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A Solo Female Travel Guide to Christmas in New York

19/10/2019 4 Comments

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…”

YES! My favourite time of year! And what better way than to spend it in New York as a solo female traveller.

Is Solo Female Travel in New York Safe?

Absolutely! The city really does never sleep, and the streets are busy right up til midnight. I felt perfectly fine wandering around by myself and found the locals super nice as well.

Travelling alone to New York is a fantastic way to see the city. Christmas really is as magical as they say it is and such a wonderful time to visit- even if you are travelling alone. I loved having the freedom to go where I liked and to fit in as many attractions and sights as I could!

There is so much to see and do here, you won’t have time to get bored or lonely. New Yorkers are very friendly people too, so you can easily strike up a conversation and get some local tips.

So, what to do in New York at Christmas if travelling alone? Here’s my festive solo female travel guide to Christmas in New York…(You’ll be booking that dream trip in no time!)

Shop Until You Drop!

Shopping in New York is so much fun- there are so many huge shops and department stores to get lost in and they are open til late every night. At Christmas they look even better, with pretty and magical decorations around. This is a perfect place to do a bit of Christmas shopping for family and friends. There are also a lot of sales around at this time of year too!

There are many shopping districts in NYC from the department stores of Midtown Manhattan, the designer shops at Madison Avenue, quirky Soho joints and hipster Williamsburg vintage shops. There is something for everyone and you can literally shop for days. Although its nice to shop with a friend, I also find it a great solo activity as you can get so much more done without holding someone up (or vice versa).

Take Some ‘Me Time’ in Central Park

I loved walking around Central Park at Christmas, lights were slowly being put up, the leaves were still orange and red and there’s nothing better than walking outside in the cold when you’re all toasty with a big scarf and hat! Central Park is huge and there are many different paths to explore. Take some time out for yourself, sit and read a book or hire out a bike if the weathers too cold for sitting. It’s also a great place for people watching as there’s so much activity and various things going on.

See the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular

Travelling alone in New York doesn’t mean you have to miss out on amazing shows like the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular. I booked my tickets in advance online to make sure I didn’t miss out. You can also go to the TKTS for discounted West End shows on the day. It didn’t matter that I was alone because you’re not talking to anyone when watching the show! If you love Christmas, then this is one to watch and a great tradition for a lot of New Yorkers who have seen it many times over.

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Time Your Trip for Thanksgiving Too!

I arrived in New York the evening before the Thanksgiving Day parade. This was so much fun and even though it was pretty cold standing there, it was 100% worth it. If you time your trip around Thanksgiving, you can get the best of both as the Christmas displays are already being put up.

There’s so much excitement in the air- adults and kids alike. I would recommend getting to the parade early though to get a good spot- it gets seriously busy. I was on the Upper West Side on 73rd Street and thought it was an excellent spot.

Check Out the Rockefeller Christmas Tree

The Rockefeller Centre tree lighting ceremony is performed the weekend after Thanksgiving is very popular with both locals and tourists. Although the tree lighting ceremony is said to be spectacular, with live performances in the evening, I opted out and visited a couple of days later when it was somewhat quieter.

There is outdoor ice skating and wooden stools where you can indulge in a nice cup of warm cocoa. The decorations are really pretty and there is a lively and festive atmosphere all around. You can’t help but get wrapped up in the Christmas spirit.

Admire the New York Christmas Window Displays

The Christmas window displays of Macy’s, Barneys, Bloomingdale’s, Tiffany & Co and Saks Fifth Avenue are a sight to behold. The elaborate displays even have queues lined up for people wanting a closer look. They are magical and well thought out- bringing dreamy winter scenes to life. It’s so sweet watching the little kids fascinating by the bright lights of these beautiful displays (and me too 😊). The displays inside the stores are worth checking out too.

Explore New York’s Museums

Art galleries and museums are great places to explore alone. You have no one else waiting for you and no time pressure. There are so many incredible galleries in New York, from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, History Museum, the Guggenheim and MOMA – Museum of Modern Art (which is free on Friday nights btw).

