Make the most out of this turkey day extravaganza.
UNSPLASH Carson MastersonThe Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade causes around 3.5 million people to flock to New York City each year to participate in this quintessential Thanksgiving tradition. Between the crowds, the size of the city and the parade itself, you might be wondering what the best and stress-free way to experience this holiday event is. Below we’ve given you some tips and tricks so you can make the most out of this turkey day extravaganza.
It’s all about the spot…
Before heading to the parade, make sure you do your research on the parade route and pick your viewing spot. There are a few uber popular viewing spots, including Central Park West, Columbus Circle and Sixth Avenue. Whichever place you choose, just know that people start lining up along the parade route around 6:30 am, so plan accordingly. Columbus Circle is great if you want to be inside since The Shops at Columbus Circle open early on Thanksgiving Day. You’ll be elevated enough on the second or third levels to see everything pretty clearly, though the only downside is that you won’t really be able to hear the performers and bands outside. The parade begins near Central Park West, so if you don’t mind getting there extremely early to snag a spot you won’t have to wait long for the parade to pass by. If you want to sleep in a little, head over to 6th Ave around where it crosses with 59th Street since the parade gets there around 9:30. Don’t even bother going anywhere near Macy’s as unless you’re lucky enough to snag the bandstand tickets (which is basically impossible unless you have a family member in the parade). It gets way to hectic and crowded and you won’t be able to enjoy the parade.
It’s worth the splurge…
If you have the money, splurging on a hotel room along the parade route is a great way to experience it. You’re out of the cold (and possibly rainy) weather, you don’t have to worry about waking up early to snag a spot, and the crowds won’t be bothersome. If you have a balcony that’s even better as you’re that much closer to the balloons. Some hotels even have a VIP viewing area on the street if you can’t get a front facing room. Be warned, hotel rooms like this are usually booked out a year in advance and cost upwards of $1000 a night. Two great hotels with parade views are the Mandarin Oriental New York, and the JW Marriott Essex House.
For your comfort…
If you’re on the street and not cozying up in a warm hotel room, make sure you DRESS WARMLY. It’s super important to dress in layers and weather appropriate clothes since you’ll likely be out in the cold for a few hours, and the winds of NYC can pack a punch. Also, be sure to pack snacks if you think you’ll get hungry (we highly recommend bring a thermos with something warm to eat or drink), and go to the bathroom beforehand because there usually aren’t bathrooms accessible once you’re along the parade route.
Stay a while…
After the parade ends, most people flock to the subways and taxis in order to head home. If you want to skip the crowds, staying in the city and enjoying some of its attractions is a great way to do that. You don’t even have to spend the whole rest of the day in the city, something as simple as grabbing a bite to eat at a nearby restaurant will save you time in the long run. A lot of attractions along the parade route end up closing on Thanksgiving so watch out for that.
Inflation station…
If you still want the excitement of seeing the massive balloons, but don’t want the big crowds, head into the city the night before the parade to watch the balloons being inflated. Between 3pm and 10pm, if you head over to the Museum of Natural History (located on 77th and 81st streets) you’ll be able to get more up close and personal with the balloons than if you we’re watching it on the street the next day. It’s also super fascinating to see what it takes to inflate these 450lb objects. If you measured the amount of helium required to fill just one balloon, you’d fill about 2,500 bathtubs!
