New York City is magical in December! Around every corner are more gorgeous Christmas light displays and cozy coffee shops. There are endless amazing things to do and see in every area of what most people consider “NYC.” Thankfully timeframes, budgets, and priorities can narrow down the overwhelming amount of beautiful experiences the city has to offer. As with all of our travel itineraries, we intentionally include too many options so there’s room for unexpected changes or fillers for too much down time. We basically just love having a list of options so we can go with the flow! We tried to include pictures of the experiences we did get to enjoy. 

Although I typically avoid crowds, I loved visiting NYC in December! When we found out I was pregnant with my second baby, Luke, we wanted to try to squeeze in as many trips as we could before I was too far along to fly. My husband, Jordan, loves NYC and had been several times. Spontaneously, we booked the most affordable flights and hotel we could find and took off! This is a loose itinerary based on research I did before and during our December visit to New York. We wanted to squeeze in the typical touristy experiences to make it worth our while as it was my first time really being in New York and we wanted to make good memories to show our kids one day when we take them. Next time we go to NYC, we plan to go to more unique places and not do as much. Keep this in mind as you read this itinerary: A pregnant lady did as much of this as possible in 3 days. Take what you want from this guide, but make the trip your own! There's always new and exciting places and experiences to discover! As with any weekend trip, we recommend reserving the more important experiences first, and scheduling the rest of your itinerary uninhibited around those reservations. (Scroll to the bottom for a quick itinerary & contact info).

an affordable 3 day guide to new york city in december

Day 2

Day 3

day 1

On our first day, we arrived at JFK and took the air train to Grand Central Station. From there, we walked to our hotel. We recommend buying your subway passes and a New York City Pass at this point in the trip. 

day 1

day 2

day 3

This is the busiest day, so wear comfy shoes and dress in layers for freezing weather!
Take busses this day so you can see more without having to stop!

The last day to squeeze in anything we haven't done! Also, This is the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Day! I know I said day two was busy, but this one might be busier! Bring clothes and sunglasses for a freezing windy ferry ride, and then bring some more:)

There's plenty to eat and see in this iconic spot if you need a meeting point with friends or to wait for check in at your hotel! We checked out the Whispering Gallery and Magnolia Bakery. Here is an article about hidden spots to discover in Grand Central Station!

This is right next to Central Station if you have time to kill or just want a picture.

For many people (Hey Dawn Michelle!) this is a NYC non-negotiable. We had a hard time picking just one show. A cost efficient option is to wait in line, day of the Broadway or Off-Broadway show, at the theater’s box office for that particular show. This is called “Playing the Lottery.” Here’s an article we found that gives more info.

We scheduled Bryant park into the first evening in place of more famous areas because it is an adorable little village of shops, food, and ice skating for when you don’t want to do a lot of walking. After a long day of traveling and arriving, it was perfect to get into the Christmas spirit for the trip! We went back more times than I’ll admit for the Belgian chocolate drizzled strawberry waffles at Wafles & Dinges and hot chocolate with various flavors of marshmallows they torch right in front of you from S’mores N’More. I would try to stick to a weeknight for Bryant Park, because it’s packed even at the off times. 

I cannot stress this enough: MAKE YOUR DINNER EXPERIENCE RESERVATIONS BEFORE THE TRIP! Any popular restaurant or show will be booked way out in December. Both Rolf’s and Papillon book out weeks ahead. Because so many experiences have to be made in advance, I prefer doing scheduled things on the first day so you have more flexibility for the remainder of your trip. Although local reviews will discourage guests from going for the overhype of these restaurants, visiting NYC at Christmas is what makes these locations perfect! They’re decorated to the max and so fun for Christmas lovers. 

Packed with literally thousands of options like Russ & Daughters, Tompkins Square Bagels, and Liberty Bagels Midtown, it’s easier to pick one depending on what area you’re staying in. 

(sometimes starbucks is the only way:) 

J single-handedly kept the warm nuts & other street cart vendors in business that weekend. 

love you sugar :) 

The amount of people that asked me to take their picture on the steps was crazy!

