Last Updated on 9th October 2025

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Are you looking to plan the perfect New York Christmas trip but you’re not sure where to start when it comes to putting together your NYC Christmas itinerary? My ultimate guide below includes example 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 day itineraries for the perfect New York City Christmas vacation!

If you’re looking to experience the true magic of Christmas, there really is nowhere like New York at Christmas. From twinkling lights adorning the holiday window displays along Fifth Avenue to zooming around the ice rinks in Central Park and Bryant Park to admiring the magnificence of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree; New York at Christmas is an experience that you’re not likely to forget anytime soon!

Whether you’ve already got your NYC Christmas trip booked and you’re just looking for inspiration for the perfect New York City at Christmas itinerary or you’re thinking about booking a trip, but you need a little bit more encouragement and inspiration, I hope my ultimate New York City Christmas itinerary for 3 to 7 days will help you plan your dream Christmas weekend in NYC!

In my ultimate itinerary for Christmas in New York, I’ve included example festive itineraries for 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 days in New York City, so you can pick the itinerary that best suits you!

Need more help planning your New York Christmas vacation? Use the code XMAS20 to get 20% off my Ultimate New York City Christmas Travel Guide! You can also join my FREE New York Facebook Group for even more tips and advice!

NEW YORK TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
Flights: Skyscanner / Kiwi.com / Expedia / Trip.com
Accommodation: Booking.com / Hostelworld / Agoda
Transport: Subway / Big Bus Tours
Activities/tours: Get Your Guide / Viator / Klo o k
Travel insurance: SafetyWing
Hotel reviews: TripAdvisor
My packing essentials: Amazon
Luggage storage: Radical Storage
New York Passes: Go City Pass / New York CityPASS
NYC ebooks: Christmas / Ultimate Guide / 4 Day Itinerary
USA eSIM: Airalo / Sim Local

Looking for more festive inspiration? Check out my NYC festive guides below!

The Perfect New York City Christmas Itinerary

When I asked the 300,000+ members in my New York Facebook Group, the general consensus was that most people were planning to spend 4 days in New York at Christmas, which I why this ultimate New York City Christmas itinerary focuses on the very best of New York City at Christmastime in just four days.

However, I’ve also added multiple itineraries for spending 3 days in New York in December, as well as example festive itineraries for spending 5, 6, and 7 days in NYC at Christmas at the end of this guide.

Best places to stay in New York at Christmas

December is one of the most expensive months to visit New York City, so if you’re planning a festive trip to NYC, you’ll need to be prepared for the extortionate hotel prices! Below, I’ve listed some of my favourite hotels for a New York Christmas weekend, including more affordable options, as well as some luxury NYC festive hotels!

Best affordable hotels
Pod 39
Hotel Mulberry
YOTEL New York Times Square

Best festive hotels
The Plaza Hotel
Lotte New York Palace
The Langham

NYC Christmas itinerary sights & tours to book in advance

4 day New York Christmas itinerary

Download a copy of my 4 day NYC Christmas itinerary map here!

In my 4 day NYC Christmas itinerary below, you’ll discover the very best of what New York City has to offer over the holiday season in just 4 days.

I’ve tried to include a combination of both festive activities, such as ice skating at the various rinks across the city and seeing the incredible Christmas lights, trees, and decorations, as well as some non-festive activities that should be included on every NYC itinerary, such as Grand Central Terminal, Summit One Vanderbilt, and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

This 4 day New York Christmas itinerary can also be experienced exclusively on foot, apart from on day 4 when I recommend taking the subway from DUMBO to Dyker Heights.

If you’re a first-time visitor to NYC, you might find my New York subway guide useful for navigating the city!

Day 1

Download a copy of day 1 of my 4 day New York City Christmas itinerary here!

9 AM – Breakfast at Liberty Bagels 5th Ave

Begin your first full day in New York City with delicious breakfast sandwiches from Liberty Bagels on 5th Avenue. My go-to order is either the classic BEC (bacon, egg, cheese), or sausage, egg, and cheese!

10 AM – Ice skating at Wollman Rink

From Liberty Bagels, it’s just a short 10-minute walk to Wollman Rink via the West 59th – 5th Avenue entrance to Central Park. Ice skating at Wollman Rink is an absolute must-do on any New York City Christmas itinerary, even if you’re not a very confident skater, as being on the ice surrounded by the towering Manhattan skyscrapers is such an incredible sight to behold!

Ticket prices at Wollman Rink range from $16 for off-peak tickets to $40 for “prime” tickets for adults, and $11 for children aged 4 to 12 at all times (accompanied by a paying adult). Check the Wollman Rink website for details on opening times, peak times, and to purchase tickets in advance.

