New York — The Vacation Gals

Travel for Multigenerational Family Thanksgiving Fun

November 29, 2009 | Author: SoCalGal

My beautiful grandmother, who is in her mid-90′s, lives in her own home in a suburb of Syracuse, New York. She’s doing great, but various age-related issues keep her close to her home. That explains why, this Thanksgiving, my Southern California family and I traveled across the country to spend the long Thanksgiving weekend with her. It’s not easy to get to her Syracuse suburb. But we packed like pros: Four carry-on size suitcases and two Tom Bihn bags (my purse shoved in one) sufficed.

Thanksgiving air travel, pre-flight

We had a layover in Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. We’d left time for a delayed departure out of Los Angeles, so my kids had the opportunity to sample some “authentic Chicago pizza” (read: generic airport pizza) before we boarded the next plane.

Layover lunch in O'Hare

The airplane to Syracuse was smaller, and noisy, with a weird-acting, possibly high man a couple rows up that had a bunch of other passengers nervous and upset in flight. Fortunately, my children didn’t notice him – thank you, Nintendo DS, for your distracting Sims games!

Air travel for Thanksgiving

We’d gotten up at 5:00 AM but the sun was setting before we landed in Syracuse. Then, we had the drive to grandma’s house.

Sunset view from airplane

Thanksgiving was absolutely perfect this year. My brother and sister-in-law are expecting a baby in June — it’s been a while since our family had a new baby. We played a couple of interactive board games, caught up, and laughed and laughed.

Playing board games with aunts, grandma and an uncle

I love living in Southern California, but I miss my Northeast family a lot. Thanksgiving reminds us not to take our happy, loving families for granted (hopefully, anyway).

Gilrds with Great-Grandma, Thanksgiving Day

My grandmother immigrated here from Hungary ages ago, with her parents and brothers. She never saw her Hungarian relatives again. Thinking about the weeks she spent on that boat, en route to a new country with a different language and culture than the one she knew, made me introspective this Thanksgiving. A cross-country trip on a couple of airplanes isn’t so hard after all. No matter how lousy the in-flight food is!

Happy Thanksgiving to families everywhere

The Vacation Gals hope that you all had terrific Thanksgiving weekends too.

Posted in: Family Travel | 3 comments

What’s Open on Christmas Day in NYC?

June 8, 2009 | Author: SoCalGal

Your Questions Answered: A little while ago, one of our readers wrote to ask about Christmas in New York City. Specifically, she wanted to know what would be open on Christmas Day in NYC: It would be her last day in the city, as she has a nighttime flight home and some time to spend strolling around by herself. Well, my family spent a lot of Christmases in New York City, so I’m happy to help her figure out how to fill the last day of her vacation with NYC activities!

Radio City Christmas Spectacular in NYC (radiocitychristmas.com)

Sure, not EVERYTHING’S open in NYC on Christmas Day, but you’d be surprised at what IS. Since you’re not leaving until nighttime, you have all day to wander the chilly streets and take in the sights. Radio City Christmas Spectacular has shows at 1PM, 4PM and 7PM – plan ahead, buy a ticket, and watch one of the most famous Christmas time shows in the world. Who hasn’t heard of the Rockettes?
If you’ve already seen the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Show, or if you’re just not that interested in it, there are several Broadway theaters that aren’t dark (i.e. closed) on Christmas Day. This changes year to year, of course, so check playbill.com to see what your options are.
Why not see NYC on Christmas Day from up high? The Empire States Building is open until early afternoon (last year it opened from 10AM-2PM) and Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center is open all day.
Also at Rockefeller Center, the ice skating rink is open all day, straight through to midnight on Christmas Day. Other ice skating rinks that are open on Christmas Day include the Wollman Rink in Central Park and the Pond – well, it’s presumably a frozen pond by late December – in Bryant Park. Both remain open through the late evening.
Now, tons of restaurants stay open during Christmas Day in NYC. If you want to splurge, consider making a reservation at the Rainbow Room. Yes, this is in Rockefeller Center, like the Rink and the Top of the Rock – this restaurant is pretty fancy, though, and men need to wear jackets. If you’re wearing what you want to fly home in (meaning comfortable clothes), then The Rainbow Room Grand Holiday Buffet may not be the smart choice for you. Chinatown restaurants are by and large open. A great resource for dining is Open Table. It has updated lists of the restaurants in NYC that are open on Christmas Day.
And, you know, it IS Christmas Day. If you so choose, there are religious services (and special concerts) in churches all over New York City. St. Patrick’s Cathedral Christmas Day Mass is celebrated nearly every hour on the hour until 1PM. and St. John the Divine hosts annual Christmas Day concerts – usually one mid-afternoon and one at night. The Trinity Wall Street has a late morning Holy Eucharist on Christmas Day too, although St. Paul’s Chapel itself is closed on Christmas Day.

He Knows What To Do in NYC on Christmas Day! (TapRootDancer via flickr.com) B. wrote back and said, in part, “…Going to NYC at Christmas time has been a dream for years and I’m going alone as no one else thinks it’s such a wonderful idea!! (I think it’s just because it’s so cold). But I love Xmas lights and all the excitement. I’m all ready to go shopping and see the sights…Thanks again for all your information.” You’re welcome, B. The Vacation Gals hope you have a wonderful Christmas in New York.

Posted in: Destinations, Travel Tips | 2 comments

This July 4, NYC is the Best Place to Go

May 15, 2009 | Author: SoCalGal

Statue of Liberty (wiki commons)

My family loves Independence Day. Every July 4, there’s a cute old-timey parade in our town, replete with dressed up dogs, homemade amateur “floats (decorated cars, mostly) and our honorary mayor waving gaily from a convertible. But the best place to go for this year’s July 4th may not be small town America. The Statue of Liberty is reopening in New York City on July 4, the first time it will be open to the public since September 11. 2001. If there’s a better reason to go to NYC this July 4, I can’t think of it.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said, “On July 4, we are giving America a special gift. For the first time in nearly eight years, we will once again be able to have one of the most awesome experiences in the world.”Â As most of us know, access to the Statue of Liberty was shut down after 9/11/01 due to concerns over security. To address these concerns, limits have been put on this popular tourist activity: 10 people at a time will be able to experience the trek up to the 265-foot high crown. Those 168 steps will again be able to be climbed by New Yorkers and tourists taking a summer vacation in NYC.

We left NYC several years ago, so when we travel there now it’s as tourists. We stay in a variety of hotels. What could make for a fitting hotel stay in New York City for July 4? Well, an upscale Independence Day trip to NYC could include a stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Battery Park: To celebrate the July 4 reopening of the Statue of Liberty, the Ritz-Carton’s hotel package “Liberty for All” includes two ferry tickets to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, some in-room treats and amenities, and the introduction of a martini called “The Libertini.”

Now, I remember taking the subway downtown to the South Street Seaport area and looking out at the Statue of Liberty. This was around six years ago, right before we moved out of the city. She seemed so remote then, and far away. This summer, on July 4, it would be wonderful to vacation NYC, get down to Fulton Street, and know that the Statue of Liberty is open for visitors once again. Just thinking about it is healing.

Posted in: Destinations, Family Travel, Travel News | no comments

Is This The Worst Hotel in New York City?

February 4, 2009 | Author: SoCalGal

: (Photo credit: wildmann59 via Flickr)

New York City is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States, and for good reasons; the winter holidays, fast-paced culture, Broadway, and museums both famous and funky. A lot of Americans can trace their roots in this country to Ellis Island, making family travel take on extra poignancy. There are, of course, no shortage of super-luxurious hotels to stay in, as well as more reasonably priced rooms and suites (the Mudslide family is partial to the Affinia Gardens hotel in the mid-60s). But there are are also a bunch of cheap hotels -and anyone traveling to NYC on a budget would be smart to research these before making reservations. Case in point: The Hotel Carter, on West 43rd Street. Yes, basically a Times Square location. This hotel is, quite possibly, the absolutely worst hotel in New York City.

