Stuff to Do

Chanukah Events in New York City

If you’re planning to be in New York City this week, you can join in the Chanukah celebration that’s a fitting part of the city’s winter comeback.

Chanukah, the “Festival of Lights,” commemorates the victory of the Maccabees against the Sellucid Greeks and the miracle of oil that lasted eight nights during the re-sanctification of the Temple in Jerusalem. Remembering this miracle, a menorah (or Hanukkiah) is lit for eight nights with one candle added each nights until all eight (plus the “helper” Shamash candle) glow brightly.

Chanukah Dining

Courtesy Empellon Taqueria

New York has a wealth of culinary experiences designed for celebrating Chanukah. Many restaurants offer special menus or add latkes, brisket, sufganiyot and traditional matzoh ball soup to their menus. Some of the most notable are The Ribbon, Empellon Taqueria, Barney Greengrass, Veselka, Russ & Daughters, Zou Zou’s, Who’s Jac W.? and Dagon.

The Ribbon © Meryl Pearlstein

Newcomer Breads Bakery has treats to add to the festivities while delis PJ Bernstein, Katz’s Deli, Second Ave. Deli and Zabar’s offer Chanukah dishes year-round.

Light the Menorah

Grand Army Plaza Holiday Menorah © Julienne Schaer NYC & Co.

In addition, two of the United States’ largest menorahs stand tall in the city and are lit each of the eight nights of Chanukah, one in Manhattan at the southern edge of Central Park at Grand Army Plaza and the other in Brooklyn at its own Grand Army Plaza. Each menorah is 32-feet-tall and is made of 4000 pounds of steel.

Museums

Courtesy Hanukkah Hunt Gallery at The Jewish Museum

Two museums celebrate the holiday with fun activities:

Hanukkah Hunt Gallery at The Jewish Museum – On December 5, families can explore the Manhattan museum’s collection of menorahs from around the world. Children are encouraged to hunt through the collection, draw their discoveries in a sketchbook, and learn about the history of holiday through the years. In observance of health requirements, timed tickets are required.

11th Annual Latke Festival at the Brooklyn Museum © Hechler Photographers

11th Annual Latke Festival at the Brooklyn Museum – One of NYC’s most distinctive holiday tastings, the Latke Festival on December 6 is a charity event that celebrates the most delicious and most creative potato pancakes. Past winners have included Chef Dima Martseniuk of Veselka for “Best Vegetarian Latke” and Chef David Burke for “Best Newcomer Latke.”

Drink Up!

Courtesy Dekō Cocktails

Lest you think that Chanukah isn’t celebrated with some bubbly or other special libation, Dekō Cocktails is a new, certified kosher bottled cocktail company out of Long Island, New York with two beverages introduced just in time for the holiday. The ready-to-drink Bee’s Knees and Gold Rush cocktails use the fresh produce of the North Fork to create classic cocktails with a Long Island twist. Order these online for shipping anywhere or for delivery in NYC and Long Island. They also make a perfect hostess gift with their opulent Art Deco design bottles.

A Dozen Delicious Ways to Celebrate the Eight Days of Chanukah in NYC

Hungry for Chanukah treats? Here are a dozen places to grab some latkes, sufganiyot, brisket and more. Chanukah goes through December 6.

Manhattan

Veselka © Meryl Pearlstein

Veselka

Late-night revelers know Veselka in the East Village. The Ukrainian restaurant has been addressing munchies and warding off hangovers with their hearty borscht and pierogis since 1954. But, truly, it’s their latkes that are a standout for Chanukah. Dense and packed with potato flavor without any trace of greasiness, Veselka latkes have mastered the art of the potato pancake. You can sit outside in one of their private booths with heat lamps or join the party spirit indoors with the cool kids.

Courtesy Dagon

Dagon

Light your Menorah and then then head to the Upper West Side to the new Levantine restaurant Dagon from Chef Ari Bokovza. The pandemic-be-damned restaurant is serving up fresh grated potato latkes with a choice of three creative sides for their first Chanukah meal. Have it your way with a choice of horseradish-za’atar yogurt, smoked salmon, silan (date) and ginger apple sauce, pastrami-spiced short rib marmalade, harissa ketchup, tahini-amba (pickled mango), roasted bone marrow or American paddlefish caviar.

Courtesy The Regency Bar & Grill

The Regency Bar & Grill

Well-known among NYC’s power brokers, The Regency Bar & Grill on Park Avenue welcomes all with its Festival of Lights celebrations for lunch and dinner. Spice up your meal with classic Matzah Ball Soup and Carrots or a stack of potato latkes as you discuss the fate of the world and NYC business.

Courtesy Zou Zou’s

Zou Zou’s

In the new Manhattan West development behind Penn Station, the lively Eastern Mediterranean restaurant from Chef Madeline Sperling joins Executive Sous Chef Juliana Latif to celebrate Chanukah with an updated take on potato latkes, Zou Zou’s Crispy Latkes with Frizzled Thyme.

