Things to do in

Bay Ridge

Christmas in New York City is a magical time. From the adorned trees in Rockefeller Center to the festive windows of Macy’s, Bergdorf’s, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Dyker Heights is world-known for its light displays. Residents have been decorating their homes since the 1980s. This quaint residential neighborhood is located in the heart of southwest Brooklyn between Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, and Gravesend Bay. Originally founded as a luxury housing development in the late 1800s, the first house in this iconic neighborhood was built in the late 1820s.  Dyker Heights was originally praised for its public transit access to Lower Manhattan and its ritzy country club and well-established Episcopal Church. Like Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst nearby, Dyker Heights is an Italian-American neighborhood today. The optimal way to enjoy this tour is by bus, with an expert, live tour guide. On your tour, drive from Manhattan to Brooklyn and see lights from both on the bus and off. Due to narrow streets, buses are not allowed in Dyker Heights. Your guide will escort you to the two most illuminated streets. See Lucy Spata's house which started the tradition of Dyker Lights in the '80s. The Polizzotto home features the neighborhood's largest Santa at 15 feet tall. Next, stop at the Brooklyn Bridge in DUMBO/Brooklyn Heights. Take in the Manhattan Skyline and Brooklyn Bridge for about 25 minutes.  Return via the Manhattan Bridge. The tour ends at Bryant Park where you can admire the famous winter market or take a spin on the Ice Rink.

This holiday tour takes you through the residential neighborhoods of Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights. These Italian-American sections of Brooklyn are where you'll find tree-lined streets and beautiful private residences decorated for the holiday season. It has been a tradition for many years to illuminate these homes with tens of thousands of lights and dazzling holiday scenes, which has become a festive competition amongst the homeowners, as to who has the "brightest" holiday cheer in the neighborhood. You won't just see the lights, you'll walk through the neighborhoods on a guided tour, and hear the stories and wonderful lore behind this fun holiday event, that brings so many here each year. You may even meet some of the homeowners, who are a proud part of this festive holiday, and truly get an understanding of why these neighborhoods come together in such a way to bring such holiday magic to New York City, and thousands of visitors from all over the world On your way back to Manhattan, you'll see the spectacular New York City skyline and some of the other beautiful holiday displays through the city. Upon conclusion of your tour, you will be dropped off in Midtown Manhattan.

Just over the Brooklyn Bridge is a winter wonderland waiting to be explored…Experience a real New Yorker’s Christmas as you take part in the local tradition of visiting Dyker Heights to see the most dazzling lights and browsing festive markets, hot chocolate in hand. Join a like-minded local host to explore Brooklyn in all its festive glory and visit the local neighborhoods of Dyker Heights and Bay Ridge, where local residents put on the most spectacular (and extravagant) Christmas light displays in the city. Local residents here take their light displays seriously, so as you stroll through the neighbourhoods you’ll see dazzling lights and festive scenes glittering in front of every house.  If this wasn’t enough to get you in the festive spirit, explore a Christmas market like Brooklyn Makers Holiday Market or the Brooklyn Holiday Bazaar, where you can eat, drink and be merry as you pick of some Christmas gifts made by local artists and designers.  See the Manhattan skyline glittering across the water, and get some tips and tricks from your local for other festive things to do in the city during the rest of your trip.  CityUnscripted connects curious travellers to locals who are interesting and sociable people, who know the city well and who love to share their favorite places. They are not tour guides by profession. The guide recreates the feeling of having a friend in every city you visit; someone who can show you the places you’ll fall in love with and help you to connect with the most authentic soul of a place. Book this meet-up and the CityUnscripted team will contact you within 24 hours and ask you questions about your preferences and interests, so they can match you with the right profile and assign a like-minded local New Yorker. Keeping in mind your personal answers, your local host will put together a bespoke itinerary just for you. Please note that this will be outlined but flexible. Your host will arrange the most convenient meeting place for you. If  you feel like changing direction during the meet-up, or if your local host believes that you'd enjoy a sight or different experience, he/she will suggest and discuss with you changes to the itinerary.