The ice skating season at Wollman Rink typically runs from the end of October to mid-March. This year, the rink is open from the 24th October 2025 to the 15th March 2026.

Read more: Best Ice Rinks In NYC

11.30 AM – Columbus Circle Holiday Market

Once you’ve had enough of gliding around the ice (or just spectating and enjoying the awesome views!), head across to Columbus Circle Holiday Market, which is just a 10-minute walk through Central Park from Wollman Rink.

Here, you can peruse the many holiday market stalls and pick up some festive souvenirs or Christmas gifts for your loved ones back at home. Columbus Circle Holiday Market is one of my favourite Christmas markets in the city, and it should definitely be on your NYC Christmas itinerary!

The Holiday Market at Columbus Circle will run from the 2nd to 31st December 2025. Check the full details and opening times on the Central Park website.

12.30 PM – Hot chocolate at Venchi Columbus Circle

There are often numerous stalls at Columbus Circle Holiday Market that serve delicious sweet treats and hot drinks, but if you don’t pick anything up from the market, I’d suggest heading around the corner to Venchi where you can get the most decadent hot chocolates!

1.30 PM – Fifth Avenue holiday window displays

While sipping on your luxurious hot chocolate from Venchi, make your way along West 59th Street towards 5th Avenue where you can walk down the world-famous shopping street and admire the many holiday window displays showcased in stores such as Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Dior, Louis Vuitton, and, of course, Saks Fifth Avenue who are bringing their memorable Holiday Light Show back for the 2025 festive season!

2 PM – St. Patrick’s Cathedral

St. Patrick’s Cathedral is another famous landmark on 5th Avenue, and it’s truly a sight to behold, especially at Christmastime. If you’re lucky, you might be able to head inside and explore the magnificent interior of the cathedral, but if not, it’s still beautiful to see from the outside.

2.30 PM – FAQ Schwarz

Just over the road from Saks Fifth Avenue, you’ll find one of the most famous toy stores in the world; FAO Schwarz! Getting inside FAO Schwarz in New York at Christmastime will require a lot of patience (and warm clothing as you wait outside in the long queues!), but if you’re planning a Christmas NYC itinerary with kids, I think it’s definitely worth a visit!

4 PM – Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is undoubtedly the most iconic and beloved Christmas tree in the world, and it’s always the number one thing that everyone should have on their New York City Christmas itinerary, regardless of how long they’re in the city for.

Of course, you can expect the whole of Rockefeller Plaza to be insanely busy throughout the entire Christmas season, and while it will be much quieter if you visit first thing in the morning or super late at night, I think it’s extra special to see it during the day and then as night falls, and as sunset is around 4.30 PM in December, it’s the perfect time to visit!

5 PM- Dinner at Lillie’s Victorian Establishment

Once you’ve admired the truly breathtaking Christmas tree, walk 10 minutes along West 49th Street to the Times Square location of Lillie’s Victorian Establishment for dinner, which also happens to be one of the most festive places to eat in New York at Christmas.

It’s a good idea to make reservations online in advance for Lillie’s Victorian Establishment, especially if you’re visiting New York in December, and you can do so on the Lillie’s website.

8 PM – Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular

To conclude your first full day in New York City at Christmas, I’d recommend booking tickets to watch the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.

The Rockettes Christmas Spectacular is the most famous holiday show in New York City, and they’re celebrating their 100-year anniversary in 2025, so it’s an extra special time to visit NYC at Christmas and enjoy all the festivities!

The Rockettes New York City holiday schedule runs from the 6th November 2025 until the 4th January 2026. I would 100% recommend booking tickets online in advance for the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular, as tickets get booked up very quickly, especially over the peak holiday season. You can purchase tickets online via Ticketmaster.

Day 2

9 AM – Breakfast at Leon’s Bagels on Thompson Street

Kick off day two of your 4 day New York Christmas itinerary with bagels from Leon’s Bagels on Thompson Street; yet another one of my favourite bagel spots in the city!

9.30 AM – Washington Square Park Christmas Tree

Once you’ve grabbed your breakfast sandwich (my go-to order is the sausage, egg, and cheese!), walk the couple of blocks north to Washington Square Park where you can enjoy your breakfast while people-watching the fascinating characters that frequent this world-renowned park.

As you’ll be there around Christmas, you can also check out the huge Christmas Tree that resides underneath the Washington Arch during the festive season.