Courtesy Balaboosta

Balaboosta

Star of Israeli-Persian-Yemenite cuisine at her Meatpacking District restaurant, Chef Einat Admony has added holiday specials to Balaboosta’s menu. You can order Sufganiyot, the Israeli jelly donut staple of Chanukah, here filled with savory chicken liver mousse and topped with sweet amarena cherry compote. Additionally, try the Zengoula, a fresh Middle Eastern take on Chanukah sweets. The crisp funnel cakes are made with rose water, saffron honey and pistachio.

Courtesy PJ Bernstein

PJ Bernstein

Delis are a no-brainer when it comes to finding latkes on the menu year-round. Steve and Eugene Slobodksi’s PJ Bernstein on the Upper East Side has one of the best choices with more than half century of experience. Served up with apple sauce or sour cream, the latkes are delicious and worthy of ordering a bunch to go to freeze for the week. I’d prefer that you ignore the sour cream and just let the potatoes and apple combination work its magic.

Courtesy 2nd Ave. Deli

2nd Ave. Deli

The Second Avenue Deli may no longer be located on Second Avenue, but no matter, this is the real deal when it comes to deli dining and especially latkes. The latkes at their two locations on the Upper East Side and Midtown have been perfected over the deli’s 65-year history and it shows. They’re crispy with no trace of oil. The deli even uses them to create a crazy sandwich worthy of sharing, the Instant Heart Attack: it’s a mountain of a creation with corned beef, pastrami, turkey or salami between two latkes. I’m not sure that apple sauce would work with that.

Who’s Jac W.? © A. H. Reiss Photography

Who’s Jac W.?

This upstart restaurant featuring a mashup of styles and nationalities is offering latkes for their inaugural season. Indeed, Chef Joel Reiss’s latkes continue the inventive theme with Scallion Latkes turned into a meal with braised short rib, horseradish sour cream, natural jus and chive oil. For a sweet spin on a beverage to accompany, the Who’s Jac W.? sangria is made with Manischewitz wine, brandy, apple pucker, berry syrup and cranberry juice.

Courtesy Samesa

Samesa

Brisket is the name of the game at this Mediterranean fast-casual eatery at Rockefeller Center. After a day of skating or watching the light spectacular on the façade of Saks Fifth Avenue, head indoors to Samesa to warm up with this rib-sticking version made Mediterranean-style with apricots, dates, leeks and oranges as well as the usual holiday root veggies.

Courtesy Butterfield Market

Butterfield Market

Technically, Butterfield Market isn’t a restaurant – it’s where you order your takeout to create your at-home “restaurant.” Lucky for us, Butterfield Market doesn’t restrict selling their fabulous latkes to Chanukah. The light and golden potato pancakes are a tad on the pricy side but they’re worth it. And Butterfield’s homemade apple sauce is truly a thing of gastronomic beauty. Be sure to order a large portion of that as well, as you’ll want to eat it by the spoon even after you’ve finished all of your latkes

Brooklyn

Courtesy Olmsted

Olmsted

The acclaimed Prospect Heights restaurant from Chef Greg Baxtrom is offering a Giant Latke at their popular weekend brunch. Each Giant Latke is served in its own cast iron skillet and is topped with lemon crème fraiche and trout roe, very much Olmsted-style and very much delicious.

Courtesy Clinton Street Baking Company

Clinton Street Baking Company

Combining a brunch staple with a Hanukkah twist, the Time Out Market restaurant-bakery entices you to Brooklyn with its rich Latke Eggs Benedict. Chef Neil Kleinberg poaches cage-free eggs, pairs them with house smoked salmon and adds a bath of classic Hollandaise sauce, all served over crispy potato pancakes.

23 New York City Restaurants Take You on a Thanksgiving Tour around the World

Thanksgiving dinner (or brunch) in New York doesn’t have to be traditional. You can have an all-American turkey-with-all-the-trimmings version, or change it up with some international spice. Here are 23 choices that will keep you out of the kitchen and enjoying a festive meal.

AMERICAN

The Standard Grill

Courtesy The Standard Grill

The Standard Grill invites you to dine indoors or outdoors to observe an American Thanksgiving dinner, enhanced with the restaurant’s seasonal favorites. You’ll love Chef Jean-Paul Lourdes’ traditional turkey with truffle stuffing, roasted root veggies and cranberry sauce. Non-meat eaters have of-the-season choices like roasted pumpkin ravioli with black sesame, or big-eye tuna Wellington with mushroom duxelles. Desserts stick to holiday favorites apple and cherry pies. You can walk off your dinner with a stroll along the adjacent High Line.

The Polo Bar

Courtesy The Polo Bar

It’s no surprise Ralph Lauren’s The Polo Bar stays true to tradition for Thanksgiving. After all, this is Ralph Lauren, the embodiment of Americana in dress as well as food. The restaurant will prepare classics done Polo Bar-style including Green Circle Farms free-range turkey, Calvados gravy, maple-bacon baby Brussels sprouts, sweet potato gratin, house-made cornbread, cranberry sauce and chestnut stuffing. Desserts are equally enticing with a choice of apple-quince pie, pumpkin and vanilla-bourbon ice cream sundae, and Charleston bourbon pecan pie. Side dishes can be added to the family-style meal along with wine or cocktails. Add a Polo Bar touch with dinner menu favorites including shrimp cocktail, Ralph’s corned beef bites, kale and autumn root vegetable salad, pigs in a blanket, honeynut squash soup, pumpkin cheesecake, classic cheesecake, old-fashioned five-layer chocolate cake and coconut cake.

