Just hear those sleigh bells jing-a-lin’, ring-ting-ting-a-lin’ too…come on it’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you…..

Merry Christmas in July, y’all!  I know…it’s a million degrees outside, and Christmas is about the last thing on your mind, but I still want to say, Merry Christmas in July!  One of my most favorite travel destinations during the Holiday Season is New York City!  The decorated windows, the lights, the sounds, I love every single thing about it!

And so do a zillion other tourists!  So, if you are thinking about making a trek to the Big Apple any time between November 15 and January 15, you need to start planning now!  And the Curious Cowgirl has you covered!

Merry Christmas in July NYC Style Tip #1

It is not too early to make your plane reservations!!!  Especially for weekend travelers, flights get booked up unbelievably early, so find a few days that work for getting your Merry on, and book!

Merry Christmas in July NYC Style Tip #2

Same carol, second verse.  Once you have your flight reservations, get your hotel reserved!  One of the most frequent questions I get asked is what is my favorite hotel in NYC.  I do have favorites….The Crosby Street Hotel in SoHo is my absolute favorite.  The décor is Andy Warhol meets Dorothy Draper, and the restaurant and bar cannot be beat!  I also love the location, literally right around the corner from the Subway, which is key to getting around Manhattan quickly.  I provided you a tutorial for riding the Subway in this post.  The Palace is nice, if you want a more midtown location.  But….here’s the thing about hotels in NYC. There’s LOTS of them!!!!  No shortage, in fact.  So, I suggest you download my FREE Guide to Finding the Perfect Hotel in NYC.  This is a great tool that will help you make this important decision!  You can find it on my Home Page.

Circa 2007, with my personal Christmas Elves

Ready to pack your bags?  Know where you are going to stay?  I have a FREE NYC Hotel Guide!  Just click on the image below to get your FREE Guide!

Merry Christmas in July NYC Style Tip #3

Are you traveling with unruly elves (a.k.a. children), will this be a mother-daughter trip, or will this be a trip for Mr. and Mrs. Claus?  Who you are making Merry with will have a lot to do with what you do in NYC during the holidays.  In this post, I shared with you one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever had in NYC with my teenage kids.  And in this post, I shared the location of TWO Christmas Trees you should not miss.  If you want a more personalized trip plan, shoot me an email!  I’m already working on personalized curated travel plans for several clients, and I’d LOVE to help you as well!

Merry Christmas in July  NYC Style Tip #4

What about special Holiday dining experiences?  GREAT question!!!!  I have a couple of recommendations!  High Tea is always such a special experience, and I can recommend three LOVELY hotels that offer this experience:  The Crosby Street Hotel described earlier; The Whitby Hotel which has the same ownership as The Crosby Street Hotel and is in midtown just south of Central Park; and The Pierre Hotel on the East Side.  Another recommendation is the cabaret show at Cafe Carlisle, at the Upper East Side Carlisle Hotel  , Book this dinner well in advance, and enjoy cocktail lounge/show tunes from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.  I’ll just bet there will be a Christmas ditty thrown in during the Holidays.

Ice Skating Rink, Bryant Park

Merry Christmas in July NYC Style Tip #5

Yes, it’s a little bit of a Zoo, but the synchronized lights and Christmas music on the façade of Saks Fifth Avenue is really pretty fun!  Just know there will be police barricades and lots of people.  But hey…..it’s Christmas.  Grab a hot chocolate and enjoy the experience!  Speaking of Zoo’s….do you know about Rolf’s German Restaurant?  It’s a New York City Institution located in Chelsea, and the Holiday decor inside is legendary.  Check their website for the exact dates, but reservations open up typically in August/September, which is fine, because you will have already booked your airline and hotel…because the Curious Cowgirl told you to!

Rolf’s Amazing Christmas Decor

No coal in your stocking….only sugar plumb fairies will be dancing in your head after a magical day in NYC during Christmas!

My Favorite Christmas Cookies from Roccos

Merry Christmas in July friends!!!  Only 155 days and counting!!!!

For a complete list of my favorite restaurants in NYC, my NYC Restaurant Guide  has over 30 restaurant suggestions, organized by part of town, and includes phone numbers, and information about those that participate on Open Table.  Worth every penny y’all!!!!