Top 10 Must-See Things in New York City at Christmas Time

If you want to visit New York City, I recommend visiting during Christmastime! As someone who has seen NYC at different times of the year, I would say Christmas is the best. The city has a different feel to it. Everything seems brighter and the people seem happier. With the joy of the Christmas spirit, I wanted to share my favorite “must-see list” when visiting New York City in December. (Most of these are up the first week of December and taken down the first week of January)

1. Tree in Rockefeller Center Rockefeller Plaza on W. 49^th St between Fifth and Sixth Avenue

2. Macy’s windows 151 W 34^th St. – Not only is the building decorated but every year the iconic store decorates its windows with different themes. Definitely a must-see!

3. Outdoor ice-skating rink (Rockefeller Center or Bryant Park) Rockefeller Center 600 5^th Ave or Between 40^th & 42^nd Street and 5^th & 6^th Avenue – Go for a nice stroll around the rink enjoying the fresh air and the

4. Giant Ornaments Manhattan Fountain: 1251 Sixth Avenue – Take a photo next to the larger-than-life decorations!

5. Rockettes Christmas Spectacular Radio City Music Hall: 1260 6^th Ave

6. Winter Village (Bryant Park) Between 40^th & 42^nd Street and 5^th & 6^th Avenue – Enjoy all of the shops they set up featuring crafts, gifts, and food!

7. Giant Lights Rockefeller Center 600 5^th Ave

8. 5^th Ave Saks Light Display 611 5^th Ave – The side of the building has a lovely light display set with music. We came across this while checking out the Rockefeller tree. Very enjoyable to watch even just for a few minutes walking by.

9. Times Square Decorations Junction of Broadway, Seventh Ave, and 42^nd Street – Times Square is ever changing so you would want to add this to your list every time you go. However, during Christmas time, they usually have something winter or Christmas related. When I went, they had snow globe displays for each big Broadway show at the time!

10. Madison Square Garden– Rangers Hockey Game 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001 – While it is not “Christmasy” it is a winter activity and can make for a great adult or family friendly activity. This also ties in with my stadium bucket list, which you can read more about in “My Stadium Tours” post here.

Bonus view! Miscellaneous city lights – trees, bldgs., keep your eyes open 😊 Just walking around the city can feel magical. Make sure you keep your eyes open to spot the trees in the street lit up or buildings with decorations!

Please comment below sharing your favorite NYC location or Christmas place! As always, let me know if you think I missed something!

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