Charlie Palmer Steak NY

Courtesy Charlie Palmer Steak NY

Charlie Palmer Steak NY keeps it strictly American with a family-style meal that includes all dishes on the prix fixe menu. Come hungry because you’ll have three starters of chicory salad, deviled eggs, and local apples with cheddar cheese, followed by roasted McEnroe Farms boneless turkey roast with turkey gravy, classic sourdough stuffing, potato purée, green bean casserole, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato gratin and cranberry sauce.  Dessert is a trio of traditional seasonal favorite pies: pumpkin, apple and pecan. Plan on a serious Thanksgiving nap after this feast!

KOREAN

Cote

Courtesy Cote

You might not think of a Korean steakhouse as a go-to for Thanksgiving Day, But Simon Kim’s feast will make you reconsider. The prix fixe menu is purely Cote, combining four select cuts of USDA Prime and American Wagyu beef (hanger, 45-day ribeye, flatiron, and galbi) with a variety of Korean accompaniments. Instead of the usual mashed or sweet potatoes, you’ll enjoy savory egg soufflé, Korean glass noodles, spicy kimchi stew and sticky rice stuffing with Chinese sausage ad shiitake mushrooms. For dessert, no worries. You’ll have ice cream as you should on Thanksgiving. Festive cocktails will be served as well.

Soogil

Soogil © MST Creative PR

Taking it one step further, French Korean gem Soogil offers a luxurious six-course Thanksgiving feast. Drawing on both Korean ingredients and his French training, Chef Soogil Lim has created a delicious menu worthy of holiday celebrations, combining seasonal ingredients like Brussels sprouts and honeynut squash with French classics like foie gras and caviar. Main courses include a choice of boneless turkey roulade stuffed with foie and served with cranberry sauce, sweet potato beignet and turkey gravy, or grilled American wagyu galbi short ribs with 24-hour soy Bordelaise sauce, Korean sweet potato beignet and matsutake mushrooms. For dessert, Chef brings back his Korean childhood favorite, dalgona candy that is having a moment thanks to Netflix’s Squid Game.

PAN ASIAN

Hortus NYC

Courtesy Hortus NYC

Designed by Executive Chef Lenny Moon, modern Asian Hortus NYC will be featuring an eclectic Thanksgiving menu, infusing Southeast Asian flavors with European techniques. The prix fixe menu begins with a Hortus Royal Platter for Two comprised of a chilled lobster tail, yellowfin tuna crudo and a shrimp cocktail, followed by a crispy duck taco topped with Sichuan cranberry sauce, lettuce and mango salsa. Diners will then choose an appetizer and entrée from the à la carte menu such as kabocha pumpkin soup or Surf and Turf, a decadent mix of  filet mignon, truffle butter, grilled lobster, lobster mac and cheese, and maitake mushroom. The meal ends with chocolate cheesecake topped with black sesame mascarpone cream.

CUBAN

Victor’s Cafe

Courtesy Victor’s Cafe

If you’re planning to hit the parade route, Victor’s Café is an easy walk for a post-float celebration. Opening its doors when Santa makes his last foray down Central Park West, the 50-year-old Cuban restaurant offers Thanksgiving lunch, now provided by founder Victor Del Corral’s daughter and grandchildren. Located in the Theater District, Victor’s has a Latin-spiced meal in store with pavo asado, a traditional roasted turkey, spiced up with cornbread and chorizo stuffing. Add to that sweet potato mash and cranberry sauce to keep the American tradition, enhanced with Victor’s famous black beans and rice, and a dessert of flan de calabaza and you certainly won’t miss your usual pumpkin pie. And what could be more Latin than a mojito with your turkey? If you decide you need to thaw out a bit after the parade before you dine, dinner will be served until 10pm.

CARIBBEAN

Miss Lily’s

Miss Lily’s © 15.IANGITTLER

For Thanksgiving, Miss Lily’s two downtown locations will offer a Jamaican spin on a traditional Thanksgiving meal with a three-course Caribbean feast. Enjoy a slow-roasted jerk turkey with rich gravy, stuffing, mac & cheese pie, and Jamaican greens along with a choice of appetizer (cod fritters or Caribbean pumpkin soup) and a choice of puddings for dessert (signature Miss Homey sweet potato or old-fashioned banana cream). You may not be on an island holiday, but you’ll certainly feel like you are!

