Alternative Thanksgiving Plans in NYC

Now that Halloween has passed, we are onto the next holiday…Thanksgiving! I myself am not from the East coast and can rarely go home for the holidays, so here are some things you can do to celebrate the festivities while away from home and family.

FIT Residential Life Thanksgiving Feast

Res-life always hosts a Thanksgiving dinner for students that stay in the city for the holiday. Take advantage of a free meal and hang out with friends on campus.

Thanksgiving Day Parade

This Nov. 28th will be the 92nd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade celebration. Come celebrate an iconic and historic NYC event along with the rest of the city either in person or live on TV. If you want, you can go the night before to watch the balloons get inflated as well.

Bryant Park’s Winter Village

Bryant Park is a wonderful place to stroll through and take a look at all the holiday gift and food shops. This is a great place to look out for that perfect present or to get a cheap bite. There is also the the skate rink which as free admissions but costs $20 to rent skates. It gets cold on the ice so make sure to bring gloves and a jacket.

Friends-giving

Gather a group of friends to have a home cooked (or ordered out) “family” meal. You can make it a potluck to make the menu easier on whoever is hosting, but make sure to contribute something to the group.

(Window) Shop around on black Friday

There are so many online and in store deals to take advantage of. Check off all your Christmas list items or just peruse. You can also stop by the famous Macy’s window displays at Herald Square along your way.

Volunteer with New York Cares

New York Cares is the largest volunteer network in NYC that has opportunities in all 5 boroughs. It requires a quick and simple orientation but after that you are free to sign up for as many volunteer opportunities as you’d like, spanning from gardening to child and senior care to tax prep.

Explore the changing season at Central Park

Get a breath of fresh air at one of the many parks around NYC. Central Park will be showcasing the full force of Autumn with its beautiful foliage. Grab a bite to eat and walk around to one of the many locations in CP, such as the skate rinks, the CP zoo, the boat launches, or the Bethesda fountain.

Visit a Zoo

Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and Central Park Zoo are all open the day of Thanksgiving. Tickets for all three locations are $13 (unfortunately they do not offer a student discount). View animals such as exotic birds, sea lions, red pandas, grizzly bears, and snow leopards.