10 AM – Greenwich Village/West Village/Little Island

Washington Square Park is in Greenwich Village, so once you’ve admired the Christmas tree, tucked into your breakfast bagel, and been delighted by the thrilling characters that will inevitably be in the park, I’d recommend taking a leisurely stroll around Greenwich Village and the West Village.

This is one of my favourite areas in New York City for just wandering around and soaking in the city like a true local; there are tonnes of great coffee shops and cafes in the Village which will make for a great place to warm up from the bitter December cold!

I’ve also added a visit to Little Island to this New York City winter itinerary, but as it will likely be freezing while you’re there, you may want to skip this outdoor island park and head straight to Chelsea Market instead.

12 PM – Lunch at Chelsea Market

Assuming you’re getting a little hungry by now, I’d suggest heading to Chelsea Market for a bite to eat. Chelsea Market is one of my favourite places to eat in NYC as there are so many spots to choose from; some of my personal favourites include Los Tacos No.1, Doughnuttery (for the best mini donuts!), and Berlin Currywurst.

1.30 PM – Walk the High Line

After lunch, head over to the nearest entrance to join the High Line (in this case, it would be the West 16th Street and 10th Ave entrance), and enjoy a leisurely stroll along this incredible elevated park walkway.

It only takes around 30 minutes to walk the entire length of the High Line to the West 34th Street exit/entrance in Hudson Yards, but I’ve allocated an hour to complete the walk to ensure that you have plenty of time to stop and take pictures and admire the city skyline views.

Of course, as this is a New York City Christmas itinerary, you can expect it to be very cold at all times during your trip, so be sure to wrap up warm for the walk!

2.30 PM – Hudson Yards & Edge Observation Deck

Once you reach the Hudson Yards area and exit the High Line, you can enjoy a little peruse around the shops at Hudson Yards, which is always decorated beautifully for the holiday season.

The entrance to Edge, the tallest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere, is also located at Hudson Yards, so you can easily head up there if you want to take in more views of the city from a high vantage point.

It’s a good idea to book tickets for Edge online in advance, especially as this is an NYC Christmas itinerary, because they tend to get booked up quickly over the peak holiday season.

4.30 PM – Early dinner at Friedman’s

Head to the nearby 10th Avenue branch of Friedman’s for an early dinner; a New York culinary institution specialising in American comfort food that also happens to serve almost entirely gluten-free dishes.

They accept walk-ins, but it’s a good idea to make a reservation on the Friedman’s website to guarantee a table for your desired dining time.

7 PM – Circle Line Harbor Lights Cruise

From Friedman’s, it’s just a 20-minute walk (or a 5-minute taxi/Uber) to the meeting point for the Circle Line Harbor Lights Cruise at Pier 83.

The Harbor Lights Cruise is one of my favourite ways to see New York City at night, but as this is an outdoor activity (with a few indoor seating options) around New York Harbor, it will, of course, be incredibly cold, so be sure to wrap up very warm for the cruise!

The cruise departs from Pier 83 daily at 7 PM and lasts for approximately two hours. It’s a good idea to book tickets for the Harbor Lights Cruise online in advance.

9.30 PM – Drinks & hot dogs at Rudy’s Bar & Grill

You will arrive back at Pier 83 just after 9 PM once the Harbor Lights Cruise has concluded, and from there, it’s just a 15-minute walk along West 44th Street to Rudy’s Bar & Grill; one of the best cheap bars in New York City.

They serve beer from as little as $4, wine from $6, and picklebacks from $7.

Unfortunately, Rudy’s is a 21+ venue only, so no kids are permitted. If you are visiting NYC with kids at Christmas, I’d recommend skipping Rudy’s and experiencing Times Square at night instead.

Day 3

10 AM – Breakfast at Black Seed Bagels inside MetLife Building

Start the third day of your New York Christmas itinerary with a hearty breakfast bagel from Black Seed Bagels. There are numerous branches of Black Seed Bagels across New York City, but I’d recommend heading to the one inside the MetLife Building, just next to the Chrysler Building and Grand Central Terminal, as this is where you’ll be starting your day!

10.30 AM – Summit One Vanderbilt Observation Deck

Summit One Vanderbilt is one of my favourite observations decks in NYC, as I think it’s one of the most fun and unique viewing experiences, and it also offers one of the best views of the Empire State Building.

As you’ll be visiting New York at Christmas, I’d recommend purchasing tickets for Summit online in advance to guarantee a visit on the day/time that you want. You can get tickets online via the official Summit website, as well as via platforms such as GetYourGuide, Viator, and Klook, but it’s important to note that tickets for Summit One Vanderbilt are not currently available with any New York City Pass.

