaCon, much to the disdain of locals. The city was filled with people dressed up as Santa with the primary purpose of drinking all day and all night. We saw “Santas” drinking out of flasks at 8:00 a.m., stumbling throughout the street (with children saying, “Look, Mom, it’s Santa!”), and barely hanging on to the handrails on the Subway. It was easy to see why people complain about the masses crowding their streets.
With little on our itinerary the following day (except for our flight home!), we wandered the city more, admiring the way the city’s families practice holiday traditions.
The weekend was wonderfully memorable enough as it was, but the most magical thing happened about an hour before we departed for home: the city’s first snowfall of the season. The temperatures dropped when the snow started, but suddenly we felt warmer than we had all year long. It feels like anything can happen in this city, and this is just one more way New York has captured my heart.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT VISITING NYC AT CHRISTMASTIME
First things first: prices are exceptionally high this time of year. Early in the month of December, flights are typically less expensive than toward the end of the month but hotels are pricey. On the flip side, flights get more expensive the closer you get to the holidays, yet some hotel prices are incredibly low during the last couple weeks of December (except right at Christmas and New Year’s, of course).
To make the most of your quick NYC Christmas weekend, consider choosing a hotel over an Airbnb for ease in storing your luggage. You’ll find that discounts are occasionally provided for Rockettes shows, and pricing varies by date and time. One of my favorite money-saving travel tips, you’ll save both time and money by choosing to dine at a splurgier restaurant for lunch and enjoying a lighter dinner later.
But best of all, much of the “New York Christmas Experience” can be had for free by wandering and engaging your senses.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON VISITING NEW YORK AT THE HOLIDAYS
If I had to define my travel style, I would consider myself quite the value traveler. I know when I feel it will be worth it to splurge, and when it’s better to save – and a once-in-a-lifetime trip to New York City during the holidays is the perfect time to splurge a little.
Still, Michael and I couldn’t have done all of this and bought each other Christmas gifts a few weeks later; so instead, we considered this our Christmas gift (and it was far better than anything store-bought). If you’re looking for a memorable holiday activity, I highly recommend doing the same!
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Questions for you
Have you ever visited NYC during the holidays?
Would you ever swap traditional gifts for travel?
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