PERUVIAN

POPULAR

POPULAR Courtesy Ian Schrager’s PUBLIC hotel

Located at Ian Schrager’s PUBLIC hotel, POPULAR introduces a special Peruvian-inspired Thanksgiving menu with Pisco cocktails. Created by Chef Diego Muñoz (Astrid y Gaston, Lima), the family-style set menu offers an Andean twist for the holiday with a crème brûlée-inspired take on a Pisco Sour, turkey cooked two ways (herb-roasted white meat and confit dark meat), stuffing made with mirepoix, and Chef’s grandma’s recipe for cranberry sauce. An exciting side, Peruvian-inflected Brussels sprouts are fried with an ají limo maple glaze and citrus zest. Dessert is one that can’t be found anywhere else in NYC: Peruvian chocolate and pecan pie with a salted crust and a side of lucuma ice cream.

ITALIAN

Portale

Courtesy Portale

Reflective of Chef Alfred Portale’s Italian heritage, Portale will be offering a three-course prix fixe menu featuring a selection of appetizers, entrees and desserts with an Italian twist. Guests can choose from the likes of terrina with Muscovy duck, foie gras and kumquat mostarda or Chef’s acclaimed crudo di tonno to start, followed by entrees including mafaldine pasta with Maine lobster, Calabrian chili and lemon-basil butter or tacchino with roast turkey, duck confit, sour cherry stuffing, Brussels sprouts and rainbow carrots. Dessert is a decadent bourbon pecan torta.

L’Amico

Courtesy L’Amico

L’amico means friend in Italian and Chef Laurent Tourondel wants you to invite all of your friends and family for an Italian-influenced Thanksgiving dinner in the Kimpton Hotel Eventi. Diners can choose from a selection of appetizers such as crispy Parmesan sformato with prosciutto San Daniele and truffle vinaigrette or butternut squash soup with fontina agnolotti sage. Entrées entice with blends of varying flavors like the wood-fire roasted Heritage turkey with cranberry-orange mostards, oreganata gravy, chestnut, and pork sausage stuffing; or king salmon with Sicilian cauliflower, currants, pistachio, kabocha squash and balsamico. Sides are equally intriguing such as spaghetti squash with gorgonzola and pine nuts or Brussels sprouts with honey and guanciale. Pumpkin pie is tarted up a la dolce vita with a hazelnut crunch and amaretto whipped cream.

SPANISH

Socarrat Paella Bar

Courtesy Socarrat Paella Bar

For a Spanish twist to Thanksgiving, why not consider a paella instead of a turkey? Socarrat Paella Bar begins the meal with gambas al ajillo and a pear and squash salad. The star of the show is Socarrat’s Thanksgiving Paella artfully composed with confit turkey leg, roasted turkey breast, chorizo, butternut squash, piquillo peppers and mushroom sofrito. Sides are slightly more traditional including crispy Brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes with shaved almonds, and cranberry bread stuffing. Dessert lets you choose which country’s sweets your prefer: pick either American-traditional pumpkin cheesecake or Spain’s popular cinnamon-sugar churros with seasonally appropriate apple-caramel sauce.

SLOVENIAN

Pekarna NY

Courtesy Pekarna NY

At Pekarna NY, Executive Chef Kamal Hoyte offers up an unusual Thanksgiving meal, melding traditional Slovenian with New American seasonal dishes. His four-course prix fixe menu is reminiscent of dishes found in the former Yugoslavian country, including the Pekarna salad with cranberries, hard-boiled egg, heirloom tomatoes, pickled red onion, crispy chickpeas and shaved Gruyere; turkey roulade stuffed with button mushrooms; and roasted fingerling potatoes and grilled asparagus. For dessert, the Slovenian apple wrap is a thing of beauty, a baked apple roll with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg topped with vanilla gelato.

PORTUGUESE

Veranda

Courtesy Veranda

Chef George Mendes’ three-course prix fixe menu for Veranda’s first Thanksgiving starts with housemade sourdough and includes an array of traditional American dishes mixed with Portuguese surprises. Think squash soup, Pennsylvania turkey with chestnut-brioche stuffing, and pumpkin spiced cheesecake from the US, with a medley of dishes inspired by Mendes’ Portuguese heritage including shrimp “Alhinho” with sweet smoked pimenton, garlic, olive oil and pressed shrimp jus; and arroz de pato with duck confit, chorizo, black olive, orange and crispy duck skin.

FRENCH

Bar Benno

Bar Benno © Emily Chan

Bar Benno

Michelin-starred Chef Jonathan Benno offers a Parisian-style Thanksgiving meal at Bar Benno in NoMad’s Evelyn Hotel. Benno’s French take on the holiday comes with a multi-course feast of roasted turkey with sage-infused gravy and holiday stuffing with house-made pain de campagne, Union Square Green Market Brussels sprouts with caramelized onion, and cranberry-orange compote. Leonelli Bakery provides the desserts, classic pumpkin pie with mascarpone swirl, or pecan pie made with Old Grandad bourbon.

The Fulton

Courtesy The Fulton

Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s first seafood restaurant, The Fulton invites diners to a Thanksgiving meal mixing French and American dishes at his waterfront eatery at the Seaport. The three-course prix fixe menu offers a petite seafood plateau, yellowfin tuna tartare and butternut squash minestrone as starters, with entrees including pepper-crusted beef sirloin or roasted organic turkey. Dessert choices eschew traditional pies, offering fig tart or apple tarte tatin instead.

