we spent christmas 2o25 in nyc and had a blast! this is where we stayed and where we went.
Map
Sections
4
midtown
downtown
west side
upper west side
midtown
Half a block away from Times Square and a block and half away from Fifth Avenue. This location is amazing and perfect for if you’re just looking for a place to crash and not picky on amenities
Hotel St. James
First place we ate at when we landed it was awesome! Be ready to order as soon as you get to the counter - the employees may be patient with you but the locals behind you in line are not 😆
Little Italy Pizza
Of course we went there.
Did we wait in line to get onto the platform? Nope.
It is every bit of the tourist trap all of the locals and guides warn you about, but it’s still a fun experience to check off your bucket list
Times Square
Yes, it's just "another soccer store" that happens to be in the middle of Times Square... but it's still a must stop for any futbol fan!
Yes, it's a massive candy store. But I found the cutest little souvenirs for my co-workers here
M&M'S New York
I regret not getting tickets to see the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular while we were visiting. It is something I will definitely book for our next trip
Radio City Music Hall
So crowded but so beautiful to see the tree and Christmas decorations
Rockefeller Center
Did we go in? Nope. But the light show during Christmas was beautiful!
Saks Fifth Avenue
I just wanted to note that I'd never seen a four storied H & M until this trip. That is all.
H&M
My nephew and niece wanted pancakes and this place did not disappoint
The Red Flame
It was rainy the day we went but still a really cool experience to see. There's a LEGO model of the ship on display there that is amazing
Intrepid Museum
This place was SLAMMED. They had a DJ and not enough seats. My son claims that this was the first time he had Raising Cane’s (it wasn’t) and this visit deemed it as his favorite chicken tender place ever
Raising Cane's | Times Square restaurant
We split up for this - some went to see Wicked (which I am told was AWESOME), some went back to the hotel to chill, I roamed around Times Square solo
Wicked the Musical
The serving sizes were HUGE and delicious. My picky nephew even enjoyed the food here
Bucatini NYC
An absolute must do! There were so many different vendors, shops, products to see and visit. We didn't get a chance to ice skate, but had lots of fun any way. Also, if you are a Friends fan, this is where the fountain from the opening credits is :)
Bryant Park Winter Village
We had breakfast here a couple of days and everything we tried there was delicious. Very friendly owners with a clean establishment
COOK EATERY
We bought tickets to be there for sunset and it was spectacular. Be prepared to walk the six flights up to the observation deck unless you have patience like a saint.
Empire State Building
Walking back from Empire State, we realized that there aren't a lot of restaurants on Fifth Avenue and we were traveling as a group of 10. I hopped in here to see how long the wait would be (to the horror of my brother taking his young kids to a pub,...
The Dawson Restaurant & Bar
We went a lot of places on Christmas. Of course we had to stop and see the famous window displays!
Macy's
It was really busy but also really cool to see.
Grand Central
We had Christmas dinner here. It was quite cozy and the food was good
Connolly's
🤷🏻♀️ sometimes you want to eat somewhere familiar?
McDonald's
downtown
“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
We did not go to the top and walked around the island instead. Gorgeous view of the NYC skyline from there.
Statue of Liberty
My little family were too cold and skipped the island, but my parents and my brother and his family took the tour.
Ellis Island - UNESCO Centre du patrimoine mondial
Unfortunately, we were on a tight schedule and didn't get to roam around the financial district as much as we would have liked. There is so much to geek out about this place - it's NYC's oldest bar and restaurant and where the Founding Fathers met!!!
Fraunces Tavern
I wish all cities had a Chinatown like this
Chinatown
They don't usually take reservations, but I called ahead to see what time would be these best for a pack of 10 to travel and eat there on Christmas morning. They actually took my name and number and had a table waiting for us (we got there as soon as...
Golden Unicorn
While my brother and his family and my parents took one of those NYC bus tours, my crew walked to the Brooklyn Bridge. We didn't walk the whole way, but it was a good trek.
Brooklyn Bridge
Looking for an MTA station and we ended up walking around Pace University. Lovely campus.
Pace University
I really don’t know what to say about visiting here. It took my breath away in a way I can’t describe in words.
9/11 Memorial
west side
I'm not 100% sure if we walked the entire High Line. But I do know that it was free, the weather was sunny, and that even on Christmas Day in New York, the sites were beautiful.
The High Line
We stopped in for hot cocoa and ended up with massive baked goods and coffee instead. They had a heated patio area which was great for people watching in a relaxed environment
Think Coffee
upper west side
I could have spent all week at the museum and still not felt satisfied.
