It isn't too late to plan a trip to New York City for the 2017 Thanksgiving weekend. Whether you wanted to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade your entire life or just want to take advantage of Black Friday in the "City That Never Sleeps," New York has something for everyone. Here is just some of the information and tips you'll need to have to plan your visit.
2017 Thanksgiving Day parade
This year (2017) the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade begins at West 77th Street and Central Park West. It will continue down Central Park West until 59th Street, and then turns onto 6th Avenue (also known as the Avenue of the Americas.) It proceeds down 6th Avenue to 34th Street to Macy's (Herald Square).
- Tip: The parade officially begins at 9 AM, however, many parade-goers start lining the parade route in the early morning hours to get the best possible viewing spots. It is recommended you secure your viewing spot by 7 AM or earlier to get the best views.
- Tip: Weather in late November in New York can be unpredictable at best. Bring clothing you can layer, and rain or even snow is always a possibility. Wise travelers should pack umbrellas and other bad weather gear for their trip to New York.
- Tip: The parade runs from 9 AM to 12 Noon. Be prepared to stand for hours! Comfortable, warm shoes are a must-have item to bring with you and wear to the parade.
- Tip: Restrooms for public use are hard to find and most stores will be closed. Additionally, most restaurants reserve their restrooms for their customers. Plan accordingly!
Hotels, sightseeing, and shopping
While hotels continue to fill up quickly, there are still plenty of options for most budgets for the Thanksgiving weekend in New York City.
Websites such as Trivago, Kayak, and Priceline will offer the best selection of prices and availability, and they eliminate the need to price everything individually.
- Hint: Staying in Brooklyn or New Jersey provides much lower hotel prices (up to half the cost) and Travel time into Manhattan is usually less than one hour.
- Hint: Hotels located in sections other than Midtown West (during Thanksgiving weekend) tend to be slightly less expensive
Sightseeing is one of the greatest pleasures of visiting New York.
There are so many things to see and do, you'll find you will not be able to visit them all. Prioritize what you really want to see and enjoy them to their fullest instead of trying to rush from place to place.
- Hint: One of the best values for sightseeing are the tour buses. You can buy multi-day passes and they specifically go to the places visitors want to go during their stay.
- Hint: Most businesses are closed on Thanksgiving Day, however, there are still things to do such as ice skating, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, some Broadway shows (it is recommended you check ahead for which Broadway shows will perform on Thanksgiving evening,) and most restaurants are open (and nearly all will offer a Thanksgiving dinner special.)
Shopping is a way of life in New York.
Nearly all stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, however, Thanksgiving evening is usually the kick off to Black Friday sales. For example, some stores will be opening their doors at 5 PM on Thanksgiving, and both locals and visitors alike will be taking advantage of special deals available during this time period.
- Hint: Stores are often "rushed" during the opening minutes of their Black Friday sales. For safety reasons, it is wise to lag a bit and then head off shopping.
