Things To Know Before Going To New York At Christmas

New York Is Much Busier At Christmas Than You Expect

The first thing I’d say before visiting New York at Christmas is to prepare yourself for the crowds.

New York is always a busy city, but Christmas takes it to another level. It’s one of the most popular times of year to visit and you’ll quickly realise that everyone has the same idea as you. Everyone wants to see the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, visit the famous attractions, walk down Fifth Avenue and get those iconic Christmas photos you’ve probably seen all over TikTok and Instagram.

There’s such an amazing atmosphere because the whole city feels like it’s celebrating. The streets are filled with people, the shops are decorated, the lights are everywhere and there’s a real excitement in the air. But it does mean you need to go knowing that things might take longer than you expect.

Queues will be longer, restaurants will be busier and you might not always be able to just turn up somewhere and get straight in. Even walking around some of the most popular areas can take longer because there are so many people stopping for photos and exploring.

One thing I’d recommend is leaving more time than you think you need between plans. New York is already a city where you’ll naturally walk a lot, and when you add queues, crowds and stopping to take photos into the mix, your day can quickly become much busier than planned.

I think the biggest thing is just setting realistic expectations. Don’t go expecting to rush around and tick everything off your list quickly. Instead, embrace that the city will be busy and give yourself enough time to actually enjoy it.

Book Your Attractions Before You Go

One of my biggest New York Christmas travel tips is to book your attractions before you arrive.

Before my trip, I assumed that buying something like the New York Pass meant we could just turn up at an attraction and walk straight in. I thought the whole point of having the pass was that it would save time as well as money. But that isn’t always how it works.

Some attractions require you to reserve a time slot, even if you already have your pass. Others will still have a queue when you arrive, and you might need to wait before you can get an available booking time.

For example, when we visited the 9/11 Museum, we had to queue for around 45 minutes just to get a time slot. After waiting in that queue, the next available booking wasn’t straight away, so we actually had to wait around before we could go inside. It was something I hadn’t really considered before going and I think it’s something a lot of people don’t realise.

Having a pass can definitely save you money, especially if you’re planning on visiting lots of attractions, but it doesn’t always mean skipping every queue or getting immediate entry. My advice would be to look at every attraction you want to visit before your trip and check exactly how the booking process works. If you know you want to visit somewhere at a specific time, reserve it as early as you can. It will make your days feel much more organised and means you’re not wasting valuable time standing around when you could be exploring the city.

Don’t Try To Fit Too Much Into One Day

One mistake I think a lot of people make when planning New York is trying to fit too much into each day. Before going, it’s so easy to look at a map and think everything is much closer than it actually is. You might look at your itinerary and think, “We’ll do Central Park in the morning, head downtown for the 9/11 Museum, go over to Brooklyn and then finish the evening in Times Square.”

But realistically, you’ll spend so much more time travelling between places than you expect. Add in queues, stopping for photos, grabbing food and just wanting to take your time, and suddenly your day feels very rushed.

One of the best things you can do when planning New York is group your days by area. For example, spend one day exploring Chelsea, Chelsea Market, the High Line and Hudson Yards. Another day could be focused around Midtown with Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue, Bryant Park and Times Square.

This way, you’re not spending half your day travelling across the city and you’ll actually get to enjoy each area properly. I also think this makes the trip feel much less overwhelming. New York can feel like there are a million things you need to see, but you don’t need to do everything in one trip. It’s much better to enjoy the places you do visit rather than rushing from one thing to the next.

The Weather Is Colder Than You Think

I knew New York would be cold in December, but I don’t think I fully appreciated how much time you actually spend outside. When you’re visiting a city like New York, you’re not just walking ten minutes between places and then going back indoors. You’re walking around different neighbourhoods, waiting outside attractions, standing in queues, taking photos and exploring the city for hours at a time.

The wind between the skyscrapers can also make it feel much colder than the actual temperature, especially when you’re standing still waiting for something. I’d definitely recommend packing properly for the weather because it will make such a difference to your experience.

A warm coat, gloves, a hat, layers and comfortable shoes are going to be your best friend. Speaking of shoes, this is probably one of the biggest things I’d tell anyone visiting New York. You will walk so much more than you expect.

I’d prioritise comfort over fashion because there is nothing worse than having sore feet halfway through a day of exploring and still having hours left to walk around. You can always pack nicer outfits for dinners or photos, but make sure you have something comfortable for the days where you’ll be walking around the city.

