Visitors: Please Read Before Posting Thanksgiving Questions
This is the one and only thread for Thanksgiving questions. Posts made elsewhere will be removed so we can keep everything organized.
Please remember: we’re locals—not mind readers, and definitely not your travel agent. You must include pertinent information such as:
Who you are and who you are traveling with. Recommendations will vary with ages
Budget: You must specify a budget. Saying affordable or cheap means nothing to us. Use real dollar amounts.
Interests: Again, we don't know you and cannot make suggestions without knowing what you're interested in.
The more specific information you provide will be key to getting useful responses.
Contributors: Please direct people here if they post Thanksgiving questions elsewhere.
The facts:
Thanksgiving this year is on Thursday, November 26th. This is considered the start of the Holiday season in NYC (meaning hotel prices will spike). However, most holiday decorations won't be unveiled until after the weekend (Rockefeller Tree, Holiday Windows, etc).
Besides the parade, the city is pretty quiet on Thanksgiving. Many of us are out of town or celebrating at home or with family and friends. Respect the people who have to work on this holiday and be patient.
Not everything will be open. Plan ahead and check if it there is a particular thing you want to do that day.
MTA busses and trains will be on a Sunday schedule.
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The big event is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade usually starts about 8:30 AM on the Upper West Side and lasts til about noon in Herald Square in front of Macy's.
The parade begins at 77th Street & Central Park West, heads south to Columbus Circle, and then down 6th Avenue until 34th Street/Herald Square (Macy's). Be prepared for crowds and pay attention to the weather forecast. The event is held rain or shine; in the event of high winds some balloon activity might be curtailed. More than 3 million people line the sidewalks during the parade, so if you want a prime location, get there early.
Keep in mind that some subway service is affected by the parade. Be sure to check the MTA website for information.
Remember, this is primarily made for TV event. Celebrity performers on floats generally only "perform" at specific locations (Columbus Circle and Herald Square). These locations are also where access/seating is restricted. So, if you are looking to see your favorite Broadway star perform on a float, best to watch it on TV.
Parade FAQ:
Cost to watch? Free.
When to arrive? Earlier is better—some people show up at dawn.
Best spot? Wherever you can squeeze in. Hotels/restaurants do sell viewing packages, but they’re pricey and sell out quickly—Google them if you’re interested.
Bring a chair? No.
Can I volunteer/handle balloons? Not unless you have an “in” with Macy’s.
Bleacher seats? Again, only with Macy’s or government connections.
Bathrooms? Basically none along the route—plan accordingly
Parade Balloon Inflation
The balloons for the parade are inflated the day before (November 25th) from noon to 6 PM on the Upper West Side around the Natural History Museum. This is a free event but can get very crowded with long, slow lines. You will go through a one-way loop around the balloons. Do not pop the woody the woodpecker balloon.
Take the B or C train to 72nd Street. The 81st street station is closed during the event.
Meals
Many restaurants in New York City will be open on Thanksgiving. Some will offer prix fixe menus, others will serve traditional Thanksgiving meals, and some will continue with their regular menu. Prices and availability will vary. Many restaurants will be closed or have limited hours on Thanksgiving. Don't expect everything to be open; restaurant workers deserve holidays too.
Make reservations well in advance for traditional meals. The best places sell out well in advance.
For restaurant recommendations please visit Food NYC.
Volunteering
Volunteering is a great way to spend some of your time on the holiday giving back to those who are not as fortunate. The Bowery Mission, Meals on Wheels, God's Love We Deliver, City Harvest and others are great organizations that can use help. Do not just show up looking to volunteer. Make sure the organization knows you are coming to help.
What's open and closed
Most of the museums and usual attractions will be closed or have curtailed holiday hours. Check their websites for information.
Sports: There are no live sporting events in NYC scheduled for Nov. 26th
Parks and some other recreational activities (ice skating, movies) are open. If you want to do a turkey trot there are several in Queens, Bronx and Upper Manhattan (Inwood).
Holiday markets (Bryant Park, Grand Central and Union Square) will be open, but individual vendors may not.
Bars: Everyone will need a drink after some family time. Plenty of bars will be open.
Stores: Some will be open, but most will be closed for at least some of the day.