MEDITERRANEAN

Fig & Olive

Courtesy Fig & Olive

A Côte d’Azur-inspired three-course meal awaits at Fig & Olive on Thanksgiving. Classics like roasted rainbow carrots and sweet potato mix with Mediterranean and American dishes including French onion soup and Beeler’s pork belly. For the main course, meat eaters and vegetarians will enjoy a choice of free-range turkey or pumpkin risotto. Desserts blend the two continental influences with a choice of pumpkin Bundt cake or gateau au fromage.

Celestine

Celestine © Daniel Krieger

For a Mediterranean twist with views of Manhattan instead of Italy, Celestine is the place to be for Thanksgiving brunch and dinner. Traditional American ingredients like chicory and delicata squash mix with Mediterranean Castelfranco, Trevisano radicchio and Pecorino cheese. Meat eaters will enjoy turkey served as a roulade with fresh herbs and pan gravy while vegetarians can opt for wild mushroom tagliatelle. Other items on the menu span both European and American influences with pommes purées, sourdough stuffing, Parker House rolls, and a dessert choice of either apple galette with crème fraîche or pumpkin cake with spiced cream cheese frosting.

DINER DINING

Old John’s Diner

Old John’s Diner © Meryl Pearlstein

Nothing is more American than a meal at an old-timey diner, and for Thanksgiving the newly re-opened Old John’s Diner has a meal that is pure comfort food. For a mere $45 per person, you’ll get a three-course meal that also includes a glass of wine. The menu for the day features tortellini vegetable soup; roasted turkey breast with mashed potatoes, sweet potato mash, gravy and cranberry sauce; and a choice of apple or pumpkin pie for dessert. Sometimes simplicity is the sweetest thing.

Brooklyn Diner

Brooklyn Diner © Meryl Pearlstein

Curiously not located in Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Diner gives Manhattanites a taste of the other borough with another affordable, traditional feast. For $40 per person, the all-American menu features a free-range herb-roasted turkey along with pecan pie.

SOMETHING SPECIAL

Parade Watching: JAMS

Courtesy 1 Hotel Central Park

Helmed by acclaimed Chef Jonathan Waxman, Jams at 1 Hotel Central Park offers a comfortable way to watch the parade while indulging in a great Thanksgiving brunch. The restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows offer privileged indoor viewing of the floats and bands as they make their way down Sixth Avenue. Jams will be hosting a full day of Thanksgiving dining experiences including brunch and post-parade dining serving up both hot and cold buffets at each. Pretty much every sort of holiday and seasonal food is included from mini butternut quiches to roasted turkey and peppercorn-crusted ham and brunchy items like French toast sticks and pastries. If you have your heart set on watching the parade in situ, this is a fabulous way to do it.

Dessert Only (Maybe): Black Tap

Black Tap © Black Tap

So turkey isn’t your thing but you want to celebrate Thanksgiving in a novel way? Then this one’s for you: Black Tap has created a new, crazy shake with all of the holiday flavors. The over-the-top Pumpkin Cheesecake CrazyShake® is a pumpkin-spiced shake with a vanilla-frosted rim with mini marshmallows topped with a pumpkin cheesecake slice, whipped cream and pumpkin spice.

Black Tap © Black Tap

But don’t worry – if  you’d prefer your shake as a dessert after something turkey, Black Tap’s Thanksgiving Burger will certainly fit the bill. Almost as large as the shake, the turkey burger comes with Brie, applewood smoked bacon, corn and sage potato roll stuffing, cranberry and orange aioli.

Leftovers All Month Long: Industry Kitchen

Courtesy Industry Kitchen

Everyone knows the best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers. At Industry Kitchen, the team at this Seaport restaurant is reprising their creative twist on holiday flavors with their Thanksgiving Pizza. The wood-fired pizza combines the classic spread of turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing to create a dish that balances the sweet and salty flavors of Thanksgiving. The happy news? It’s available through the entire month of November.

How to Celebrate a Vaccinated, In-Person Thanksgiving This Year

We have a lot to be grateful for this year – vaccines allowing family get-togethers in person, the promise of maskless travel in the future, travel anywhere (soon), and more. In addition to having a traditional Thanksgiving dinner as a way to celebrate, here are some ways to enjoy this special weekend holiday.

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park © Angelito Jusay

Shop, Shop, Shop

No, I’m not talking about that maniacal event known as Black Thursday nor its diabolical cousin Cyber Monday. I want you, instead, to visit the magical outdoor holiday markets that are springing up all over New York City. There you’ll find one-of-a-kind gifts, handicrafts and holiday treats to warm the spirit, all while supporting the small businesses that give character to the Big Apple. It’s worth a trip to NYC to cover off your shopping needs. While you’re there, take in a play or musical on Broadway. Broadway’s back with 39 or more shows open now for your enjoyment.

