Big Apple takes a bite out of me

Went to NYC for all the holiday windows and lights and festive cheer. It is a day trip from where I live by Amtrak. Get to NYC at 11am and leave for home at 8.

I get lost so easily in the city and was by myself, so I made little notecards to direct me to each new spot. Still walked in a lot of circles and it was like Timon described the watering hole with animals charging in for a treat. I will NEVER go this close to Christmas ever ever again.

Highlights-

Shake Shack was awesome and so was the cheesecake from Juniors.

Got some Chanukah blue and white (instead of black and white) from Zaro’s. Their cookies are very good.

Run, don’t walk, to see Spongebob the Musical❤️❤️Soooo. Good. Very talented cast

All the holiday windows are beautiful. The Disney store is well stocked with fun stuff. Macy’s is beautiful inside.

The cons-

Even with extensive research and documentation I never found Discovery Center Times Square. It moved. All the info on google and mapping it showed the old location. So my Downton Abbey ticket sits unused in my backpack. 😡😢 the place is up closer to Central Park now instead of in the theatre district near Juniors.

The Snow White windows and light show was the scariest thing I have ever experienced. Imagine leaving Epcot and getting to Spaceship Earth after Illuminations except the crowds are so tight and pushing against you and NOT moving. I seriously thought I was going to get crushed. For 10 minutes I couldn’t move and finally I grabbed some strangers coat that was a tall guy and followed him out. I never saw a window at Saks but part of the light show I did see. It runs every 6 minutes.

I walked and walked and walked. From Saks to Macy’s was a long crowded walk.

Love NYC. Love Broadway. But never again this close to Christmas!!

You went by yourself, how brave. Glad you had fun. I took the train from DC to NYC in May and went to the World's Fair Site. Soo big! I have to go again. Times Square is always interesting. Haven't done Christmas time, but now we all know go early in the season. Thanks for the report.

Yikes! This is scary to hear! We have plans to spend 3 nights in NYC next year after the Army Navy football game in Philadelphia! We will be there on a Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, leaving to fly home on Wednesday. Do you think we will have better luck since much of our dates are weekdays? Or will it be super crazy no matter the day of the week? This will be 2nd week in December.

I think going earlier in the month will be better. And probably weekdays are better. But it will still be very crowded. I have gone other years but earlier in the month. I really was caught unaware of the crowded situation because the crowd was moving but all of a sudden stopped. And people started pushing from all directions. It wasn’t like people were panicking but no one was moving and it was scary. Could have turned into a really dangerous thing but luckily I found my way out. I have been at Times Square at Christmas where the doors going into the retail stores aren’t able to open all the way because so many people are on the street blocking the doors. The city is just crazy during the holidays. But it is very beautiful.

Nice report. We have been in November right around Thanksgiving and it was busy then too. My ultimate is to go New Year's Eve...BUT....I would not be in that crowd for that. I will be comfortably in my hotel room :secret: