First Christmas Trip to New York City

There is something special about New York City at Christmas. The lights, the decorations, the store windows and, of course, the famous Rockefeller Christmas tree. It is truly something out of the movies. I’ve always wanted to experience New York City at Christmastime. Some of my favorite Christmas movies are set in New York City.

Last December, I finally got my NYC Christmas experience, but this trip was extra special. I took my mom and aunt to New York City for a few days, and was a dream trip for all of us. All my life, she had talked about wanting to see the Rockefeller Christmas tree. It was also a big trip for her because she hadn’t flown since she was a teenager. She had only been on an airplane one other time in her life. I have a picture of her looking out the airplane window. It’s one of my favorite memories from the trip. She also wanted to experience it with her sister, which made the whole trip even more special. Neither of them had been to NYC. And I had only been once, and not at Christmastime.

We only had three nights in New York, but we managed to see a lot! I did so much research and planning ahead of time, and I thought I’d share what we did, what we loved and a few things I’d do differently next time to help other first timers. We went early December, arriving on Sunday morning and flying home Wednesday. This was the Sunday after the Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting. We only had two full days. I chose those dates because I thought going earlier in December and during the week might help us avoid some of the bigger weekend holiday crowds. New York is always busy, especially around Christmas, but I thought the crowds were manageable. The times we chose to do things were key.

Where We Stayed

We stayed at the Hampton Inn Central Times Square in the Theater District. I spent quite a bit of time researching hotels before booking because I wanted somewhere centrally located that wouldn’t cost a fortune. I read a lot of reviews, and I’m a Hilton Honors member, so that helped narrow it down. I was really happy with our choice. The central location made it easy to walk to so many of the places we planned to visit, and there was a subway entrance very close to the hotel. Our room was clean, we were able to check in early and we even had a nice city view, which I wasn’t expecting. We weren’t in the room very much, but we loved our city lights view at night. The elevators were fast, and breakfast was included.

I’ve heard people say they wouldn’t stay near Times Square, but I thought it was a great location for our trip. When you only have a few days, being close to the places you want to see makes a difference.

Getting From JFK Airport to Manhattan

We flew JetBlue from Nashville to JFK. Our early flight was delayed because of icing on the airplane wings, so our first day started a little later than planned. When we arrived at JFK, I had already researched transportation options. I decided to take an official yellow taxi from the designated taxi stand. It is a flat fee from JFK to Manhattan. At the time it was $70. There are cheaper ways to get into Manhattan, including the train, but with three of us and two first time visitors, I wanted something simple that would take us straight to the hotel.

One thing I would mention is to ignore anyone approaching you inside the airport offering a ride. It’s a scam! We had several people approach us, but we walked past them and went directly to the official taxi line. You can find YouTube videos showing you exactly what to do. The taxi was convenient and worth it for us. We used Uber on the last day for the ride back to the airport.

3 Days in NYC

Three nights and two full days. Each day, I planned our activities within the same area so we wouldn’t spend all our time traveling from one place to another. We walked almost everywhere and only used the subway once, on our last full day. I also used Apple Maps throughout the trip. It was very helpful, even when we needed subway directions. I had no trouble finding our way around.

Day 1: Macy’s, the Empire State Building and Bryant Park

After arriving and getting checked into the hotel, we headed out around lunchtime. Our first stop was Macy’s Herald Square. We loved seeing the Christmas decorations and store windows outside and walking through the store. We even rode the famous wooden escalators. So much history at this store! It was fun just to walk around and take everything in. The wonderful holiday atmosphere was a great start to our trip.

From there, we headed to the Empire State Building. We hadn’t planned on going quite that early. I wanted us to get there as the sun was going down, like I had on a previous visit. Sunset at the top of the Empire State Building gives Sleepless in Seattle vibes! We ended up going in around 2:30 in the afternoon. The views were stunning, and we really enjoyed learning more about the history of the building. So many famous movies were filmed there. It’s one of those New York experiences I would definitely do again.

