7 Must-Do Activities If You're Visiting New York City From Canada During The Holidays
NYC at Christmas is magical. ✨🎄
Katherine at the Lotte New York Palace. Right: Christmas decor in New York.
Visiting New York City at Christmas is like stepping into a winter wonderland — the city is adorned with Christmas wreaths and holiday lights and there are tons of festive events and experiences sure to fill you with holiday cheer.
I recently flew from Toronto Pearson to New York as part of a press trip with Expedia, and now believe that spending a holiday weekend in the Big Apple is a must-do Christmas activity.
You can feel like the star of a holiday movie by visiting some iconic NYC filming sites, enjoy hot chocolate at the best Christmas market in the world, and see incredible festive performances.
The best part is, these holiday activities extend into the new year, so there's time to check each off your Christmas list.
Whether you have a weekend or just 48 hours to spend in the city, here are seven ways you can have a merry time.
Check in to a Christmassy hotel
Start your stay by checking into a hotel decked out in Christmas decor. For my trip, I stayed in the Lotte New York Palace on Madison Avenue in Manhattan.
I felt like Kevin McCallister walking into this hotel, which was gorgeously decorated with Christmas garlands, holiday lights and festive decor.
The hotel's courtyard was also beautifully decorated for the holidays, with a giant tree taking centre stage.
The hotel also offers a Winter Bar where you can get hot chocolate and holiday treats, a Gingerbread Mansion on display in the lobby, and a holiday brunch offered in the on-site Villard Restaurant until January 1.
Of course, you can also check into the iconic Plaza Hotel (the hotel Kevin actually stayed at in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York), or a number of other hotels offering a Christmassy experience, including the St. Regis and the Ritz-Carlton Central Park.
Visit the Bryant Park Winter Village
Named the world's best Christmas market by Planet Cruise, Bryant Park's Winter Village should definitely be a stop during your time in New York.
The European-inspired open-air market features holiday shops where you can find unique gifts made by local artisans, crafts, and more.
There are also plenty of treats and snacks to enjoy here, including hot chocolate, German bratwurst, apple cider, and Belgian waffles.
You can also warm up and enjoy festive food and drinks inside your own private cozy igloo, which can be rented for $215 for 90 minutes.
If you like to skate, the park also has a large outdoor skating rink, with skates also available to rent.
Be sure to check out the Lodge, a rinkside open-air après skate escape where you can cozy up with a festive cocktail and watch skaters glide across the ice.
While the park is definitely a magical place in the city for Christmas, be aware that it can get busy — go early or consider visiting on a weekday for fewer crowds.
See the Rockefeller Christmas tree
There are so many iconic filming locations to visit in NYC, and the city is worth visiting for that reason alone.
In fact, according to Expedia, more than half of travellers say they've researched or booked a trip to a certain destination after seeing it featured in a movie or TV show.
Personally, I've always wanted to see the Rockefeller Centre at Christmas thanks to the movie Home Alone 2, and I highly recommend going if you're a fan of the flick.
The tree, which has been a holiday tradition in the city for more than eight decades, was famously featured in the movie as the spot where Kevin ends up on Christmas Eve in New York, and was also featured in Elf, starring Will Ferrel.
If it looks good on TV, it's even prettier in real life. The 80-foot-tall tree is adorned with more than 50,000 multi-colored LED lights and features a massive star created with 3 million Swarovski crystals for an absolutely dazzling display.
The tree will be lit daily from 5 a.m. until 1 a.m. from now until Christmas Eve, and will be lit for 24 hours on Christmas Day.
If you want to see it for yourself, go early or late, if you can, to avoid major crowds. Thankfully, you'll have plenty of time after Christmas to see it too, as it'll be at the Rockefeller Center until January 13, 2024, at 10 p.m.
Get festive at a Christmas bar
If you don't want to have to brave the cold, there are plenty of spots in New York where you can get into the holiday spirit indoors.
The city is home to so many festive Christmas bars and restaurants that go all out for the holidays, with decorations, themed cocktails, and even visits from Santa.
Here are some festive bars around the city that are worth checking out:
- Rolf's German Restaurant: Rolf's is a classic spot to go to for Christmassy vibes, offering a holiday dining experience all year long. Hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights and thousands of ornaments and icicles are strung up throughout the restaurant, and you can enjoy drinks like Gluhwein (German spiced mulled wine), spiked warm apple cider, and chocolate martinis.
- Oscar Wilde NYC: The Victorian-style bar is home to New York City's longest bar at 118.5 feet, and offers over 300 kinds of whiskey, if that's your thing. The bar gets extra festive around the holidays, with lights, ornaments, garlands and even life-sized stuffed polar bears. Their menu includes cocktails like Irish Coffee, Hot Toddy, and other special winter drinks.
- Pete's Tavern: This bar near Union Square has been around since 1864, and is the place to be if you need some holiday cheer. The bar is home to stunning Christmas decorations, including a brightly lit red ceiling, and welcomes walk-ins.
See the Rockettes
Seeing the Rockettes is an iconic New York experience that is absolutely worth working into your itinerary!
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is a holiday tradition that transforms the Radio City Music Hall into a winter wonderland.
You can see more than 140 performers as they dance incredible sequences set to classic Christmas tunes played by a live orchestra, with magical displays and the iconic Rockettes as the headliners.
The special effects and choreography are seriously impressive — if you see one show during your time in New York, make it this one!
The show is on now until January 4, 2024, with plenty of times and ticket options available.
Take in the holiday window displays
One iconic tradition in New York at Christmas is taking in the holiday display windows, and there's no better spot to do so than at Saks Fifth Avenue.
This year, the store (which is located on 5th Avenue, of course) has partnered with Dior to create the Carousel of Dreams, transforming the Saks NYC Flagship with an iconic light show and a spectacular holiday window display that takes over all 10 stories of the building.
You can explore the magical window displays along the street or stop and take in the carousel's holiday light show, which plays every 10 minutes every evening.
Be warned that this area can also get pretty busy — I'd recommend going later in the evening, if possible, rather than during mid-day.
The windows will be on display until January 5, so you can even see them after Christmas.
Enjoy picture-perfect ice skating
If ice skating is your thing, there are some iconic rinks you won't want to miss out on in NYC.
One must-visit spot is the Rockefeller Center, where you can skate beneath the towering Christmas tree. The rink is open from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m., and tickets start at $21 per adult for a skate.
As it's a popular skating spot, the rink can get quite busy — consider going in the early morning or late evening to get the best experience.
Another beautiful rink can be found at Bryant Park, where you can skate by the Winter Village. The 17,000-square-foot rink offers free admission ice skating, although you'll have to rent skates or bring your own.
You can also skate at Wollman Rink in Central Park, which offers private skating lessons as well as rinkside igloos where you can cozy up with a warm drink.
Happy holidays!
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.