Thanksgiving in NYC is tough, pilgrim. It’s even tougher when you’re ill-prepared. If you’re staying in New York, there are plenty of ways to celebrate not being stuck in traffic or sitting on a runway. Gather some friends for dinner with a variety of dishes and the city’s best desserts, make a reservation at one of the best restaurants in NYC, head to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or dance off all that turkey at one of our recommended best parties. With everyone visiting relatives or in a tryptophan coma, the city is yours to enjoy.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade guide
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a hallowed NYC tradition. Use our guide for what to do nearby and where to watch.
Location
The Parade begins at 77th Street & Central Park West at 9am. The Parade will march south on Central Park West.
At Columbus Circle, the Parade will then turn EAST onto Central Park South instead of heading down Broadway. When the Parade reaches 6th Avenue, it turns south to 34th Street. At 34th Street it heads west to Macy’s Herald Square and ends at 34th Street and Seventh Avenue at around noon.
Admission
Free
There are no tickets available to the general public for seating. However, a select number of seats are available to charitable organizations (you must be a 501C3) to auction off at fundraisers. For more information contact the parade directly at paradequestions@macys.com. Spectators with special needs can call Healing Arts Initiative at 212-284-4100.
Hours
9am – 12pm
Near the end of the Parade, many people converge plus the Official Viewing Area and media platform area make it inaccessible to the public. It is not recommended to try and see the parade from near the media platform…. Unless you like being a sardine
Discover plenty of things to do, whether you’re in the holiday spirit, or if you’re more ho-ho-oh forget it
Holiday markets in NYC
Fed up with mass-produced merchandise and stuffy, crowded stores?
Black Friday sales in NYC
To shop these Black Friday sales in NYC, you’ll need to get up early or get started at midnight
Thanksgiving movies
Save room for our handful of cinematic sides to finish off your feast
Thanksgiving songs
Nothing says muchas gracias like a song. For Turkey Day, we count down the 20 best Thanksgiving songs
All of the bars open at 8am on Thanksgiving Day
Like many a holiday gathering, Thanksgiving dinner is best served after you’ve gotten at least a little bit buzzed
Best restaurants for Thanksgiving
Where to stuff yourself silly in NYC with all the Turkey Day fixin’s