While planning a spring vacation week in New York, I stumbled across some reviews of Hotel Carter on Trip Advisor. Now, keep in mind that I haven’t stayed in this hotel myself (and certainly don’t plan to any time soon!) so these reviews were written by other visitors’ experiences and not mine. Their reviews are so descriptive and …impassioned, though, that I need to help spread the word.

A Tripadvisor reviewer calling herself “cvbabygurl” wrote, “Horrible hotel! Horrible Horrible Horrible…Stay away if you love yourself.” She also describes the person at the front desk as rude (though a lot of us have had that experience at hotels), the two double beds too close to each other (again, when we stay at a budget hotel, that’s not unexpected), and “something” left in the toilet (okay, that’s disgusting!) when she arrived in her room. Andreas, from Denmark, wrote that bed bugs infested his luggage, and infested his home when he returned from his vacation. And that’s just one of the Hotel Carter experiences with bed bugs; this issue comes up again and again in the reviews, along with photos. Various people wrote reviews that included the fact that, despite many many bedbug bites, they were offered no refund.

: Wanna Roommate in NYC? (Photo credit: Dana Lee)

Some of you may be thinking that a budget hotel is a budget hotel, and that high expectations shouldn’t be had for a way to cut costs during a vacation in New York City. Sure, that’s true – to an extent. But there’s a world of difference between shabby and filthy: Someone wrote that she saw a rat in her room. Someone else described the hotels in the walls, stuffed with steel wool, and dead cockroaches on the floor. Is that really worth the savings? Alysha wrote, “I am very frugal and I read the bad reviews, so I have no one to blame but myself…I will never stay there again. Not even if they offered me a free room.” Please, consider yourself warned.

Never before has the term “fleabag hotel” seemed so fitting. I plan to try to swing by the Hotel Carter when I’m in New York City in the spring. I’ll take a camera, and possibly a hazmat suit. It will be interesting, to say the least, to get a first-hand look at what seems to be the worst hotel in New York City.

Posted in: Budget Travel, Destinations, Travel News | no comments

The Best Museums for Children in New York City

February 2, 2009 | Author: SoCalGal

We go to New York City several times a year, but we try to make these vacations during the warmer months. Once, a cold rain turned to hail in April, and my California daughter said, “This rain hurts my nose!” That’s when it really hit home for me that my kids really aren’t being raised in the same climate zone as were their parents. That surprising weather led us to spend a lot of times in the great museums in NYC (hey, they’re indoors, aren’t they?) and my children enjoyed all of them, albeit in different ways.

The Best Museums for Children in New York City

: Butterfly Exhibit (amnh.org)

American Museum of Natural History, 79th St and Central Park West – It goes without saying that the Hall of Biodiversity is a big hit with kids of all ages. The giant blue whale hanging from the ceiling practically compels younger children to run in maniac circles underneath it, and the walk-through diorama of a rainforest is really interesting for older kids (it looks accurate, but lacks the humidity, buzzing insects, and soft squishy ground of the real deal). Time it right, and the Butterfly Conservatory will be open, too. I credit an early visit to the Butterfly Conservatory with my older daughter’s long-standing interest in entomology. The small Children’s Discovery Room is only appropriate for younger kids.

The Hayden Planetarium, 81st St and Central Park West – Renamed the Rose Center for Earth and Space several years back, this is part of the AMNH, but with a separate entrance. Younger children may get scared at the Big Bang Theater – mine freaked out – but older kids will love it. The narrators of the Hayden Planetarium shows are Tom Hanks and Jodie Foster. The Space Theater’s Field Trip to the Moon is beyond cool for kids (and, admittedly, plenty of adults) who are interested in outer space.

