MissKelsey

Hi all
We live in CT and are planning to attend the Thanksgiving parade. We are considering spending Wednesday to Friday in the city. Is there a hotel you would reccomend along the parade route? Is there a spot you would reccomend standing along the route if we don't have the hotel view? Any place you would reccomend for a traditional Thanksgiving meal that might have availability at this late date? We are travelling with one adult and 3 children. We don't want to spend more than $600 per night if we spend the night.

Also, can you view the floats being inflated on Wednesday night? Where does that happen.

All help is greatly appreciated.

doug_stallings

You won't find a hotel along the parade route for (where you can watch the parade) any price at this date, so I don't think that's worth considering. If you can find a hotel room at all in Manhattan, you'll pay $600 for a room that might normally go for $250; this is true almost across the board.

If you do your homework and find out what the few available rooms are, we might be able to give you some advice on this or that hotel. But I'm not going to give you a list of possible hotels since most are sold out for that weekend and have been for months.

You can view the balloon inflation on Wednesday. It's on the upper west side, but I don't know precisely where. Macy's posts that information on their own web site.

travelbuff

You might use the search function here to get more info as this topic is discussed in several threads.

IF you can get a hotel now, book it FAST, this is the busiest time of year for the hotel trade, so alot of the hotels are already booked, so go to any of the booking websites and find what is still available in your price range. The upper west side is closest to the parade so anything on the west side would be my suggestion. With kids you might try some of the Affinia Suite hotels. Another suggestion would be The Ace Hotel which the kids will love and the suites there would work. www.acehotel.com

As far as watching, the balloons are blown up on Central Park West near the Natural History Museum, so you can head there watch for a while and then maybe go ice skating at the Museum, or Central Park of head down to Bryant Park so bring your ice skates if you have them. (the Holiday Fair is already open there)

The Parade, my fav spot is close to Columbus Circle, the further downtown you go, the more the crowds.

For dinner check Menupages.com to see which restaurants are open for dinner OR head to Chinatown to Peking Duck House, for a GREAT meal (oh and order the peking duck, heavenly),

Hope this helps!!

DebitNM

And leave CT early Thursday morning if you don't spend the night before in the city.

evening

The balloon blowing up is on 77th and 81st streets between Columbus and Central Park West. It used to be done later in the evening but got earlier due to the interest/demand. Prime time is about 5pm, but they blow them up until about 8.

You couldnt pay me to watch the parade from anywhere but someone's apartment on the route, so I dont know where to suggest you stand.

There is no need to stay in that neighborhood - and prices will probably get lower the further away from the route you get. The Kimpton Hotels have been having deals lately - and they have the new Eventi on 6th Ave - a quick subway ride up to the parade. The Gem hotels are under the radar and sometimes have good deals. I would find something that fits your budget in Manhattan and worry about the transportation later.

suitcaseready.com