Thanksgiving
New York City, NY
November 21-24, 2018
There’s nothing like New York City during the holiday season. After watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for years on television, my ultimate dream finally came true this year. I was going to see the parade live and in person! It wouldn’t be a a New York trip if I didn’t do a little shopping and try out one of the great culinary treasures that this city is known for. Check out my travel guide below to learn more:
LEARN:
- Westgate New York City: This property was newly acquired by the Westgate company and is their first hotel in NYC. This hotel is centrally located which requires no taxi to get to all the major attractions located in midtown Manhattan (i.e. Grand Central Terminal, 5th Avenue and Times Square). This is a timeshare property, so if your interested becoming a member, you can inquire with the hotel staff to find out more. Since, my parents are timeshare owners we received a discount hotel rate of $220 per night. Which is a great deal when it comes to NYC hotel rates during the holiday season.
Munch Tip: Find discounted rates by using the discount code 1501091403 on the Foster Westgate Website. Click Here.
SEE:
- On Location Holiday Lights Tour: Sparkle and shine and everything nice, this tour did not disappoint. The overall premise of the On Location Tour Company is showcasing the actual locations where movies were filmed. This specialized tour stopped at Bloomingdales, Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue to view the legendary and creative window displays. By far my favorite display was Bloomingdales. The theme was candy land with an Andy Warhol twist. The talent that was put into the windows was stunning and I can see why this is an annual tradition for some families.
Munch Tip: Check Travelzoo for deals on the tour. I got a discounted ticket for $25 (regularly priced at $45) by signing up for the Travelzoo newsletter.
- Todd English Food Hall: Located in the lower concourse of the Plaza Hotel, this food hall touches on every foodie’s fantasy. Since it was a cold day, I made a beeline to the Chi Dumpling and Noodle Bar. The dumplings were made from scratch and were tasty and filling. In addition I ordered a bubble thai tea to quench my thirst. To round out the meal I bought some cookies from Billy’s Bakery to take with me on the rest of my NYC journey.
Munch Tip: Find a table before you order your food. This food hall gets very crowded and since it is open seating, tables may not be available at the restaurant you choose to purchase your food.
DO:
- Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: It’s my annual tradition to watch the parade and drink a glass of eggnog. So I was super excited that it became a reality. I did plenty of research prior too, by looking at several blogs in order to pick the perfect viewing location. The best resource out there was the official Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade website. It provided suggestions as to where the best views were to see the balloons and floats. The one takeaway from my experience is to arrive super early prior to the parade. I would suggest arriving three hours prior to secure a good spot.
Munch Tip: Want to avoid the crowds? Go the day before to see the balloons being blown up at Central Park.
- L’Amico Restaurant: Scoring dinner reservations in NYC on Thanksgiving can be a daunting task and finding a reasonable priced menu is twice as hard. I stumbled across L’Amico by doing a google search for a pre fixe Thanksgiving menu. This restaurant was the most economical as well. For $68, I got a three course meal that had options ranging from a traditional Thanksgiving meal to Italian inspired dishes. For an extra $30 you could add wine pairings to your meal. Overall, the location was perfect (close to the Macy’s Parade route) and the staff was knowledgeable and courteous. Inventive and delicious, this is a great restaurant for families and small parties.
Munch Tip: Book your dinner reservations super early. I suggest at least a month out. Also, most restaurants during Thanksgiving require a credit card to hold the reservation to account for no shows.
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