Hi, all.

I'm planning to go to NYC during thanksgiving, precisely 11/27-12/1, and want to have lots of suggestions that I should do during that time. I dont want to be much touristy, but hopefully enjoy all about NYC.

I'm thinking about watching the "Les Miserable", going Metropolitan Museum of Art, Empire state building, and the ground zero, skating in the Central park/Rockfeller center. Also, I've heard that there would be some kind of parade in thanksgiving, so I'm planning to watch it too. I'm sure that there are bunch of other things that I should do, I cannot think of anything cuz there are too many, I guess. What can make me feel enjoying all about NYC?

Oh, I'm also looking forward to hear any good restaurants for thanksgiving, too.

THank you for reading, and responding

Yes, there is some kind of Parade - it is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and it can get a little crowded on the parade route so if you want to see it "in person" you'll need to line up early in the morning. I'm sure others can suggest some dining options. Add SoHo and the Village to your list - great areas for shopping, eating, checking out the architecture etc. Have fun!

thank you so much! If I omitted SoHo from my list, I would have been regretted it By the way, is SoHo famous only for its looking around stuff? or there is certain places that I should stop by?

1) Please somebody who lives uptown tell Yeonji how to go see the Macy's balloons being blown up I think she would love to do this and I don't know the exact drill.

2) Yeonji, yes, Soho is really a looking-around place, just find it on your subway map and walk around and wander into shops and admire the cast-iron buildings if you like things like that. Also I think the Dia art center is there, you might want to stop in.

3) also check out the East Village--7th, 8th (=St Marks Place), 9th Streets, between 3rd Avenue and Avenue A (subway to Astor Place or 8th Street).

Thanks, Elizabeth.

The first thing that you've mentioned attracts me a lot!! Actually, I havent seen this parade even in TV, so I'm totally curious to see blown balloons. If anyone who knows about it, plz let me know~

Thanks

The balloons start getting inflated at about 6-7pm on 77th & 81st Streets between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue. You won't see too much that early. The best time is around 8pm and the event ends at 10pm. It's most fun seeing them inflated. If you go too late, you'll miss most of the action.

THanks Mike,

I know it sounnds little bit stupid, but when is the exact thanksgiving day,though? 11/28 or 11/29? Then does that parade and inflating balloons gonna held on thanksgiving evening?

thanks

Thanksgiving Day is Thursday, November 28.

But the balloons get inflated the night before (Wednesday night, 11/27). I've gone for the past 3 years and it's FANTASTIC!

Yeonji, just a couple of tips: the weather at Thanksgiving is very unpredictable. It could be in the 50's or 60's, or it could be below freezing and/or snowy. Pack clothing that you can layer and you'll be fine. Also, the Friday after Thanksgiving is the #1 shopping day in America, so if you plan on shopping anywhere that day, be prepared for hordes or people everywhere. I also suggest that you find a nice place somewhere in town that you can have a real American turkey dinner for Thanksgiving, now that is a very unique thing to do. Maybe your hotel has a restauarant that will serve a full turkey dinner? Have a fun time.

I am not sure.. maybe someone else knows, but I thought I heard that Les Mis. is closing... even if its true it might not be for a little while, and Yeonji might still be ok as of Thanksgiving! It is a great show, btw.

enjoy!

The inflation of the balloons on the night before the parade most definitely does not end at 10pm . it really gets hopping around 10-midnight (lots of people with really little kids, even that late!), but it actually takes all night to inflate them. If you go early, you'll see a bunch of flat pieces of plastic under some nets--you won't be able to see what each of the balloon characters are! By later in the evening, all the assorted Smurfs (OK, maybe more like Spongebob Squarepants) will start to spring to life and you can see how really huge they are!

Thank you so much for lots of info!!!

Actually, I already bought a ticket for Les Miserables on 11/27, so I was almost freaked out what if I'm going to miss that inflation. I know it would be little bit late to go there after a show, but hopefully, I can make it although it's going to be almost midnight Also, Hopefully, it would be fine.

Also, on thanksgiving day, where and when am I suppose to prepare for that parade? Is it that hard to get a spot for that? and how lond will it be last?

By the way, I'm thinking of going to Fraunces Tavern in lower Manhattan as Thanksgiving dinner according to the idea in this forum, and what do you think about it? As far as I've searched, it's kind of colonial atomosphere, and reasonlble price. If anyone knows anything about here and any other places, can you recommend? Actaully, I'm planning to stay in hostel/YMCA, so I don't think they will have some thanksgiving dinner, though.

Thank you so much for helping me out to cure total ignorance of NYC. I really appreciate yours!!

I give another hearty vote for watching the balloons the night before. I think it might be Starbuck's single most profitable night in Manhattan. It has been an annual tradition of ours for some time. We generally show up between 8 and 9 PM and stay until midnight. It is as much fun to see the balloons as it is to watch all of the kids going crazy.

Yeonji, here's some information on Fraunces Tavern - if you go, I would suggest you reserve now.
http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/7091324/

Here is a website that should answer all your questions about the Macy's parade: the balloons, the best place to see the parade, etc.
http://www.nyctourist.com/macys_menu.htm

Have fun and eat lots of turkey!

Thank yo so much all!!!

by the way, Are almost shops and musuems closed during Thanksgiving and its weekend?

Also, other thanksgiving dinner suggestions will be appreciated~ thanks

On Thanksgiving Day, everything will be closed with the exception of restaurants.

The day after (Friday) everything will be open. It's the biggest shopping day of the year.

It seems that our favorite NYC Thanksgiving activity is alot of other peoples favorite. We just love to watch the parade balloons being blown up the night before the parade. It is so much fun to watch a balloon get unpacked and hearing the kids in the crowd try and guess what balloon it will be. It is such a festive time.