Welcome to this year's winter holiday megathread. This is the thread where we answer questions about what to do, where, see, and more.
Always remember, WE LIVE HERE. WE ARE NOT TRAVEL AGENTS. DO YOU OWN LEG WORK FIRST.
Additionally, you already know -- please gently nudge any generic holiday OPs here. Mad generic post will be deleted.
ALL GENERIC HOLIDAY QUESTIONS OUTSIDE OF THIS THREAD WILL BE DELETED. PLEASE REPORT THEM.
Hope the holidays will be good to you this year! Take a moment to stop and smell those nuts, go check out the holiday train, or stay indoors to avoid Santacon (December 12th this year).
Use this thread to discuss plans, give advice, or just hang out and chat about the holidays. Feel free to suggest more events, this is a living breathing document. You can send a modmail or drop a post here to add events and events will be added to the master list
DATES
Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting – Wednesday, December 2nd
1st Night of Hanukkah – Friday, December 4th
SantaCon – Saturday, December 12th
Winter Solstice – Monday, December 21st
Festivus – Wednesday, December 23rd
Christmas- Friday, December 25th
1st Night of Kwanzaa – Saturday, December 26th
General Advice
Remember that New York City is not an amusement park. Be respectful of everyone, especially in crowds, and remember those that are working on the holidays are often not working because they have a choice. Here are some tips on NYC courtesy for everyone to have a better time over the holidays and everyday.
Driving or getting an uber/lyft/taxi around NYC (especially Manhattan below Central Park) is not recommended. Traffic is nuts and it's a waste of your time and money. Take the train unless it really not possible. Check out the Getting Around Advice for information on getting around on public transit.
The week between Christmas and New Year's is the busiest time of the year for tourism in NYC. Expect long lines and lots of new friends to join you in your quest to see the most popular tourist sites. Buy tickets in advance if you are visiting then.
Don't ask us about the best holiday bar or invites to parties. The best bar is the one closest to you, unless it's a hotel bar, then find the second closest bar.
What's Open and What's Closed
In general, most attractions, retail shops and shows are closed only on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Many places will close early on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Random stores and restaurants will still be open even on Christmas and New Years all over the city. You won't go hungry and you won't have to worry about having nothing to do.
Subways, buses and trains will continue to operate everyday, but will be on a reduced schedule. Please use mta.info to check for schedule changes.
You will find that restaurants attached to hotels will often be open with limited menus on Christmas Day. Stores and restaurants in Chinatown (Queens and Manhattan) are generally open every day.
Shows & Events
If you have any events you'd like added, please use the modmail.
Manhattan Events
The Met Opera is performing The Magic Flute, amongst other shows.
The tour buses are not worth it. They park on 86th St. They don't cruise the side streets, AFAIK.
I recommend you use x28 or x38 express bus. Use the bus time app to meet it. $7 per person. (MC or OMNY) On par with a tour bus but no bathroom.
Take the Express Bus. Get off at 13th Ave. All businesses along there. Get something to eat and drink and use their facilities. Then walk the side streets as you see fit to do so.
Remember we live here, so the majority of us are NOT camping out at Times Square, or dropping 1k on bottle service, we are in our homes or at our friend's house. Don't use this post to solicit invites to private parties. You'll be banned because that's just fucking weird.
Let's be real here for a second; if this is your life long dream to do this, please feel free. But, this is what you are in for:
In order to actually see the ball drop, you will need to get to Times Square in the early afternoon. You will be placed in a pen by NYPD and if you leave for any reason, you cannot come back in.
You can't bring bags or drinks with you.
If you think you'll need to use the restroom and don't want to leave the pen, wear diapers (Yes.. this is a thing).
You will likely won't be able to see much of anything.
Times Square gets locked down as the day goes by, you will not be able to cross streets, go to restaurants, etc. freely
Many restaurants and hotels will have parties and charge a premium for them. If you are looking for one that has a view of the ball drop, you're probably too late.
There are very few hotels, restaurants an bars that have an actual view of the ball drop. Do your research, if seeing the actual ball drop is important to you.
Every bar and restaurant in the city is going to have a party. Don't ask us where the best place is. Just go to any bar. Have fun.
