Latest update February 14th, 2019 10:40 AM
Visiting New York City for the Holidays? Get Yourself a Nice Handbag and Other Tips to Save You Time and Money
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New York City is a very common destination for holiday travel. Some people love to get away and go somewhere tropical but experiencing New York City during the holiday season is so magical that many people try to spend their vacation time there at least once in their life. One of the main tourist attractions is the tree at Rockefeller Center. It is typically lit up just after Thanksgiving and stands at the top of the famous ice skating rink that spreads out into an oval below it. The whole area is decorated pretty fancy with flowers, lights, and other types of garland or ornaments. The neighborhood surrounding Rockefeller center is where the famous windows of Fifth Avenue are. Every year there is a different theme but they always go all out and create complex and unique window displays for a variety of scenes. This year the windows had a Snow White theme that was pretty impressive.
On top of the scene at Rockefeller Center, there are also all sorts of displays through out the city and the park is often decorated in some of the more commonly populated areas. There are often different activities and events taking place that are specific to this time of year and there are outdoor holiday markets than you could imagine. It seems like every main square or open space is covered with little booths selling some sort of hand made good or work of art. This can be fun for a while but after a few months of this, it can get old for someone who has to navigate through them every day. Overall, I love the city around the holidays, but if you are taking a trip this year, make sure to read these tips.
Do Your Shopping Before You Arrive
If you have been in the market for a nice handbag and though it might be nice to buy one in New York City, I would suggest avoiding the hassle and buying one online. It is worth the shipping cost and then you will already have it the moment you step off the plane, train, or bus. Shopping in the city when it is full of crowds is only frustrating and never fulfilling
Buy a Tour Pass
There are plenty of options, but I suggest buying a tour pass from someone like City Pass. This will allow you to see all the attractions you want without paying extraordinary fees for each one individually. It can add up if you want to see the Statue of Liberty, The Empire State Building, and Go to the American Museum of Natural History. Sometimes, these types of passes also come with an option to pay more and receive special privileges to cut the lines. I would spring for this ticket level if ever available. As I mentioned before, the crowds can be pretty thick around this time of year but it is still such a great experience to have.