That evening, we walked over to Bryant Park Winter Village. It was very crowded when we visited, so we walked through pretty quickly and looked around. If I could do that part again, I’d try to go earlier and maybe plan to eat there. There are a lot of TikTok reviews of the food at Bryant Park, and the reviews are varied. Some people say it’s overrated and expensive.

After Bryant Park, we walked through Times Square. I know people say it’s a tourist trap, but we are indeed tourists and wanted to walk through! No regrets. It was fun, but we didn’t stay long. We headed back to the room to rest up for our first full day in New York City!

Day 2: First Stop, Rockefeller Center!

Seeing the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was one of the biggest reasons for our trip. I had learned from tips on social media that if you are a morning person, it’s best to get up and go very early to avoid the massive nighttime crowds. So we set our alarms, got up and headed out before daylight. It was absolutely beautiful! I had seen pictures of the Rockefeller tree for years, but seeing it in person was something else. We all took lots of pictures, and it was such a special moment for all three of us. My mom finally got to see the Rockefeller Christmas tree, and it did not disappoint!

When I go again, I might try to arrive just before daylight. I think the pictures would be beautiful with the tree lights against the darker sky. But our early morning visit was still wonderful, and I’m so glad we made it a priority.

I also planned our Rockettes show to be earlier in the day to avoid crowds. I picked the first show at 10 a.m. After visiting the tree, we walked along Fifth Avenue to see the Christmas decorations and stopped to take pictures of the beautiful Saks Fifth Avenue display. We didn’t make it back that evening for the light show, so that’s something I’d like to see next time. We stopped at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. I don’t have words to describe the beauty of the cathedral. It’s a work of art! You must be very quiet when touring because they were having services while visitors were there. We sat in for a bit during one of the services. The peace and presence of God is certainly there, and visiting the cathedral was a highlight of our NYC visit.

Next, we walked to Radio City Music Hall for our showing of the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular. We attended during the show’s 100th anniversary year, which made it even more special. I’ve been told this show is a must see for a NYC Christmas trip, and I would have to say we agree. The building itself is gorgeous, and the show was truly spectacular. Ten out of ten, recommend! I have pictures of the outside of Radio City Music Hall and the beautiful interior, although photography isn’t allowed during the actual performance.

After the show, and after getting up so early, we took some time to rest at the hotel before heading back out. There is a lot to see in this part of the city, so it’s nice to have a little downtime when you can. We spent the evening walking around the streets of New York City. That was so fun, just walking wherever we wanted and stopping in shops to search for souvenirs for our families.

Day 3: Time to Take the Subway to Lower Manhattan!

On our last full day, we got out early in the morning and headed downtown to explore the Financial District. This was the one day we used the subway, and it was so easy and inexpensive. I used Apple Maps, and we were able to take the subway straight down to Lower Manhattan. I used my bank card and tapped to pay. 

Our first stop was the Financial District and Wall Street. Wall Street also has a beautiful Christmas tree. We walked around the area while waiting for our sightseeing cruise to see the Statue of Liberty. You can take the free Staten Island Ferry that goes by the Statue of Liberty. After reading reviews, I chose Circle Line Cruises. There are many options, but with time being a factor, we chose the Liberty Super Express Cruise. It departed from Pier 16. Our cruise slowed down near Liberty Island, so we were able to get great pictures of Lady Liberty. She’s a beauty! Large, but smaller than expected when you get up close. It was also nice to see the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline. The boat had a comfortable heated indoor area, which was nice because it was cold outside. Our tour guide, Debbie, was amazing and so knowledgeable and shared a lot of history as well. I’d love to take one of their longer cruises when I return!

Next up, we visited the Oculus at the World Trade Center. If you’ve never seen it, it’s the large white building with the beautiful architectural design that looks almost like wings. We walked through, browsed a few shops and took a little time to look around.

We absolutely had to visit the 9/11 Memorial. I hadn’t been to NYC since they were building it. We didn’t have time to tour the 9/11 museum, but we walked around the reflecting pools, spent some time there and paid our respects. It’s hard to put into words because it’s a bit overwhelming seeing all the names of loved ones lost that day. I’m so thankful we got to visit. We will never forget.

