NYC on Christmas Day
 

Hi All,
I live in the Philadelphia area. I have a visitor from Europe who wishes to spend one day in NYC. Would the Christmas Day be a good day to go to NYC taking into account that most stores/businesses/restaurants will be closed? Or shall we postpone our trip till the weekend?

Thanks much for your advice.

What do you want to do in NYC. As you said, many things will be closed. But if your friend only wants to see things from the outside, there will certainly not be much traffic on Christmas day. And I imagine much in Chinatown will probably be open. Of course, you can always spend time in Central Park any day of the year.

If you want to shop and dine, that's probably not a good day to choose.

As people who do not celebrate Christmas (we are Jewish) one of our favorite Christmas day activities is to walk 5th ave. from about 42nd Street to sixties. The windows are lit up and there are lots of street vendors. St Patrick's Cathedral is beautiful and open to all. The Trump building (located in the mid 50s I think) is open and a great place for hot cocoa or coffee. We usually have dinner in Chinatown which is totally open. THe good news is that parking is easier than on any other day-- though never simple.

Another fun place to eat on Christmas Day is a Kosher deli like the Second Ave. deli. But check that is is open before going.

As far as I know, the only open musuem is the Jewish Museum and the NY Times loves to show pictures of enormous lines of people who want to get in!

definitely save this trip for the weekend - New York on christmas day is not the real New York - very few activities and none of the bustle.

Most of the hotels will be serving Christmas dinner, but none of the stores will be open. Good day to window shop.