1 PM – Grand Central Terminal Holiday Fair

Once you’ve enjoyed the incredible Manhattan city skyline views from Summit One Vanderbilt, head back down to ground level to explore the Grand Central Terminal Holiday Fair, located inside Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal itself.

Encompassing an impressive 6,000-square-foot indoor artisan market, the Holiday Fair at Grand Central is teeming with bespoke handmade crafts, jewellery, pottery, artwork, and more. It’s a great place to pick up Christmas gifts, and they even offer complimentary gift wrapping at the Grand Central Gift Shop!

This year’s Holiday Fair will run from the 10th November to the 24th December 2025. Check the Grand Central Terminal website for full opening times and details.

2 PM – Bryant Park Bank of America Winter Village

Bryant Park Bank of America Winter Village should be included on every NYC Christmas itinerary, as it really is the epitome of Christmas in New York.

From the giant outdoor ice skating rink to the dozens of holiday market stalls to the brilliant selection of festive food and hot beverages at the numerous pop-up bars and eateries, it’s definitely a spot that should be included on your New York Christmas itinerary!

The Rink at Bryant Park is definitely a worthwhile experience, and I’d recommend booking tickets in advance if you do want to skate here.

Ice skating at the 17,000 square foot rink includes free admission skating, but only if you have your own ice skates; if not, you’ll have to pay to hire skates. The price of skate rentals varies enormously from $18 during off-peak hours to a whopping $60+ during peak days/hours. Head to the Bryant Park website to check exact opening hours, ticket prices, and to purchase skate hire.

The Bryant Park Bank of America Winter Village opens on the 24th October 2025 and will run until the 1st March 2026.

4.30 PM – Herald Square Holiday Market

If you want to experience as many Christmas markets in New York as possible, I’d recommend heading to the Herald Square Holiday Market after Bryant Park, which is directly adjacent to Macy’s; yet another super festive spot in the city!

You can expect to find plenty of souvenirs, handcrafted gifts, artisanal goods, and delicious festive treats at Herald Square Holiday Market.

5 PM – Macy’s

While Macy’s might be more synonymous with their annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, they always put on an excellent show when it comes to their festive window displays, as well as beautiful Christmas decorations located all throughout the store. Even if you don’t intend to purchase anything, I’d still recommend adding Macy’s to your New York City Christmas itinerary to soak up all the festive joy!

6 PM – Dinner & drinks at 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar

Finish the day off with dinner and drinks at one of my favourite rooftop bars in the city; 230 Fifth.

During the winter months, the rooftop transforms into a winter wonderland, complete with cosy igloos, festive-themed drinks and snacks, and it also boasts one of the very best views of the Empire State Building in New York City!

Check the 230 Fifth website for full details on the igloos and how to book them.

Day 4

10 AM – Breakfast at Stage Door Delicatessen

On the final day of your New York Christmas itinerary, you’ll be spending time exclusively in Downtown Manhattan/Brooklyn, and for breakfast, I’d suggest heading to Stage Door Delicatessen, which is just around the corner from the 9/11 Memorial and One World Trade Center.

The menu at Stage Door Deli is absolutely enormous, with a vast range of paninis, omelettes, bagels, salads, wraps, pancakes, and more! They operate on a walk-in basis only, so no need for reservations.

11 AM – Brookfield Place

Brookfield Place is than a 10-minute walk from Stage Door Deli, and it’s another spot that should be on your NYC Christmas itinerary as it’s always so beautifully decorated with extravagant Christmas trees, twinkling fairy lights, and plenty of other festive decorations.

11.30 AM – 9/11 Memorial (and Museum if you feel up to it)

While I appreciate that the 9/11 Memorial & Museum is not something you’d expect to find on a typical New York Christmas trip itinerary, I wanted to make sure this itinerary was the perfect blend of festive activities and top sights and attractions for first-time visitors to the city, which is why I’ve included the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

You don’t need a ticket to see the 9/11 Memorial Pools as they are free to visit, but you will need to purchase tickets for the 9/11 Museum. You can usually get tickets for the museum on the day, but I’d recommend purchasing tickets for the 9/11 Museum in advance so that you can guarantee your desired entry time/day.

Of course, the 9/11 Museum is an incredibly sad and harrowing experience, so you might want to skip it on this visit in order to keep your NYC Christmas itinerary as festive as possible.

In this case, you’ll have a lot more free time to explore the Financial District of Manhattan or even hop on the free Staten Island Ferry to take a cruise past the Statue of Liberty, or you can take the day at a much more leisurely pace.

2.30 PM – Walk the Brooklyn Bridge

In the afternoon, head over to one of New York City’s most famous landmarks; the Brooklyn Bridge.

