Overwhelmed with planning 1st trip to NYC. Help!

[scarletandgray]

I've always wanted to see NYC during the holiday season. If you had three days to explore the city, what would you make sure you saw/did? (My DS will be going as well. He's 12.)

[osumelissa]

-See a show (Broadway or the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular)
-American Museum of Natural History
-Central Park
-Empire State Building
-Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
-See the tree at Rockefeller Center
-The High Line

Also I think just walking around different neighborhoods is a lot of fun. I always make getting bagels and pizza a must for any trip to NYC since they are both the best there

[msamyfarrahfowler]

I don't have an exhaustive list for you, but I would see the Rockettes, walk around Rock Center, skate at the rink, and explore the xmas markets in Bryant Park and Union Square. I'd save the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island for warm weather months.

[mbcdefg]

I would try to get tickets to the Radio City Christmas Show.

That whole area around Radio City is great for the holidays, actually. You could start at Radio City for the show, then look at the tree and the skating rink at Rockefeller Center (and go to the Top of the Rock if you want). Saint Patrick's Cathedral is across the street. If you walk north on Fifth Avenue you can see the holiday displays in the store windows. I would start all of this once it gets dark because then the lights will be on.

Once you've walked 10 blocks north of Rockefeller Center, you'll get to the beginning of Central Park. And that's also where you can see the Plaza Hotel (nice Christmas decorations in the lobby), the Apple Store, and the FAO Schwartz toy store.

If you walk west until you get to Broadway, you can then walk south along Broadway and it'll take you through Times Square. And then you'll eventually get to the Macy's store in Herald Square, which does a big holiday window every year. (And I'll add that you should make sure you move to the side if you're viewing a holiday window or taking photos of something ... don't stand in the middle of the sidewalk or else commuters will be pushing their way through.)

If you want this itinerary to take all of one day, you could start further south. if you start on 23rd Street and 5th Avenue you could see the Flatiron Building. Madison Square Park is right there, and there's a Shake Shack there that'd be good for an inexpensive lunch. Walk 10 blocks north and you'll be at the Empire State Building. Seven more blocks north and you'll be at the NY Public Library and Bryant Park on 40th Street. Then Rockefeller Center is on 50th and you can pick up with the itinerary above.

Museum of Natural History would be great on another day, or the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). Lincoln Center is also really cool. The Village (downtown) is a fun neighborhood to walk around. If you go down to the Financial District you can see the new World Trade Center building - if you want to see the 9/11 memorial you need advance tickets, I think.

I would avoid restaurants in the touristy areas, especially Times Square - overpriced and often not very good. I used to work in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood/9th Avenue and there were a lot of great restaurants (tons of different ethnic foods) there. And tourists seem to love shopping in Times Square but I've never gotten the appeal.