You can get a head start on your holiday shopping at these four crowd favorites:

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park © Angelito Jusay

Shop, skate and refresh at this market curated by UrbanSpace. Already in full swing, the conveniently located market welcomes visitors of all ages. Skating is free (although you’ll need to bring your own skates or rent ones there) so you can save up to buy your gifts and hot chocolate instead.

Grand Central Holiday Fair

Courtesy Grand Central Terminal

Convenient for commuters, the booths in Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal will again sell a mix of gift items, beginning November 15.

Union Square Holiday Market

Courtesy Union Square Holiday Market

Opening November 18 but closed on Thanksgiving Day, the market is filled with stalls selling adorable clothing, handmade candles, one-of-a-kind jewelry and more.

Grand Holiday Bazaar

Courtesy Grand Holiday Bazaar

The outdoor flea market at West 77th Street and Columbus Avenue gets decked out in its holiday finery starting November 24. Open only on Sundays, the market is the granddaddy of the city’s fleas and also features drinks and treats to keep you warm while you shop.

Hit the Parade Route

Courtesy Macy's

New York City’s annual Halloween Parade set the tone for welcoming floats and revelers back to the streets of the city after a year in absentia. Equally missing last year (except for the participants in the parade itself), Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade returns with a flourish this year. You can prepare for it by watching the Balloon Inflation by the American Museum of Natural History on Central Park West on November 24 and then make the decision whether to attend the parade in person on Thanksgiving or watch on TV in the cozy warmth of your home.

To view the balloons as they come to life, stop by the inflation fete between the hours of 12 Noon and 6pm in the vicinity of West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue for check-in. Then head to 77th street where the event happens. Dress warmly, as the lines can be quite long, and this year you’ll need to show ID’s and proof of vaccination.

The 95th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade itself happens on November 25 from 9am-noon. You can watch the floats, bands and performances at home if you’re not in NYC.  Click here for full details.

Bone Up on Your Mixology Savvy (or Cooking)

Courtesy Sur La Table

Are you a budding mixologist? It’s time to perfect your skills for Thanksgiving and for the holiday season to come. In preparation for your in-person parties, Sur La Table invites you to a virtual class to teach you libation creations that will wow as well as refresh. You’ll learn to make a holiday-inspired Negroni, a seasonal Holiday Punch and a fruity-peppery shrub that’s certain to impress. You’ll receive all the ingredients you need prior to the class you’ll be sampling as you go. How fun is that!

If you’d prefer to show off your cooking prowess, they also offer a full range of food classes to complement your liquid talents.

Learn Candy Crafting

Courtesy Cricket’s Candy Creations

Cricket’s Candy Creations makes sure that kids are well entertained on Thanksgiving weekend. Also worthy of a trip to Manhattan, the TriBeCa craft studio invites all ages to learn how to make inventive and sometimes crazy candy creations. Some of the fun activities include making your own delicious edible slime at the Slime Studio, creating candy versions of sushi and hamburgers in the Candy Kitchen or fingerpainting your way to edible creations at the Lickable Fingerpaint Gallery.

Enjoy the Halloween and Pumpkin Season at These Seven Fabulous Farms in New York and New Jersey

Leaf peepers may want to schedule road trips to look at the brilliant mosaic of colors adorning the maples and oaks, but for the family, October is the time for pumpkin patches, corn mazes, apple picking and hayrides.

Courtesy Corwiths Farmstand

With trick or treating still limited in many places, especially in New York City apartment buildings, and Oktoberfest venues uncertain due to vaccination requirements and crowd limits, it’s a good idea to call before you go anywhere. This applies to the farms listed below, too.

NEW YORK CITY

You may not associate New York City with farms, but the city’s five boroughs have some intriguing experiences “on the land.”

Courtesy Queens Country Farm Museum

The historic Queens Country Farm Museum in Floral Park, Queens offers weekend activities throughout October. The farm, owned by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, dates back to 1697 and occupies New York City’s largest remaining tract of undisturbed farmland. Plan a visit to go pumpkin picking or hop on a hayride. For something more challenging, you can try New York City’s only corn maze here. This year’s Amazing Maize Maze is designed in the shape of Andy Warhol’s famous cow. Being outdoors beats any escape room, any time! 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Queens; www.queensfarm.org

Courtesy Decker Farm

An officially designated historic landmark, Decker Farm in Springville, Staten Island is New York City’s oldest continuously working family-style farm. 220 years young, the farm is a joy to visit during October with a pumpkin patch and hayrides for the family that meander past costumed artisans performing 19th-century trades. For those willing to try some new-fangled activities, the farm lets you sign up for three tries of pumpkin chucking. 435 Richmond Hill Road, Staten Island; https://www.historicrichmondtown.org/deckerfarm

LONG ISLAND

Courtesy Harbes Family Farm

The North Fork of Long Island turns October into a trivia event as well at Harbes Family Farm. Just an hour and half from New York City, the Mattituck farm treats you to scenic hayrides complete with singing. Weekend activities add pig races, a touchless Robin Hood trivia game, and a family favorite, the Barnyard Adventure area with farm animals, sport zones and mazes. Be sure to pack your patience along with your masks and hand sanitizer. The traffic along Sound Avenue regularly bottlenecks in Jamesport and Mattituck on the weekends. The farm has several locations with the Mattituck one specializing in u-pick pumpkins or apple picking in Riverhead. 715 Sound Ave, Mattituck, NY; www.harbesfamilyfarm.com

You can skip the traffic snarls of the North Fork by heading south to the Hamptons on the South Fork of Long Island to two wonderful farm locales.

