New York City Holiday Lights & Markets Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Stroll through Rockefeller Center's Christmas tree
- Explore Bryant Park's Winter Village
- Admire Fifth Avenue's festive window displays
- Visit Union Square's holiday market
- Experience the magic of NYC's holiday season
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Guided walking tour of NYC's holiday lights
- Visit to festive holiday markets
- Expert local guide sharing holiday traditions
- Food and beverages
Itinerary
Christopher Columbus is being honored here by a monument located in the center of a traffic circle that circles around the monument to go either north, south or east.
This is the first Holiday market that is being visited with many kiosks offering food, drink, arts and crafts and full of Holiday Gift ideas.
This is the first public park in America with over 42 million visitors each year. This 843 acre park took 15 years to complete and was designed by famed architects Olmstead and Vaux. Home to the Wollman Rink, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Tavern on the Green.
Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the borough of Manhattan. It stretches north from Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village to West 143rd Street in Harlem. It is one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world.
Pass by: Bergdorf Goodman Inc. is a luxury department store based on Fifth Avenue. This exclusive store always retains the highest quality and fashion. Christmas time brings their beautiful and avant-garde window displays.
Pass by: St. Patrick's Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in Midtown. It is the seat of the Archbishop of New York as well as a parish church. St Patrick opened its doors in 1879.
(Exterior Visit) Rockefeller Center is a large complex consisting of 19 commercial buildings. The holidays in NYC begin at Rockefeller Center. Whether it’s a visit to the iconic Christmas Tree, a skate on the ice at the Rink, or exploring attractions and fun things to do, there’s a magic here that can’t be denied.
Pass by: Shop the best designer clothing arrivals at Saks Fifth Avenue. During the Christmas season, they offer some of the most breathtaking decorations and window displays.
The European-inspired open-air market curated by Urbanspace features artisans from New York City and around the world. Located along Bryant Park’s allées, plazas, and terraces, the Shops are housed in custom-designed, "jewel box" kiosks. Enjoy local crafts, artisan provisions, and exquisite gifts from around the world.
Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall hosts this enduring holiday market, where booths featuring artisans, jewelers & home goods vendors draw shoppers beneath the iconic Beaux Arts chandeliers.
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- Tour operates rain or shine; dress appropriately for the weather
- Children under 5 years old can join for free if they do not occupy a seat
- Please arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before the scheduled start time
Know before you go
- Dress warmly and wear comfortable walking shoes
- Bring a camera to capture the festive sights
- Be prepared for potential crowds at popular locations
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Service Animals Allowed
- Easy Public Transport
Traveler reviews
Tour not paced very well. Read full review for details.
This tour started off well. We walked across the street and went into our first Christmas market. We were told to meet at the meeting spot in 20 minutes. And that is where the problem started. There were at least 100 booths in this market. When my significant other asked if we would be allowed more than 20 minutes at the next 2 markets and then Liam became combative. He responded to her question by saying "You were back in 20 minutes and no one else had an issue meeting in 20 minutes." To which I responded that everyone showed up in 20 minutes because that was the limit we were given, but more time would be nice. He then told us that no one is making us stay with the group we are welcome to go back to the Central Park Market and leave the group. I tried to explain that we know that everyone, including us, showed up in 20 minutes because that was thelimit we were given, but with the size of the market we felt we could have been given more time, 45 minutes would have been a better amount of time, but 20 minutes was way to short for the size of the market we started at. To explain my issue later on we went to a market with 20 or so booths and were again given 20 minutes. Liam was not professional at all and had this a bad experience. I am sure others would have liked more time at the first market, we for one were only able to shop at one booth. His combative attitude and not answering the question asked made for a terrible experience on this tour.
Christmas Walking Tour - Fast Paced
Let me start out by saying that this was an OK tour and our guide Kevin was extremely knowledgeable but know that if you are going to do this tour you better be physically prepared to literally walk miles during this tour. This is not a tour for individuals that have mobility issues or aren't in physical shape to walk miles. Our guide Kevin was difficult to keep pace with for my wife as he was a fast walker and there were 2 other groups beside ours in this tour that "tapped" out before finishing the tour due to the inability to keep up with the tour at times. The tour lasts 4 hours and highlights Christmas themed attractions and Christmas Markets in mid-Manhattan. You won't spend much time at any one place as most of the 4 hours is spent walking from spot to spot. You can spend as much time as you want at the Bryant Park market as it is the last stop on the tour. As this tour is during the Christmas holiday season, be prepared for huge crowds on the streets as you try to navigate the tour through the area. It was very difficult to keep up with the tour at times due to the mass of humanity along the tour route. I would recommend this tour for physically fit individuals who have no problems walking distances and don't mind huge crowds. Learning about the Christmas traditions in NYC from our guide Kevin were the highlights of the trip.
Christmas lights tour
Joseph was great. He was informative and was constantly making sure the group were together. There were a few unexpected issues along the way due to the sheer volume of people on 5th Ave. However, Joseph guided us through it and made sure we were all safe. It was quite scary for a while. I guess these situations are unavoidable especially during the Christmas crowds. Thank you Joseph.
Great Tour of NYC
Liam was great, we had a member of our group in a wheelchair and he made sure to look out for ramps and help with the crowds. It was a great tour and we really enjoyed it.
Christmas lights and markets
This tour was great as it showed all the best Christmas lights and markets. Liam was knowledgeable and made things fun which made the trip more enjoyable. Would definitely recommend!