: “Little West Side” at the Childrens’ Museum (cmom.org)

The Children’s Museum of Manhattan, 212 W. 83rd St – This one is best for the younger set. Even my freaked-out-by-the-Big-Bang 6 year old was bored here after a few minutes. But preschoolers have lots of fun running around this museum, playing with balls, on tables with water, and the like. On a cold or rainy day, simply giving kids the physical space to run amok is worth the price of admission. Hotel rooms (and apartments) are too small!

New York Transit Museum, corner of Schermerhorn St and Boerum Place – My children don’t fall in this category, but I know plenty of little boys who are endlessly fascinated with all things transportation-themed. For kids who love trains, subways, and the like, this museum is worth a trip out to Brooklyn. The New York Transit Museum is based in a real station from the 1930′s.

The South Street Seaport Museum, 207 Front St – If your kids enjoy modes of transportation, they’ll probably also like looking at examples of New York’s maritime history. Most tourists visiting NYC plan on getting a good view of the Statue of Liberty, which is easily seen from the South Street Seaport. The city feels different down here – more open, with the smell of sea in the air. There’s still plenty of bustle of course – this is New York City we’re talking about – but the whole area is a living testament to New York’s shipping past. The actual museum is an exhibit on board on board one of the two tall ships permanently docked here – the Peking, to be exact. Kids can examine what it was like during the heyday of NYC’s prominence as a shipping port, and what life was like on the ship. There are two onshore galleries as well.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, 5th Ave and 82nd St, and Museum of Modern Art, 11 W. 53rd St – These are two world-class art museums in NYC, and no museum-loving, art-appreciating adult should miss them. However, taking the kids to these museums can be a chore. Some children may be fascinated by the mummy exhibit at the Met, while others’ attention may momentarily be held by MoMA’s Jasper Johns retrospective. But kids are kids, and we can’t expect them to have the same tolerance for long, studied strolls through what seem to them to be an endless parade of portraits and the like. Leaving these famous museums off the list seemed remiss; please make sure your children know that there are behavioral expectations at these stolid old museums, and if need be, a reward for good behavior at the end.

Sony Wonder Technology Lab, on 56th St between Fifth and Madison – Older kids (I’d estimate ages 8 and up) will be totally thrilled here – there’s a robotics lab, an interactive design lab – this means creating video games – and a very, very cool nanotechnology center, using forced perspective. Exploring the Sony Wonder Technology Lab easily brings out the kid in many grown-ups too… Please, mom and dad, remember to take turns! Other interactive exhibits here include a Virtual Surgery room, a Timeline of the evolution of technology through the ages, a Motion Capture room, and more.

: Metropolitan Museum of Art (metmuseum.org)

Posted in: Destinations, Family Travel, Travel Tips | 1 comment

Tips for Visiting New York City on New Year’s Eve

December 11, 2008 | Author: SoCalGal

There are a few times a year when TV viewers watch live events in New York City: The Thanksgiving Day Parade comes to mind, as does the lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree. But the biggest live, televised event in NYC every year has got to be New Years Eve. Millions of people watch the ball drop in New York City — be it on TV, streaming video on the internet, or (best of all) in person. If you’re one of the lucky people visiting NYC for New Year’s Eve, you’re really going to be at the epicenter of the most famous ball drop in the world! Here are some facts and tips for your experience.