Most of the galleries require a suggested donation and some are charged. Another great place where you can see free art, is in Chelsea. From 18th-25th streets there are small galleries along each road, sometimes with better art than the bigger galleries. You can send a few hours gallery hopping before treating yourself to a warming coffee. There are some quirky independent coffee shops around this area for you caffeine lovers.

Metropolitan museum of art — You can spend hours at the Met!

More on NYC at Xmas: Inspiring Photos of New York in Winter

See the Dyker Heights Christmas Light Displays

This was one of my favourite things to do in New York. Travel on the subway over to Brooklyn or walk the Brooklyn Bridge to see this local suburb of Dyker Heights put on a real Christmas display. These are just regular people’s homes (well, they are very nice homes, some of which are HUGE!). Every year the residents put on incredible light displays outside their homes for everyone to enjoy.

Travelling alone, I went as soon as it got dark, so I didn’t have to stay out too late. It can take some time to see everything though, so I ended up leaving about 11pm. I found the place still busy so felt perfectly find taking the subway back at this time.

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See the City From Above

As a solo female traveller in New York I loved the fact that I could get up and fit in a much as I could during the day. One of my favourite attractions was the Top of The Rock (Rockefeller Centre). For this I woke up early and was there by 8am- there was already a small queue, but I pretty much just walked straight through.

The light at this time is so beautiful, casting a soft glow over the city as it wakes. You can get some excellent shots from up here and see the city from another viewpoint. The Empire State Building is another great viewpoint. I chose to go around 10pm at night when there were no crowds.

Top of the rock, New York — Great views at Top of the rock

Go Ice Skating at Bryant Park

Although it may not seem like an activity to do alone, I always find that even when I’m with someone else, you still get split up and end up skating around by yourself anyway! A wonderful festive activity to try or even just to watch others doing it. It can be quite amusing watching people attempting to skate and wobbling all over the place!

At Bryant park there’s also a Christmas market, selling souvenirs, handmade goods, donuts, hot dogs and hot cocoa- a great way to spend an evening.

Enjoy a Movie at the Cinema

Going to the movies is a great activity to do alone as let’s face it- you don’t talk during the film anyway. There are many cinemas dotted all over New York. This is a great activity if you’re travelling alone- there will probably be some great xmas movies on too.

Peek into Grand Central Station

Grand Central is a huge and busy terminal in the city, which is totally worth taking a look inside. The huge painted ceilings and pleasing Christmas decorations are worth a photo here. It will be busy but it just adds to the vibe of the place.

Hop on Hop off Bus

I’m usually not one for taking the tourist buses but it was included in my New York Explorer Pass (you get to pick how many attractions you want to see, giving you discounts and queue jumps). I thought it was a really good way to see the city in short space of time. Plus, you’re likely to meet many other travellers on the tour. There are 3 routes and I suggest going on all of them to get a good overview of the city.

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Sip Hot Cocoa at Union Square Holiday Market

Another sweet Christmas market, here you can buy intricate and handmade unique gifts for loved ones, indulge in some sweet treats and wander around with a warming hot drink in hand. Spend a relaxing evening soaking up the atmosphere whilst listening to the live music.

How to get around New York?

The subway is your best bet. I found it really simple to use and if you do get stuck people are friendly enough to help you. You can buy a 7-day unlimited Metro card, that allows unlimited travel for a week, which I think was definitely worth it. Taxi’s will be expensive and probably take longer too! A lot of the city is also really walkable, and this can be the best way to see places you would have missed otherwise.

Where to Stay in New York?

Places near Midtown and Times Square will be extremely busy at this time of year and therefore expensive but great if you want that central location. The Upper West Side is where I stayed, as I found a good deal on an Airbnb. I found this a perfect location- 2 blocks from Central Park, 1 stop on the Subway to Midtown and in a quiet neighbourhood. There are also a few budget hostels around this area.

