Macy's Thanksgiving Parade
 

Our family has started discussing the possibility of making this trip next year. We have never been to the city and just wondering if anyone has any suggestions as far as where to stay and best vantage points along the route. Several hotels have 'parade view' rooms with a rate in the several hundreds of dollars for the evening prior. That is the obviously the best situation if possible but may be unaffordable. Any help would be appreciated.

Book your hotel, airfare, and show tickets now. Very expensive and busy time to visit.

As far as where to stay, the Mayflower is a good hotel on the parade route but parade view rooms will either be outragiously expensive (as you've found out) or non-existent.

Also good in Midtown is the Salisbury and Le Parker Meridian. Neither is on the parade route but both are excellent Midtown locations outside Times Square.

In times square the Doubletree and Renaissance get excellent reviews.

Don't miss the night before the parade blowing up the parade balloons. I think it is around 71st and Central Park South on the Upper West Side.

As far as viewing the parade, my suggestion is to view it on the Upper West Side. That way you can go eat Thanksgiving lunch why others are still watching the parade and get a jump on things.

Make sure everyone goes potty because it is crowded and if you leave your spot, you loose your spot.

Have a backup plan to watch the parade from the hotel room in case of nasty weather.

My good friend who lives there hasn't missed a parade in 30 years. There are many parade days you couldn't paid me enough to get outside.

The baloons are blown up in the park next to the Museum of Natural History which is between 77th and 79th streets and CPW/Columbus.

Parade view rooms will only go up in price - they are very expensive. I would not even try for one - just get a good spot to view - some people view fairly far uptown and as soon as the parade has passed whip back to the hotel to see the end (Santa''s arrival) in front of Macy's on TV.

Go Travel - With your suggestion of viewing the parade on the Upper West Side - what location is that in relation to street names? Which of the hotels you suggested would be convenient to this area and any thoughts on a restaurant for thanksgiving lunch as suggested? Thanks

The parade runs down Central Park West from 77th to 59th Street and then continues on Broadway to 34th Street. The Mayflower is on the parade route.

My neighbors went last year because their child was in a band that performed there. One thing I remember that they really enjoyed was going the night before to look at the floats. I can't tell you where to go, but be sure to ask someone.

Upper West Side would be Columbus Circle (about 60th Street) and Central Park South up through the seventies.

Thanks for the clarification on the locale for blowing up the balloons.

For out of towners the upper west side is anything west of Central Park (Central Park West, Columbus, Amsterdam, Broadway, West end and Riverside) from 59th street up to about 125thst.

The upper east side is anything east of Central Park (Fifth Avenue, Madison, etc to Esat End) from 59th St up to about 106th st.

We're hardly experts on this, but we went a couple of years ago while staying at the Hilton-NY on 6th Ave. We lucked into an amazing--and short--timeframe when rooms were $139. We walked up to 2 blocks to Broadway for the parade, and were quite a ways back from the street; however, as the crowd moved, we were able to work our way up and ended up on the front row within 10-15 minutes. (This was NOT displacing those folks who were in lawn chairs since 4:00am! Temp was about 25 degrees...)

It was great fun, although I was convinced I was parade-jaded enough not to give a hoot about it at all.

I'd suggest making a reservation close to the parade route (my favorite place of all is Hotel Beacon on the UWS), and keep checking every few days to see if any of the hotels kick in with unexpected specials.

The ballons are blown up on W. 77th and West 81st between Columbus Ave. and Central Park West. The museum is in between. The Excelsior Hotel is on W.81st between CPW and Columbus Ave. The hotel is not on the parade route