Any tips would help? Is this parade really 3 hrs. long? Best to try for a spot near Central Park? Thanks... Happy Thanksgiving!

We went last year a got a spot right across from Tavern on the Green. Great location. We did get there around 6:45 a.m. and it wasn't too crowded yet. By 7:30 all the front row sports were taken.

The parade is not 3 hours up on this end, it is about 45 min to 1 hour if I remember correctly. The farther down the parade route you go, the longer the parade is. By the time you get down to Macy's the parade would be about 3 hours.

Last year the temps were in the high 30's, plenty cold for us from South Florida. But, we wore long underwear along with a sweatshirt and winter coat. Not too bad, maybe take a blanket too. Don't drink coffee - no bathrooms!

We also took along a little step stool for my wife to sit on, sure beat sitting on the ground. We got one from Lowe's for around $12. The thought was that if it was going to be a pain we would leave it there. It came in real handy!

Enjoy the parade, everyone should do it once.
Duane

thank you very much Duane.

Although a Central Park viewing spot has the advantage of your being able to watch the floats etc. preparing to join the march, I've found that some of the celebrities don't join the parade until it approaches the TV cameras at Columbus Circle, if that's important to you. But that area has private viewing platforms so you don't get to see much from there.

I'd recommed a little bit below Columbus Circle, around 55th. Buildings on both sides of the street make it a little warmer, and there are some inexpensive restaurants that may give you access to a bathroom, though I wouldn't count on it.

Lots of good tips at http://www.nyctourist.com Go to the Nov 28 link.

Make sure you have warm socks and your shoes are not tight on your feet. Bring something hot to drink.

Nooooo...don't drink anything - no bathrooms!

From a weather channel.

NYC
Thursday 11/28 (Go Hourly)
Partly to mostly sunny; breezy and cold
High 34° F / RF 21° F, RF Shade 12° F. Low 29° F / RF 18° F. Max. UV 1.

So it is going to feel like 21 and in the shade it will feel like 12 degrees. Brrrr.

I have a tip, stay home! I'll be watching the parade in my nice warm living room from a cozy chair in front of the fireplace. I went to the Thanksgiving Day parade once, never again.

It is freezing (especially tomorrow, when you are standing for hours), crowded, you can't see very well, you can't drink because you can't pee. Watching that Parade could actually be used as a form of torture.

This is one of those things that's actually a better idea than it is in reality. Unless you're a glutton for punishment, stay home and watch it on TV.

OK, this REALLY bugs me: Duane saying about the plastic seat he brought "if it was going to be a pain we would leave it there." You know, it's people like Duane who are responsible for the great majority of trash in our streets -- NOT we who live here! People come to the city with all their junk to watch parades and get drunk in Times Square and they just dump it here, not even thinking about the people who have to clean up after their lazy, thoughtless butts and how much it costs us. Duane, do us a freaking favor and take YOUR TRASH WITH YOU when you leave. He's like those people who leave all their messy garbage at their campsite and ruin it for everyone else!

I've never gone to the Thanksgiving Parade, but this year I went to the Halloween Parade. I watched the start of the parade on TV in a pub, and then walked over to the parade on 6th Avenue. It was so much better watching it on TV...we should have stayed in the bar! It was too crowded to get a good view, and it was difficult to move around with so many people. I can't imagine going to one in the cold! But...lots of people do it.

Restroom tip for parade watchers. Walk into any of the hotels on Central Park South and act as if you belong there. ALL of them have very nice, clean restrooms in the lobby. If you are the type that would have a guilty look on your face just trying to walk in and do this, palm the doorman a $5 and say,
"Hello & Happy Thanksgiving! Just want to visit your restroom". If you look presentable and not like a bag person, you will have no problem. The St. Moritz has the best lobby restrooms on the block :- )

The St. Moritz hasn't been there in 2 yrs. It was totally renovated into The Ritz Carlton.

NYer thanks for the laugh! Don't you there have portables? They bring it to every parade here in SF.

Oops sorry. Ritz Carlton is right. Same lobby restrooms though. With the nice cloth towels.

Be forewarned, the Plaza Hotel locks the bathroom off the Central Park South entrance until 5PM everyday because of people just coming in off the street to use the restroom. Not many choices for peeing in the city.

Geeze Grouchy I wasn't going to leave it in the street, I was going to leave it at the hotel. Maybe a little different than leaving garbage at a campsite. Huh?

I really enjoyed NY but that was probably because I didn't run into you.
Duane

jeez, I can think of at least 25 homeless people that I saw in the city last week... that would have loved to have been given your seat..... and what a nice gesture....

Gouchy, I think we ran into you at the parade!

Are there any hotels on the parade route that would offer a room overlooking the parade (which I realize would go for a premium price)?