If you’re looking for something further afield then Brooklyn and Williamsburg are quirky, hipster areas and there are more hostels and Airbnb’s here and they will be cheaper too. It will take around 40 mixtures to get back into Manhattan though.

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Hope you enjoyed this Solo female travel guide to Christmas in New York.

Wherever you choose to stay, whatever you choose to do, you can be sure that travelling solo to New York at Christmas will be every bit an adventure. I loved this time of year and if I were to go back again, I would go during the festive season. There’s something so uplifting and exciting in the air that leaves you wanting more.

For a detailed 7 day New York itinerary read this: How to Spend 7 days in NYC

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A solo female travel guide to NEw York at Christmas

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Inspiring Photos of New York in Winter

12/12/2018 No Comments

New York is a magical and inspiring city all year round but it truly comes to life in the Christmas holidays. There’s an air of magic about the city with pretty Christmas lights being put up around every corner, huge Christmas trees over glistening ice rinks and fascinating festive window displays.

New York in winter is like being in those classic Christmas movies that we all used to watch like ‘Home Alone’ and ‘Jingle all the Way’. Everywhere you look seems to be a spot from a classic movie. There are so many things to do in NYC in the holidays: here’s some festive photos to get inspire you to visit NYC this winter.

Thanksgiving Day Parade

Ok, maybe this is still technically Autumn but this is when New York really starts setting up for Christmas. If you can make the parade I’d definitely recommend it- fun for kids and adults alike.

Thanksgiving Day Parade — Santa comes to New York

Wander the New York streets

Every building has Christmas decorations and lights up in the winter so spend some time walking around the big apple and see what you find!

Admire the Christmas Decorations

There are tonnes of Christmas trees and festive displays around the city. Go on a hunt for the prettiest Christmas tree in New York 🙂

Christmas in New York — Pretty Christmas decorations all around New York

NYC Ice Skating

This is one winter activity you cannot miss. There are several rinks around the city to choose from.

New York Christmas Window Displays

The big department stores all have amazing window displays at Christmas. Head to Macy’s for some of the best.

New York shopping winter — New York shopping is some of the best and the department stores decorate well 🙂

More on New York: Walking the Brooklyn Bridge, NYC

Central Park

Central Park is huge- grab a hot coffee and head off for a winters walk.

The Rockettes, Christmas Spectacular

So glad I bought tickets for this popular show. If nothing else gets you in the Christmas spirit this surely will.

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Brooklyn Heights Christmas Lights

The well off area of Brooklyn Heights heights put up massive Christmas light displays outside their homes every year. You can book a tour or just visit on your own like I did. Worth the trip over to Brooklyn.

Christmas Lights in New York — The Brooklyn Heights Christmas lights are worth the visit!

Christmas in New York, Brooklyn heights — These houses go all out for Christmas!

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You may also like reading: Inspiring Photos of London in Winter

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Walking the Brooklyn Bridge, NYC

26/09/2018 No Comments

Walking the Brooklyn Bridge is a fabulous way of spending a day in New York City and best of all- it’s free! This impressive bridge links Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn and took 14 years to build. I started from the Manhattan side but the views are probably best coming from Brooklyn as you see the Manhattan skyline in the background. I just turned around a lot haha! Plus there is a bit in the middle which allows you to stop to get some great photos.

I didn’t really succeed in getting up early and eventually made it to the start of the bridge at 11am. Most tourists seemed to have the same idea as it was so busy, even in cold November. Wished I had got there for 8am which was my original plan. Anyways I followed everyone else along the huge bridge. The views are spectacular right from the start and the architecture is mesmerising and skilful. I even happened to spot a bride and groom on the bridge taking their wedding photos!

a bride walking over Brooklyn bridge — Spot the bride!

