Christmas in New York: The best things to do for a magical time this holiday season

The fabulous holiday icon of NYC, The Rockefeller Christmas Tree is a must-see for both locals and visitors during the holiday season, whether you’re visiting before ice-skating on The Rink at Rockefeller Center or just passing through.

More than 50,000 multi-colored LED lights wrap around the branches. It’s topped with a three-dimensional Swarovski star that weighs 900 pounds and sparkles in 3 million crystals.

The tree lights up daily through mid-January. On Christmas Eve, the tree is lit for 24 hours and on New Year’s Eve it is lit from 5am to 9pm. 

On the day after Thanksgiving, the neighborhood of Dyker Heights undergoes a transformation, as residents along several blocks in this Brooklyn neighborhood festoon their homes with elaborate holiday decorations.

And we're not talking about a Christmas tree or a simple nativity scene: Among the kitschy pieces you might see are life-size reindeer, huge inflatable Santas and snowmen, Christmas carols blaring from loudspeakers and tens of thousands of lights.

See the lights from November 28 through New Year's Eve.

Bryant Park transforms into a winter wonderland each year with ice skating, hot drinks, a cozy lodge and a spectacular Christmas tree. 

While you're there admiring the decor, also check out holiday shops where you can check off everyone on your gift list. Even if you’re simply passing by this Christmas utopia, take a moment to grab some hot cocoa, sit back and admire the magic.

It runs from October 24, 2025 through March 1, 2026.

With incredible detail and dedication, local bakers whipped up gingerbread designs featuring everything from brownstones and Broadway to skyscrapers and subways as part of Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off 2025 at Museum of the City of New York in East Harlem.

Some more obscure icons find a home here too, including an adorable re-creation of Edgar Allan Poe’s cottage in the Bronx (complete with a black cat on the porch) and the historic Conference House in Staten Island. Go see how many landmarks you can name—and pick your favorite of the bunch for the people's choice competition now through January 19, 2026.

After a hiatus in 2024, the beloved Saks Fifth Avenue New York holiday light show will return with a reimagined spectacle this holiday season. Expect a dazzling state-of-the-art show where "the lights will dance to a curated medley of uplifting music, creating a luminous celebration of light and sound," Saks announced. 

The light show projects thousands of synchronized lights across the building's façade in time with festive music. The light-and-sound experience complements the store's six windows along Fifth Avenue. Each window display will bring enchanting New York City moments to life, from a snowy Central Park boat scene to a resplendent holiday tree.

The show returns on November 24 and plays daily. It repeats every few minutes after sunset until about 11pm. 

In New York Botanical Garden's wildly popular diorama, more than a dozen model railway trains traverse an incredibly detailed New York City scene with 200 tiny buildings, including landmarks such as the Empire State Building and Radio City Music Hall, made of natural materials such as leaves, twigs, bark and berries.

Each year, artist Laura Busse Dolan and her team at Applied Imagination work on the awe-inspiring structures using plant materials to build "botanical architecture." It's been a beloved tradition since 1992. This year's model adds a botanical replica of the new Delacorte Theater in Central Park, surrounded by other park landmarks.

This year's holiday train show will take place from November 15 through January 11, 2026 at the Bronx destination. Also check out Holiday Train Nights, lively after-dark celebrations with seasonal cocktails and mocktails.

Within Grand Central Terminal, find the New York Transit Museum's 21st annual Holiday Train Show, an ode to all kinds of locomotives. You'll feel positively giant while wandering around the 34-foot-long display, festooned with miniature versions of city landmarks such as the Brooklyn Bridge and the Empire State Building. Watch as Lionel model trains depart from a miniature replica of Grand Central. Then they travel over the river (the East River, to be exact) and through the wood to reach their final destination, the North Pole.

The Holiday Train Show will be on view at Grand Central Terminal through February 2026. The free show is open Monday-Friday, 10am-7:30pm; Saturday-Sunday, 10am-6pm; and closed major holidays. Find it in the shuttle passage on 42nd Street and Park Avenue, adjacent to the Station Master’s Office.

For more than 25 years, the Central Park Conservancy has been draping the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center in holiday lights, which are illuminated every night during the season. Don't miss the flotilla of trees on the Harlem Meer, which light up for the season.

While this display might not get as much attention as some of the bigger light displays, it's an unconventional and under-rated attraction worth a visit.

Cirque du Soleil, famous for defying reality (and gravity), is returning to New York City this holiday season. Due to overwhelming success, their special first and only holiday show, "Twas the Night Before..." will return to The Theater at Madison Square Garden December 4-28.

Inspired by the classic poem "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore, Cirque's story follows a jaded young girl who rediscovers the magic of the holidays. Directed by James Hadley, a 25-year veteran of circus productions and live theater, "Twas the Night Before..." combines classic Christmas spirit with jaw-dropping acrobatic stunts. 

No matter which side of it you fall on, the most festive drinking event in Gotham has to be SantaCon NYC. This major, mid-December celebration brings thousands of folks dressed up in red suits, elf hats and antlers to midtown bars for a daylong celebration.  

Hordes dress up for this boozy crawl on Saturday, December 13, from 10am-8pm, across Midtown. We've got the scoop on how to get in on the fun—or how to stay away from it.

From nutcrackers to snowmen and donut shops to department stores, the Guinness World Record–holding gingerbread village, GingerBread Lane is back once more for the holiday season in New York City. With 700 gingerbread structures, the newest installment of GingerBread Lane is now on display in Chelsea for all to admire, and it's free to visit. 

This year's village pays tribute to New York City's roots with gingerbread subways, a yellow taxi cab and a nod to the 34th Street Macy's store. As a celebration of the city's diversity, GingerBread Lane creator Jon Lovitch has included a gingerbread house for everyone—featuring spots like a matzo ball shop, a halal restaurant and gingerbread dreidels. 

You can see GingerBread Lane on display now at the Starrett-Lehigh Building (601 West 26th Street), next to Olly Olly Market.

Train aficionados of all ages are certain to be transfixed by the scenic components of this show, featuring model trains, toy stations and miniatures from the Jerni Collection at The New York Historical. The dispaly illustrates the design evolution from the early 20th century to the era of World War II. 

Lighting and accompanying music make for an immersive experience on the first floor of the Upper West Side museum. This year, families can explore the objects on view with a special scavenger hunt and train-themed storytimes on select dates. 

The exhibit's on view from November 21 until February 22, 2026.

Austin McCormick and his risqué neo-Baroque dance-theater group Company XIV present a lavish erotic reimagining of the classic holiday tale, complete with circus performers, operatic singers and partial nudity. The word nutcracker has customarily conjured innocent wonder; now be ready to add glitter pasties, stripper poles and comically large stuffed penises to the toys in wonderland. Definitely leave the kids at home. 

If you're equal parts sugar fiend and architecture junkie, we may have just found your dream holiday destination. The Gingerbread City is bringing its winter magic and sweetness back to the Seaport for a free display from December 5–28 at 19 Fulton Street.

It's created by over 100 New York-based architects, engineers and designers, so you know these gingerbread creations are going to be immaculate. Expect to see city parks, brownstones and skyscrapers created out of cookies, icing and candy. Plus, there's a chance to learn how to make your own gingerbread creations.

A brand new double-decker carousel is spinning holiday cheer throughout the season in Greeley Square at 33rd Street and Broadway, offering rides through January 6, 2026. The two-story swirl of lights, music and storybook creatures spins from 10am to 10pm daily, offering plenty of opportunities to catch a ride before, during or after your holiday shopping. Tickets cost $7/person.

Speaking of shopping: the carousel will be in the perfect location. It will sit just steps from Macy’s Herald Square, where the holidays are already in full swing.

Columbus Circle has always known how to get festive, but this year it’s leveling up: the mall’s fourth floor is morphing into a full-blown North Pole playground, complete with passport stamps, a Gingerbread Tower race and, yes, an audience with the big guy in red. Passport to Santa lands at The Shops at Columbus Circle from November 15 through December 31 and it’s aiming to be catnip for every kid and grown-up who still gets a little emotional when the tree lights flip on.

This is not your average “sit on Santa’s lap, smile, leave with a candy cane” moment. Guests will spend about two hours hopping through themed “countries” of holiday cheer, collecting stamps in a festive passport along the way. The itinerary includes signing the Naughty or Nice list with Mrs. Claus (be honest), building toys in Santa’s Workshop like a real North Pole intern, training with Rudolph, test-your-strength challenges in Nutcracker Kingdom and a gingerbread competition. Tickets start at $35.

The Queen of Christmas is decking the halls once again. Following a wildly successful debut, Mariah Carey’s Holiday Bar is making its grand return this season, bigger, sparklier and even more “Mariah” than before. New Yorkers will once again get to sip, sing and sparkle at the pop-up, opening November 14 at the bar inside the new hotel UNTITLED at 3 Freeman Alley on the Lower East Side.

After taking over midtown last year, the glitter-filled experience is heading downtown this season. Expect wall-to-wall holiday décor, Mariah-themed cocktails (naturally featuring her Black Irish cream) and enough glitter to make Frosty blush. Secure your tickets via Bucket Listers.

NYC is packed with holiday markets every fall with holiday spirit and unique gifts. While fancy Christmas window displays may entice you, NYC's holiday markets offer a chance to shop local. With everything from clothing to holiday ornaments to artwork, there's something for everybody on your holiday shopping list.

Shopping for the perfect gift doesn't have to be stressful; make it fun at these holiday markets.

This holiday season, head 45 minutes north of Grand Central and be transported to a winter wonderland at Mount Vernon's Christmas in America at American Christmas HQ, a 12,000 square feet store full of holiday décor, family-friendly magic and delight.

With experience as a massive Christmas store, the folks here know how to put on an epic holiday display. This year's walk-through experience promises giant nutcrackers, Santas, reindeer, lush garlands, thousands of twinkling lights, towering trees, sparkling wreaths and walls of ornaments—it's not only fun to look it, it also makes for beautiful photos. In years past, the experience was called Holiday Lane, and it charged an admission fee, but this year's newly named event is totally free to attend. 

Take your own NYC walking tour and stop by to see the lights at Radio City Music Hall, Central Park, the Plaza Hotel and more. Get ready to “ooh” and “ahh” at these landmarks and snap some photos of the most picturesque holiday light displays during the holiday season.

This place takes the holidays to the extreme by stringing up thousands of lights, ornaments and garlands throughout its snug interior. Marvel at all the shiny things, then indulge in some hearty sausages and German brews.