This ended our last full day, and we took the subway back uptown to our hotel. We were tired but so happy with everything we managed to experience in our short visit.

A Few Things I Learned Along the Way

If you’re planning your first trip to New York City, here are a few things I’d recommend. I’m no expert, but I learned a lot that will help on my future trips, and I wanted to pass them along to you.

• Wear comfortable shoes! We walked so much. I wore my Allbirds and they were amazing! I got my mom a pair, too. We got the wool waterproof style to keep warm and in case it rained.
• Dress in layers. I was worried about the cold and snow. We didn’t have snow, but it was so cold and windier than you can imagine because of the tall buildings. With a warm coat, gloves, a hat and earmuffs, we were comfortable. I wore a wool blend trench coat and dressed in layers. For example, I wore leggings or pants, and underneath those I had fleece lined tights. Under my sweaters, I wore a thin thermal layer. I stayed very cozy. 
• Apple Maps or a similar app to get around. It made getting around the city and navigating the subway so easy!
• Stay somewhere central if you can. It makes a big difference when you only have a few days. If you are staying farther away, you can use the subway to get around. Ubers are expensive and much too slow for getting around the city. It will be a waste of time and money!
• Plan activities by location. One of my biggest tips is to group things together each day so you aren’t walking back and forth all over the city and wasting precious time.
• Keep your belongings secure. I carried a crossbody bag and kept it in front of me or tucked under my coat.
• Don’t be scared of NYC because of what people may say they saw on tv or social media, just stay aware of your surroundings. This is coming from someone who lives in a rural small town. We felt comfortable walking around Manhattan, even in the evenings. Just remember that New Yorkers are often in a hurry, so keep moving and be mindful of people trying to get around you. Many of them are commuters going to and from work.

For Next Time in NYC

Even though I fit so much into our itinerary, there are still several things I’d love to do on another NYC trip.

I wish we had made it to Central Park with my mom and aunt. I’ve visited before, but I would have loved for them to experience it, too. If our first day hadn’t gotten behind, we could have likely made it there.

I’d love to go to the Plaza Hotel to see their Christmas decorations and get the Home Alone experience. I’ve heard that’s more difficult to do these days if you aren’t a guest at the hotel.

I’d also love to visit Dyker Heights in Brooklyn to see the famous Christmas light displays. We just didn’t have enough time this trip.

Top of the Rock is on my list since I’ve been to the Empire State Building two times.

And a nighttime sightseeing cruise is definitely on my list. Seeing the skyline lit up from the water would be beautiful!

Finally, I’d love a day to just explore with no itinerary and take in the city. I spent a lot of time looking down at my phone to make sure we were going the right way and didn’t get lost!

Is New York City at Christmas Worth It?

Absolutely!

New York can be expensive, but I don’t think you have to spend a fortune to enjoy it. Some of our favorite experiences didn’t cost anything at all. Just being there was fun. I paid for a few special attractions, including the Rockettes, the Empire State Building and our Statue of Liberty cruise, but we also spent plenty of time just walking around, looking at Christmas lights and enjoying the festive holiday atmosphere that only New York City can give.

We kept our meals casual because, with such a tight schedule, we wanted to spend our time sightseeing rather than waiting for tables and sitting in restaurants. There are so many places to eat in New York, and I know there are wonderful restaurants worth making reservations for. But for this trip, keeping things simple worked well for us. My mom and aunt agreed. We were happy to grab something when we were hungry and keep exploring. And NYC has the best grab and go food around! 

I love to plan and planning ahead is key, especially if you only have a few days. The best part wasn’t just checking places off a list. It was getting to experience all of this with my mom and aunt. My mom had talked about seeing the Rockefeller Christmas tree for so long, and getting to stand there together and see it in person was something I’ll always remember! We made so many memories in just a few days, and I’m so glad we went.

If New York City at Christmas is on your list, I hope some of these tips help you plan your own trip. It’s a wonderful place to experience during the holidays. Please let me know if this was useful and what you love about NYC at Christmastime!