This incredible feat of architecture should be on every New York itinerary as it offers spectacular 360° views, and is also such an impressive sight to behold in itself. It takes around 30 minutes to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, but I would suggest allowing for at least 45 minutes to one hour so that you have plenty of time to stop and take pictures along the way.

To get to the pedestrian entrance of the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan, head to City Hall Park, and from there, you’ll see signs for the Brooklyn Bridge pedestrian walkway, which starts near the intersection of Centre Street and Park Row.

3.30 PM – DUMBO

Once you get to Brooklyn, you should see signs for DUMBO (just put it into Google Maps and it will tell you exactly which exit to get off the bridge), and from there, it’s less than a 10-minute walk to the iconic DUMBO – Manhattan Bridge photo spot.

To find the exact location of this famous street view with the Empire State Building peeping through underneath the Manhattan Bridge, enter DUMBO Manhattan Bridge View into Google Maps and it will bring up the exact location at the intersection of Washington Street and Water Street.

Read more: 1 Day Brooklyn Itinerary

4 PM – Rooftop drinks & snacks at Time Out Market New York

You’ll have likely worked up quite the appetite by now, so head to another one of my favourite food markets in NYC; Time Out Market New York.

This awesome food market not only boasts plenty of incredible places to eat and drink, but it also has its very own rooftop with epic views of the Manhattan skyline, as well as Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge.

Some of my favourite places to eat at Time Out Market New York include Bark Barbecue, Clinton St. Baking Company, Doughnuttery, FELICE Pasta Bar, Pastrami Factory, and Smashed NYC.

6 PM – Dyker Heights Christmas Lights

After an hour or so at Time Out Market, it’s time to head to Dyker Heights to experience one of my absolute favourite Christmas traditions in New York City; the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights!

The neighbourhood of Dyker Heights in Brooklyn is one of the most festive places in the city, as there are 100s of houses decorated for the holiday season. From thousands of dazzling lights to three-storeys tall giant nutcrackers to hundreds of miniature Santas, nativity scenes, and so much more, Dyker Heights is 100% a place that should be on your New York Christmas itinerary!

As you’ll already be in Brooklyn, it will be relatively easy to get to Dyker Heights from DUMBO/Time Out Market. You can take a taxi or Uber which will take around 30-40 minutes (depending on traffic) and cost between $50 and $75 depending on the time of day and how much demand there is.

Alternatively, you can take the F subway line from York St to Jay St-MetroTech and then change to the R line to 86 St, and then walk 20 minutes from there. This entire journey will take around one hour and cost just $2.90 one-way on the subway. You can find the exact directions from DUMBO to Dyker Heights Christmas Lights using this Google Maps link.

There are also several Dyker Heights Christmas Lights tours that take you on a round-trip from Times Square, but honestly, it’s much better to go and visit the lights yourself so you have the freedom to explore them on foot for as long as you want.

If you do want to take a tour departing from Times Square, you can check out some of my recommendations in my Dyker Heights Christmas Lights guide.

Bonus NYC Christmas itineraries

In the section below, you can find more festive NYC itineraries for spending 3, 5, 6, and 7 days in New York City at Christmas!

3 days in New York at Christmas itinerary

5 day Christmas in New York itinerary

6 day New York Christmas itinerary

7 day New York City Christmas itinerary

New York City Christmas itinerary top tips

Remember to wrap up warm and pack plenty of layers; it gets very cold in New York from November to February!
You can save up to 50% on top attractions in NYC by using the Go City Pass. However, if there is a particular activity that you definitely want to do, it might be worth booking it individually without the pass, so that you can guarantee your desired entry day/time.
New York City at Christmas is the busiest time of year, so be prepared for the crowds!
NYC is expensive at any time of year, but even more so at Christmastime, especially when it comes to hotels in New York, and festive-centred activities such as shows, ice skating, and shopping. Check out my NYC budget guide for top money-saving tips in the city!
Prepare to walk a lot! The best way to see as much of the city as possible is on foot, so make sure you pack some solid waterproof walking boots!

New York Christmas itinerary 4 days – conclusion

I hope you found this New York City Christmas itinerary useful and I hope it’s helped you plan your festive New York Christmas trip, regardless of whether you’re visiting for 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 days!

Pin for later – New York City Christmas itinerary

The Perfect New York City Christmas Itinerary (3 to 7 days)

Have I convinced you to visit New York for Xmas? Will you be using my festive New York City tourist itinerary to plan the perfect NYC Christmas trip? Let me know in the comments or in my New York Facebook Group!