Christmastime in New York City

I just returned from New York City and had so much fun! Each year around the holidays, our family goes on a weekend trip. Usually, we go to DC, but this year, we decided to do NYC! We have all been to NYC many times- my aunt, uncle, and cousin used to live in TriBeCa so we would visit often when they lived there.

However, we had never visited the city during Christmastime! Because we have been to NYC so many times, we really focused on doing all of the holiday things- mostly all of the touristy things you can think of! Just be warned, the crowds at certain times are truly insane. I'm not a fan of crowds, so if you can, time your visits to popular places in the early mornings. If you are there on Friday (since that is still a weekday) try and time your visits to the most popular places (like the Rockefeller tree) in the early morning to avoid the crowds that amass as it gets later in the day.

Scroll down to see where we stayed, where we ate, where we drank, what we did, and what I wore! There is a lot of information and tons of photos, so keep scrolling! I also added a NYC highlights so you can see everything there, too!

Where We Stayed

We started planning this trip about two months in advance. Obviously, the holidays are a very busy time of year for NYC so booking the hotel room is what you should do first and foremost because SO many hotels are full weeks, if not months in advance! In fact, if you can, I'd suggest booking your December weekend trip as far in advance as possible. 

This year, we chose to stay at The Kimberly Hotel on 50th and Lexington in the heart of midtown. This was about as central as you can get. If you are visiting to enjoy all of the holiday things that NYC has to offer, this is the perfect location. You're a few blocks from the Rockefeller tree, Saks, etc. As well as a few blocks from Bloomingdale's, Bergdorf's, etc. And then an easy, inexpensive cab ride to other neighborhoods like the West Village.

The bar on the rooftop, Upstairs at the Kimberly, was so adorable. The roof is made of glass so you have 360-degree views! The drinks were wonderful and the atmosphere was chic and cozy. 

The thing that I think sets The Kimberly Hotel apart from other hotels in NYC is that almost all of the rooms are suites AND most have a spacious balcony with city views. If you've ever stayed in a hotel in NYC, even in the nicest hotels, space is hard to come by and it is highly unlikely you'll have a balcony! The Kimberly Hotel suites were SO big. Seriously, the suite was just a tad smaller than my own apartment and they had a great wet bar area as well as tons of closet space. Even the bathroom was huge with an amazing rain shower. It was nice because all 4 of us could stay together in one suite instead of having to book separate rooms.

The hotel also boasted Frette linens, L'Occitane products, and complimentary water bottles (I LOVE when a hotel does this). The staff was lovely, helpful, and prompt! Because there are only 162 suites (comparatively speaking that's on the smaller end of the spectrum for NYC hotels), this hotel feels more personal. We all agreed that we would definitely stay at The Kimberly again when we are in NYC.

How to Get Around 

We did a lot of walking around. We averaged about 15-20,000 steps per day. Of course, you can take cabs and Ubers (which we did sometimes) or hire a car service, but there is so much to see in terms of holiday decorations that I would recommend walking as much as possible (hence why choosing a hotel in the area you want to be in is very important). Even just wandering up 5th Avenue is fun because there is so much to take in! 

Where We Ate:

Cashmere Sweater (old, similar, similar)/ Burberry Scarf

BG Restaurant // We had lunch at the BG Restaurant. My mom and I love it there but this was my dad and sister's first time. It's on the 7th floor of Bergdorf Goodman (aka heaven). The food is spectacular- even my dad admitted that the filet he had was one of the best he has ever eaten! My mom and I love the Gotham salad- it's so delicious. Definitely make a reservation in advance but you could also walk in if it is not crowded. 

La Pecora Bianca// My friend Eugenia recommended this to us because we love Italian food. Plus, it was only a few blocks from our hotel. The food was phenomenal and the atmosphere was upscale casual. We all loved the meatballs the most but everything we had was wonderful. The service was great, too! 

The Spotted Pig// This was my request because every time I have tried to go in the past, it has been packed and I haven't been able to get in. It opens at 11am so we went right at 11 and got in. They don't take reservations but if you are there before 12, you should be fine! It's the coziest spot in the West Village and while I was dying to try to the burger (the shoestring fries were soooo good), my sister got the grilled cheese and I would recommend that over the burger! 

By Chloe// This was Callie's request. None of us are Vegan but Callie appreciated Vegan food so she got a few of their baked goods. It was not my cup of tea, but Callie loved it! 

The Polo Bar// This was a must on my list because I hadn't had a chance to check it out on my other NYC visits in the past. It's reservation only and you can't sit at the bar unless you have a dinner reservation. It is hard to secure a Friday/Saturday reservation at a prime time. I have the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card and they offer concierge service so I had them make the reservation for me. You can only book 30 days in advance so I also got on exactly 30 days in advance at midnight and even then, the reservations were slim-pickings. The decor was in true Ralph style and everything, even down to the polo mallets in the cocktails was perfection. I would seriously go back just to enjoy the decor again. We had a few cocktails at the bar before dinner and our drinks were all fabulous. The bartenders were so personable and friendly and really made us feel welcome. The dining area is in the 'basement' of the building and it's much bigger than you'd think. We ordered way too much food but it was all phenomenal. We were curious about the food because sometimes you can go to a gorgeous restaurant but the food never matches up to the decor. Well, the food was truly incredible. The menu boasts mostly 'American' staples like pigs in a blanket, burgers, etc. My favorite thing was the Corned Beef sandwich. I have never tasted corned beef so good. WOW. The service was top-notch and very personal. To give you an example of how service-oriented they are, when you have a drink at the bar and your table becomes ready, a server comes to get your drinks and they carry them down to you while you are seated at your table. This is a must-do in NYC and I think I'll go back every time I visit! 