Book Restaurants Before You Go

If there are restaurants or rooftop bars you’ve had saved on TikTok or Instagram for months, book them before you travel. New York has some incredible restaurants, but during December they can get extremely busy, especially on weekends and around Christmas.

For my trip we booked places like Beauty & Essex, Buddakan and Catch and I’m so glad we did. These were restaurants I’d wanted to try for ages, and because it was my 30th birthday trip, I really wanted to experience some of the places I’d had saved for years. The last thing I would have wanted was to arrive and find out they didn’t have any availability.

You don’t need to book every single meal because part of the fun of New York is discovering places as you walk around. But if there are specific restaurants, rooftop bars or experiences that you’ve been looking forward to, I’d definitely make reservations before you go.

Especially at Christmas, the popular places fill up quickly, and planning ahead means you can enjoy the trip without spending your evenings trying to find somewhere with a free table.

Visit Times Square Earlier Than You Think

Times Square is one of those places that everyone wants to see when they visit New York for the first time. And I completely understand why.

It’s one of those places you’ve seen hundreds of times in films, on Instagram and all over TikTok, but when you actually stand there in real life, it does feel like a proper New York moment. The huge screens, the bright lights, the yellow taxis driving past and the amount of people everywhere make it feel exactly how you imagine New York to be.

But one thing I will say is that Times Square gets so much busier than you expect, especially during Christmas. Because it’s such an iconic spot, everyone has the same idea. Everyone wants to take photos, see the lights and experience it for the first time, which means it can quickly become quite overwhelming. During the evening, it can feel like you’re just being carried along with the crowds rather than actually taking the time to look around and enjoy it.

If Times Square is on your list, I’d recommend going first thing in the morning. I’d personally avoid making your first visit to Times Square an evening activity, especially around Christmas when the city is at its busiest. It’s definitely worth seeing at night because the lights are incredible, but if you want that iconic photo and the chance to actually enjoy the experience, I’d go early and then come back another evening just to see it all lit up.

New York Is More Expensive Than You Expect

Another thing to know before visiting New York at Christmas is that costs can add up much quicker than you expect. Before going, I knew New York wasn’t going to be a cheap trip, but I don’t think I fully appreciated how many little things would add to the overall cost. It’s not just your flights and hotel that you need to budget for.

You’ll also need to think about food, attractions, transport, tips, shopping and all those little extras that you don’t always plan for but somehow add up throughout the week.

A coffee here, a snack there, an extra taxi when your feet are tired, a souvenir you didn’t plan on buying, these are the things that can easily increase your spending without you really noticing.

Before my trip, I created a realistic budget based on the things I knew we wanted to do, including the restaurants we wanted to visit, the attractions we wanted to see and the type of hotel we wanted to stay in.

My biggest tip would be to work out what matters most to you before you go. If you’re someone who wants to stay somewhere central with a view, prioritise your hotel budget. If food is a big part of the experience for you, set money aside for those restaurants you’ve been saving.

New York can definitely be done on a lower budget, but I think having a realistic idea of what things cost before you arrive makes such a difference. The last thing you want is to spend the whole trip checking your bank account instead of enjoying the experience.

Remember To Budget For Tips

If you’re travelling from the UK, tipping is something you’ll definitely need to get used to when visiting New York. It’s very different from the UK, and tips can add a noticeable amount onto your spending, especially if you’re eating out regularly.

In restaurants, the usual tipping amount is around 18-20% of the bill before tax, and this is expected in most sit-down restaurants. Some places will automatically add a service charge (sometimes called a gratuity) to your bill, so always check before adding an extra tip because you don’t want to accidentally tip twice.

Tipping also applies to things like taxis, where around 15-20% is usually expected, and hotel staff if someone helps with your luggage or provides a service.

One thing I didn’t realise before visiting New York is that you don’t need to tip everywhere. If you’re grabbing a coffee, picking up food from a fast-food restaurant or ordering something where you’re not receiving table service, you’re not expected to leave a tip. Some card machines will still ask you to choose a tip amount, but don’t feel pressured to add one if it’s just a quick counter-service purchase.

When looking at restaurant prices, remember that the price on the menu isn’t always the final amount you’ll pay. Between tax and tipping, your bill can end up being noticeably higher than the price you first see, so it’s definitely something to factor into your New York Christmas budget before you go.