Facts and Tips for Watching the Ball Drop Live on New Year’s Eve in NYC:

The ball drops at One Times Square, the streets of which will be blanketed with national media and a crushing mass of people (both tourists and native to NYC). Rockefeller Center is a classy spot from which to watch the celebrations.
Ringing in the New Year with the Times Square ball drop started in 1907, but it’s gotten much, much bigger in the past hundred years. One Times Square was only completed two years earlier (1905), so the building and event are historically linked.
The New Year’s Eve Ball is 12 feet in diameter – the brand new (circa 2008) ball is double the size of previous NYC New Year’s balls, and covered in 2,668 Waterford crystals. Sparkly!
From now on, this new 2009 Times Square Waterford crystal New Year’s Eve ball will be on display year-round in (you guessed it) Times Square. It will “roost” on top of One Times Square.
If you want to watch the ball drop with the hundreds of thousands of people on the streets of NYC, be prepared to see a lot of cops trying to keep a lid on things. They’ll be herding the crowds into partitioned areas and watching for illicit activity.
No backpacks. The NYPD knows what revelers try to smuggle in those things (for the uninitiated: Alcohol).
As with any free, massively popular event, you don’t get to “save your spot” if you leave. Here’s a tip: If you like where you are, don’t leave. That means, you may want to ration how much you drink. Peeing on the street is gross, and the cops won’t like it. Neither will your fellow revelers.
And you already know that an open bottle of alcohol is a no-no, right?
NYC is not a tropical vacation spot. Even on relatively balmy years (and I said relatively), it’s cold in New York in December and January. Be smart and bundle up – no backpacks to stuff scarves in, so travel with whatever you think you may need to stay comfortable in NYC for New Year’s Eve.
Unless you’re staying at a Times Square hotel, the fastest way to get to One Times Square is the subway. 42nd Street is the major NYC mass transit hub, so you can get there from nearly anywhere else in the city easily. The 1,2,3, and 9 subways makes stops here, the 4,5, and 6 make subway stops here too. Times Square is the terminus for the 7 subway line. The ACE, BDFV, the G, the JMZ and the L, and the NQRW all make regular stops at Times Square. There will be plenty of transit cops around to help with travel for tourists and other out-of-towners.
The Rainbow Room, on the 65th floor of Rockefeller Center, is a highly popular, elegant dining and drinking spot in the area. Tip: Call early to reserve seating. It fills up fast, and its pricey. It’s worth it, though; dress up and be prepared to dance the night away.
The Rainbow Grill is a less formal setting right next to the Rainbow Room. You still need to unpack some fancy clothes, and the view of the ball descending on Times Square is terrific. It’s a sought-after locale – you’ll need to make reservations here, too.
If the crowds in Times Square alarm you (but they shouldn’t; most everyone’s in a festive mood) and the Rainbow Room is already booked, there are also New Year’s Eve cruises. This requires a little advance planning too, as parties right on the Hudson River are very, very popular. They’re always fun – hello, open bar! – and make for memorable ways to ring in the New Year.
Tip to consider: Most of the luxury cruise ships and party boats dock at around 2AM, so you lose some control about when you get back to your hotel or home.

Spending New Year’s Eve in New York City is among the most fun, festive ways to celebrate the New Year! Arm yourself with these facts and tips for watching the ball drop, and a great time is practically guaranteed. Happy New Year!

Posted in: Destinations, Girlfriend Getaways, Travel Tips | 2 comments

Top 10 Things To Do in NYC For The Christmas Holiday

December 2, 2008 | Author: SoCalGal

Christmas in New York. Isn’t it romantic? The city is (hopefully) covered with a blanket of snow, the ice skating rinks are open, and Xmas lights twinkle everywhere to add to the festive mood. I didn’t appreciate the season in NYC until I moved across the country – isn’t that always the way? – but now I look back with fond memories at the wonderful activities and things to see and do in New York City during the Christmas holidays. Here, in no particular order, are the top 10 things to do in the city for the winter holiday season.

Top 10 Things To Do in NYC for the Christmas Holiday

1. For the first time ever, this year UNICEF will have a lighting ceremony for their Snowflake on 5th Avenue. An Evening at the UNICEF Snowflake will run Fridays from November 19 to January 16, at 6 p.m. This will become an annual event. Travelers spending their Christmas holiday in New York City can join in with other tourists and New Yorkers for hot chocolate and cookies (snowflake shaped, of course!) while listening to live music.

