Thanksgiving in New York City
The Good, the Free, the Fun and some Basic Ugly Truth
If you are like so many others that long to visit NYC over thanksgiving to take in the sites and enjoy the Macy's Parade, this guide may offer some advise and some help to insure you have the best possible time. Of the last three years I have been engaged in the study of habits of locals over Thanksgiving here is my up-to-date advise to visitors coming in specifically for the holiday.
Words of Wisdom
The following words of wisdom will be referred to throughout this document.
1) Leave early
2) Arrive Early
3) Lose the Rush attitude, it just doesn't work in the city over this holiday
4) Be assertive
5) Be Polite
Traffic
In the last 3 years traffic is terrible the day before Thanksgiving. People leaving last minute to visit out of town family is only part of the problem. This year like last year the police experimented with crowd control with regards to the viewing of the balloons on 81st at Central Park West. In closing Central Park West they managed to shutdown traffic and create a massive gridlock throughout the city. If you are coming into the city make sure you get here before 4:00pm because after that things start to cramp up. I mean have a parking space!
Thanksgiving Day Balloon Inflation
About the most fun you can have prior to the Macy's Parade is to see the balloons up close in the inflation viewing area where the parade actually begins. These massive gas filled monsters require many adults to keep them on the ground and are quite impressive up close. At 4:00 - 5:00pm you are likely to do very well in a low crowd environment. If you wait until 6:00 expect to be in the soup. I have witnessed both and my best and more intimate experience was at around 4:30. The video's supplied here are taken at around 5:50 and you can see just how big the problem gets.
Being Pushy and Getting Though Fast
Now in New York you have locals that are very courtese. Over holiday weekends such as these where crowds can be significant I will make the following warnings and suggestions. If you are very large you may form a hand chain with your party and lead them through being pushy and moving through what are primarily passive out of towners. The problem with this is a local will or could start a riot if they feel you are taking advantage. Most locals don't start fights face to face, they raise attention to what they feel is an injustice and then force you to stand down utilizing the pressures of the masses around them, it is very effective. This may be one reason you need to stop or back off your charge. Another distinct possibility is another tourist/visitor will come up and go face to face with you challenging you charge through the crowds. This is actually bad, tourists and visitors to the city are highly unpredictable. Be careful. This year we managed to fly through and we did not hit one snag other then a couple grumpy elderly people that were sick of being the sea of people.
How to see the Parade
Get a hotel room in the city for the night before and make sure you book it way in advance. Get one near Columbus Circle or up from there so you are close enough to the parade route so you can act fast in the morning to get seating. It would seem obvious that you should start staking your claim to space on or before 6:00am to insure the best seating but circumstances change and you need to gauge it for yourself.6:00am is my recommendation. The crowds will consume you so expect to stay there until the very end of the parade.
Dinner After Inflation Viewing
However hungry you may be, do yourselves a favor and eat after you view the inflation area,.Eating before you go as I did will put you in the high volume times and you will regret it. Vendors are along the route if you get there late and you're hungry waiting in line.
