New York, New York!

It’s almost one year ago since I last went to New York. Visiting New York at Christmas time is magical and definitely a bucket list trip and I’ve been lucky enough to do it twice now. From the extravagant displays in shop windows to the aroma of offerings from the street food vendors you feel like you’ve been picked up and placed right in the middle of a Christmas movie! Both times I’ve visited I chose to stay at the Millennium Broadway Hotel located in Times Square. It’s a great location which is central to anywhere you want to go and makes most attractions within walking distance. Last year we decided to get a limousine transfer to the hotel from the airport as we were travelling for a special occasion and because there was 4 of us it wasn’t much more expensive than getting a taxi so definitely worth it! You get much more space and we also got a bottle of fizz! The first time I visited which was in 2012, we arrived on the day of the Rockefeller light switch on. The streets were jam packed and a one way system was put in place so you couldn’t easily walk where you wanted to go but I must admit seeing Mariah Carey sing ‘All I Want for Christmas’ live there was a dream come true! My second visit which was last year was the first week of December so the tree was already lit and we headed there soon after our arrival to see all 77ft of it in it’s glory. On both my trips I paid a visit to the top of the Empire State building. It’s a great journey up there as you walk through a museum like experience and learn all about the construction and history of the building. I’d definitely recommend pre purchasing tickets as the queues can be extremely long during busy periods, especially near Christmas. It was super cold at the top so be sure to wrap up warm, but the amazing views of the city were worth it. You can see the Statue of Liberty in the distance which is great if you’re not planning on visiting separately. I have heard from family and friends that the view from the top of the Rockefeller centre is better so this is something to consider if you have more time in the city and on my to do list for my next visit. We decided to pay our respects to the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks and visited Ground Zero which was a very moving experience. Sitting on the original site of the Twin Towers are twin reflecting pools with all the victims names inscribed on the surrounding bronze panels and large waterfalls cascading down the sides. The memorial site is open to the public with no admission charge but there is also a Memorial Museum which you do need a ticket for. The queues were huge when we were there so again, I would recommend pre purchasing. We decided not to go into the museum this time but I have heard that it is very good (albeit upsetting). I would highly recommend a visit to lower Manhattan and Greenwich Village which is great to do after visiting Ground Zero as it’s not too far away. You really get a feel for genuine New York life down there with some great boutique shops and cafes. My personal favourite was Grounded Coffee House which was a quirky little café serving a massive selection of flavoured hot drinks and sweet treats. Of course it wouldn’t be a trip to New York (especially at Christmas) without some shopping! My advise when it comes to shopping would be not to buy things you wouldn’t have bought anyway as it can be more expensive than in the UK! But it’s great for picking up some things you can’t get in the UK and there are some great deals to be had. When we went there were sales on so I managed to pick up some great bargains in Macy’s on clothing and beauty items. We had an amazing breakfast at Juniors before we left which was very close to our hotel. The dishes ranged from around $13-$20 but the portions were huge! Hot drinks were $4-$6. The food is more expensive in New York than at home but the portions definitely reflect this in most places! So we found we were having a big breakfast which saw us through until dinner with maybe a small snack during the day. I’d budget around $100 per couple per day for food. There’s far too much to tell you about New York in one blog post! If you are planning a trip soon, please do get in touch. I’d love to help you plan your adventure and book a memorable trip of a lifetime.