Walking the Brooklyn bridge you can really feel the enormous scale of it and the work gone into it, the construction is really incredible. The walk took me around 35 minutes with stopping pretty regularly to take photos. The views are amazing looking back onto Manhattan so anyone who loves photography then definitely do this!

What can you do in Brooklyn?

Brooklyn Bridge seen through allyway — Explore the streets of Brooklyn

Exploring Brooklyn was great being an art lover as it’s so grungy and cool. Be sure the check out the Brooklyn Bridge park when you get to the other side of the bridge. This gives excellent views looking back to Manhattan.

I could have easily spent another day in Brooklyn, just exploring the different neighbourhoods and taking street photography. You’ve got trendy and arty suburbs such as Williamsburg. Culture and museums in Prospect Heights and DUMBO (which stands for “Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass”) with an artsy chic vibe. You literally could spend all day looking at galleries and photographing the street art.

railway bridge with fall leaves — “Where I end, you begin” Thought this was sweet.

I only had a day and headed first to the New York Transit Museum. This small museum is situated in an old subway station so you go underground to enter. There are facts and photos of how they built the subway system as well as old subway trains no longer in use. Now I’m not a lover of trains but it was actually fascinating being able to walk into an old train from the 1920’s- like stepping back in time.

An old subway carriage at the Museum of Transport

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Next up was the Brooklyn Museum which is huge and holds a variety of paintings, artefacts and sculptures. I was more impressed with the botanical gardens situated directly behind. It’s so pretty in Autumn (or Fall) and you could spend quite some time here wandering around the different gardens.

yellow and orange fall leaves on trees — Pretty Autumn colours in the Botanical Gardens

The final thing I did in Brooklyn was to visit the Dyker Heights neighbourhood to see the Christmas lights. There are some gorgeous houses here- some look like museums themselves with huge statues outside! Each year the residents decorate their houses with hundreds of lights and people come from all around to view them. If you’re not already in the Christmas spirit this will surely get you there!

You might like: Inspiring Photos of New York in Winter

Christmas lights on big house — Check out the huge houses at Dyker Heights

So that’s all I had time for in Brooklyn but if you’re walking the Brooklyn Bridge then I would highly recommend staying a night as there is a lot to do on the other side. But seriously, if you’re pressed for time then even walking the Brooklyn bridge and back is enough in itself for those awesome views back at Manhattan.

Tip 1: What I will say though is get up early! The bridge get busy with tourists so if you want unobstructed views set that alarm clock!

Tip 2: Stick to the correct side of the bridge on the walking path- the cyclists get VERY mad when they cant get past!

Any questions? Just ask below!

More Reading: How to Spend 7 days in NYC

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How to Spend 7 days in NYC

22/08/2018 20 Comments

New York City is full of activities and attractions from the incredible shopping, numerous art galleries and fantastic Broadway shows. Everything in this 24 hour city is open late which makes it easy to create a jammed packed itinerary if short on time.

I spent 11 days here but rushed around so much in the first half that I didn’t leave much else do! I would have preferred spending more time in the galleries than I did. So I have created a 7 day itinerary for you, fitting in the best of NYC. This will be quite busy but definitely do-able and if you have more time then it’s easy to spend longer on activities or just add in more attractions to the mix!

Day 1- Central Park, The Met, Shopping

fall trees Central Park, nyc — Pretty Central Park

Have a nice lie in after a long flight, then grab some brekkie at coffee or bagel shop before taking a stroll around Central Park. The park is HUGE so you won’t be able to fit it all in one day but you can walk through it to the find The Metropolitan Museum of Art. This is also huge so pick a couple of sections instead of trying to do the whole thing. You literally can spend the whole day here!

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Michelangelo sculpture at the Metropolitan museum of art

If your still raring to go then hit some of the shops in Midtown. Columbus circle is also great for shopping and right by the south end of the park.

Day 2- Top of the Rock, Times Sq, High line, Circle Line

Try and get to the Rockefeller Center at 8am (opening time). I would seriously recommend going at this time as I pretty much just walked straight up. At busy times the queue can be very long. The morning light is amazing over the city and it was definitely a favourite attraction of mine. You get great views overlooking the Empire state and Central Park.

