Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC: How to Get There and Get Through It with Anxiety

You couldn’t pay me to attend the New Years Eve ball drop in NYC again. It was crowded, there were restrictions everywhere on where you could and could not go, and the ball drop was anticlimactic.

However, the #MacysThanksgivingDayParade? I would do that again in a heartbeat.

The parade covers a pretty long route, which gives ample space for all of the people lining up to see everything. We got out there early, think 6am for a 9am start time, and were able to secure a spot right on the curb. Bring a blanket or a cushion, and if you want to sit a little ways back, bring a chair. The people behind us had chairs and a cooler and books and were doing it right. There was even a Starbucks just a block up that was letting people use the bathroom. That was NOT the case on NYE.

Watching the parade live was really magical, and again, because it’s so spread out, it was easy to hop back on the subway and leave. That’s because we were towards the start of the parade, and not near Macys itself. No, we didn’t get to see the broadway dancing or the flashy celebrities, but we did get to see the floats, the bands, the cheerleaders, and all of the excitement that the parade brings.

I think little ones would get fidgety waiting that long, but the night before you can watch the floats be blown up, and that was also a great and magical event that’s perfect for kiddos.