Some Of The Best Things To Do In New York At Christmas Are Free

One thing I loved about New York is that you don’t need to spend money every day to have an amazing experience. Before going, I think it’s easy to assume that you need to be constantly booking attractions, restaurants and experiences to make the most of the city, but some of my favourite moments from the trip were actually the simple things that didn’t cost us anything.

Walking through Central Park and taking in how different it felt compared to the busy streets of Manhattan, visiting Bryant Park Winter Village and seeing all the festive stalls, looking at the Christmas window displays along Fifth Avenue and wandering around different neighbourhoods just to see all the decorations were some of the moments I enjoyed the most.

Of course, the attractions and restaurants are a huge part of the experience, but I think it’s important to leave time in your itinerary to simply explore and enjoy the city. Some of the memories I think back on the most weren’t the things we paid for, they were the moments where we were just walking around, taking photos and enjoying being in New York at the most magical time of year.

Don’t Forget To Leave Time To Just Enjoy The City

My final tip for visiting New York at Christmas is not to plan every single minute of your trip. I completely understand why it’s tempting to do this. There is so much you want to see, especially if it’s your first time visiting New York, and it can feel like you need to fit absolutely everything in because you don’t know when you’ll be back.

Before I went I had a huge list of places I wanted to visit, restaurants I wanted to try and attractions I wanted to tick off. And while I do think having a plan is important (especially during Christmas when everything gets so busy), I also think it’s just as important to leave yourself some free time.

I think that’s what makes New York so special. You don’t always need a plan for every hour of the day because sometimes the best experiences happen when you’re simply wandering around and seeing where the day takes you.

Especially at Christmas, the city itself is the experience. So yes, book your restaurants, plan your attractions and make sure you see the places you’ve always wanted to visit, but don’t fill every single minute of your itinerary. Leave some time to slow down, explore and enjoy being in New York. Sometimes the moments you don’t plan end up being the ones you remember the most.

FAQs: Things To Know Before Going To New York At Christmas

Is New York worth visiting at Christmas?

Yes, I personally think New York at Christmas is one of the most magical trips you can take. The city feels completely different with all the lights, decorations, Christmas markets and festive atmosphere, but it’s worth knowing that it’s also one of the busiest and most expensive times to visit.

What is New York like in December?

New York in December is cold, busy and incredibly festive. You can expect Christmas decorations everywhere, lots of people visiting for the holidays and plenty of seasonal events happening across the city.

How cold is New York at Christmas?

New York can get very cold in December, especially when you’re spending hours outside walking around the city. I’d recommend packing plenty of layers, a warm coat, gloves and comfortable shoes because you’ll spend much more time outside than you probably expect.

How far in advance should I book a New York Christmas trip?

I’d recommend booking as early as possible, especially if you’re travelling around Christmas and New Year. I booked my flights in July for my December trip, and I’d also recommend booking hotels, restaurants and popular attractions in advance to avoid disappointment.

Is New York more expensive at Christmas?

Yes, New York is generally more expensive at Christmas because it’s one of the most popular times to visit. Flights, hotels, restaurants and attractions can all cost more, so it’s worth creating a realistic budget before you go.

What should I pack for New York in December?

The most important things to pack are warm layers, a good coat, gloves, a hat and comfortable shoes. You’ll be walking a lot, spending time outside and waiting in queues, so dressing for comfort will make such a difference.

Do I need to book restaurants in New York before I go?

If there are specific restaurants you really want to visit, I’d definitely recommend booking before you go. Popular restaurants can get booked up quickly during December, especially around weekends and Christmas, so it’s better to reserve a table in advance.

Is the New York Pass worth it at Christmas?

The New York Pass can be worth it if you’re planning on visiting lots of paid attractions because it can save you money compared to buying individual tickets. Just remember that having the pass doesn’t always mean you can skip every queue, and some attractions still require you to reserve a time slot.

What are the best free things to do in New York at Christmas?

Some of the best Christmas experiences in New York are completely free, including walking through Central Park, seeing the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, visiting Bryant Park Winter Village and looking at the Christmas window displays along Fifth Avenue. These simple moments are honestly some of the things that make New York feel so magical during December.

I hope this guide on things to know before going to New York at Christmas was useful and helps with your planning.

Check out my other New York guides here:

• New York City Travel Guide for First Time Visitors
• 31 Best Things To Do in New York City
• 4 Days in New York City Itinerary
• 4 Days in New York Christmas Itinerary
• The BEST Hotels in New York City With a View
• How to Get From JFK Airport to Manhattan by Subway (Under $20)
• New York Monthly Guides