Since you will be near to Times Square, you may as well see what all the fuss is about. It is incredibly busy with tourists everywhere but it does kinda take your breath away. I was just standing there moving around in circles at all the lights and displays in every direction.

Grab some lunch (any cuisine you like!) and then take the subway to The High Line. This is a walkway on an old railway line in the Chelsea area. It’s a different way to see the city and perfect for photographers. If you start The High line at the Whitney Museum of Art and walk North then you can carry on walking along the Hudson river to the circle line pier.

the High Line, new york — Walk the High Line

Here you can take the sunset cruise on the circle line and see NYC by day and night. It will also go quite close to the statue of liberty and around the downtown end of Manhattan for those amazing cityscape views looking back at the city.

circle line cruise, NYC — See the city from another angle on the circle Line Cruise

Day 3- Shopping, Moma and Broadway

Time to shop! (yay). Dedicate some time for shopping, there are so many shopping areas to choose from like the designer shops on 5th Avenue to Chelsea’s trendy boutiques or discount designer stores like Century 21 near Columbus Circle. Shops are open very late so you literally can shop til you drop! If you’re here at Christmas time be sure to check out the window displays in the department stores.

If you need a break from shopping then head to the Museum of Modern Art (Moma) which is just off of 5th Avenue. They have some famous paintings here so it’s worth a visit. Moma is also free on Fridays 4-8pm but gets very busy.

Everyone wants the same photo at MOMA

Exploring some galleries…

In the evening head to a Broadway show. ‘TKTS’ booths sell discount tickets for the same day if you don’t mind waiting in line. I booked online for the Christmas Spectacular and it was amazing. Christmas in New York is kinda magical.

Christmas Spectacular, NYC — The Christmas Spectacular was amazing!

Day 4- Museums and Empire State

If you’re into art then New York perfect for you. Check out the Museum of Natural History situated in the Upper West side. It’s one of the oldest museums in the worlds and is full of interesting and fun exhibits. Then you can explore some more of the park whilst walking over to the Upper east side (takes around 30 minutes from the West).

Explore the history museum

Stroll through the park

The Upper East side is where the Guggenheim Museum is situated. The quirky museum is interesting in architecture but I found the art a little too ‘contemporary’ for my liking. A short walk up 5th Avenue will take you to the Museum of the City of New York. This is quite small but worthwhile to find out about the people who make up the city and the struggles citizens have had throughout the years. Some exhibitions are permanent and some are special exhibitions. There is a ‘suggested donation’ as with a lot of museums so you really pay what you like or can afford.

After an arty day, have a big dinner in the city or relax in a bar before heading up to the Empire state building. After 10pm it gets quiet- I just went straight up without queuing. Even though it might be a late time it will save you waiting hours in the queue and you also get to see the city at night. You can see the bright lights of Times Square even from way up at the top.

view from empire state building at night — The lights of Times Square

More on New York: Inspiring Photos of New York in Winter

Day 5- Walk the Bridge to Brooklyn

Walking the Brooklyn Bridge was one of my favourite activities- and its free! I would suggest getting here at 8/9am for fewer crowds and to make the most of the day. I left a bit late so at 11am it was already busy. You can get some incredible shots of the bridge and looking back at Manhattan. Once over the other side you can explore cool and hip areas likes Dumbo and Williamsburg. Brooklyn Bridge Park offers fantastic views back at the city.

Brooklyn has a grungy but trendy feel about it and is much more relaxed than Manhattan. Take a stroll around Brooklyn Museum and the botanical gardens. Or for something a bit different head to the New York Transit Museum, set in an old subway station. You can walk through old subway trains form the 1920’s upwards.

