A GUIDE TO A NEW YORK CITY CHRISTMAS
So excited to (finally) share our NYC Christmas Trip! I knew when planning this trip that it would be a special one, there is truly no place more magical than Christmas in NYC. Even though I put so much time in planning the trip, there was a few details I didn’t plan to make it even more unforgettable (more on that later).
I have been to NYC enough to know that you have to make sure your planning is detailed. Every corner is trimmed with Holiday treasures. There are Christmas light shows, the one and only Rockefeller tree, Ice Skating, the most decadent hot cocoas, streets lined with pine garland, the list goes on. Even though the city is bursting with so much potential, it can be an overwhelming feeling.. making sure you are getting every thing in that you want and knowing what is worth your time and what is not.
From experience, my top tip is to determine what you want from your trip. For this trip I knew I wanted it to feel like Christmas magic so I went from there. Most of the Christmas extravaganzas in NYC happen near Rockefeller and Fifth/Sixth avenues, so that helped determine the area that we would stay. I then print a map and start marking all of the restaurants, places, experiences, etc I would love to do while there. A lot of places I find are through Instagram and Pinterest research. After I feel like I have everything marked I then can start planning my days. There will always be things that have to be left out, but overall I have found this the best tactic to make the most of our time in places and even have a back up plan if necessary.
WHERE TO STAY // WARWICK HOTEL NYC:
As I said, when booking our stay we knew we wanted to stay somewhere close to all of the things that we would be doing during our trip (think Rockefeller Plaza, the Upper East Side, Central Park, Fifth Avenue Shopping, Holiday Lights, Bryant Park, Radio City Music Hall). After some research and asking around, I found the Warwick Hotel and instantly knew this is where we had to stay. Located on 65 West 54th street, it has that old school, classic feel that I knew would only enhance the Christmas magic I was trying to capture. It is a short walk from Rockefeller Plaza, Radio City Music Hall and Central Park.
The entrance is something from a movie scene, with the lights and the doormen dressed to the nines.
The marble lobby is grand, decorated so elegantly for the Holiday season. On the ground floor there is Randolph’s Bar and Lounge, which serve drinks. On the opposing side of the lobby there is Murals on 54, a restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner, and has live music Friday and Saturday evenings.
SERENDIPITY 3:
I have always always always wanted to go to Serendipity.. so I made it happen! Plus, I figured because of their American Cuisine it would be a perfect place to dine after a day of traveling. I made sure to make reservations on Resy a few weeks in advance to make sure we could get a table, and I am so glad I did because it was pretty busy.
Of course we had to order their world famous frozen hot chocolate and it did not disappoint! Literally so yummy an worth the trip! However, I will not get over Trevor calling it a ‘bougie frosty’. He’s not wrong.
ROCKFELLER PLAZA AT NIGHT:
After dinner we took a cab back down to Rockefeller Center to see the tree. It was only the second night that the tree had been lit and everyone and their mother was there to see if for themselves (can you blame them). We anticipated that there would be a ton of people so we saw the tree from across the street and started to do some shopping. We stopped into the Rockefeller Anthropologie, which is one of my faves. Their Holiday window displays are pure perfection.
SAKS FIFTH AVENUE LIGHT SHOW:
Across the plaza from the tree is Saks Fifth Avenue. Every year they put up the most magnificent light show on their facade. The show is made up of hundreds of thousands of lights that synchronizes to holiday music. The show restarts every 10 minutes from 5pm to 11pm each night.
RALPH’S COFFEE TRUCK:
After the light show we grabbed a couple of hot cocoas from the Ralph’s Coffee truck that is parked in Rockefeller Center (630 5th Ave). All the holiday details are tooo good.
ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDERAL:
Across the street is the one and only St. Patrick’s Cathedral (5th Ave.). It is breathtakingly beautiful. In past trips I have gone inside and lit a candle, if you have a little time I would suggest taking some time to do that!
BRYANT PARK:
Bryant Park is lovely all seasons of the year, but there is definitely something special about the Christmas Market. Of Course, like most things in NYC this time of year it is very busy but it is definitely worth a visit. So many food and dessert options to pick from. Plus, every corner you turn is picturesque.
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY:
After the park, walk around the corner to take a look at the New York Public library, she’s a beaut. It’s the lions with the wreaths for me.
GRAND CENTRAL STATION:
About a three minute walk from the library is the infamous Grand Central Station (89 E 42nd St.). It is so classic and beautiful. It also houses a wonderful restaurant, the Grand Central Oyster Bar and a Holiday Market.
DAY TWO // WALK ON SIXTH & FIFTH AVENUES:
Waking up being able to walk right out to Sixth Ave. was such a luxury. Of course this area is more packed with tourists during this time of the year, but we were up and at it early every morning to get some great pics and beat the lines. The Red Ornaments are located across the street from Radio City Music Hall on Sixth Avenue.