Courtesy Hank’s Pumpkin Town

Water Mill is where you’ll find expansive Hank’s Pumpkin Town. You’ll know it immediately by the cars parked on either side of the road. It’s open daily and is a magnet for locals as well as visitors. You’ll find the usual family-friendly activities here: pumpkin picking, corn mazes, tractor train rides and mega slides for the kids. After all that fun, your reward is Hank’s yummy Fall for Y’All hot apple cider, a fabulous concoction topped with whipped cream, a caramel drizzle and an apple cider donut, served up in a take-home souvenir mug. 249 Montauk Highway, Water Mill, NY; www.hankspumpkintown.com

Courtesy Corwiths Farmstand

At Corwiths Farmstand, also in Water Mill, you can do the U-pick pumpkin thing and relax for a while the kids slide down wooden slides, play a game on the giant Connect 4 in the field or climb on the wooden castles and trains. There are also barrel train rides, hayrides, barnyard animal feeding and a racetrack for pedal carts. Still not enough to keep everyone busy? Try your hand at pumpkin bowling. If you’ve had your fill of everything pumpkin and gourd, this is also the place for goat yoga, now offered in a Mommy and Me format, even more beautiful against a backdrop of haystacks and pumpkins. Corwiths makes sure that you won’t go hungry either. Their food trailer is where you can get roasted local sweet corn, homemade potato chips from the farm’s own potatoes as well as a bit of the South with fried apples and fried Oreos. 851 Head of Pond Rd, Water Mill, NY www.corwithsfarmstand.com

NEW JERSEY

Two farms in Chester, New Jersey offer scenic farm experiences, a mere 80-minute drive from New York City.

Courtesy Alstede Farms

Alstede Farms goes maze crazy this fall with a sunflower maze, evergreen maze and a corn maze, all designed to drive you just a bit crazy while soaking up the crisp fall air. You can pick your own apples through Thanksgiving or opt for a tractor-drawn wagon ride. If you’re starved for something to do at night, they have “harvest moon” hayrides. Live music follows by the bonfire with hot apple cider, food, wine, and s’mores kits to refresh.  Check the event calendar for times and dates. You can book tickets in advance online. 1 Alstede Farms Lane, Chester, NJ;  www.alstedefarms.com

Courtesy Riamede Farm

You can book a private wagon ride at Riamede Farm weekdays for a tour of the farm’s pumpkin patches and apple orchards. If you prefer to meander on your own, the farm is open to visitors on weekends as well for apple picking and you can also grab some pumpkins and gourds to decorate your home. A Farm Pass is required for entry and must be purchased in advance. 122 Oakdale Road, Chester, NJ;  www.riamede.com

Road and Water Trips for Leaf Peepers: New England, Upstate New York and the Big Apple Have Some of the Most Striking Colors This Fall

While this year’s climate vagaries of heavy rains mixed with droughts, fires and hurricanes have significantly changed weather patterns, the fall still offers a bounty of colors with deeply saturated hues that mix with bright greens.

The Beautiful Berkshires

Heading north along the winding Taconic Parkway will take you to some of the most vibrant fall foliage in New York and Massachusetts. As you head east along route 23 through Hillsdale, S. Egremont and Great Barrington, past numerous antique shops and farm settings, you’ll see the colors gradually intensify as you enter the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. The hills here become a carpet of colors, perfectly framing the historic towns along route 7 including West Stockbridge, Stockbridge, Lenox, Lee and Becket.

Courtesy Bershires.org

Consider an overnight at the historic Red Lion Inn where the backyard is filled with bright red leaves, brilliantly set against the white hotel buildings. The outdoor porch has heated lamps for dining so you can comfortably absorb the fresh air and the rich colors.

Courtesy Red Lion Inn

Add a cultural foray with visits to the Norman Rockwell Museum, The Mount and Naumkeag to drift back into the lazy days of the Gilded Age.

Catskills Scenic Byways

If you’re a fan of Dirty Dancing and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, you’ll recognize the Catskills Mountains of Upstate New York. The Catskills have more than their fair share of scenic byways so you can plan a full day of driving, stopping and photo-indulging against a colorful, winding backdrop.

Upper Delaware Scenic Byway © Eric Rowe

The acclaimed Upper Delaware Scenic Byway is a 70-mile stretch of Route 97 offering impossibly beautiful riverside vistas, rolling hills and rock-cut landscapes.

Courtesy sceniccatskills.com

The Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway invites you to explore frozen-in-time towns like Bethel (think Woodstock Music Festival), Woodstock and New Paltz. Encircling the Shawangunk Mountains, The Shawangunk Mountains Scenic Byway is your go-to if you’re a rock climber.

