236: Plan a Swiftie Trip to NYC (at Christmas)

Vacation Mavens Travel Podcast

Kim and her daughter Amelia went to New York City in December to experience the Big Apple for the holidays. In addition to enjoying the holiday markets, ice skating, and decorations, they went on a quest to find all the of the Taylor Swift related spots in the City. If you have a Swiftie fan, give this episode a listen!

Trip Highlights:

• Kim stayed at the Grayson Hotel near Bryant Park, which has a good location but the rooms are very small and the rooftop bar is pretty loud and crowded
• They visited from Sunday - Wednesday to avoid the weekend crowds
• Earlier December is better because the crowds get heavier the closer it gets to Christmas and between Christmas and New Years
• Ice skating in Bryant Park is much cheaper than skating in Rockefeller Center and if you have your own ice skates, it is free. You need to book your time slot when it opens a week in advance. You get 20 minutes to get your skates and 50 minutes on the ice for your time slot.
• Kim and Mia used CityPASS New York to see many of the sights. The passes are available digitally and you can book reservations (when needed) from within the CityPASS app.
• They did Top of the Rock at night and then the Empire State Building during the day. During the holidays, Top of the Rock has a seasonal Christmas pop up bar.
• There are Christmas Markets at Columbus Circle, Bryant Park, Herald Square, and Union Square to visit. Bryant Park is one of the busiest markets.
• The storefronts on Fifth Avenue are decorated and Sixth Avenue has a lot of large ornaments and other holiday decorations.
• They didn't get to visit the lights in the neighborhood of Dyker Heights, Brooklyn.

Taylor Swift Spots in NYC:

• Housing Works - where Taylor Swift filmed part of the "All too well" video
• House on Cornelius Street
• Bus Stop Cafe near Cornelius Street
• Walk on the Highline
• Chelsea Hotel
• See more details in Kim's Instagram post