New York in October or Christmas time?
 

Hello! Please tell me what's the best time to visit New York! It will be our first time, and although i really like the idea of Christmas in New York, on the other side it will be very cold, we won't be able to walk as much or sit outside, enjoy Central Park etc..etc..
A second issue, is that i'm having trouble finding a hotel for 200-250$ in October but for December i have plenty of choices.
I'm waiting for opinions :-) (and possible available cute, affordable hotels... am i asking too much?)

If you dress appropriately, then you can indeed "walk as much" and enjoy Central Park in December just as well as October. But my vote would go to October anyway -- the park will look better, and the crowds in December are absolutely astonishing.

Your hotel problem isn't surprising, since October is a busy month for conventions and other business events. Have you tried Priceline? The won't guarantee cute, but you can usually get a good place for under $200.

I am surprised that you found hotels to be less in Dec than Oct. We went in early Dec last year - just after tree was put up in Rockefeller Ctr and prices were very high. I understand this is prime shopping time. It was cold and crowded but beautiful with all the lights and decorations and exciting for our kids.

Yes leahinsc, i'm surprised too with the hotels being cheaper at Christmas time. Probably because i'm looking too early for Christmas and they have better prices.
Anonymous, i've heard about priceline but i'm a little conscious using it. I think you can't cancel a reservation, is that correct?

cristine - we reserved Murray Hill Suites in Oct for Dec. I understand cheapest rates are summertime for NYC. I'm not a big fan of priceline unless I have no other options. I like being able to pick my hotel and amenities - but part of that is traveling with teen children.

New York is beautiful in October, not so crowded as December, you can do lots of outdoor things with just a light jacket and it's easier to get tickets for shows etc.

However, December is the most exicting time of year - with shows, events and activities that don;t happen the rest of the year. Generally it's not so cold that you can;t do things outdoors - depending on your tolerance for cold.

(I much prefer cold to heat when outdoors - since you can always add another sweater - but I know people from warmer places - like FL etc - frequently can;t tolerate the cold at all. If you go in Dec wyou wil need a heavy coat, hat, gloves, scarf and some sort of warm, waterproof footwear - since there is a LOT of walking in NYC.)

The week before Christmas is my absolute favourite time in NY but this year we can only go for the week between Christmas and New Years. Will I be disappointed? On the other hand, will I be able to get a good hotel deal after Christmas?

leahinsc how was your stay in Murray Hill Suites? Because i've just checked and they have availability for the dates i want in October!

cristine - we really enjoyed Murray Hill Suites. They were formerly apartments so the rooms are large - at least ours was. We had a 1 BR suite w/ king sized bed and pull out sofa in the other room. Full kitchen. Convenient but not busy/noisy location. About 4 or so blocks from Grand Central Station. There were restaurants, grocery stores and shops nearby - more like a neighborhood.

Labor Day through New Years is absolutely peak time in NYC and premium hotel prices in October are the norm. Huge convention and conference month.

You'll see availability open up for October sometime late August.

My pick would be October.

GoTravel you believe that hotels which supposedly are fully booked now, in 3-4 weeks they'll have availability?That's good news and i sure hope so!!!
Sorry for asking but when exactly is Labor Day?

My vote would be for Christmas. NYC at Christmas time is the best! There is so much engery and excitement. And as you mentioned, you're able to find some pretty good hotel deals booking this early out. Sorry I can't help with hotel suggestions...I used to work for Marriott so always hit my friends up for cheap rooms and will stay wherever they can hook me up. Usually end up at the Eastside Marriott or Midtown Courtyard...both are very convenient. Occassionally will be able to stay at the Marquis in Times Square which is of course a great local. Honestly, no matter where you stay, you'll enjoy the City...it is so much fun!

cristine, the hotels probably aren't booked but showing no availability because of rooms being blocked for particular group conventions and conferences at hotels.

The rooms blocks are usually dropped, meaning any unused rooms are released back into general reservations, 30-60 days before the start of the conference.

Labor Day is a bank holiday that marks the end of the summer season. It falls on the first Monday in Sept.

I have been seeing very high hotel prices for Oct. I think there are pros and cons to both times, most already discussed. There's no point predicting weather.

I stayed at Murray Hill Suites for a few nights last summer with my daughter; paid about $140 per night. It was great to have separate rooms, full kitchen, etc. One TV! Not much in the way of hotel-type services, but the staff were friendly and capable, and the place was clean enough.

Although the weather details can't be predicted, I think we can agree that the average day in October is more comfortable than the average in December.

Sure, the weather is better in October and it's a great time of the year to be in NYC (well, any time of the year is great!), but there is nothing like being in New York during the Christmas season!

Try www.hotels.com. I think it is better than priceline, because you can see lots of hotels and compare prices with amenities and location.

Have a great time October or December, my favorite is December, but October the view of the park from the top of the Met is breathtaking.

Hi. I went to NYC in December 2003 and December 2004. The days we went during December of each of these years made the difference. In 2003 we went two days before Christmas Eve. The crowds were gone; the beauty of NYC at Christmas time was still amazing and stores were having fantastic sales. The down side was that on the day before Christmas Eve and on Christmas Eve day the usual NYC shows etc. were not as abundant. NYC was almost too quiet. Even the department store Santa was getting a little cranky. So this past year we decided to go earlier. We went to NYC on the second week of December. The crowds were so bad we could not view the tree very well; shopping was impossible because of the crowds and my husband was cranky! We even saw a couple of fights on the street. This year we plan to go around December 20 and stay until Xmas Eve. We will be able to see the shows; experience the incredible beauty of Xmas in NYC,hopefully the crowds will have somewhat dispersed and of course there will be great shopping. At any rate NYC at christmas is magical. I think the 3rd time will be a charm for us.

