With the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade quickly approaching on November 28, it’s time to start thinking about how you want to watch the floats, performances, and festivities with your family! Of course, watching the parade on your TV at home is always an option, but there’s also something special about seeing the parade live. What appears grand on TV is only bigger and better in person with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. And your kids will surely get a kick out of seeing their favorite characters as gigantic balloons, right before their eyes. But the question is, how do you see the parade and, at the same time, avoid the crowds? Your answer: NYC hotels! Whether you live in NYC or are coming into the city for the parade, consider booking a NYC hotel to observe the parade from a window in your hotel room. Not only will you dodge the masses of people on the street, but you’ll stay warm, safe, and stress-free. Oh, and you can also watch in your comfiest pajamas!
While Thanksgiving may feel as if it’s a while away, hotels with a view of the parade get booked quick, way in advance. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best NYC hotels with a view of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Looking for parades to celebrate the upcoming spooky holiday? Check out our guide to Free Halloween Parades for Kids Around New York City!
New York Hilton Midtown
1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019
212-261-5955
Located directly on the parade route at the corner of 54th Street and 6th Avenue, New York Hilton Midtown provides the perfect spot to tune into the festivities. Choose from partial, passing, unobstructed/full, and the ultimate corner parade views. The hotel offers rooms on higher and lower level floors as well for a wide variety of options. The New York Hilton Midtown rooms are very popular, so we suggest booking one as soon as possible! The minimum stay ranges from three to five nights, and rooms start at $599 per night.
Courtyard New York Manhattan/Herald Square
8 Herald Square, 71 West 35th St. New York, NY 10001
1-212-239-4569
Courtyard New York Manhattan/Herald Square offers partial parade view, parade view, and premium parade view guest rooms for your family to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! The parade makes its final turn and stops in front of Macy’s Herald Square, but there’s no public viewing at this spot on the street. But no worries; you can still watch this section of the parade from the comfort of your room in Courtyard New York Manhattan/Herald Square. The minimum stay is two nights, and rooms start at $679 per night.
The Quin Central Park by Hilton Club
101 West 57th St. at Sixth Avenue, New York, NY 10019
1-866-782-9442
Located directly on the parade route, The Quin provides a comfy and cozy spot to see the balloons and floats pass by. Choose from a prime or partial parade view, and grab breakfast at The Wayfarer, a two-story restaurant serving a classic American menu. The minimum stay is four nights, and rooms start at $522 per night. Thanksgiving reservations are non-refundable and full payment is required at the time of booking.
1 Hotel Central Park
1414 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019
833-625-4111
Not only do you get a great view of the parade, but at 1 Hotel Central Park, you also get to enjoy delicious food! There’s the Thanksgiving Parade Brunch Buffet for during the parade, Thanksgiving Day Brunch Buffet for after the parade, In-Room Thanksgiving for a Thanksgiving basket delivered right to your room, and a Thanksgiving Dinner in the evening. The Thanksgiving basket includes a delectable spread of house-made granola, local yogurt, seasonal fresh fruit, house-made pastries, fresh-squeezed orange juice, coffee, and more! When you book a room, you also get $100 of In-Room dining credit with a late checkout. The minimum stay is two nights. Call to check room prices, as they significantly vary depending on your package.
Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Times Square
1033 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY10018
212-380-5005
Another hotel that makes food a central part of your Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade experience is Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Times Square! The Parade Viewing Brunch takes place on the third floor, providing an overhead view of the balloons and floats. The Parade Viewing Brunch Package includes overnight accommodations for four in-studio suites, brunch buffet, photo souvenir from the interactive Photo Booth, a magician, face painter, and a surprise swag bag for each guest. Brunch includes an omelet station, hot breakfast stations, and continental stations with bagels, muffins, and pastries. There’s also a Thanksgiving Dinner that evening with a carving station and live jazz music. This package starts at $1,400 per night with a minimum stay of four nights. The other two options are the Prime View Room Package, which starts at either $2,200 or $3,000 depending on the arrival date, with a minimum stay of four nights, and the Partial View Room Package, starting at $1,300 per night with a minimum stay of three nights.
JW Marriott Essex House New York
160 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019
1-212-247-0300
Offering redesigned rooms to peek into the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade while staying warm and cozy, JW Marriott Essex House New York is a great hotel to watch the parade from. Premium Parade-View Rooms & Suites are on floors three to eight, $2,199 per night. Ariel Parade-View Rooms are on floors 10 to 15, $1,699 per night. What we love about this hotel is that they offer larger, connected rooms for big families or groups who want to stay and watch the parade together, such as the two-bedroom suite. There is also a SOUTHGATE Bar & Restaurant Parade-View Event, which features a buffet and breakfast table, but note that you most likely will need to make a hotel reservation.
Ever wonder what it would be like to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade from a ballroom? Well, at Mandarin Oriental New York, you’ll get to find out! The rooms with a view of the parade are sold out, but you can book a room without a parade view and watch the parade as part of the Ballroom Thanksgiving Parade Viewing Experience. The Mandarin Ballroom has a great view of the festivities, and it provides a pretty venue for Instagram photos! The minimum stay is two nights, and rates start at $995 per night.
If you’re still set on viewing the parade from the street, be sure to check out the Parade Route for the best viewing spots. Whether you watch from a hotel, the street, or the TV in your own home, this year’s parade is not one to be missed! Astronaut Snoopy and Smokey Bear will be making their debuts as balloons, as will Home Sweet Home, the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, and the Toy House of Marvelous Milestones. A classic, family-friendly Thanksgiving tradition, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be a wonderful start to your family’s Thanksgiving Day.