Similar to the Met, we lost count of the people who walked up to me specifically to ask me to take their picture! I think it's because they all knew the chubby pregnant lady wouldn't try to run with their phones :')

Purchase City Pass
Grand Central Station
Chrysler Building
Purchase Broadway Tickets
New York Public Library
Walk Around Bryant Park
Times Square
Broadway Show or Dinner and Drinks at Rolf’s or Papillon.
Any Personal "Must-Do's"

The Edge
Macy’s
Empire State Building
Flatiron Building 
The Met
Central Park> Bow Bridge>Bethesda Fountain> Ice Skating> Paddle Boat
The Plaza
Rockettes Radio City Christmas Show
Saks Fifth
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Tree
St. Patrick's Cathedral

Chelsea Food Market 
Walk to HighLine Park
Washington Square Park
Faicco’s Best Sandwiches
Mysterious Bookshop
Statue of Liberty Experience
Brooklyn Bridge
Dumbo
Timeout Market for Sunset City Views
Any Personal "Must-Do's" (Rockefeller Tree for Me!)

Classic NYC and located on the famous shopping area of Fifth Avenue, the Library was a must for me! I could've spent the entire trip here. When there's not time for that, here is an awesome article to guide you through a visit. 

I don't think I was more excited for anything in New York than the Met!
You could spend weeks here and still not see everything the Met has to offer. We lost each other several times just wandering around! My husband doesn't care for places like this, but was excited that I was excited, which makes me love him more:) He's the Nick to my Jess!
The Met was the first place that came to mind when we decided to go. (Other than the Rockefeller Tree, of course). You have to take a Gossip Girl picture on the steps, too! I suggest picking a handful of highlights to experience, and prioritizing them. I spent hours getting lost in this indescribable museum.

Right outside the doors of the Met, there's much to see in Central Park!
We made certain attractions a priority to stop at, and just took our time walking and stopping to sit and plan the remainder of our trip at various pretty areas in the park.
We loved hearing the music played by street artists floating through the air as we visited places like Umpire Rock, Loeb Boathouse, Bow Bridge, and Bethesda Terrace and Fountain. We watched ice skaters below at Wollman Rink from our view on Umpire Rock. This was a very peaceful break in the fast pace of this trip. Always be careful and observant! There were groups offering to take pictures of people and charging for them. Several blogs warn of frequent pickpocketing in this area as well. (Well, everywhere in NYC, really!) There are several map guides to visiting Central Park, so I will just include those links here!
Maps - Attraction Guide

Overlooking Central Park South, you will pass the iconic Plaza on your way back into the busy streets outside of the park.
Understandably, you can't simply walk in the famous lobby and look around at The Plaza unless you're a guest. Which, by the way, is included in both mine and my mama's future No Budget New York Christmas plans! But that will have to wait for now;) There were several security guards turning people away as we passed by. From what we could see on our walk, it looked beautifully decorated for the Christmas season! 

So many great vintage finds! Plus, everyone's favorite Instagram spot.
Head to 80 Pearl Street! 

Head to Timeout Market and look up Google reviews to pick a spot for everyone to meet their cravings! We got an appetizer, entree, and dessert here. Our favorite was the mac n' cheese at Jacob’s Pickles. Yes, we came all the way to Brooklyn to eat Southern food. :) You can eat outside and watch the gorgeous sunset over the city skyline. They also had an adorable Christmas market made up of local craft vendors while we were there! 

Take a ferry or walk back over the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge to see the city at night ☽

Why not finish the Christmas trip with the most famous Christmas tree in the world? End the night with whatever fun hasn't been squeezed in yet! The area surrounding it is shoulder-to-shoulder crowded, but still magical!

We loved walking around and seeing the Christmas Light Displays and then shopping at Saks! Buuuttt this was very touristy and incredibly busy.

So entertaining and fun! If you're bringing kids, this is the perfect show to break up or end the day! 

Beautiful city views and historic architecture make this a great stop!

Reviews said morning was a great time to go before crowds arrived, and they were right! It was almost like we had it to ourselves!

I really wanted to stop in a cozy and unique bookshop on this trip. There are several to choose from all over the city, but this one had great reviews and was nearby.

Before sunset, go to Pier 11 to get on ferry terminal to cross to Brooklyn or walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. This has to happen in time to watch the sunset after arriving in Brooklyn. I believe we took a 2:00 ferry ride (because ✨pregnancy✨ & been there, done that).

Local chefs and a variety of options for everyone. More info

this is a picture of eureka books, from pinterest