With rates low, thinking about a Dec trip for 4-5d to NYC--need input.

Parent Cafe
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<p>OK, so have not been to NYC in many years. With air travel deals right now for Dec, thinking about an extended weekend trip to NYC with my D’s–19 and 17. We can shop and see the Rockettes and maybe NYCB/Nutcracker, and just take in the city. </p>

<p>For those of you near/in the city, do you think we would enjoy ourselves more before Christmas for 4 days or after? Any big difference? We probably won’t go ON Christmas. Any advice on lodging–either location or great place that I might no0t learn about online? </p>

<p>For meals we are famous for just findings places as we go, but suggestions are always welcome as well. </p>

<p>How often does snow in the city disrupt things in Dec? </p>

<p>And where should we fly into–does it matter? Have never flown into the city, have either been there after a car or train trip from upstate or CT.</p>

<p>Any and all comments and suggestions welcome. Thanks!</p>

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<p>Marriott Marquis is right in the midst of action, however if cost is an issue, try the Marriott Glenpointe in Teaneck (right over the GW bridge, maybe 20 minute drive into city, and much more reasonable). There are so many wonderful places to dine, use the Zagat book and you will not be disappointed. As far as timing, the city is very crowded before and after the holiday, so it would depend upon your flights, hotel availability, etc. Flying directly into JFK or LaGuardia would grant you easy access to the city, but Newark is not too inconvenient either. It’s a great trip - book flights and hotel early, as they will book up and prices will rise daily.</p>

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<p>When before Christmas would you consider coming? I work in midtown, worked for years in Rockefeller Center, so if it were up to me, I’d come before – the week between Christmas and New Year’s is insane.</p>

<p>We rarely have snow in December, and when we do, New York’s Strongest take care of it immediately! I wouldn’t let that worry you at all. I’d definitely fly into Newark, I find it much more convenient to midtown. I second the Marriott Marquis wholeheartedly, but I wouldn’t stay outside of Manhattan if at all possible. Commuting at that time of year is hellacious, and then you would have less freedom if using public transportation, and renting a car for a few days is expensive and inconvenient.</p>

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<p>I think that the week between Christmas and New Year’s is always a great time to be in the City. The shopping madness has died down a bit by then (though the sales are often excellent), many residents are out of town and yet the City is still decorated and full of holiday spirit. </p>

<p>I would not recommend staying outside of the City in Teaneck or elsewhere if you really want to visit the City. You want to be able to stop back at your hotel conveniently, so that you can get off of your feet for a while, nap or simply change your clothes before dinner. I would look at a website like hotels.com or priceline.com to find some good rates on hotels in good locations around town. If you are flexible, you can usually find some good rates around town one place or another. </p>

<p>You can fly into any of LaGuardia, JFK or Newark and find easy ways to get into Manhattan, either by taxi (from any of the airports), rail (from JFK or Newark) or bus/shuttle (from any of the airports). </p>

<p>There is always the possibility that snow will fall in December, but even if it does, one of the nicest things about the subway is that it always seems to just keep moving along despite the weather. There is actually something very special in NYC after a fresh snowfall, when everything seems to slow down for just a little while. I would highly recommend a trip up to Central Park if you should be so luck as to encounter snow during your visit. Even if you find no snow in NYC, chances are that it will be cold outside (and often, warm inside when you stop by museums, restaurants, etc.) so I would recommend dressing in layers, the outermost of which should be a nice warm coat, hat, scarf and mittens. </p>

<p>I would absolutely recommend getting advance tickets for the Christmas Show at Radio City Music Hall (Rockettes), the Nutcracker and any other seasonal or very popular things to do. You might miss them otherwise.</p>

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<p>I seriously doubt that you will find cheap airfares for the time between Christmas and New Years…unless you fly ON the holidays.</p>

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<p>sunny, I wrote that post a few years ago and, although I know that I’ve posted in other NYC advice threads, that seems to be the only one that comes up on a search. There have been many NYC discussions over the years, so maybe you’d have more luck with a search. I stand by the information I gave then, other then to add, the Crowne Plaza is a fabulous place to stay. We’ve stayed there several times in the past year and a bit. </p>