If you’re here for Christmas then check out Brooklyn’s Christmas lights in Dyker Heights. Local residents with huge houses put on massive light displays every year. The area with most lights is from 83rd to 86th Street and in between 11th Avenue to 13th Avenue, although I saw some really pretty houses on the way so it’s worth wandering around a bit. The area felt very safe and I felt fine walking that late by myself.

Dyker heights christmas lights — If you’re visiting at Xmas, check out the Dyker Heights lights

Day 6- Harlem, 9/11 Memorial and Chelsea Galleries

Aim for an early start and head to the African-American suburb of Harlem. I was a little nervous going here alone as it sometimes gets a bad rep but it was mostly ok, although I did get a few stares. I stuck to the main street (125th st) and wandered around a few side streets to get some shots of the typical brownstone houses. Although the main areas are pretty safe I do think I would have felt more comfortable (being a solo female) with a walking tour.

Photograph the brownstone houses of Harlem

Grab an early lunch to make time for a visit to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. This is quite upsetting walking around and hearing the stories from the people who witnessed this day. I actually spent around 3 hours here as there is a lot read and watch. The atmosphere is very calm and almost silent- a humbling visit.

A sobering visit at the 9/11 Memorial Museum

9/11 Memorial

Find a cafe for a tea or coffee and a little pick me up and then spend the afternoon in the nearby artsy area of Chelsea. From 18th-25th streets you will find small galleries lined alone each street and they are all free! Sometimes the work you will find here is better than that in the bigger galleries. Just wander up and down the block and head into any gallery that takes your fancy.

Day 7- Hop on Bus, Downtown and Bryant Park

The Big Bus tours are great to get around and see the city from a different perspective. Hop on the downtown tour and head to Bryant park. At Christmas they have a winter village and an outdoor ice rink. Then hop back on the bus to explore the Flatiron building or Chinatown. This would be a great place to stop for a cheap lunch.

Chinatown NYC — Grab some cheap eats in Chinatown

Then jump off the bus at Wall St, the heart of the Financial district. Everyone wants a photo with ‘the Charging Bull’ so to save waiting in line I would get there early. Then you can wander down to Battery Park. Sit, relax and enjoy views of the Statue of Liberty in the distance.

The Charging Bull, nyc — The Charging Bull

So there we have a weeks worth of things to do in New York. It was quite art focused I know but there are many activities to do instead if that’s not your thing. You can hire out cycles, go on a neighbourhood walking tour or a food and gospel tour in Harlem, visit Madame Tussauds, or Staten Island Zoo. The list is endless!

How do I get to Manhattan from JFK Airport?

Taxis are expensive and the shuttle buses are time consuming. I would recommend using the AirTrain. This is a cheap and efficient option and I found it pretty easy to navigate. Take the AirTrain from JFK to Jamacia station then change to the E train all the way into Midtown, Manhattan.

How Do I Get Around?

Definitely buy the 7 day unlimited Metro card, which can be bought just before getting on the AirTrain. This will give you unlimited rides on the subway and buses and at $32 (as of 2018) it’s great value for money. You will soon get used to using the subway its not as hard as first appearances might suggest.

Where do I stay?

There are several hostels in Manhattan and many in Brooklyn if you don’t mind the 40 minute commute, it will be slightly cheaper. That goes for Airbnb as well. I managed to find a good deal, situated in the Upper West side, on 73rd St. I found this a perfect location and right by the park! Hotels are everywhere from budget to ridiculously expensive.

How Much Should I Budget?

Obviously a hard question to answer as it depends on how much you will spend on shopping, food, etc. I roughly spent around £1300 but I was there for 11 nights. That included around £470 for my Airbnb, £140 for the explorer pass, £300 on shopping, £200 on food, £50 on extra activities, £70 for a show and £35 on transport. It will be easy to spend much less or much more depending on how crazy you go!

Tip: The city explorer pass is a great way to save on attractions. The New York pass is expensive and only worthwhile if you’re smashing out the activities everyday. The explorer pass allows you to pick from 3, 4, 5, 7, or 10 attractions.