The National// We had reservations for brunch at Tavern on the Green but I realized I made it for the wrong time and we couldn't get another reservation so we made a last minute decision to grab brunch at The National which is in the Benjamin Hotel and just a few doors down from The Kimberly Hotel. It was absolutely delicious. They serve La Colombe coffee and have a bright, chic decor. I loved my avocado toast and everyone else's meals were delicious, too. 

Where We Drank:

King Cole Bar// This is an iconic NYC bar located inside of the St. Regis. They are known for creating the Bloody Mary as well as the King Cole Mural done by Maxfield Parrish. It was crowded as we arrived but had an old-school elegance about it. It was VERY loud but fun for one drink. The drinks were your typical pricey cocktails, but they were strong. I don't think I'd go back, but it was fun for the history. 

The Plaza Hotel // They were having an event in the Palm Court bar which is where we typically like to go, so instead we headed to the Champagne Bar which was fun and elegant. I still personally prefer the Palm Court bar the most! If you have never been to the Plaza hotel, it is a must. The Christmas decor was elegant and beautiful. The Eloise shop in the food hall area is adorable, too!

Bemelman's Bar // The Carlyle Hotel is so gorgeous and their holiday decor was just stunning. The Bemelman's Bar is much smaller than I thought it would be but the walls covered in Bemelman's artwork are stunning and give off the coziest atmosphere. This bar was also insanely loud which was unfortunate because there was a jazz pianist playing and we could hardly hear it!

Serra at Eataly// I heard from so many of you that the food isn't worth it, so we just went right up for a drink. If you do want to eat there, you should make a reservation! When we went (around 2pm on a Saturday), it was pretty packed at the bar, but still lots of standing room. It's worth it just for the gorgeous decor. It is SO festive!

What We Did:

Rockefeller Christmas Tree// This was something we were all so excited to see and it did not disappoint. However, I recommend going as early in the morning as possible because it is SO crowded. We went as soon as we landed so it was a Friday at like 10am. It really wasn't all that crazy so that was nice. However, we *accidentally* ended up there at 4:30pm on Saturday and it was pure insanity. We all hated it. You literally could not walk it was so packed with people. It was just honestly so unpleasant.

Saks Light Show// We didn't know that there was a Saks light show but this was when we accidentally ended up at Rockefeller Center. Part of the reason it was so insane is that Saks turns on their lights at 4:30pm and the lights are set to music. It was really cool to see but never again!!!!

Shopped on Fifth Avenue// Midtown has so much good shopping but walking up 5th towards Central Park is the best. Again, this could be a zoo but we did it on Friday morning so it wasn't that bad. We popped into everything from Uniqlo to Gucci and ended at Bergdorf's for shopping and lunch.

The Palace Hotel Christmas Tree// This is such a stunning tree and also a Gossip Girl moment. There was no one there on Friday morning so we had plenty of photo ops. This is only about two blocks from The Kimberly.

Walked around the West Village// We took a cab down to the West Village. We started at The Spotted Pig for lunch and then ended up walking to Washington Square Park and then up to the Flatiron area. We went to my favorite Club Monaco (it's their flagship and is attached to Strand books).

Union Square Christmas Market// We wandered through the Union Square Christmas Market, but that lasted all of 5 minutes because the crowds were just insane. We finally had a drink on the rooftop of Eataly (Serra).

Grand Central Station// My mom requested we go there. She loves it. So we wandered around Grand Central and it was fun to see it decorated for the holidays. If you have never been, it's worth it because the architecture is just so beautiful! We didn't go to the Campbell Apartment, but I have gone several times in the past and it's so fun (another Gossip Girl moment). Drinks are pricey but the atmosphere is gorgeous!

One World Trade Memorial// We were going to go up to the top of One World Trade and do the museum but didn't realize we had to get tickets in advance. The lines to get in were far too long and we had to catch our flight so we couldn't wait too long. I'll have to do that another time- but that means you should definitely get your tickets ahead of time! But if you have never seen the 9/11 Memorial it's truly incredible and so moving.

Oculus and Brookfield Place// These are huge shopping centers. The Oculus architecture is quite incredible! There are so many stores in both areas that you could spend all afternoon just popping in and out of the stores.

What to Wear:

5:30am photo at the airport! 

Cashmere Sweater (old, similar, similar)/ Burberry Scarf

Leather Leggings// Chanel flats (similar)

Camel Hair Coat  (similar, less pricey)// Plaid Tote// Carry-On Bag

You can see everything I wore in this post, here. During the day we were dressed casually and comfortably but still 'nice'. We didn't wear jeans or sneakers because some of the bars we went to had dress codes. Definitely bring layers as the weather can be unpredictable but will most likely be cold in the month of December. Gloves, hats, etc. are a must and the most important? Comfortable shoes! We did so much walking that I just wore my Chanel flats during the day and they were great for walking around.

During the evening we all got dressed up in cocktail dresses! You don't have to get super dressed up, but in general, NYC tends to skew dressier/trendier in the evenings at restaurants.