Ultimate Holiday Walking Guide

Our Ultimate Holiday walki.ng guide takes you to the best of holiday decor in Manhattan! Of course, the best time to see all the lights is after 4:30 PM in Manhattan. However, there are some things you can see during the day, so you get to see everything. The timing of this tour can be between 2.5–5 hours, depending on if you make stops along the way to drink coffee or actually go shopping at some of the stores. So take it all with the thought of relaxing and enjoying the beautiful lights.

Start at Rockefeller Center and walk a festive loop through Midtown, then down to Bryant Park and over to Fox Square and the 6th Avenue ornaments, finishing back at Rockefeller Center at night. This keeps everything walkable and hits all the great spots.

Start at 2-ish PM: I feel these can be in the daytime, because I want to see the XMAS tree and Saks lights at night, but that’s just me. You might want to go into some of the stores, especially Bergdorf’s, to purchase 🙂

Step 1: Cartier, Coach, Peninsula, LV Trunk, Chanel, Dior
Walk South on 5th Avenue from about between 57 and 49th Street, for the luxury facades and lights. Also, view the 57th Street Snowflake.

Cartier Fifth Avenue Mansion – 653 5th Ave(at 52nd St), wrapped like a gift for the holidays.
The Peninsula Hotel – Gorgeous) – 700 5th Ave (at 55th St), with festive lobby and exterior décor.
Coach House, 5th Avenue flagship – approx. 685 5th Ave (mid‑50s on 5th; holiday events and décor).
Louis Vuitton “trunk” facade – 1 E 57th St (5th Ave & 57th; currently wrapped like a giant LV trunk).
Chanel – 15 E 57th St (off 5th; seasonal windows and decor).
Bergdorf Goodman – 58 and 5th – Great Christmas decorations to purchase and internal decorations
Dior 57th Street flagship – near 57th St and 5th Ave area, New York, NY 10022 (gingerbread‑style holiday façade).

Step 2: Rockefeller, Saks, St. Pat’s, Ralph’s (Between 49th and 50th) (By now it’s 4 or 4:30 ad the lights will start to twinkle!
Rockefeller Center ( tree and rink) – 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111. Make reservations to skate if you want.

Rockefeller Christmas Tree – Gorge – but there are other trees that are just as nice in Manhattan!
Saks Fifth Avenue (lights and windows) – 611 5th Ave, New York, NY 10022 (between 49th–50th). Stand on the Rockefeller side for the light show.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral – 5th Ave between 50th–51st St, New York, NY 10022, directly across from Saks.
Ralph’s Coffee at Rockefeller Center – 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111 (inside Rockefeller Center complex). Great mid-route coffee/cocoa stop.

Walk: Do a slow loop around the plaza to see the angels, tree, rink, and Prometheus statue, then cross to Saks and St. Pat’s. **Note- it IS crazy crowded, so you might not be able to get in to see it all during the height of things.

Step 3: Lotte New York Palace

Lotte New York Palace – 455 Madison Ave, (between 50th–51st). Famous courtyard tree and palace backdrop. You will walk east from Rockefeller Center

Step 4: Bryant Park, Fox Square, 6th Ave Ornaments, Radio City ( Walk WEST from the Hotel– you will cross over 5th Avenue to get to 6th Avenue – Avenue of the Americas)

Bryant Park Winter Village – around 1065 Avenue of the Americas (6th Ave between 40th–42nd St), New York, NY 10018. (This might be best for another day, given time and the energy you have left:
Fox Square – 1211 6th Ave, between 47th–48th St, FOX News plaza with tree and decor.
6th Avenue Giant Red Ornaments – typically near 1251 6th Ave, New York, NY 10020 (between 49th–50th).
Radio City Music Hall – 1260 6th Ave, New York, NY 10020 (between 50th–51st).