The Christmas season in NYC is something special and I have written down for you what you can do in the city of dreams. A summary to make your Christmas vacation unforgettable and recommendations as well as what you definitely shouldn't miss . For all information about entry requirements due to COVID-19, click here .

This year the ceremony will take place on November 29th, 2023, starting at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. You don't have to buy tickets! The celebration starts at 7 p.m., if you want to be there, I recommend you be near the tree no later than 3 - 3:30 p.m., then you can watch it live on NBC on TV.

New York is a very special city. But at Christmas time it turns into a “ winter wonderland ” with great Christmas decorations and lots of lights throughout the city. You can marvel at the decorated city from mid-late November to early January . You can find great Christmas lights and beautifully decorated shop windows everywhere; Christmas shopping in New York has now become a tradition for many. Many bars and restaurants offer special food and drinks at Christmas time and most are also decorated to reflect the season.

There's a lot you can expect on your Christmas visit to New York. Just walk through the city and enjoy the special atmosphere. For special activities, however, you should reserve tickets in advance, such as our Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Tour , an affluent neighborhood in Brooklyn that will decorate your houses magnificently for Christmas in December. Below I have put together the best places, special Christmas shows and other great things to do that you shouldn't miss.

You will find great lighting and Christmas decorations everywhere. You should take a walk through the Columbia University campus, which decorates all of its trees with small Christmas lights, or the area near Columbus Circle and the Time Warner Center, directly adjacent to Central Park. In many neighborhoods in Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island, people have made an effort to make their streets feel extra Christmassy. The most popular places among tourists are the following:

• Rockefeller Center - the famous Christmas tree in Manhattan and the famous light display on the Saks Fifth Avenue department store
• 6th Avenue decoration (42nd Street up)
• Ice skating rink in Central Park - Wollman Rink
• Hudson Yards
• Brookfield Place Winter Garden in Tribeca
• Washington Square Park
• The Plaza Hotel
• Dyker Heights Christmas Lights in Brooklyn. We are hosting the Christmas Lights Tour from November 28th to January 3rd. Tickets are available HERE

• Fifth Avenue in Manhattan (walk up/north from 34th Street (Empire State Building) to Central Park 59th Street so you don't miss anything)
• Bank of America Winter Village and ice skating rink in Bryant Park . Note: There are great exhibitors here where you can get great Christmas decorations with a New York theme.

• Holiday Under the Stars The shops near Columbus Circle.
• Macy's on 34th Street in Manhattan.
• Historic Richmond Town in Staten Island.
• Park Avenue in Manhattan, especially up 48th Street.
• Christmas shopping at the Woodbury Outlet Center. You can get tickets CLICK HERE
• Oculus station at Ground Zero
• The most beautiful Christmas markets in NYC, find out more here
• Click for the best photo spots for your Christmas card
• Rolf's, known for its elaborate Christmas decorations. My insider tip not far from Rolf's is a restaurant/bar called Pete's Tavern on Irving Place
• You can find the most beautiful Christmas markets in New York here

The special performances during the Christmas season range from very traditional and classic performances to new types of Christmas themed displays which are also fun to watch. Below is a list of the most famous and popular performances at Christmas time:

• NYCB: The Nutcracker . (The Nutcracker) at the David H Koch Theater.
• Eleven : In the theater at Madison Square Garden.

• Metropolitan Opera: The Magic Flute . (The Magic Flute) at the Metropolitan Opera House.
• The Musical: Kris Kringle at the Town Hall Theater.
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at the Count Basie Theater.
• And finally a big highlight: Radio City Christmas Spectacular .

With her 1994 hit “'All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey is a pop star who cannot be missed at Christmas. She's not scheduled to appear this year, but as true pop divas do, she's announced as a last-minute surprise at the Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

You can find tickets online for all of the shows listed. My trip to New York will be happy to help you reserve tickets. Feel free to email us if you need support or look for concert tickets CLICK HERE :)

Tips for more Christmas adventures in New York

• Many bakeries offer special pastries for Christmas . Don't forget to ask if you want to eat something delicious and Christmassy
• If it's your childhood dream to ice skate at Rockefeller Center , then definitely don't avoid trying it out on this small ice rink. It's much more fun on the large ice rinks in Bryant Park and Central Park .
• It becomes especially magical when you look at the Christmas lights from the shore. Come along on our Panorama Night Tour, which takes place every Wednesday and Sunday. TICKETS are available HERE
• Be sure to plan time for window shopping. The most famous are Saks on Fifth Avenue, Macy's (on 34th Street), Bergdort Goodman, Tiffany's, Bloomingdales and other shops along Fifth Avenue.