Christmas in New York City

Going to the city at Christmas time is one of my favorite things to do. I love walking around looking at all the decorations, seeing the tree at Rockefeller center and ice skating in Bryant Park. This year things are a little different given COVID but I am still hoping to make it into the city for the day. Here are my must stop Christmas places in New York City!

Number 1: Lotte New York Palace

The Palace hotel is a key building in the beloved NYC series gossip girl and each Christmas they put up a spectacular tree in their front plaza. The Palace is located at 455 Madison Ave, New York, NY right around the corner from St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The Palace Hotel has a fancy breakfast restaurant called Villard which in a gorgeous room. This stop is worth it just for the tree and to check out the lobby but if you want to get fancy its a great stop for a delicious breakfast. This is a must for the Gossip girl fans as well.

Number 2: The Tree at Rockefeller Center

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Stoping to see this tree is a no brainer. It is one of the most famous Christmas Trees and its pretty spectacular. Seeing it at night is pretty special, since it is all lit up and you can feel the Christmas spirt in the air. Recently I have discovered going on weekdays in the morning have been empty. My cousin and I were able to practically stand under it since there were only a handful of people around. The tree is located at 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY. This year the tree is from Oneonta, NY and is 100 feet tall! The tree lighting will take place on December 4, 2020 probably different then normal but with all the changes this year I am glad its happening.

Number 3: Bryant Park’s Winter Village

Bryant Park at Christmas time is a magical place. There is a tree, of course, pop up shopping, and Ice Staking. This is another must stop on during my time in the city at Christmas. Typically my cousin and I start near St. Patricks and work our way down 5th ave popping in the stores until we get to Bryant Park. Once at Bryant Park we shop around, eat lunch and sometimes Ice Skate. It is a lot of fun, This year be sure to make your reservation online for your skate time. I love ice skating I find it so much fun. This rink is large and I have never felt over crowed when skating around. This year they are doing reduced numbers on the ice at a time making skating even more enjoyable! You can bring your own skate or rent, I typically rent because I do not want to walk around the city all day crying my skates once we are done skating for the day.Mask are required to cover your mouth and nose while in the park and they set up hand washing stations all around in case you need a quick wash. Read more about booking times and COVID guidelines here.

Number 4: Hudson Yards

Hudson Yard is a newer building with so many stores and restaurants. Last year Sheila and I spend hours wondering around and eating. Partially because their was a snow squall. We has so much fun looking in all the stores. We spent so much time in Zara trying on all the fancy sparkly dresses and made a few purchases throughout the mall. Hudson yards is next to the Vessel which is a bee hive looking structure you can walk up, its on our list for a spring or fall activity one time when we go. We had a nice dinner and some Ice cream before heading back to the train to head home. Here is a complete list of shops located within Hudson Yards.

New York City is a wonderful place to be at anytime of the year but especially at Christmas. I hope to make it there this year and if I do I will be sure to share all about it! If you get to experience Christmas in New York City this year I would love to hear about it.