The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade is a yearly spectacle on TV, but it’s also a unique New York experience for anyone willing to brave the elements and watch on the ground. Here are the best places to see the parade in person.
Hotel rooms with a view
The best views of the parade come from above. Several hotels sit along the parade route, including the Mandarin Oriental at Columbus Circle and New York Hilton Midtown on Sixth Ave.
However, many hotel rooms with parade views are booked months in advance, and are often expensive.
The Shops at Columbus Circle
Veteran parade watchers know similar aerial views are available for free at The Shops at Columbus Circle, a mall that overlooks the parade’s turn from Central Park West onto Sixth Ave.
The second and third floors of the mall have glass windows that allow for wide views of the parade, but it’s best to show up early to make sure there’s an available spot.
Central Park West (Eighth Ave.)
The parade’s start at 77th St. is blocked from the viewing public. However, the west side sidewalks will be open from 75th St. to 61st St. for anyone who claims a spot early Thanksgiving morning before the parade begins.
Sixth Ave.
The parade is blocked to viewers on the ground as it travels from Central Park West to Sixth Ave. However, the trip from Central Park South to 38th St. is open to viewers on both sides of Sixth. This part of the parade is often more crowded than the earlier section on Central Park West.
A Snoopy balloon is seen at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Manhattan, New York on Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022.
Other barricaded portions of the route include Columbus Circle itself, the performance area in front of Macy’s Herald Square on 34th St. and Sixth Ave. from 38th St. to 34th St. The Herald Square grandstand is reserved for performers, family members, employees and volunteers.