2. Every day after Thanksgiving and up until Christmas, Santa Claus is at Macy’s in Herald Square. Anyone who’s seen that old movie, Miracle on 34th Street knows that Santa indeed lives at Macy’s. The lines may be long, but he’s considered the best Santa in NYC.

3. Stroll around 5th Avenue, and admire the famous, elaborately designed window displays. Department stores like Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor, Macy’s, Barneys, and Bloomingdale’s participate in this visual fun.

4. Everyone can afford tickets to see Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. It’s performed by the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center, and tickets range from a mere $10 to a splurge-worthy $215. This show is only around during the Xmas holiday season, and is iconic of Christmas in the city. Cute little children scurry and dance, the toy soldiers march, and a huge one-ton Christmas tree make for a wonderful show.

5. While we’re on the topic of traditional winter holiday shows in New York, the world famous Radio City Rockettes have been performing their Radio City Christmas Spectacular for over 75 years (with different actual Rockettes, needless to say). This year, The Rockettes kick in unison until December 30, and tickets range from $40 to $250. Anyone visiting NYC in the winter should consider trying to budget in seeing Christmas Spectacular.

6. Cirque du Soleil returns to the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, to perform their amazing acrobatic feats in otherworldly settings. The show Wintuk, a winter story about a boy’s search for snow, will be playing through January 4 on the New Year. Tickets range from $40 to $220.

7. The Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle has its annual “Under the Stars” light show, and (fake) snow falling in its entranceway. This show and experience is every weekend evening until January 2; good thing, too, since there isn’t always real snow in NYC for Christmas.

8. The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is the biggest in the city, and the annual tree lighting is nationally broadcast. The lighting is always at the beginning of December – this year it’s December 3 – and it stays lit through the first week of January.

9. Why not treat yourself and your family to a touch of class during your Christmas holiday in NYC? The Four Seasons Hotel New York has a 24-foot tall tree – one of, if not the city’s largest indoor Xmas trees – right in the hotel’s Grand Lobby. Every day until December 28, visitors can enjoy a Holiday High Tea with a great view of the festive, majestic tree done up in Christmas glory. This rather sophisticated experience is $55 for adults and $30 for kids, from 3PM to 5PM. The price is hefty, I know. But dressing up for the High Tea and making a big, formal deal out of the activity is a memorable experience for those “Eloise at the Plaza” fans.

10. Those ticket prices are a bit steep, even for the budget of a Christmas vacation in New York City. The ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center is cheap (skate rentals are less than $20), and very child-friendly. In fact, there are so many kids skating – and falling – at the Rink at Rockefeller Center, that it might irk someone who really wants to get some unobstructed skating in. The Rink is smaller than it looks on TV, and crowded. Wollman in Central Park is a bit less touristy, without loud music, and in a bucolic (for NYC) setting. There are also ice skating rinks at Chelsea Piers and Bryant Park.

There are many terrific things to do in NYC for the Christmas holiday, some classy and pricey, some cheap and even free. No matter which of these Top 10 things you choose to do, a winter vacation in New York City makes for memories to last a lifetime. Don’t forget to stop by Rockefeller Center to admire the Xmas Tree!

Posted in: Budget Travel, Destinations, Family Travel, Girlfriend Getaways, Romantic Getaways, Travel Tips | 2 comments

Idea for Holiday Family Vacation in NYC – The Muppet Whatnot Workshop

November 10, 2008 | Author: SoCalGal

Spending Thanksgiving weekend in New York City is so much fun. First of all, there’s the Thanksgiving Day Parade, definitely the most famous and spectacular of all the T-day parades across the country. Then there’s Black Friday – you know, the day after Thanksgiving, that marks the beginning of holiday shopping season with mondo sales at stores throughout the city. But oftentimes children aren’t so interested in shopping for clothes and kitchen gizmos and what-have-you (shocking, I know). Just in time to appease those holiday shopping -resistant kids, FAO Schwartz is opening their “Muppet Whatnot Workshop.” Yes, FAO Schwartz, that iconic toy store on 5th Avenue. This alone may be worth a family vacation in New York City!

