Christmas in New York by a Local

A long-weekend NYC holiday season itinerary by a local

Christmas in New York is an experience second to none. The Holiday Season in New York City offers all travelers, all things emblematic of the Season. As a Local New Yorker, this itinerary is one I like to follow myself and I believe is the quintessential way to experience Christmas in New York.

Walk along Central Park

A weekend in New York during the Holiday Season calls for a lot of time on your feet. There is no better way to experience the sites and sounds of Christmas in New York than by foot. Dress festively and keep your feet comfortable and warm.

A walk along the 5th Avenue side of Central Park is a great way to start your first full day. Start your morning on 72nd and Madison, at the Ralph Lauren Cafe, located within the luxurious Flagship store for the New York-born brand. Request a table inside or grab your cups to go and sit outside to people-watch and experience the city start its day, while sipping your favorite hot drink. If you want something heartier, Sarabeth’s on Central Park South and 59th Street is about as good as it gets.

From either location, walk to Fifth Avenue and walk North on the park side of the avenue towards the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Purchase tickets ahead of time, There is a multitude of art to be viewed in this national treasure of a museum. However, if there is one room that needs special attention paid to during Christmas in New York, it is the Medieval Sculpture Hall. This is where the Baroque Christmas tree and crèche are exhibited. The site brings the viewer a feel of what celebrating the season may have felt like in 18th-Century Italy.

Other notable rooms include the American Wing, where early Tiffany & Co. (a New York Historical Brand) Glass is displayed, and the European Paintings Gallery, where there are masterpieces that are familiar to art lovers and novices alike. Another great way to see the Met is to book a Context Travel Met Museum Tour with Brenda. You can get A Guided Crash Course with Skip-the-Line Tickets to Experience highlights of the collection with an art historian.

After a few hours of culture, it's time for lunch and maybe an afternoon tipple. A New York Hot Dog from one of the trucks run by US veterans right outside the Museum serves some of the best hot dogs in the city. After filling a stomach a bit, a stop worth experiencing is Bemelman’s Bar at the Carlyle Hotel. Enjoy the famous Bemelman’s mural while having an old-fashioned. For those who are privy to the Madeline Book Series, it should look familiar.

Dinner in SoHo

Start your evening by experiencing the Holiday Magic in the neighborhood in which you’re staying. Then head to SoHo (if you’re not staying there already).

In the traditional Christmas Story, there is mention of Three Kings visiting the manger. One of the kings is known to have been named Balthazar. Yes, there are harder reservations to get, and there may be trendier dining establishments on your New York City Restaurant List. But in my book, and many locals still agree, no place captures the energy and splendor of Christmas in New York like the restaurant that bears the same name as the king — Balthazar.

Adorned in pine garland and lights, with a hint of music in the background, Experience traditional French offerings while watching the staff of 100 bustle around. You’ll hear dishes and silver clanging among local accents and from those from all over the world. All enjoying a meal for the Holidays in New York.

Get an early start. This is the day to see the sites that have made Christmas in New York a famed destination for the Holiday Season.

Get to Rockefeller Center. Early, and enjoy the famous tree and its skating rink while the city is just waking up. There’s a beauty in the peacefulness — of which you won’t have much for the rest of the day. Across the street is the original SAKS Fifth Avenue, where the window displays are something out of your childhood dreams. Right next door is a New York Landmark, St. Patrick’s Cathedral. This Neo-Gothic structure is the feast for the eyes (and for the faithful, the soul).

Walk North on 5th Avenue and appreciate the Gilded Age architecture that made New York famous. These mansions that once belonged to some of New York’s most distinguished are now famous institutions such as the Peninsula Hotel (visit inside for drinks and decorations), which was constructed in 1902-1905. The building that houses the famous jewelry brand, Cartier, which was also built in the same years. And of course, there’s St. Thomas Church (which houses the best boys choir in the Nation). Further North is Tiffany & Co, Bergdorf Goodman, and the Plaza Hotel — all bastions of luxury. All of which are decked out in Christmas splendor. If the aforementioned shopping destinations have not filled your fancy, head East to Madison, where you’ll find all the luxury boutiques.

Another option is the enter the park from the South Side on 59th Street and walk toward the Central Park Zoo. Once you pass the Zoo, make your way toward the Wollman RInk, where you may want to lace up some skates and work up an appetite for dinner.

Go West and visit Lincoln Center. Take in sites such as the famous Metropolitan Opera House — and if lucky — score a ticket to see The Nutcracker at the adjacent State Theater.

You’ll have plenty of dinner options in this neighborhood. Some of the best include:

• Cafe Fiorello

• The Smith

For more upscale, head East again and book a table at:

• Daniel’s

• Cafe Boulud

Other neighborhoods for dinner include Gramercy Park Area, where you’ll find the famous Pete’s Tavern or upscale options such as Union Square Cafe.

Looking for pure Holiday fun? Go to the east side of Lower Manhattan and enter one of the oldest and famous establishments in all of New York, McSorley’s Ale House. You’ll be sure to have a few beers here and maybe even pick up an Irish brogue. You’ll almost certainly be made part of a Christmas sing-along during your visit. It may, in fact, end up being the place you will have some of your best Christmas in New York memories.

If you want to catch a Broadway Show, this is the day to do it. Same goes for a sporting event, such as an afternoon New York Rangers Hockey or New York Knicks Basketball game. If visiting the famous Santa Claus in Macy’s Department Store, this is a good day for that as well.

But for more laid-back Holiday Season offerings, try these neighborhoods:

• The West Village, where you can walk small winding cobbled-stone streets. It harkens upon New York Christmas of the past. You’ll find some wonderful small shops that sell anything from cheese to books. Book a table at One if by Land, Two if by Sea for some Christmas Feast Classics such as Beef Wellington.

• Seaport and Financial District, where you’ll find new build-outs such as the Tin Building, which offers some of the most luxurious delicacies and drinks. You can also find old standouts such as the Fraunces Tavern (the oldest bar in New York) where you can enjoy some holiday cheer and food. If it’s a Sunday, you’ll for sure get some live music. There is, of course, Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange, Trinity Church (the oldest in New York) and one World Trade Center.

• The Upper West Side is where you can see the upper part of Central Park, such as Strawberry Fields. Right outside it, you can see the famous building where John Lennon himself once lived, the Dakota. There is the Museum of Natural History a bit further up as well. There always seems to be a crispness in the air in this neighborhood that smells of Christmas. Or maybe it’s the chestnuts.

End your Holiday experience in New York by heading back to Rockefeller Center as the day sets and evening is about to begin. Enjoy the Rockefeller Christmas Tree in all its lit-up glory and the Saks Fifth Avenue Light Show. This will for sure be the exclamation point to your Christmas in New York.