New York City at Christmas
We've done Christmas in New York more than once, and it never gets old.
We break down when to book, where to stay, what actually stays open on Christmas Day, and the full list of Christmas must-sees. We cover all of this and more on our YouTube channel. And if you would rather skip the planning altogether, we can build you a bespoke NYC Christmas itinerary.
When to Visit New York at Christmas
If you take one thing from this guide, make it this. Flights to New York open up around eleven months in advance, and every time we have done this trip, we have booked in January for that same December. Christmas in New York is one of the most in-demand trips in the world, so the earlier you lock in flights and hotels, the more you will save and the more choice you will have.
We book our December dates the January before. By the time most people start looking in the autumn, prices have already climbed.
Want it for half the price? Go in early January instead
If Christmas Day itself is not non-negotiable for you, the first week of January is one of the best times to visit. The decorations, the tree and the lights along Fifth Avenue all stay up until around mid-January, but you will pay roughly half the price of a December trip. Same magic, much smaller price.
Where to Stay
We would not recommend staying directly in Times Square, it is loud, chaotic and very busy over the holidays. Anywhere within a ten minute walk gives you the same easy access to the subway, Broadway, Rockefeller Center and Fifth Avenue, without the price tag or the noise outside your window. It also puts you a short walk from Bryant Park Winter Village, and within reach of almost every big Christmas spot on this list.
For hotels in this area, we stayed at the Crowne Plaza HY36 and it did exactly what we needed, close to everything, comfortable, and an easy walk back after a night out.
Watch our Crowne Plaza HY36 hotel review →This page focuses on Christmas. For area by area to every New York neighbourhood, and the mmust-see things in New York, we cover this on our full New York travel guide.
Read our New York travel guide →
Does New York Close for Christmas?
New York is incredible all year round, but Christmas is when the city truly comes alive. The lights, the decorations and the atmosphere on every corner make it unlike anywhere else. What most visitors do not realise is that plenty of attractions, restaurants and Broadway shows stay open on Christmas Day itself.
We have spent Christmas Day in New York more than once, and it has never once felt shut. One year we had breakfast at Margaritaville, lunch at Hard Rock Cafe, and caught a Broadway show in the evening, Hugh Jackman was on stage that night. New York really is the city that never sleeps.
You will not find a traditional turkey roast dinner like you would back home in the UK. We embraced that and went full New York instead, Christmas Day dinner was burgers and fries, and honestly, we would not change it. It was a fun experience.
Christmas Must Sees in New York
Here is the bit that surprises people most: most of what makes New York feel magical at Christmas does not cost you a single thing. The windows, the lights, the trees and the walk down Fifth Avenue are all free. Here is our full list, one at a time.
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
The most famous Christmas tree in the world, right beside the ice rink. The lighting ceremony happens in early December and the tree stays lit through mid-January, so there is a wide window to catch it. Go early morning or late evening on a weekday if you want a photo without fighting the crowds.
Saks Light Show & Fifth Avenue Christmas Windows
The festive displays at Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman are stunning. The Saks light show lights up the whole store and runs roughly every 15 minutes each evening, so you will not be waiting long to catch it. Walk the full stretch of Fifth Avenue while you are there, most of the best windows are within a few blocks of each other.
Dyker Heights Christmas Lights
Brooklyn's neighbourhood of over-the-top decorations and light displays. We could not believe how much bigger it is in person, entire houses covered top to bottom in lights. We would recommend booking an on-location tour from Manhattan rather than navigating it yourself, it is worth the trip out.
Radio City Christmas Spectacular
The most famous Christmas show in the city, the Rockettes have been entertaining crowds since 1933. We recommend booking in advance as it sells out fast, especially for evening slots in the run-up to Christmas Day.
Bryant Park Winter Village
Over 170 market stalls and festive food vendors. The ice rink itself is free to skate on, you just need to bring your own skates (You can hire skates for a fee). While you are there, swing round the corner to the New York Public Library, the two stone lions out front get their own festive wreaths and it is a nice quiet stop between the bigger attractions.
Central Park Ice Skating
If you want to skate with the Manhattan skyline all around you rather than the park itself, head here instead of Bryant Park for a properly magical winter setting.
This is our favourite, surrounded by stunning skyline, a lot bigger and less crowded than the others.
Macy's Herald Square Windows
The displays change theme every year, so even if you have been before, it is worth another look.
Santa at Macy's
The Father Christmas you want to book a slot with, and yes, it is for adults too. Free to visit, but we recommend booking in advance as it sells out quickly.
FAO Schwarz
New York's famous toy store goes all out for Christmas, with huge decorations throughout and one of the best nutcracker displays in the city. FAO Schwarz is also home to the giant floor piano from the movie Big. Yes, you can jump on it and play “Heart and Soul” like Tom Hanks did.
Lotte New York Palace
A beautiful setting with a towering Christmas tree that fills the hotel's historic courtyard. Step inside the lobby and visit the largest gingerbread house in the city.
Hudson Yards and The Edge
This whole shopping and dining area is lit up with decorations throughout at Christmas. The Edge is our favourite observation deck in the city, Christmas or not.
If you eat at The Peak restaurant, access to The Edge is free. The food is delicious and we would recommend doing this an hour before sunset.
Grand Central Terminal
Giant wrapped presents sit outside, big light-up bubbles decorate the front, and the bridge nearby is lit up in red and green. Make sure you step inside and visit the main concourse.
The Empire State Building
Lit up red and green throughout the evening, you can't really miss it if you are anywhere near Midtown after dark. It's also worth a look inside as the lobby has a Christmas Team alongside the iconic reception.