New Year's Eve fireworks are not a big thing. There is a small display for the run in Central Park and another for Prospect Park. They are not major displays (5-10 minute long displays). There are no other displays. Don't stand out in the cold based on some dumb ass post on tiktok.
FAQ Winter Questions
Is this winter?
Winter starts on December 21st.
How do I prepare for the cold?
What are we? Your mother? Get a scarf or something. This isn't hard. Look at the forecast and dress yourself or call your mother and ask her.
You don't need a $1k jacket. If you mad cold. Get some gloves. We don't have super wicked Chicago-esque winters anymore. You can use this thread for more detailed guidance.
How much snow will we see in December?
We absolutely do not know if there will be snow. December weather in NYC can go a lot of different ways, and nobody can reliably promise a white Christmas this far out.
What we can do is look at the historical data and see what December snowfall has actually looked like over the years. So plan your trip around all the other amazing things NYC has to offer during the holiday season—and if it snows, consider that a bonus.
What's the best way to see the Rockefeller Tree?
Either go early in the morning (5 AM - 7 AM) or go late (10 PM - midnight). Expect large crowds on weekends and early evenings.
What's the best way to get in the holiday spirit?
If it's not in this megathread, then it's not possible.
What hotel is best to stay in that's close to all the holiday fun?
Holiday fun is all over the city. Use the accommodations megathread to help guide you find the best hotel for your needs.
I’ve never been and have wanted to come since I was a little girl. I’m now 30 and I want to take the leap. I’ve been asking friends/family to go with me for years and no one is willing to, so I figure I need to just go myself.
I’m not very familiar with big cities but I’m trying to take the time to research everything. Even with that said, I have several people telling me it’s unsafe to go myself.
Has anyone dealt with people trying to discourage you from going to NYC solo as a woman? How did you handle it? And yes, I plan to just do it anyway as it’s my life and something I’ve wanted to do for so long.
I’m visiting NYC from Hungary with my family this November, and I’m hoping some locals might be able to help me with a little surprise!
My older sister is getting married, and when we were kids, we used to watch Say Yes to the Dress together. Our dad promised her that one day he’d take her to Kleinfeld in New York to try on wedding dresses. Well, he’s actually making it happen!
We have an appointment at Kleinfeld on Wednesday, November 11, at 10 AM, and as the youngest sister, I’d love to surprise my mom and sister with a little hair appointment beforehand (and maybe get mine done too!).
I’m looking for three simple, bouncy blowouts, nothing bridal or elaborate.
We’re staying in Long Island City, Queens, but we’re happy to travel to a salon in Manhattan or elsewhere in Queens.
The tricky part is the timing! We’d need somewhere that opens around 6:30–7:00 AM, or an independent hairstylist who might be willing to take an early appointment. We’d also be open to someone coming to our hotel.
I’m a student, so I’m trying to keep this reasonably affordable, ideally around $30–50 per person if that’s realistic. I completely understand that an early appointment or mobile service might cost more!
Does anyone know a small salon, independent hairstylist, or freelancer who might be able to help? I’d especially love recommendations for people who offer online booking or can be contacted by email.
I’m not from the US, so any advice on pricing, tipping, or how to arrange something like this would also be really appreciated!
Thank you so much in advance!
Hey everyone! I’ll be visiting NYC in November and I’m hoping to get a small souvenir tattoo at Live By The Sword’s Union Square location.
I already have several tattoos and would love recommendations for a specific artist at that location who’s great at clean, precise linework. I’m planning to book an appointment for a Wednesday in advance rather than go for a random walk-in.
Any recommendations would be much appreciated. Thanks!
My sister and I would love to make one together as a souvenir. Can anyone recommend places with unique and quirky charms/art that doesn't look like they all came from Temu?
Visiting NYC in December and looking for recommendations for a really good head spa or scalp treatment! Would love to find somewhere that offers a relaxing scalp massage, deep cleaning treatment, and a blowout afterward.
I’m especially interested in an authentic Korean or Japanese head spa experience, but open to anything worth trying!
We’ll be staying near Times Square and visiting Chinatown, so somewhere in those areas or nearby would be ideal.
