NYC Holiday planning
 

I am trying to plan a Manhattan trip for Christmas through January 10 and wondered if there were any rules of thumb, e.g., Is the Statute of Liberty especially crowded between Christmas and New Years? Do you have any advice as to which sites I should see before New Year's and which ones I should see afterwards?

Once you're past New Year's all the sights will be less crowded - since the number of visitors drops significantly - partly due to the bad weather and partly due to kids being back in school. Before New Year's everything will be much more crowded - mobbed in fact - with locals and their kids. So I would be inclined to leave the most crowded sights for the New year (but do still buy advance tickets). NYC gets a huge number of visitor - and half of a mob is still quite a few.

But - you have to allow for weather as a factor - and be willing to e flexible - doing outdoor things on days that are not so cold or don;t have snow/sleet - and saving indoor activities for the days with worse weather.

Also - hotel rates in Jan will be about half of those from Christmas through New Year's.

Also during Christmas week try to eat in residential areas. The restaurants in the tourist areas are like zoos. Also note that the streets areound Rock Center and Times Square become almost inpassable with pedestrian traffic. They actually change the stops on the Fifth Avenue bus during those weeks to avoid stops at Rock Center.

Thank you!

In order to visit the SOL/Ellis Island and especially if you intend on climbing to the top, you need to reserve in advance on statuecruises.com I frankly don't think you have to wait til after New Year's for that with a reservation. I think midtown with Xmas decorations will be the most crowded over the holidays. I would avoid any bus tours til after New Year's b/c traffic is terrible. Do you have accommodation booked?

mclarie,
Still looking for some nights, but here's what I have locked in:

12/25 - 12/29 Morningside Inn 235 W. 107th Street
12/29 NOT BOOKED YET
12/30 - 1/3 Comfort Inn 129 West 46th Street
1/3 - 1/10 On the Avenue B'way at 77th

We may change some of those, but I thought it was important to lock in someplace to stay.