I asked for one thing and one thing only this Christmas: to see Frozen on Broadway. Now I understand that was a big gift, but I really really really wanted to see the original Anna and Elsa before they moved on to new roles in February. I hinted at my desire to go… I was told “no.” And so I begged my mom to help me plan a trip… I was told “no.” I pleaded for just the tickets, I would buy my hotel and flights… I was told “no.” I resorted to bargaining my future Christmas and Birthday presents for a promise of a New York Trip… I was told “no.” So imagine my delight when I woke up on Christmas morning and found in my stocking, this pair of socks wrapped around a ticket to Frozen on Broadway…
And the very best part? The trip was completely planned for me, my mom, and sister and we were set to fly out on January 2nd! It was a short trip, with only one objective: see Frozen on Broadway. But with two and a half days between our flights, that gave us lots of time to experience a lot of other things in addition to our show. So here is what we did on our winter weekend in New York City.
Times Square
My dad booked us a room at the Crowne Plaza in Times Square. It was perfect. The room was comfortable, we had a hearty breakfast every morning, but most importantly, it was in the best location. We were right there in all the action. Two steps out the door and you were in the heart of Times Square. We took a Lyft from the Newark Airport to the hotel. It was super easy; we checked in, dropped our luggage off, and within minutes, my sister and I were experiencing the overwhelming lights of Times Square for the first time.
We enjoyed walking around Time Square and people watching, but our favorite part was definitely the Disney Store. Meg really wanted a Disney trip for Christmas, so to make it up to her, we made sure to stop by the Disney Store at least once a day.
Time Square is a sea of moving people, loud lights, constant noise, and yet I still was able to meet up with my very best friend who also happened to be in NYC for a winter break trip.
Times Square at Night
For a true New York experience, you have to experience Times Square both in the daylight AND at night. It is two totally different experiences. And if you want a third and totally different experience, go at 7 in the morning, because man does it look different with no one around!
Rockefeller Center
If its Christmastime (or the first two weeks of the new year), you absolutely must experience Rockefeller Center. You will feel like you’re staring in your very own classic Christmas movie. There’s the iconic tree, and people are skating, and Saks is all lit up… the magic of it was just few steps under Elsa’s castle lighting ceremony at Magic Kingdom.
Don’t forget to stop by the iconic stores around Rockefeller. You know, like FAO Schwarts, Saks, American Girl, and the Lego Store.
Top of the Rock
While in Rockefeller Center, might at well go to the Top of the Rock. We bought our tickets online while in the Lego Store and were able to reserve a time just a couple hours away. I hate heights and I dislike elevators, but I braved the 67 floors and thoroughly enjoyed the view of NYC from the sky.
And speaking of rocks… This bracelet holds more than 1,300 Swarovski Crystals! And here is it photographed in front of the Swarovski Crystal wall on the Top of the Rock observation deck:
Bryant Park
After grabbing a few slices of pizza at Joe’s, we casually strolled down the street and ran into Bryant Park. While this wasn’t on our bucketlist of NYC experiences, we enjoyed wasting an hour walking around the little shops and watching the ice skaters. We also enjoyed getting a few treats from the food kiosks.
Grand Central Station and St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Grand Central Station is an obvious staple in any NYC trip. While in the station we did a little shopping and ate an early lunch amidst the hustle and bustle of the transport center. Just a quick 10 minute walk away from Grand Central Station, is St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Since our trip to Savannah, we have started to visit the big Cathedral in each new city. St. Patrick’s, while not as impressive as Savannah’s, is a gorgeous Cathedral, especially at Christmastime. We enjoyed a few moments of warmth while looking at the artwork within the sacred building.
Battery Park and Brooklyn Bridge
Two more NYC tourist staples: Battery Park (to see Lady Liberty, of course) and Brooklyn Bridge. Depending on where you’re staying, Battery Park is an easy subway ride away. And once you’re at the lower end of Manhattan, you might as well make the walk over to Brooklyn Bridge to get a whole new view of the city. We enjoyed picking up some street food on our walk from the park to the bridge.
Central Park and The Museum of Natural History
I highly suggest going to Central Park early in the morning. There was practically no one there when we entered the park at 8 a.m. on a Saturday. It was refreshing to feel alone when we were so constantly surrounded by people everywhere else. And on the topic of “surrounded by people,” the Museum of Natural History can be a fun experience but it is busy and crowded. Pro tip: the museum is “pay what you wish,” so don’t worry about the suggested ticket price of $23 (it’s not really worth that much). We chose to pay $30 total (for the three of us) and the ticket lady didn’t give us a single dirty look.
Take a Tour
I highly suggest finding a walking tour to hop on for the day. Instead of taking one of the sketchy tours that are advertised all over the streets, we opted to book an Experience through AirBnB. Our tour guide was a local man who energetically maneuvered us from sight to sight for five hours. We started at the Federal Building and walked our way all the way up to Times Square (we did take the subway twice). In these five hours we saw so much more than what we would have seen if we were by ourselves. We also learned a lot of history and were treated to personal anecdotes from our guide.
See a Show
Lastly, you can’t go to New York City without seeing a Broadway show- it’s the only reason we planned a trip to the city! As stated above, we saw Frozen, which was truly a dream come true. It was everything I had imagined and more. My only regret from our trip was not seeing more shows! If I make it back soon, I would love to see Beetlejuice, Wicked, Cursed Child, Chicago, or literally any other musical.
The little charms of my New York City trip included seeing a show I have been memorizing for over a year, eating lots of new food, and see all the classic New York sites. As a movie lover, the city is a lot of fun because you are constantly recognizing places from movies and tv shows and that was another one of my favorite charms of the trip. I’d love to know the NYC charms you’ve experienced or are looking forward to experiencing. Reach out to me on Instagram and we can chat about the Big Apple.
Do you have a New York City story you want told in a locket? Shop now at https://hannahmyers.origamiowl.com/ or shoot me a message!
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