The Muppet Whatnot Workshop is something like Build-a-Bear, albeit with a seriously nostalgic bent for us parents. Come on, I can’t be dating myself too much here; who else watched the Muppet Show when they were kids? Remember Miss Piggy? Professor Honeydew and Beaker? Those muppets were iconic to my childhood, and I know I’m not the only one. The Muppet Whatnot Workshop at FAO Schwartz allows children (well, and me, probably) to design their own muppet, start to finish. Unlike Build-a-Bear, kids choose the eyes and noses as well as body type, hair, and clothes. Pretty fun, and pretty cute too, I must say.

Even if there isn’t a fun NYC holiday family vacation in your travel plans, you can still make and order a Muppet Whatnot online, through FAO Schwartz’s website. Thanksgiving in New York is not in the cards for my family this year; good to know I can still try to convert my kids to the wholehearted Muppet love of their parents’ generation.

Posted in: Destinations, Family Travel, Travel Tips | no comments

6 Tips for Best Viewing Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC

October 22, 2008 | Author: SoCalGal

No matter how you feel about travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, it’s a given that a lot of us are stuck with it. One of the most popular Thanksgiving travel destinations is New York City. This makes sense; it’s finally not disgustingly hot and not yet miserably cold (hello, New Year’s Eve, I’m talking to you) — and, of course, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City is a remarkable event. As with many other iconic aspects of our country, seeing the parade in person is remarkable, and memorable, and just different than half watching it on the TV while tryptophan threatens you with complete organ shut-down. I love the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. If you’re lucky enough to be in or near NYC for Thanksgiving, here are some tips for making the most out of it.

Tips for Best Viewing Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City

First of all, the parade starts at 77th St., and heads south along Central Park West. When the parade reaches Columbus Circle, it follows the circle to Broadway, then continues south. The parade ends at 34th St and 7th Ave, just after passing Macy’s at Herald Square.
Get there early. I mean it, people really start lining up at the crack of dawn. Bring a coat or blanket to stay warm, or wait in shifts. (I’ve tried the “waiting in shifts” approach, and while it works, you might temporarily annoy some other people when your family and friends crowd in.) The actual Thanksgiving Day Parade starts at 9:00 AM.
If this Thanksgiving vacation includes young children, and you don’t get a front view viewing spot, you’ll probably have to carry them on your shoulders to see the parade. Either that, or they’ll have to be content with mostly just seeing the big balloons. Another tip: People are usually in pretty festive moods once the parade starts, and won’t necessarily mind if your little kid scoots in front of them. Then, the trick for you is to keep an eye on them during the parade. I never did this; we preferred the “shoulder ride” approach.
My favorite viewing area is along Central Park West, between 66th and 77th Streets. Yes, it’s completely crowded, but it’ll be crowded everywhere along the route. At least here – at the beginning of the route – the members of the parade (balloon handlers, marchers, etc) are at the height of their excitement and energy level. Since Central Park is right there, once the parade has passed, you and your family can enjoy an Autumn stroll. Another tip: If you’re traveling with young children, there is a fun playground right across the park entrance from Tavern on the Green.
If you move, you lose your spot! New Yorkers aren’t THAT forgiving. So, try not to drink too much coffee or tea – while they warm you up, they also work their way through your system quickly. Last I saw, there are no public toilets along the Thanksgiving Parade route, and restaurant managers get irritated with the constant flow (excuse the pun) or parade-viewers needing to use the facilities.
One final tip for the best viewing of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City is to, at least in my opinion, avoid the terminus of the parade at all costs. As I mentioned earlier, the Thanksgiving Day Parade ends at 34th and 7th. It’s beyond crowded here: This part of NYC has a Penn Station train hub and a PATH (New Jersey transit) hub, as well as one of the city’s most busy subway stops. The latecomers to the parade in from Jersey are here, people trying to get around the city are here, the tired balloon handlers are happy to be done here…it’s just too much. Anchovies have more personal space.