Courtesy Audrey’s Farmhouse B and B

After a day of hiking, climbing or simply exploring, settle in at Audrey’s Farmhouse B and B, dating from 1740, at the foot of the ‘Gunks.

Courtesy Emerson Resort & Spa

If you prefer fly-fishing, check-in at the luxurious Emerson Resort & Spa. The staff will arrange an excursion or perhaps a massage to soothe away any driving-related kinks. Plan for a cocktail and dinner at the Woodnotes Grille by the Esopus creek.

Pawling

Two hours from New York City, Pawling is horse country with miles of open spaces, winding drives and magnificent colors. It’s relatively unknown to leaf peepers so you may find yourself with roads to yourself. Follow Route 22 to Pawling, where you’ll see the quaint train station and downtown area. Nearby Barton Orchards is the place for a selection of crisp apples, cider doughnuts and frosty cider from their onsite Tap Room. Before you leave, pick up some pumpkins, gourds and dried corn to decorate for Halloween and Thanksgiving. You can refresh at McKinney & Doyle for a substantive meal or stop at their Corner Bakery for a sweet treat.

Courtesy Barton Orchards

Hot air ballooning will give you a spectacular overview of the valley and the mountains. If you prefer a water-based vista, head to Candlewood Lake just 20 minutes away, rent a pontoon, or simply sit by the shore and marvel at the gorgeous trees. For some top-notch entertainment, check out the music schedule at Daryl’s House.

Courtesy Daryl’s House

This fall, Sonny Landreth from New Orleans, Jay and the Americans, James Montgomery Band and others are set to wow audiences eager for live music. And the venue is as intimate as they come. At the end of the day, tuck into a room at the Station Inn Pawling, an intimate B and B downtown.

The Hudson Valley

The stunning Hudson Valley is especially appealing during the fall. The area lies on either side of the 300-mile-long Hudson River, with Interstate 87 east of the river and Highway 9 to the west. You’ll pass through many small towns, with gorgeous foliage surrounding you and many dining choices and antique shops.

Courtesy travelhudsonvalley.com

Make a point of stopping in cute-as-a-button Hudson with lots of gallery hopping and antiquing possibilities like The Antiques Warehouse with more than 3000 items on offer. Rest up for the night at the exquisite Maker with its glass-enclosed restaurant or the more Bohemian Rivertown Lodge set in a former 1920’s movie theater.

Courtesy The Maker

Visit the 230-year old Tuthilltown Distillery (a.k.a. Hudson Whiskey) for a tasting before visiting Art Omi to admire the contemporary sculptures and architecture at the outdoor park.

Courtesy Art Omi

If you love art, plan a second day to tour Frederic Church’s eclectic villa Olana and the gorgeous grounds that inspired many of the painter’s scenes of the Hudson Valley.

Cooperstown

Affectionately nicknamed “America’s Most Perfect Village,” Cooperstown sits on beautiful Otsego Lake framed by trees transformed into a mosaic of colors. Baseball lovers will enjoy a reserved time slot at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and everyone can wander charming Main Street where ice cream shops and baseball souvenirs abound.

Courtesy The Farmers’ Museum

Celebrate autumn with a stroll around the lake before heading to the Fenimore Art Museum, a repository of American folk art. The Farmers’ Museum is a favorite for families with its demonstrations and exhibits of rural life in the 19th century. Be sure to refresh with a donut or moon pie from Schneider’s Bakery, satisfying hungry visitors since 1887.

Courtesy Otesaga Hotel

For a stately dinner and stay, the Otesaga Hotel is the grande dame of the town, overlooking the lake with an elegance that befits its Historic Hotels of America affiliation. If you’re traveling with kids and your visit overlaps a weekend, ask the concierge to arrange a babysitter so you can visit Cooperstown’s Brewery Ommegang for a brew or hard cider made from local apples.

Cruises for All Seasons

Don’t feel like driving? Classic Harbor Line’s Fall Foliage Cruises & Sails on elegant 1920s-style yachts will take you from the Big Apple up the Hudson River.

Courtesy Classic Harbor Cruises

You’ll be surrounded by beautiful scenery on both the New York and New Jersey sides as you sail aside the Palisades Parkway. The cruise refreshes with Champagne, beer, wine or soft drinks. Choose a brunch or luncheon cruise to add even more foliage-filled celebration with a chef-designed meal.

Courtesy The Circle Line

A second cruise along the Hudson River travels to Bear Mountain State Park on The Circle Line. The 560-mile cruise has an Oktoberfest theme with German food specials, Oktoberfest beers and even a German polka band to get you moving. The cruise leaves from Pier 83 in Midtown and is available through October 31.

© Meryl Pearlstein

As the tree colors moves south, a cruise around New York Harbor and the city’s East and Hudson rivers will show off the foliage as well as the dramatic skyline. Bateaux New York Premier Dinner cruises leave early evening in time for viewing of the changing leaves and segueing into an elegant dinner cruise with music, fine dining and a luxurious sailing.

© Meryl Pearlstein

Leave your jeans and shorts at home – this is an evening that encourages dressing up on the European-inspired yachts.

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