Help - Christmas/New Year in New York

[chooms]

Hi, and thanks in advance for any advice.

Mrs Chooms and I are considering three weeks on the east coast of the U.S.A late December.

This would include a visit to Washington DC, Boston rounding out with Christmas and New Years Eve in New York.

Obviously we would want to take in the awesome sights and everything to see in those three cities, but can anyone advise if Washington/Boston basically shut down in the weeks before Christmas or is everything still open?

Does it being winter make things exceptionally difficult? For this, I'm mainly talking travel chaos/airport shut downs etc... We are planning on flying between the cities but could look at rail as an option so long as it isn't too long.

Any advice would be most welcome!

 

[Princess Fiona]

We did this trip Dec 13 and Jan 14.
Very hectic time of year especially in New York. Everything is open in DC/Boston. Flights are very much subject to the weather so you may find it more convenient to take the Acela between cities.
I'm not really a train buff but it was ok and using the Red Cap porters to pre-board and carry luggage was worth the tip.

In New York we really enjoyed the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular and also skating and the Winter Markets at Bryant Park.
New York at Xmas/New Year has always been a bucket list item for me and now that I've done it I wouldn't rush back.
It's just so, so busy and crowded especially Rockefeller Plaza and 5th Avenue that at times it's easy to feel quite unsafe.
If you are doing New Years then get a room at the Marriot Marquis or DoubleTree Suites as they are directly on Times Square.
If not staying there then you can book a package at one of the pubs/restaurants. I heard good things about Bubba Gumps NYE arrangements although we were staying at DT TS so didn't need to go outside.

 

[chooms]

We did this trip Dec 13 and Jan 14.
Very hectic time of year especially in New York. Everything is open in DC/Boston. Flights are very much subject to the weather so you may find it more convenient to take the Acela between cities.
I'm not really a train buff but it was ok and using the Red Cap porters to pre-board and carry luggage was worth the tip.

In New York we really enjoyed the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular and also skating and the Winter Markets at Bryant Park.
New York at Xmas/New Year has always been a bucket list item for me and now that I've done it I wouldn't rush back.
It's just so, so busy and crowded especially Rockefeller Plaza and 5th Avenue that at times it's easy to feel quite unsafe.
If you are doing New Years then get a room at the Marriot Marquis or DoubleTree Suites as they are directly on Times Square.
If not staying there then you can book a package at one of the pubs/restaurants. I heard good things about Bubba Gumps NYE arrangements although we were staying at DT TS so didn't need to go outside.

Many thanks. I hadn't thought of the crowds around NY outside of NYE... maybe we are better putting it off until a less crowded time of year.

 

[earlyriser]

FWIW, arrived on the 2nd of January this year in NYC and it was not very crowded. Hotel rates were also dirt cheap (for NY).

 

[Dr Ralph]

Expect most things to be fully open, especially shopping malls.

But don't under estimate how frequently your travels wills be impacted by the weather. IE, expect airports, roads and rail to be closed.

Be flexible and you'll be fine.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Many thanks. I hadn't thought of the crowds around NY outside of NYE... maybe we are better putting it off until a less crowded time of year.

Ohhh don't let me put you off !!!
It's one of those experiences you just have to do once in a lifetime. NY is magical in winter.
My tip would be to stay a little way out of the madness. We stayed at the Conrad and it was in a perfect spot downtown. Only stayed Midtown in Times Square for New Years.
Happy to answer any other questions you might have about NY/Boston/Washington.
Here's some pics
Bryant Park Christmas Day
Picking up my laundry in Boston

TS after the crowds go home on 1st January

 

[amaroo]

We had a great time in NY, DC and elsewhere back in Dec 2013 .... just go!

You can view the TR here http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ins-automobiles-helicopter-airboat-57072.html

 

[exceladdict]

Also did Dec 13/Jan 14 (polar vortex). So yes, some cancelled flights, but AA and travel insurance sorted it out between them.

Two weeks in ny was expensive - we stayed at a club quarters in midtown on 45th as we booked quite late - but it was a wonderful experience. Snowed on Christmas Eve.

 

[badrastafari]

We did NYE in NYC 2009/2010 as a bucket list thing also. Definitely busy but I guess its part of the allure! We had spend Christmas in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Flew into NY and out to Boston with no weather delays but we were definitely lucky (lots of snow and other delays). We ended up back in 2011/2012 but spent Christmas upstate NY in a log cabin with friends and used the Amtrak more that time to take in Vermont, Hartford and New Haven. Had NYE that time in Whistler.

Loved ice skating in NYC, the snow covered sidewalks and the park! Don't recall much being closed but i guess a big snowstorm could change everything!

-Andrew

 

[chooms]

Many thanks everyone for your advice and suggestions.

We bit the bullet and booked... the J fare through QF to BNE-SYD-LAX-JFK-LAX-BNE was just too good to refuse (put it this way, we paid almost twice the amount for just SYD-LAX-SYD last year in J).

Spreading the itinerary like this:

Arrive JFK, flight straight to Boston (3 nights) - includes a Bruins ice hockey game
Washington DC (5 nights)
Toronto (3 nights) - may include a day visit to Niagara Falls
New York (9 nights) - includes Christmas & New Years Eve and a NY Jets v Patriots game at MetLife stadium (!!)

Managed to get some great Starwood hotel rates for Boston and DC, but I am having issues with hotels in NY. Yes, a lot of them are unbelievably expensive over the Christmas/NYE period.

I can get a really good (read cheap) rate at the W New York, but I have read some really bad reviews about it. Is it really that bad for just sleeping?

Has anyone stayed at the Sheraton Tribecca or W Downtown?

Club room (including breakfast etc) is actually a really good price at the Sheraton Tribecca. We have ruled out staying at Times Square through Starwood, but if there are comparable hotels around the mid-town area that are worth checking out please let me know.