Why go: Christmas in New York, including ice skating in Central Park, window shopping on Fifth Avenue, tree-viewing at Rockefeller Center, and watching the Rockettes at Radio City Music’s Christmas Spectacular. There are many ways to make it magical. Go to the Hall or lurk around 34th Street in hopes of witnessing a miracle.
Just one thing to get you in the mood: Get ready to be incredibly and completely overwhelmed (in a good way!) by the Christmas spirit in this Brooklyn neighborhood, which is famous for going all out with its Christmas decorations every year. Think candy cane lanes, giant snowmen, lighted snowflakes, and more light-up Santa Claus dolls than you can count on the census. The lights will last from after Thanksgiving until New Year’s, so whether you’re driving through or taking the pedestrian walkway, you’ll have plenty of time to admire the life-sized Nutcrackers and giant twinkling displays that line the walls. There is enough. Decorative reindeer on trees and lawn. big sled.
Stay here: Short answer: The Plaza. If you’ve seen Home Alone 2, you’ll know that this is the hotel where young Kevin McAllister vacationed in luxury suites while he was lost in New York. Sho. Fittingly, the hotel offers a “Home Alone 2: New York Fun” experience package throughout the year that lets you relive memorable moments from the movie. This included limo rides around the city to landmarks like Central Park and Radio City Music Hall, a large cheese pizza (eaten in the limo, of course), and a Home Alone meal tailored to Kevin’s exacting tastes. Includes sundae (specifically: 16 scoops of assorted ice cream, whipped cream, maraschino cherries, M&M’s, brownie bits, chocolate, caramel, and raspberry sauce). If you’re looking for a more traditional Christmas, you can also choose the “Suitest Season of All” package, which includes a 7-foot-tall decorated balsam hill tree placed directly in your suite.
