Tips to seeing—and surviving—Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Illustration: Maghen Brown

The night before

Balloon inflation, Wed Nov 25 3–10pm
The parade route may be different, but Snoopy and his inflatable chums come to life on Thanksgiving Eve in their usual spot near the American Museum of Natural History.

Float assembly, Thu Nov 26 midnight–8am
Although you and your tots will (we hope!) already be asleep, at midnight the Macy's team assembles the floats on the street. For the best views head to Central Park West at 81st Street.

Set your alarm

Macy’s spokesperson Orlando Veras suggests arriving no later than 6am for the parade. The northern part of the route will fill up first, he says—something to bear in mind if you’re an Upper West Sider or headed that way. And leave the stroller at home. It’s much easier to join the crowd if you’re wearing a sling or have your kid propped up on your shoulders.

The new route

As always, the affair begins on Central Park West at 77th Street and heads south to Columbus Circle. There, instead of turning onto Broadway, the parade will proceed east on Central Park South, then south on Seventh Avenue, marching through Times Square to 42nd Street. At that point it’ll hang a left and advance to Sixth Avenue, where it will continue south to 34th Street, then west one block, to wind up on Seventh Avenue.

Prime vantage points

“Forty-second Street around Sixth Avenue,” says Veras. “The parade will march directly toward that area before turning south.” Central Park is also a great place to Spidey- and Snoopy-watch. Linger near Tavern on the Green (Central Park West at 67th St). Another option: Sixth Avenue between 42nd and 34th Streets. It’s a wider, less-crowded street and the sidewalks fit more people. And a long shot: Tickets for bleacher seats are distributed to friends and family of Macy’s employees. As with any big event in NYC, if you know someone, you have access. A map of the route and suggested viewing locations are available at Macy’s official parade site.

What you'll see this year

Broadway stars: Expect numbers from Billy Elliot, Bye Bye Birdie, Shrek and, of course, the Radio City Rockettes.

Musical guests: As always there will be plenty of musical guests entertaining the crowds along the parade route and in front of Macy's. This year's lineup includes Boys Like Girls, Cyndi Lauper and Ziggy Marley.

Balloons: Three classic balloon characters–the Pillsbury Doughboy, Ronald McDonald and Spider-Man–get supersized to never-before-seen proportions, and Sailor Mickey (four times the size of an actual cruise ship anchor) will make his parade debut.

Floats: Yo Gabba Gabba Live! will showcase its educational numbers from the brand-new There's A Party in My City float. Also, parade closer Santa gets a new sleigh this year.

Pack a snack...

While most places along the route will be open for business, you won’t want to give up your hard-won spot for that first-of-the-season Pumpkin Spice Latte. Bring along treats, or camp out directly in front of a Duane Reade or deli. Don’t overdo it on the fluids; restrooms will be hard to find. Our suggestion: Try the public bathrooms at the Time Warner Center or in some of the bigger hotels on Seventh Avenue.

...Or eat out afterward

1. Alice’s Tea Cup—W 73rd St at Columbus Ave.
2. Good—Greenwich Ave at Bank St.
3. Kitchenette—156 Chambers St at Greenwich St.
4. Penelope (no reservation needed)—Lexington Ave at 30th St.

See more...

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