The yellow taxi cab is located on Fifth Avenue.
Cartier, located on Fifth, also goes full out with their Holiday decor.
MORNING AT ROCKEFELLER PLAZA:
If I can recommend anything, it is to get to Rockefeller Plaza early in the morning; especially on a week day if you can. We got to the tree a little after 7 and there were hardly any people around. It made for great pictures and a enjoyable time to take in the sight of the tree. Oh, and also to get engaged!
As I was standing taking an embarrassing amount of pictures and videos of the tree, Trevor was talking behind me asking me to turn around because he had a question for me. I literally have a video of me pretty much dismissing him because I was getting the perfect shot. When I finally turned around, he was down on one knee asking me to marry him. I am pretty sure I went into shock. Of course I said YES! and then a little piece of me died right there in the plaza when looking at the emerald green velvet box and diamond ring of my dreams. It was a perfect moment that I will cherish forever. Even though we were in the most popular spot in NYC in December I felt like we were the only two there. The people around us were so sweet and excited for us, a woman was evening crying, and thanks to them we got some pretty great photos.
BUVETTE:
We took a subway ride down to Bleecker Street in the West Village to go to the very popular Buvette (Corner of Bleecker and 42 Grover St.). This was a must stop on my list. It is a tiny, cozy, crafted restaurant/cafe with a lot of personality. We ordered lattes and some croissants and phoned friends and family about our news.
GREENWHICH // WEST VILLAGE:
When near the West Village it is definitely worth your time to take a stroll down Bleecker and all of the side streets. It really is a magical place every season of the year.
BUBBY’S:
After strolling around the West Village we decided it was definitely time for some brunch. Another must visit on my list this trip was Bubby’s (120 Hudson St.). We didn’t make reservations, and got lucky that we didn’t have to wait in line long. I would highly recommend making reservations if you want to fill yourself up with some of the perfect puffy pancakes (I ordered Blueberry topped pancakes), the line was out the door and out the block when we were heading out.
E.A.T. GIFT SHOP:
E.A.T Gifts is a real gem!!! Located on 1062 Madison Ave, it is literally perfect but you have eyes that can see the checked floor - need I say more?!
AUNT JAKE’S:
Last time I was in New York with friends we went to Aunt Jake’s (1555 2nd Ave.) and ever since I have been craving their homemade pasta.. so I made absolutely sure we would be having that on our December trip. I made reservations a couple of weeks before since we would be going on a Friday evening. It ended up being the perfect (very cozy spot) to celebrate our engagement. Good food, a cozy environment, cold drinks, and even better company.
RALPH’s COFFEE // UPPER EAST SIDE:
If you are in the mood for really great coffee with all the festive touches you need to head to Ralph’s Coffee shop (888 Madison Ave). I have been to this location a few times and it never disappoints. We arrived early and didn’t have to wait in line long. We then had a lovely little table, ordered a few coffees and croissants and had a very blissful time.
THE MET:
Only a few blocks from Ralph’s Coffee, is the infamous Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was a very rainy day, so we knew we had to head to a museum. We had a couple of options, the Natural Museum of Art, the MoMa.. but at the end of the day I thought it would be a great time to show Trevor the MET. I have been there a few times but I wanted to share it with him. General admission runs $30 for adults.
THE PLAZA:
A Holiday trip to NYC could not be complete without a stop at the iconic Plaza Hotel. We popped our heads in to see the beautiful Christmas trees that light up the lobby.
CENTRAL PARK:
After stopping in at the plaza you can walk over to Central Park and see the Wollman skating rink. If you are in need of a food stop while in the area I highly suggest Sarah Beth’s. I ate here a few years ago and it was a lovely experience!
BERGDORF GOODMAN:
Another must do for me during this trip was to head to the very tip top of Berdorfs to find the perfect Christmas ornament. I have shared before that I always purchase a special Christmas ornament on all of our trips, and I knew I would find the perfect one at Bergdorfs (754 5th Ave). I ended up finding a NYC Yellow Taxi Cab as our ornament. It was perfection, as well as all of the decoration that hung from every inch of the top floor, it was as if Buddy the Elf did it himself.
MAGNOLIA BAKERY:
Before heading out of town I ran into Magnolia Bakery for a tub of their Banana Pudding. I think I have had this nearly every trip to NYC. They now have several locations throughout the city. The banana pudding is their most demanded item and does sell out pretty quickly.
Thanks for reliving our NYC Holiday trip! It was a fabulous time and I would do it again in a heartbeat. For our next trip we will definitely be getting tickets to see the Radio City Rockettes, making a trip down to the Hudson Yards Light show, and making reservations for Rolf’s Christmas Bar months in advance. Thank you for all of the love on Instagram for this trip and all the well wishes with our engagement. If you are thinking of taking a holiday trip to NYC I hope this post helps your planning!
With love,
Makayla
