New York in December: A Holiday Bucket List

Visiting New York in December has been on my bucket list for a long time, and I was finally able to make it happen this past Christmas. From the holiday window displays on 5th Avenue, to the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, there are plenty of ways to get in the holiday spirit in NYC. If you’ve never experienced the magic of Christmas in New York City I highly recommend planning a trip for the holidays!

Here are my top three things to do in New York in December!

Holiday Window Displays

Macy's store front in Herald Square, decorated for the holidays

Macy’s Herald Square: 151 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001

Of all the holiday window displays that we saw in New York in December, Macy’s was by far our favorite. While you are there you should also take a look around inside Macy’s. There are 10 floors in this iconic department store where you can shop, and grab something to eat or drink. Before (or after) you visit be sure to watch Miracle on 34th Street, one of our all time favorite Christmas movies!

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Blue Bottle Coffee cup, with the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in the background in New York in December

Rockefeller Center: 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112

Head to Rockefeller Center to check out the beautiful Christmas tree. While you are there grab a coffee or Snickerdoodle Milk from Blue Bottle Coffee to keep you warm while you enjoy the holiday displays. Be sure to watch the Saks Fifth Avenue holiday light show right across the street as well. It is incredible!

Insider Tip: It can get VERY crowded in this area! We made the mistake of making our way down to the ice rink through a massive crowd, and then found ourselves being pushed around. It was very difficult to get out of the crowd once we were in it, which was a little scary! If you see that the area is over crowded when you arrive, my advice is to come back another time or stay up near the street.

Holiday Market

Columbus Circle Holiday Market: Columbus Circle, 59th Street and Central Park West, New York, NY

The Columbus Circle Holiday Market is reminiscent of the beautiful Christmas markets in Europe, and definitely worth visiting. Expect to find glittering aisles of vendors selling everything from home goods to delicious food and drinks. We enjoyed walking through the market while sipping hot apple cider, and picked up some delicious apple cider donuts to enjoy later.


Questions or suggestions? Drop them in the comments below!

Be sure to check out this post for more tips and ideas for your visit to NYC! Love this post? Save it to Pinterest!

2 Comments

  1. This was also SO high on my bucket list. My husband and I did this for the first together, when we were dating…and I ended up getting engaged there! It’s such a great memory, I’d love to experience the holidays in NYC again. Also, I love Blue Bottle coffee! I never got to check out the Christmas Market, I’ll have to do that next time. Thanks for the tip!

    1. It’s definitely something I could see myself going back and doing multiple times! In a city like NYC there is always more to see and do!

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