New York City

Christmas Activities

Take a RIDE through the streets of New York City and experience the vibrant arts and culture that come to life around you. From the moment you step aboard the RIDE’s signature oversized bus with stadium seating and floor-to-ceiling windows, the immersive experience begins.  Sit back while your comedic hosts kick off the experience. Venture through the heart of Times Square, Grand Central, and Central Park, all while watching the streets become the stage. See live street performances taking place while interacting with them from the bus.  Enjoy three rows of stadium seats, plus the most modern audio and visual technology, including speakers that bring inside sounds out onto the streets, enabling RIDErs to go "On Air" and interact with the city. The RIDE is a unique experience featuring Broadway-style entertainment in a whole new way.

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.

Get into the holiday spirit with a horse carriage tour of the stunning New York Christmas lights in Central Park, 5th Avenue, and Rockefeller Center. Climb aboard at the corner of 59th street and 6th avenue. Plod from here on a route through Central Park to see the warm lights. Continue to admire how 5th avenue is sparkling for the season. Travel along historical landmarks that have put on their Christmas decorations. Reach the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. Let the lights make you feel warm and festive. Feel the romance of the season while riding in an old-fashioned carriage.

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.

After pick up at your hotel or apartment in Manhattan, drive to Dyker Heights in Brooklyn. Walk for 30 to 40 minutes and take pictures of the best-lit houses in New York. Wander through an Italian-American neighborhood to see the houses strewn with green and red lights. Continue to Dumbo to take great pictures of Manhattan from the Brooklyn side, and get closer to the Brooklyn Bridge. Make a quick stop to visit the Wall Street Area and take some pictures with the famous Charging Bull. Move on to Battery Park and see the Statue of Liberty, before you head back to your hotel or preferred drop-off point.

See astonishing holiday light displays on a visit to Brooklyn's Dyker Heights neighborhood, famous for the incredible decorations planned by its competitive residents. See it all for yourself on a 1.5-hour evening stroll through the area. Admire the most impressive home displays, and learn the story behind this holiday tradition. Have your camera ready for this Christmas lights excursion, to snap photos of the top homes best lighting displays in the neighborhood. Discover the unwritten codes that are followed religiously by the residents of Dyker Heights. Take this tour in Brooklyn and soak up the magical Christmas atmosphere.

Get into the holiday spirit on this 2.75-hour weekend brunch cruise with a 3-course prix fixe menu family-style at each table. Enjoy baked bagels, an assortment of pastries, seasonal fruit, harvest mix salad, quiche, sausage, spicy Bloody Marys, mimosas, juices, coffee, and tea. Sit back and enjoy the gorgeous 360-degree view of Manhattan from the climate-controlled and glass-enclosed back deck observatory of this vintage-style motor yacht. Cruise around the entire island as you pass under all 18 bridges. Each booking party will be assigned their own banquet separated by Plexiglass in the grand salon Some of the sights to observe on this cruise include the Upper West Side, George Washington Bridge, Battery Park, South Street Seaport, Financial District, Governor's Island, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, World Trade One, Roosevelt Island, United Nations Building and the Williamsburg, Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges on the East River.

Celebrate the holiday season in style this Christmas on board a luxury 90-minute yacht cruise of Manhattan Harbor. Step inside the yacht’s toasty solarium, decked out in full holiday décor, and enjoy a warm and cozy tour with your friends, family, and loved ones. Delicious hot cocoa, cookies and treats will be served as you sail past Battery Park, South Street Seaport, the Financial District, Governor's Island, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island. Relax in the heated main observation cabin, join in the caroling, or enjoy the beats of a live jazz trio. Sip on a complimentary glass of champagne, wine or beer, and purchase mixed drinks from the on board bar. Then, watch as the gorgeous views of Manhattan Island sail by, all from the comfort of a heated back-deck salon and glassed-in observatory of the 1920s style yacht.

Join this special holiday cruise and step inside a toasty solarium in full holiday decor for a 90-minute cruise to see the lights of New York City. Cruise the Hudson River and enjoy views of Manhattan's skyline Champagne, hot cocoa, and other beverages are available. Cookies and treats for all guests will be included. Enjoy your evening with friends or a loved one and enjoy this live holiday jazz trio. Sit back and enjoy the gorgeous view of the island from the heated back deck salon of this 1920s style yacht. On this 90 minute cruise, take in picturesque views from your glassed-in observatory. Sights along the way include: - The Yacht Manhattan or Manhattan II in full holiday decor - Cocoa, cookies and live holiday jazz - Battery Park, South Street Seaport and the Financial District - Governor's Island, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island A complimentary beer, wine, spiked hot cocoa or Champagne from the bar is offered on all trips. Mixed drinks are available for purchase.

Get into the Christmas spirit on a 4-hour walking tour of New York’s most attractive holiday markets, and find unique gifts among the vast array of hand-crafted goods, local art and crafts, and fashionable winter attire. Meet your guide at Columbus Circle and set off in the glow of the city's winter lights. Experience the magic of New York during the holiday season, stopping to admire the dazzling window displays of all the department stores and boutique shops. Sample traditional foods and warming drinks as you take in Manhattan's holiday light displays, Christmas movie locations, and charming holiday decorations along the way.