<p>I would recommend flying into LaGuardia if you’re planning on staying in midtown. It’s more convenient than either JFK or Newark. I would go before Christmas. The week between Christmas and New Year’s is probably the busiest tourist week of the year in the city and the already high Thanksgiving/Christmas prices will be even higher that week. Many places will also already be booked up for that week.</p>

<p>The only time we’ve ever seen a real disruption due to snow was probably five or six years ago when a huge storm hit the city, but that was in February, not December. Have fun and be sure to get any show/theatre tickets soon!</p>

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<p>Do not, I repeat do not, plan your visit for the week between Christmas and New Years. We made that mistake once. I’ve never seen such crowds. We had to wait on line, outside on the sidewalk, to walk by the decorated store windows on 5th Avenue. It was very difficult to stop or switch directions on the sidewalk because of the surging tide of people. Restaurants and stores were packed. </p>

<p>I grew up outside of NYC and we travel there often. I am very familiar with the city and am usually not intimidated by it. However, this particular visit taxed my patience and stress level. New York is a wonderful place to visit during the holidays, just not during that week.</p>

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<p>I’ll be reading this thread with great interest because I’d love to make a trip to NYC around Christmas. Dh was there on business recently and stayed at the St. Regis. I was pea green with envy. He kept sending me photos of his room (gorgeous!) and all of the amenities, as well as texting me about feeling very pampered by the service. It’s so close to many places I’d like to visit, too. Sadly, I think it’s probably out of our budget.</p>

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<p>The Doubletree Suites Times Square is right across from the Marquis - check prices or points if you are a Hilton Honors member - you may get two doubles and a sofa bed -</p>

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I agree wholeheartedly.</p>

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<p>Just curious, do you want it to snow? Snow in December is usually not too bad, but a blizzard is very possible, just unlikely. Usually a major storm is not in the cards in December, but they definitely do happen so plan on it. Things normally are not disrupted in NYC because of snow. You would need a major storm, and even then things are taken care of within the day. Salt and plows are ready to go.</p>

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<p>A hip place for young 'uns and the young at heart is [Pod</a> Hotel: New York discount hotel rooms - Gallery](<a href=“http://www.thepodhotel.com/gallery.html]Pod”>http://www.thepodhotel.com/gallery.html) It is very well located - walking distance of theatre district, and of the U.N., yet enough out of the way so there’s a grocery store nearby and chic eateries.</p>

<p>My younger d. is staying there over Labor Day weekend.</p>

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<p>The best restaurant I’ve been to in recent years is the Spice Market in NYC. Saturday lunch is an easier time to get reservations. </p>

<p>I agree with everyone: do NOT stay outside of the city and drive in. Public transportation and cabs in NYC are great, and the city is made for walking.</p>

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<p>My D and I went to NYC last year for the holidays. Flew in Christmas Day and got great rates on Jet Blue. We stayed at the Room Mate Grace Hotel on 45th, which was wonderful, and walked everywhere. I would try and avoid the big name hotels like the Marriott and Sheraton as those were crazy packed. We hit some great sales, but we tended to hit the smaller boutiques and shops at Bryant Park, so the crowds weren’t horrible like they were at Macy’s. My D was thrilled to find her prom dress at Alice + Olivia for 70% off!! It was harder to get lottery tickets for Broadway shows but we found discount tickets for pretty much every show except Billy Elliot. We would go again during that same time frame if we could get the kind of travel deals we got last year.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the input. The airfare prices if you book now are crazy low for a direct SOFLO (south Florida) to NYC flight. I need 3-4 hours for research online before I commit, and the current fare sales continue for a few more days, with Delta just coming on board. So I hope to book over the weekend for flights and a room. I will look hard and use points and try for a decent to nice room central to what we want to do. We are comfortable walking and riding the subway. </p>

<p>And about the snow, I was asking because I would rather NOT have to deal with it, unless the city handles it well and it is not disruptive. And I was thinking about the winter clothes that we do NOT have…</p>