With the proper planning and motivation, you can really get a great spot to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade live. Sure, it’s hard for some of us – and by some of us I mean me – to get up early enough to ensure a spot along Central Park West. But it’s worth it. The chilly air and excitement of the parade also get you good and hungry, believe me. The good news is, there’s probably a big meal, replete with turkey, stuffing and all that great stuff waiting for you. Happy Thanksgiving! It’s my favorite long weekend vacation of the year. We hope you enjoy your American holiday.

UPDATE: The parade route has been changed (first time in years!) from 2008 to 2009. Here is the new parade route for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade:
The parade starts at 77th Street and Central Park West
Heads South down Central Park West until it reaches Columbus Circle at 59th Street
Turns East at Columbus Circle along Central Park South
Turns South at 7th Avenue, continues along 7th Avenue through Times Square until 42nd Street
At 42nd Street the route turns East on 42nd street for 1 block until 6th Ave.
Turns South onto 6th Avenue
Continues south on 6th Avenue to finish in front of Macy’s in Herald Square at 34th Street. (hat tip nytix.com)

Posted in: Budget Travel, Destinations, Family Travel, Travel Tips | no comments

Moving Past 9/11 with the Help of Children

September 11, 2008 | Author: SoCalGal

I remember, as a kid, listening as my parents’ friends sometimes talked about where they were when JFK was assassinated. I didn’t understand then what I know now: Horrible, terrifying events in our country’s history can make people feel alone, and we seek connection and togetherness as a way to relate to and get through tragedy. Maybe every generation has this experience. Certainly, for anyone old enough to read this, the collective and terrible event of our age is 9/11/01. And today, on the 7th anniversary of that day, we’ll ask that question as well. Where were you when the World Trade Center towers fell?

I was in New York City. One of my best friends worked in Building 7, and she’s fine. My father-in-law was down at Wall Street, and he somehow got on the last working subway train out of there. No one that I personally know was killed that day, but every firefighter from the fire station around the corner from our building perished when the towers fell. It was the sirens from their trucks, as they raced downtown that morning, that first alerted me to something being wrong. A lot of our crying that week was for those young men and their families: These same men let my then-2-year old and other neighborhood children play with the station dog and ding the firetruck bell. And it was the young children in our neighborhood on the west side of Manhattan that unknowingly helped many of us young parents get through the week – after all, they needed the collective group of adults to take care of them. We did – all these disparate New Yorkers came together, playing tag with the toddlers and young children, taking care of babies, trying to preserve what innocence was left in the city.

Say what you will about FEMA – obviously the agency was completely unprepared for Katrina – but the FEMA website has a really valuable tool for children. This page connects kids and offers pictures that children drew after national disasters (both natural, like tornadoes, and man-made, like 9/11). It’s called the Disaster Connection Kids to Kids: This is a webpage that allows users to look through drawings and notes that children from school across the country have drawn and written to firefighters, in reaction to events, and to other children who suffered losses. Some of the cards also thank rescue workers. While these pictures and letters were sent to their intended recipients, they are also easy to peruse. Take a look; the longer I clicked from drawing to drawing, the more impressed I became with our country’s children.

Seven years ago, the act of taking care of little children in my neighborhood helped me, and other parents, cope with a devastating, shocking time. Today, it’s interesting to look through the collection of drawing and notes from kids all over the United States. Seven years after 9/11/01, it’s easy to smile, and be touched by the resilience and hopefulness of our nation’s children.

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