Visiting New York City Thanksgiving Weekend

Macy’s Parade is Just One of the NYC Attractions in Late November

Oct 6, 2009

The Big Apple opens the holiday season with the Thanksgiving Parade, lots of Christmas shopping and sightseeing opportunities and great Broadway shows

The weather is a gamble and hardly anything is cheap, but the last weekend in November is an exciting time to be in New York City. An estimated 2.5 million people jam Manhattan to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but there’s a lot more for families to do while visiting the city that time of the year.

Tour companies offer a wide variety of transportation, lodging, meal and entertainment packages, most of them centered around the parade. Other attractions include:

Empire State Building Has Two Observatories

The Empire State Building has two observatories, one on the 86th floor observatory (1050 feet) and another (for an additional $15) on the 102nd floor. They and the 70th story Top of the Rock Observation Deck atop the Rockefeller Center offer spectacular views of the city, assuming it's a clear day.

The Museum of Natural History holiday season exhibits include Extreme Mammals: The Biggest, Smallest, and Most Amazing Mammals of All Time

Johannes Vermeer’s masterpiece, The Milkmaid, will be on exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through November 29.

New York City provides a world of shopping and fashions, starting with Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Park Avenue shops.

South Street Seaport provides a 19th Century view of New York, antique sailing ships, shopping and dining.

Broadway Offers Great Plays

The 2009 Broadway stage lineup includes Chicago, The Lion King, Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins, Phantomof the Opera, Shrek, South Pacific, West Side Story, Wicked, Bily Elliot, Hair, and Jersey Boys. Be prepared to pay $100 or more for tickets unless you can find a special deal or package. Most of the theaters are closed on Thanksgiving.

The Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular opens November 13 and runs through December 30. The prices rise from a $45-to-$90 range on November 25 to a $55-to-$250 range on Thanksgiving Day and remain that way the remainder of the season.

The annual Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony does not take place until a week after Thanksgiving, too late for people spending just the Thanksgiving weekend in New York.

Getting to Midtown Manhattan

Traveling to midtown Manhattan is not always a fun part of a New York trip, especially if the weather is cold or wet, as it might be in late November. Getting away from either LaGuardia or JFK airports can be stressful for those not accustomed to such crowds. Midtown Manhattan is eight miles from LaGuardia and 18 miles from JFK and Newark, which is usually less crowded.

Cab rides into Manhattan can be expensive, exciting and complex. The complicated rates are set by the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission and generally are $2.50 plus $2 per mile, tolls and tip. Economical public transportation is available, but can be exhausting with heavy luggage.

Driving into busy Manhattan traffic may generate a lot of tension. Parking is extremely expensive.

Some travelers prefer to stay in a less expensive hotel near one of the airports and take public transportation to and from Manhattan.

Thousands of people go to New York on Thanksgiving just to enjoy the Macy's parade, but there's a lot more to do while there that weekend. Check the Intenet for special deals, especially on lodging and Broadway plays.

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