7 Ways Families Can Spend Thanksgiving In New York City

It’s almost time for Thanksgiving, and New York City has a plethora of great family events going on to celebrate the holiday. Grab your scarves and prepare for a turkey overload!

The 90^th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Where else can you start but at this world-famous parade! The festivities begin at 9am on November 24 on Central Park West and 77^th street and end at the Macy’s mega store on 34^th street. Bundle up and get there early if you want to get seats, especially in the early sections of the parade. Of course, all the floats you love will be there, including the iconic Snoopy float!

Ice Skating

As the weather gets colder, rinks all over the city freeze and ice skating season begins! You don’t need to be able to do a triple lutz to have fun at Wollman Rink in Central Park, Rockefeller Center, or the Winter Village at Bryant Park. Most rinks rent out skates, so you don’t need to haul them from home. Bundle up and get ready to for fun!

Take a Walk!

Thanksgiving is the last gasp of fall before winter comes, so take the opportunity to get outside, go hiking, and see the leaves change. There are dozens of beautiful places to walk in the city, from Central Park in Midtown, to Prospect Park in Brooklyn, to Forest Park in Queens. There are paths for all ages and skills levels, and plenty of animal friends that your little ones will love! The cooler weather should keep the trails fairly quiet and perfect for reconnecting with nature one last time before the snow hits.

Historical Walking Tours

The Broadway musical Hamilton has reignited a love for American history in fans young and old, and nowhere is that love of history stronger than in NYC! Check out the Hamilton Tour, where you can see the commons where the young immigrant Alexander Hamilton first declared his support of the Revolution,  see the “Room Where It Happened” at Thomas Jefferson’s home, and finally head to Trinity Church, where lie buried the heroes of the day, including Hamilton himself, his wife Eliza, and his sister-in-law Angelica Schuyler Church. Other tours include a general Revolutionary War tour and a Civil War tour of lower Manhattan.

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Museums in the City

If you aren’t a fan of the chilling weather, head to one of New York’s fantastic museums for some indoor fun and learning. Your kids will love the Dinosaurs Among Us exhibit going on at the American Museum of Natural History, athletes of all ages will enjoy the baseball card exhibit at the Met, and the Children’s Museum of the Arts has a Native American Cultural Festival on November 23rd. Check out your favorite museum’s schedule and walk off all that turkey!

Thanksgiving Theater

Other options for cold-averse families are the myriad of theater and musical shows in the city. Matilda is closing on January 1^st, so see it before Matilda, Miss Honey, and Miss Trunchbull take their final curtain call. School of Rock is another family favorite and kids will go back to school singing all the songs. If your kids can’t stop singing Let It Go from Frozen, then Disney On Ice is a perfect combo of stories we all know and love and brisk winter weather. Whatever show you pick, it will be a Thanksgiving break the whole family won’t soon forget!

Columbus Circle Holiday Market

Once the meal is over and everyone has taken their naps, it’s time to begin holiday shopping! From November 29 through December 24, skip all the stores and find gifts for the whole family at one of the biggest holiday markets in the city. Located at the southwest corner of Central Park, you will find one-of-a-kind jewelry, clothing and art, plus fantastic snacks from local eateries.

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