Christmas Guide to New York City
Christmas in New York City is one of the most magical experiences you can have and if you have the opportunity to go you should definitely make the trip. I have been to NYC once before and it was during the summer so this was a completely different experience for me. It was frigid cold so layers and outerwear were a must.
The first day we got there we focused on getting to our hotel, unpacking and getting a quick nap in before exploring for the rest of the night. We stayed at The Dominick in Soho, it was a great location, just a couple of blocks away from all of the shops and dining in the Soho area and also one block away from the nearest subway station which made getting up and down town a breeze!
To make getting around easy we bought 7 day unlimited subway passes which came in handy when you wanted to get around quickly. The subway system is easy once you understand all of the streets and the maps on your phone makes it really easy to not get lost because it tells you exactly which train you need to be on to get where you are going.
Being located in Soho we were walking distance to an abundance of shops and restaurants which we were able to explore and do a little shopping here and there! For the next couple of days we explored our 'neighborhood' and I really grew to love the area and convince of the location.
The food in NYC is definitely a highlight, I love trying new places so to make it easy here is a list of places that were quite delicious!
Coffee Shops:
Food:
OatMeals (such a unique take on traditional oatmeal)
Mr. Taka Ramen (furthering my ramen addiction)
By Chloe (I know there is one in LA and this one is just as good haha)
Super Moon Bakehouse (very instagrammy)
Daily breakfast spread or mid afternoon snack looked like this!
Cutest Intelligensia at the Highline Hotel, the main location was inside the main lobby and the truck was located in the courtyard.
Right in our Soho neighborhood we went to a quaint restaurant called Epistrophy.
We had an amazing meal with a balance of sweet and savory. I would highly recommend trying out the lemon ricotta pancakes!
First time having vegan sushi at Beyond Sushi, it was definitely an amazing experience. A lot of the rolls were convincingly similar to traditional sushi!
Pallet cleansing cookies to start the meal.
Some of the best mushroom potstickers, I never usually have potstickers at traditional sushi restaurants because they have meat in them so it is a treat for sure!
One of the coolest spots we ate at was Oatmeals, they had everything from traditional oatmeal, savory options and dessert options as well. It really makes you think about oatmeal in a different way, in a sense being able to eat it for any meal of the day.
From left to right: Traditional: cranberry, ginger, and sugar oatmeal. Savory: goat cheese, truffle honey, figs, and hazelnuts. Sweet: snickerdoodle cookies, brown sugar, and a complementary frosting. My favorite was surprisingly the savory oatmeal.
Aside from food in NYC there was an abundance of Christmas Decor. This random street was one of my favorite things that we found while walking around all of the lights looked like they were randomly strewn amongst the trees but at the same time it was very purposeful.
During the blizzard the next day we decided to take a walk through the snowy and iconic Central Park.
Near the NYU campus the day after the storm.
Places to see:
The Oculus (adjacent to the trade center)
Central Park (if you want to see the horse and carriages or take a ride thats the place to be)
Bryant Park (during the holidays there is an epic ice rink there and winter village with shops galore)
Times Square (its a must, keep your eye out for the naked cowboy)
5th Avenue (if you want to get epic Christmas tree shots go at 3 am)
The Highline (great place to take photos, and below that is the Chelsea Market, great food and shops)
I am not nearly a New York expert but these are the top destinations that I would recommend visiting during the holiday season! Here are some of my favorite holiday themed photos we took while we were there!
Perch at The Highline.
Gorgeous courtyard at the Highline Hotel.
The tree at the The Dominick.
Christmas tree at the Oculus.
Entrance to the Highline Hotel.
Staying in Soho at The Dominick was definitely a highlight to the trip, it made being able to go out and explore for a couple of hours tremendously easy. Being just a block away from the nearest subway station made it easy for outfit changes and mid afternoon naps! If you guys are looking for a place to stay on your next trip to the big apple I would highly recommend this hotel!
