The best things to do on Christmas Eve in NYC

It's time to lace up your skates—the best ice skating rinks in NYC are waiting for you. As one of the most beloved cities to spend the holidays in, NYC has plenty of indoor and outdoor rinks where you can glide and practice your toe jumps.

To help narrow down your options, we’ve ranked the top places to go, from the renowned Rink at Rockefeller Center to the iconic Wollman Rink in Central Park.

The Dyker Heights Christmas Lights display has definitely earned its stripes as one of the best New York attractions. What’s not to love about all that razzle-dazzle to get you in the Christmas spirit?

The Brooklyn neighborhood is home to the most over-the-top Christmas light decorations with life-size Santas, sleighs, snowmen and some houses even bump Christmas carols from loudspeakers. Crowds of all ages flock to the Kings County neighborhood to wander down the multiple blocks and avenues.

Take a nostalgic stroll to the Rockefeller Tree on Christmas Eve. This tree is one of the top New York attractions to visit in person and is lit daily from 5am-midnight. On Christmas Eve, the tree is lit for 24 hours.

Immerse yourself in the spirit of the season—with spirits—throughout the most wonderful time of the year at these holiday bars. With over-the-top decor, holiday music, and festive glassware, these bars take holiday cheer(s) to the next level.

Everything's themed, down to the drinks with options like spiked eggnog, tequila-twisted Coquito Ho Ho Hos, and the Grinch Don't Kill My Vibe.

Since New York City transforms into a magical wonderland with millions of holiday lights right after Thanksgiving, it's helpful to know where to find the best Christmas lights in NYC.

Be dazzled by displays at Hudson Yards, Central Park and Rockefeller Center. Take it all in and get ready to “ooh” and “ahh” at these landmarks that create the most picturesque holiday light displays during the holiday season.

You’ll get a kick out of this holiday stalwart, which still features Santa, wooden soldiers and the dazzling Rockettes. In recent years, new music, more eye-catching costumes and advanced technology have been introduced to bring audience members closer to the performance.

In the signature kick line that finds its way into most of the big dance numbers, the Rockettes’ 36 pairs of legs rise and fall like the batting of an eyelash, their perfect unison a testament to the disciplined human form. This is precision dancing on a massive scale—a Busby Berkeley number come to glorious life—and it takes your breath away.

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.

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.

Finish a little last-minute shopping at Bryant Park's Winter Village by Bank of America. Along with festive shops, there's a 17,000-square-foot ice-skating rink that's free to use (if you bring your own skates). This year more than 180 kiosks will be there to peruse—all at one of the best NYC parks. 

Lightscape, Brooklyn Botanic Garden's gorgeous, after-dark illuminated spectacular promises a glittering winter wonderland where you'll feel like you're strolling through an enchanted forest. More than 1 million lights combine to form illuminated trail of art by local and international artists.

Don't miss the iconic Winter Cathedral, where you'll definitely want to snap a selfie. Plus, expect firefly fields, glowing bluebonnets, flocks of luminous birds and a reimagined Sea of Light.  

As always, a curated playlist of music brings the light art to life, and there will be food concessions along the trail that offering seasonal treats like hot cocoa, hot cider, and mulled wine as well as light bites, cookies and sweets.

This year’s show offers off-peak and peak pricing, ranging from $29-$44 for adults and $15 to $28 for kids.

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.

As if a miniature plant-based New York City wasn't cool enough, 25 tiny trains will snake along the entire space, including some on overhead towering bridges. Don't expect them to look like your standard subway car, either: the tiny modes of transportation include replicas of American steam engines and streetcars from the 1800s, so there's something for fans of every commute era. 

George Balanchine's magical 1954 production, set to Tchaikovsky's timeless score, includes the full New York City Ballet company, two casts of School of American Ballet students, scenery by Rouben Ter-Arutunian, costumes by Karinska and lighting by Mark Stanley, after Ronald Bates's original concept. 

The show is a magical occasion: Along with a one-ton Christmas tree that grows from 12 to 40 feet, there's a snowstorm of blizzard proportions and a Mother Ginger with a nine-foot-wide skirt. In the end, however, Balanchine's choreography is what holds it all together. It's enchanting, and it never grows old.

Turns out, the North Pole knows how to throw quite a party. Join in on the fun at Santa's Secret, a seductive speakeasy and immersive wonderland that's back in NYC for a fifth year. 

Here's what's on tap at this adults-only holiday extravaganza: Delightfully cheeky characters, including mischievous living toys, seductive gingerbread ladies, and the famed jacked lumberjack. The journey culminates at Santa's Secret Speakeasy, where guests will enjoy live music, themed cocktails and a dazzling variety show featuring burlesque, aerialists and jaw-dropping acts.

This year, the event is moving to a massive new location: 10 Columbus Circle in Midtown. Just don't let Santa party too hard—or how will he deliver all the presents with a hangover?!

Tickets start at $65/person.