NYC in December?

[draybook]

Ok, it's a couple of years away, but we're thinking about hitting up NYC in the first week or so of December. Just perusing on Expedia, I've found flights+hotel for about $840 per person. It looks like a pretty sweet deal and it's at the Doubletree that's literally right at Times Square. The only "must-do" for us is the Rink at Rockafeller Center, where the wife wants to watch me bust my rear trying to ice skate. Other than that, what are some good places to see around Times Square that are within walking distance?

There will be us, our 17 yo daughter, 16 yr old son and the baby, who will be 2 by then. Thanks, folks!

 

[trylon57]

We live on Long Island. Took the train into Manhattan,visited Macy's at Herald Square and looked at their great holiday windows, stopped by Bryant Park behind the NYC Public Library to check out the ice skating rink and shopping village (great kiosks selling all kinds of merchandise and food), walked over to Rockefeller Center to see the skaters and the tree, a quick visit to the newly restored St. Patricks Cathederal, a stroll through Times Square, and then we saw The Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, featuring The Rockettes. Christmas in New York is fabulous!

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

We've visited NYC twice in recent years from the UK and had a blast.
Both our trips were in August but apart from the temperatures you'll find its a great place to visit.
My only advice to you is this - Everywhere that you're likely to want to visit is within walking distance of Times Square (except Ground Zero and Liberty Island) and that really is the issue - Times Square is packed. It's a noisy hub which attracts everyone and often into the small hours. If you have a hotel in TS then sleep maybe an issue.
For this reason, we stayed at Columbus Circle at the south west corner of Central Park and we then walked down Broadway into TS - it's less than a mile.
For Ground Zero and Battery Park (for Liberty and Ellis Island ferries) we hopped on the subway.

 

[The Mom]

We're thinking about doing this next December - my daughter and son-in-law will be back in the States and living in NYC (probably Brooklyn) by then, so we'll plan a visit. We will stay in a hotel, to give them breathing room. And also because they probably won't have more than 1 bedroom.

 

[Nemo14]

I had a tradition of taking my daughter for a day trip the first week of December every year once she turned 12, and continued it with my son. We'd do something different there each year, but I always just loved seeing all the window decorations. A lot has changed since those days, but it was great fun back then.

Ironically, my son now lives on Long Island and his wife works in the city, and they get pretty fed up with the "tourist traffic" at this time of year, so DH and I steer clear of NYC at Christmas time.

 

[BuddyThomas]

NYC is mobbed with tourists starting at about Thanksgiving week all the way through New Years. And actually, it is lately mobbed with tourists almost year round. But during December, I can barely get to my office on 57th and 5th because it is such a sea of humanity. When you get closer to your trip and your plans firm up, let me know. I can send you some discount codes for Broadway shows and other stuff.