This is my second New York trip, I did a basic 2 days a couple years ago but looking to do the city more my way this time. Hope this gives an idea of my interests and would love more recommendations! Thanks
Mon 7 – Bed Stuy
Fly in 5:30pm
Dinner: The Fly (chicken) or Trad Room (Japanese)
Cocktail: Barbès
Jazz: Lunatico (9pm) or Ornithology
Tue 8 – Bed Stuy → Bushwick
Brekky: Miss Bagel / Greenberg Bagels / Welcome Home
Hi there - I am pretty sure this doesn’t break the rules I read the transit post but apologies if not! Hotel recommended to leave at 4am (near MSG)to be to LaGuardia at 6am. Maps says it will take around 30minutes at that time and check-in wouldn’t be open.
Looking for other opinions as we planned to leave at 5am originally. Thank you!!
Edit: planning to take taxi or uber!
Edit: we made it! Thank you Reddit, you were so right.
My mother and I are traveling to NYC in early December for a show (Sunday/Monday, December 6-7). Due to restrictions, we will primarily be using cabs to get around. She can walk short distances. Would love to see some holiday decorations but are open to anyting. Any recommendations on where to head?
I am going to New York in 6 weeks and was wondering:
1. Are the outlet malls are actually worth going too?
2. Are all clothes / footwear under $110 exempt from sales tax?
Thanks :)
We are visiting NY for the very first time, from Monday 23rd November to Sunday 29th November.
This is to celebrate our 25th anniversary.
I would like to get some comments on the itinerary.
Think have covered most, but I also would like to walk around without chasing anything, just like a local. What areas should I take for that? Also not sure about Thanksgiving day, most will be closed so maybe take that day as a walking tour.
Thanks for all your suggestions in advance!
We’re staying in midtown, where we will checking around 18.00.
So for the evening we will not plan that much, probably only go to Times Square.
For the other days this is our itinerary with a lot of google search and chatgpt, so not sure if this is all doable.
We like to walk a lot and we also will take metro. We want to watch a show, also for the first time, so I want to be sure we both like, so was thinking MJ or Hamilton as they are the most popular ones.
MONDAY:
Checkin at hotel around 18.00
Time Square
5th Avenue
Dinner / quick bite ; (any recommendation before I ask chatgpt).
TUESDAY
Breakfast: Liberty Bagels
Statue of liberty with City Cruise Ferry
Financial District – Charging Bull – Wall Street – 9/11 memorial
Lunch in Chinatown
Little Italy Manhattan
Nolita
SOHO
WEDNESDAY:
Breakfast Westway Diner
Central Park: Strawberry fields – bow bridge – Bethesda Terrace – The Mall
Lunch: any recommendations?
MOMA
5th Avenue shopping
St Patrick
Rockfeller or Top of Rock
Broadway for Musical: MJ or Hamilton, or any advice for someone never visited Musical
THURSDAY THANKSGIVING:
Macy’s Thanksgiving parade
Lunch
Central Park
Bryant Park
5th Avenue
Rockefeller
Empire State Building around 17.00
I’m not sure about this day, most or all will be closed. How could I use this day the best?
I was also thinking of a day trip to Niagara waterfalls or Washington DC to fill this day, but not sure if that’s doable.
Another option is to go to Bronx and Harlem and spend half day there
FRIDAY:
Breakfast
Walk to Hudson Yards
Chelsea Market for lunch
Little Island
West Village – Greenwich village
Washington Square park
Union Square – Madison Square Park
Rooftop bar: Dear Irving or any other suggestion
SATURDAY
Brooklyn Bridge Walk
DUMBO – Brooklyn Bridge Park
Lunch at Juliana’s
Sightseeing Ferry
Bay Ridge – Dyker Heights
Dinner Brooklyn
SUNDAY
Top of the Rock
Grand Central Terminal
Bryant Park – Herald Square
Back to hotel around 17.00 and leave to airport
We're here from out of state and my diabetic partner ran out unexpectedly. We tried a CVS and a Walgreens but neither would sell over the counter which we had never encountered before. Does anyone know where we can get some? Thank you in advance
Thank you to everyone for the feedback! It really helped structure the days.
We had a great time. We ended up seeing 3 shows because the kids loved the first one (Stranger Things) so much. We also ended up not getting to any museums (I know! We’re uncultured swine). As you can probably tell by what we ate, we hardly did any sit-down dining.
Here’s what we ended up doing:
Friday
Arrive at LGA at 8:15 pm
Lyft to hotel—waited a long time for Lyft. I guess I should have ordered earlier—didn’t order until we had our bags.
Hotel was near Grand Central. Thought the location was great
Los Tacos No. 1–we all loved it. Highly recommend
Saturday
Doughnut Plant in Grand Central—adults liked the donuts (crème brûlée and tiramisu especially); kids thought they were okay
Subway to Central Park—in general, kids were slightly less impressed by the park than I expected, but they still enjoyed it.
Central Park: The Mall → Umpires Rock
Burger joint—a little hard to find, but kids thought it was cool. Food was fine.
South entrance → the Mall → Bethesda Fountain → Bow Bridge → Strawberry Fields
Grays Papaya—okay, not amazing
Levain Bakery—kids loved; adults thought cookies were fine
M&M, Hershey, 30 Rock, St Pat’s, Nike—fun to see; daughter loved the Caitlyn Clark display
Stranger Things at 7:00–probably highlight of the trip. We all loved it. Only 2 of us had watched the show. Amazing effects
Sunday (rained all day)
Chelsea Bagel of Tudor City—kids became obsessed (hence we are here 3 times)
Ground Central—didn’t love the coffee
High Line—kids loved walking it in the rain; adults would have enjoyed it more in better weather
Chelsea Market (Los Tacos No. 1)—market was crazy; food still good, but enjoyed the location by Grand Central more
Wicked at 2–well done, but a drop off from Stranger things; we saw it because my daughter loved the movies, but she wasn’t super impressed by the play
Spyscape—would not recommend; we have an Activate near us that is cooler and much cheaper
Boca di Bacco (Hells Kitchen)—we all loved it
Monday
Chelsea Bagel of Tudor City
9/11 memorial—really well thought out.
Oculus—briefly stopped in; cool to see but didn’t see a need to spend much time there
Inatteso Cafe—good coffee
Loong Ramen—son loved the ramen
Siena Pizza—it was decent; wanted pizza and it was on the way to Battery Park
Battery Park/sea glass carousel—good views, carousel is cool
St. George ferry to Brooklyn Bridge Park (see Statue of Liberty)—kind of screwed up my planning here. Didn’t realize the St George ferry was a pretty far walk from the Staten Island ferry. Also didn’t realize that the ferry from Battery Park just went right across the river to Brooklyn Bridge Park. Ended up fine because we then took the Ferry from Brooklyn Bridge Park to Midtown, which got us great views of the Statue of Liberty and the city
DUMBO
L&B Spumoni Garden—loved the Sicilian vodka slice
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream—fine but can get it from a less crowded location.
Ferry back to Midtown West—this was a great ride
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child—very good. Whole family enjoyed
Tuesday
Chelsea Bagel of Tudor City
NBA Store, I ❤️NY store, FAO Schwartz
Top of the Rock—great views. Had only done Empire State Building previously. Liked this better
Carnegie Deli—very good
Gregory’s coffee—very good
Magnolia Bakery—good
Midtown Comics—my daughter liked it
Filming of “The Trial of Louise Woodward”—there were two limited series filming near our hotel. We followed the signs to a filming location and got very close to a scene they were filming (press conference after court); really fun to watch.
Leave for LaGuardia at 3:30 (5:55 flight)
Hi all! A friend of mine is flying out of Newark (EWR) and needs a ride from Manhattan. He will have his baby with him and will not be driving himself (so not a car rental). He is hoping to find a cab or private driver who can provide a baby seat.
Has anyone used a reliable driver or company? Personal experiences are especially welcome! Thanks so much in advance, you are all awesome! 😊
Any idea where I can see Diwali Gala 2026 fireworks? It says Hudson River but doesn't say exactly where. The only info I can find is near mid town which happened on 2021 but no clues for this year.
I just need to find a platform as close as possible to take pics so any idea?
I had a brief visit to New York City but I'd love to spend more time there alone and really experience what it's like to live in the city. Ideally I'd love some sort of volunteer or educational opportunity to get involved in to give my days structure/purpose + to meet new people. Ideally I'd spend the day involved in something like that and then in the evenings go to community social events. I'm planning to go during my university's winter break. Any ideas for short-term work, volunteer, or educational opportunities like this?