<p>I am getting excited about a trip.</p>

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<p>Echoing what has been said, I would visit NYC before Christmas and certainly not the week btwn Christmas and New Years. It’s unlikely to get snow in Dec so I don’t think that ought to be a concern. I would try to fly into LGA if at all possible – traveling during that time period is hectic because there are so many tourists in town; it’s easiest to fly into the closest airports. I would book flights soon – it’s unlikely they will remain inexpensive as you get into the fall or winter because lots of people try to come into the city for a few days around the holidays. As for hotels, I’d check for deals, but I would personally avoid staying right in Times Square. It get incredibly hectic in that area, and while you will want to visit, it may be better if you can get away from it at the end of the day and return to a hotel anywhere other than those few blocks of midtown west; it is literally hard to walk on the sidewalks in/near Times Square and Rock Center during that time of year. Also, some of the boutique hotels are very nice – newer, larger rooms etc. – and you can get good deals.</p>

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<p>We don’t fly much, but have taken care to not let miles expire with Delta, and what do you know, the three of us each have enough miles to pay for the flights. Even if we did not, we can fly for $209 round trip at times that are perfect, nonstop to LGA. I am looking at arriving 12/16 evening and departing 12/21 midday. Kids are out of school, the long weekend works for my schedule. With point you can book and hold a reservation so I am holding until Sat evening while I research hotels.</p>

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<p>If it snows in December it’s likely to be light, and frankly delightful. A couple of places I’ve stayed & found quite satisfactory are the Hotel Lucerne at 79th & Amsterdam, 1 block off Broadway and 2 blocks from the Museum of Natural History, a delightful little boutique hotel; and a bit simpler and cheaper, the Hotel Newton at 96th & Broadway. Both are very convenient to the #1 subway which will whisk you to Columbus Circle/Central Park West, Times Square, the Village, and downtown Manhattan in no time at all. Lots of nearby restaurants & shops (e.g., Zabars and H&H Bagels), a short walk to Central Park, the Museum of Natural History, and Lincoln Center. What’s not to like? The Lucerne can be pricey but they often have good fall & winter specials. And staying on the Upper West Side gives you more of an authentic NYC experience than Times Square which is all glitz & kitsch & overrun with tourists—but well worth visiting for the spectacle & for good theater if you can pick your way through the dross. New York in December is a delight. Enjoy!</p>

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<p>I agree with the previous posters–before Christmas sounds great. Everything will be set up for Christmas; you will get to see the tree and the angles at Rockefeller Center and so on. Weather is highly variable–it could be in the 40s and great walking weather, or it could be damp and in the 30s or it could be gloves-and-hat cold. But be prepared to do a lot of walking–that is one of the things that makes New York so appealing–seeing it on foot (also faster than buses and pleasanter than subways for distances up to 20 blocks or so)–after that, the subway is the best choice.</p>

<p>Another lovely tree is the one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art–and remember you do not have to pay the “suggested” $20 to get in–just pay what is comfortable and have a nice hour or two of seeing something there that you especially are intereted in, plus the tree (I think it is in the medieval gallery). For example, the Greek and Roman gallery at the south end of the museum is spectacular both architecturally and in terms of the collection and the American Wing was just opened and has some beautiful and well-annotated period rooms.</p>

<p>Regarding hotels, like some other posters my own preference would be not to stay around Times Square but I can see how that location might be convenient. If you are going to see the Rockettes and the tree and want to be in the general Midtown area, I wonder about staying at the Hilton on Sixth Avenue in the lower 50s (can’t remember just which street)–that way you get a convenient location without quite so much overwhelming noise/traffic/general bustle (not exactly quite but an easy walk also to Central Park and even Lincoln Center as well as Rock Ctr).</p>

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<p>There’s always a line for those windows, even before Christmas. I definitely would stay in the city. I don’t spend enough time in the city to say whether you should visit during the break week, but to me part of the fun of NY is that it is full of crowds. Pushing through the masses on Fifth Avenue on those big shopping days is part of the experience! There’s usually a nice holiday boutique at Grand Central at Christmas time.</p>