Several years ago we had the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving in New York City. My husband had the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on his personal bucket list, and so a trip was born!
I booked a room at the Waldorf Astoria a year in advance (and got a pretty great rate on a pretty great room by booking that far ahead.)
When will the Waldorf Astoria Re-Open?
The Waldorf Astoria has been under construction for years. It is set to reopen in 2023 and we are crossing our fingers that this is the case!
Should You Take Your Kids to New York For Thanksgiving?
Of course this was the first year my kids didn’t have the entire Thanksgiving week off of school, but it was the first year that my husband did, so we took advantage of his time off and left town. Sorry, teachers. We made them read while we were gone, I swear.
I had about a million reservations before the trip. How would the kids do in the city? How would they handle all of the walking? Would we freeze?
We got SO lucky. The weather was amazing, cold but totally comfortable for walking around. It felt like fall, like a holiday, and it was perfect. They did whine a little about the walking, but considering we walked 9 miles on the first day, I was whining (on the inside) too, let’s be honest.
What can you do with kids in New York during Thanksgiving Week?
We packed our days with walking and sightseeing. As it was the kids first trip to New York, we had a lot we wanted to do. Here are a few of our favorite activities:
- Visit the tree in Rockefeller Center
- Ice Skate at one of the many rinks: Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park, Wollman
- Visit the Christmas Market in Bryant Park
- See a Broadway Show – we saw Aladdin and loved every minute of it!
- See the Rockettes – with several shows a day, you can see a show that fits your schedule!
- Visit the Nintendo Store and the American Girl Store
- Visit the new location of FAO Schwartz in Times Square
- Get hot chocolate from one of the many, many street vendors
- Take a subway ride
- Visit Battery Park, see the Statue of Liberty, ride the Glass Carousel, walk to Liberty Church and See Alexander Hamilton’s gravesite
- Watch the floats for the Macy’s Parade being inflated on the Upper West Side near the Natural History museum the night before Christmas
- Feeling adventurous? Stake out a spot on the parade route Thanksgiving morning!
This was our first Thanksgiving away from home, but I’m already thinking of where we might go next year.
More Great Travel Ideas!
- The Museum of Ice Cream in NYC – Is it Worth It?
- Things to See and Do in Arizona for Spring Training
- Visit Balboa Island in Newport Beach, CA
Talk Travel and More with Megan and Wendy
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