Dear cristine27,

Hello! Although NYC is a cool place to visit any time of year I would absolutely go in December-the city is so beautifully decorated and theres the fun hussle and bussle of holiday shoppers, ice skating in R. Center-so dreamy! Have a fun and safe trip!

Christmas time in NYC is absolutely wonderful! My wife, daughter and I spent several days bet. Christmas and New Years just over a year ago and had a great time.
If your budget allows, have dinner at "Sea Grill" at Rock Center. Dining while viewing the skaters and the "Tree" is way cool!

We also will be in NYC 21-28 Dec. Very exciting to hear good things about that time of year. Coming from a tropical climate, the cold just adds to the thrill!!
And will now look into 'Sea Grill', thanks.

I adore Christmas in NYC- and I live here! Plus, I got engaged at that time of year, so I'm a bit biased :) But it can be truly magical. The decorations, the lights, the ice skating, Rockefeller Center...lovely! One of my favorite things is to see the major department stores all done up- particularly Saks 5th Avenue and Macy's (inside and out! you must not miss the windows).

All of that being said, you have to be prepared for some serious crowds. Put on your "Christmas blinders" and focus on the beauty around you, rather than the people shoving you! And whatever you do, try to avoid the tourist traps, because it will be nutty.

Enjoy! :)

I live in NYC, and October is my favorite time of year here. The weather is wonderful, the Parks are at their best and the big run-up to the holidays hasn't quite started yet. It's still warm enough to sit outside (or take a boat ride around Manhattan, to Ellis Island/Liberty Island or stand outside on the Staten Island Ferry) but it's not unbearably hot or humid. The Museums all have their big fall exhibits up and the theaters are all up and running. The locals are all back from their summer vacations and the kids are in school. The restaurants are having fun with "local" fall harvest foods. It's New York at it's best and most livable.

By December, Midtown is a nightmare of garish decorations, overpriced everything and people stopping in the middle of the sidewalk to look at who-knows-what, totally oblivious to anyone else around them. I used to live near there and refused to go east of 6th Avenue in the 40's or 50's between Thanksgiving and New Year's. The weather in December is unpredictable - in the last few years there have been Decembers with mountains of snow and Decembers with temperatures in the 50s - it's anyones guess. All of the "Christmas Spectaculars" are running, but with the exception of taking a child to see the Nutcracker, none of them are worth the time or excessive cost. It is easier to see the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center on television than it is to deal with the crowds, but the tree at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is worth a visit. It's hard to walk around, not necessarily because of the weather, but because of the crowds on the sidewalk waiting to see the Christmas windows at Saks (or Bergdorf's or Tiffany's or wherever).

Honestly, in December, all the locals want is for the tourists to spend their money and go home - we want our sidewalks back and to be allowed to go on with our days without being asked how to find Times Square every 5 minutes. Come in October, we will make you feel much more welcome and you will have a better time.

Thanks to all for your replies!!!
I can't say that i've decided yet... when i was almost convinced to go at Christmas time, with bgans's message i'm considering October again :-)
Probably i'll wait 2-3 more weeks and if i'll find a decent hotel less than 250€/night (which is really difficult in October right now) i'll come then!!!
But i can't wait!! Whether it's October or December!

cristine, don't let bgans jaded view of New York at Christmas time dominate your thinking. As you can see from the other postings, the overwhelming majority of us don't agree with him/her.

New York during the Holidays is great if you can stay out of Midtown but if you stay out of Midtown, you miss the tree, store windows, etc, basically all the stuff that makes New York the happy holiday place.

I have to agree in the most part w/ bgans. New York is amazing at Christmas, but once was enough for me. I have gone the last 3 years the 2nd week in Dec (on business no less) and it's rough. The first time was magical but I'm sick of it now. The hotel rooms are outrageously expensive, hard to come by, dinner reservations get hard to find, and the crowds are a awful.

Cristine - if it's your first time in New York, you are going to be so star-struck by the city that you won't need Christmas pageantry to dazzle you. Trust me. It will be overwhelmingly vibrant and fast-moving and maybe even a little scary if you aren't used to big cities. If I were you, I would search a little harder for an October bargain (I remember getting emails from SoHo Grand last year about their fall specials) and go then.

The NEXT time you come to NY, plan that one for Christmas if you think you need to add to the excitement.

Hello! One more little tip for you about Christmas. Though NYC is always very busy during the holidays, the crowds increase even more on holiday weekends. So, if you can, try to plan your trip so that your Midtown exploration day falls in the middle of the week. It might help alleviate the chaos ever so slightly.

I'm travelling to NY December 2005. Can anyone tell me if me the horse drawn carriages operate around Central Park at this time of year?

Thanks a lot

Yes, the horses are only put up if the outside temperature exceeds 90 degrees F.

Hi GoTravel, does that mean they don't put the horses away if it's snowing/ really cold? I assume/ hope they rug them if not. It'd be pretty darn cold standing around waiting for customers in the snow & sleet.

The horse-drawn carriages are definitely in use at this time, and quite popular. There can be huge lines, so just be prepared for that. At Christmastime, there is a set route and time for the trips (half an hour). This goes through the park and passes by the Wollman Skating Rink, which is a lot of fun.

Enjoy!

If you do decide on Dec., try to come for Xmas and just after. The weeks leading up to the holiday are murder and I think will be even more so this year with the weak dollar attracting lots of foreign Xmas shoppers.

I just happened to do a search on quikbook for someone and there are lots of nice options for the last week of December (not including New Year's when prices generally go up).