The Plaza Hotel
Famous from Home Alone 2, the lobby is stacked with Christmas trees and beautifully decorated. We would recommend the Christmas cocktails while you are there.
You cannot get into the hotel over the holidays unless you are a guest or have a reservation, and professional cameras are not allowed in the lobby.
Chelsea Market
One of our favourite spots in the city any time of year, but especially festive around the holidays with its indoor market stalls and food halls.
Giant Decorations on Sixth Avenue
Look out for the giant nutcrackers outside the UBS building, the giant red ornaments further along, and the string lights strung between buildings, all within a few minutes' walk of Radio City.
The Times Square New Year's Eve Ball
You can see the ball that gets dropped for New Year in the days beforehand, before the crowds arrive for the big night itself.
Christmas Food & Bars
New York has plenty of seasonal food and bar spots, and a few are worth planning your day around.
We had Christmas dinner here one year and it is one of our favourite memories from the whole trip, sitting right on the lake with Central Park lit up around you. We recommend booking in advance.
Peppermint everything
Peppermint hot chocolates, peppermint lattes, peppermint bark, you'll find this across the whole city at Christmas. Magnolia Bakery always has a Christmas special cookie or cupcake on the menu too, worth grabbing while you are passing. Do not miss the peppermint iced hot chocolate at Serendipity 3 either, the food there is delicious too, not just a novelty stop.
Christmas bars
Frosty's and the 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar with its heated igloos are our go tos. We visit 230 Fifth every single time we are in New York, the views over the Empire State Building from up there are stunning.
Save Money & Travel Tips
So here is how we would plan it. Book eleven months out if you can, decide whether Christmas Day itself matters to you or whether early January's half-price decorations are for you, and base yourself within ten minutes of Times Square, ideally near Bryant Park so you can walk to most of this list.
The windows, the lights, the trees and the walk down Fifth Avenue cost nothing. Bryant Park's ice rink is free to skate on if you bring your own skates, and Santa at Macy's is free to visit, just book ahead as it sells out quickly. Slots are released two weeks in advance of the day you plan on going.
If you are also exploring New York outside the festive season, our full New York travel guide covers where to stay area by area, the city's four observation decks compared, and our year-round restaurant picks.
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Is New York City safe at Christmas?
Yes. Christmas week is one of the busiest times of year, so the tourist areas are busier and well lit. We would still keep a phone out of sight on the subway and stay aware around Times Square, where pickpockets take advantage of the crowds. Outside of that, we have never had an issue spending Christmas in New York.
What do we wish we had known before visiting New York at Christmas?
Make sure you plan and book activities, shows and dinner reservations in advance. Shows will be expensive and also likely to sell out, so something to priorities prior to your trip. We would also recommend a hotel within ten minutes of Times Square instead of inside it, it is far quieter. And do not expect a traditional roast, we went full New York instead with burgers and fries on Christmas Day and would not change it. Remember to check the weather, Christmas in New York can be quite mild, however we have also been during a blizzard.
What is worth adding to a Christmas itinerary in New York if we have more time?
Dyker Heights in Brooklyn is worth the trip out, we would book an on-location tour rather than navigate it ourselves. The New York Public Library lions get festive wreaths and make a quiet stop near Bryant Park. We would also add Lotte New York Palace for the tree and gingerbread house, and FAO Schwarz for the nutcracker displays.
Is New York open on Christmas Day?
Yes, and this surprises most first-time visitors. Plenty of attractions, restaurants and Broadway shows stay open. We have spent Christmas Day in New York more than once and it has never felt shut, one year we had breakfast at Margaritaville, lunch at Hard Rock Cafe, and caught a Broadway show that evening.
When is the best time to visit New York for Christmas?
If Christmas Day itself matters to you, book flights and your hotel around eleven months ahead, we always book our December dates the January before. If the date is flexible, we would do the first week of January instead, the tree, the lights and the decorations stay up until around mid-January but you will pay roughly half the price of December.
Where should we stay in New York at Christmas?
We would not stay directly in Times Square, it gets loud and busy over the holidays. Anywhere within a ten minute walk gives you the same access to the subway, Broadway and Fifth Avenue, plus an easy walk to Bryant Park Winter Village. We stayed at the Crowne Plaza HY36 and it worked brilliantly as a base.
Is New York expensive at Christmas?
It can be if you leave it late. Book flights and hotels around eleven months out and you will pay considerably less than anyone booking in the autumn. Beyond that, most of the Christmas magic costs nothing, the windows, the trees, the lights along Fifth Avenue and the free Bryant Park ice rink are all free to enjoy.
What is the best free thing to see at Christmas in New York?
The Fifth Avenue Christmas windows at Saks and Bergdorf Goodman are our pick, the Saks light show runs roughly every fifteen minutes each evening and it is free to watch. The Rockefeller Center tree and the Macy's Herald Square windows are also free, and Bryant Park's ice rink is free to skate if you bring your own skates.
Which Christmas lights are worth seeing in New York?
Rockefeller Center for the tree, Fifth Avenue for the window displays, and Sixth Avenue for the giant nutcrackers and string lights near Radio City. We could not believe how much bigger Dyker Heights in Brooklyn is in person, entire houses covered top to bottom, it is worth the trip out on a tour.
Do we need to book Christmas activities in New York in advance?
For the big-ticket items, yes. Radio City Christmas Spectacular sells out fast, Santa at Macy's needs booking ahead too, and we recommend booking in advance for Christmas dinner at The Boathouse if you want a table by the lake. Free things like the windows and the walk down Fifth Avenue need no booking at all.
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