# Christmas in NYC With Kids 2026: Tree, Trains, Lights, Rinks

*The famous Christmas sights are all in one small patch of Midtown, and they are all busiest in the same three weeks. Here are the 2026 dates that are published, the ones that aren't, and the quieter places across the boroughs worth the trip.*

By Dan Fitzpatrick, Boroughs & Brood. Updated Monday, October 5, 2026. Canonical: https://boroughsandbrood.com/guides/christmas-in-nyc-with-kids-2026.html

Good for: All ages, Mixed costs.

**The short answer:** For Christmas in NYC with kids in 2026: the Rockefeller Center tree arrives November 7 and its lighting ceremony is December 2; the Radio City Christmas Spectacular opens November 4; the Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park opens October 28 with a free-to-enter rink; the Botanical Garden's Train Show starts November 14, Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Lightscape November 20 and the Bronx Zoo's winter lights November 21. Department store windows and Union Square's market hadn't been announced when we checked on October 5.

Checked October 5, 2026. Plenty of Christmas details aren't public yet, so where something wasn't announced we say so, and where a date is published we've linked the organizer. Recheck in November.

Christmas in NYC with kids has a reputation for being magnificent and unbearable at the same time, and both are true. The tree, the windows and the Radio City show are famous because they are good, and they're crowded because they're famous. A child who has been promised Christmas magic will, at the moment of maximum crowd, be more interested in a hot pretzel or the fact that they can see their own breath. This guide sorts the Midtown headline acts from the places across the five boroughs where you can see lights without surrendering a morning to a barricade.

## Christmas in NYC with kids: the 2026 dates in one place

- October 28: Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park opens (rink and shops, through the winter).
- November 4: Radio City Christmas Spectacular begins; NYC Tourism lists the run as November 4, 2026 to January 4, 2027.
- November 7: the Rockefeller Center tree returns to the plaza; the lighting ceremony is December 2.
- November 14: New York Botanical Garden Train Show opens, to January 10, 2027.
- November 20: Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Lightscape opens, to January 3, 2027. November 21: the Bronx Zoo's winter lights open, to January 3, 2027.
- November 27: Illuminate the Farm opens at Queens County Farm Museum, to January 7, 2027. December 5 and 6: Christmas at Historic Richmond Town, Staten Island.

> My honest plan for a Midtown day: tree first, early, at the quiet end of the morning, then leave. The Christmas tree does not get better after the third hour of staring at it, and neither does anyone's mood.

## The Midtown big three

### Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and the Rink (Midtown, Manhattan)

The Rockefeller Center site says the tree returns to the plaza on November 7 and the Tree Lighting Ceremony is December 2. It doesn't print the lighting time, the date the tree comes down or the date the rink opens for the 2026 season, and it tells visitors to check back later in the year, so don't build a trip around those yet.

The rink's general skate is listed as starting at $22 for a 60-minute session. VIP skate starts at $131 and chalets (50-minute private experiences for up to six guests) start at $50. For a first skate for a six-year-old, that's a lot of money for a small oval in the middle of the busiest block in New York, which is why I'd compare it with the free-entry rink at Bryant Park below.

- Subway: B/D/F/M to 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr (accessible station); E/F to 5 Av/53 St is not accessible
- Stroller: Expect a crush; a carrier is easier than a stroller
- Cost: No charge to look at the tree that we could find; rink general skate from $22 for 60 minutes
- Time: Thirty minutes for the tree on a quiet morning; add an hour for a skate
- Check first: Rink opening date, tree-lighting time and prices, none announced when we checked
- Website: https://www.rockefellercenter.com/holidays/

### Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park (Midtown, Manhattan)

Opens October 28, 2026 and runs to February 28, 2027, daily including holidays. Admission to the rink is free; skate rentals range from $18.72 to $64.48 (administrative fees included), with kids' sizes from 6T-7T up and skate aids free before 10:30am when available. Rink hours are 8am to 10pm, extended to midnight from November 19 to January 3. The shops run October 28 to January 3.

Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult at all times, and one complimentary chaperone per two child skaters applies when no skating guardian is present. It's an easier skate than Rockefeller Center for a family on a budget, and the park has public restrooms on 40th and 42nd Streets.

- Subway: B/D/F/M to 42 St-Bryant Pk or 7 to 5 Av (not listed as accessible); the nearest accessible stations are Grand Central-42 St and Times Sq-42 St
- Restrooms: Staffed public restrooms at 42nd St (behind the library) and 40th St (near Le Carrousel), with changing tables
- Cost: Rink admission free; rentals $18.72 to $64.48
- Time: An hour or two
- Check first: Peak evenings and weekends, when it's busiest
- Website: https://bryantpark.org/activities/bank-of-america-winter-village-at-bryant-park

### Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Midtown, Manhattan)

The 2026 show opens November 4 with 230 performances, which the Rockettes describe as the most ever, and ten Rockettes numbers. It runs 90 minutes with no intermission, which is the number that matters for a four-year-old. Children under 2 don't need their own ticket but must sit on a lap, and Radio City offers a free stroller check on all seating levels. Tickets are through Ticketmaster and all sales are final.

The price wasn't on the pages we could read, so check the Times and Prices calendar before you promise anything. The recommended age wasn't listed on the FAQ either.

- Subway: B/D/F/M to 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr (accessible station)
- Stroller: Free stroller check on all seating levels
- Cost: Ticket prices not on the pages we read; all sales final
- Time: 90 minutes, no intermission
- Check first: Times, prices and the age guidance on the Radio City FAQ
- Website: https://www.rockettes.com/christmas/

What hadn't been announced when we checked on October 5, 2026: the department store window reveals, a 2026 date for the market in Union Square (the page we could read showed 2017) and the Transit Museum's Train Show at Grand Central. Look for each store's own announcement closer to Thanksgiving. I'd rather tell you that than invent a date.

## Gardens and zoos in the dark

### Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden (Bedford Park, The Bronx)

Runs November 14, 2026 to January 10, 2027 in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, with a members-only preview on November 13. The garden describes nearly 200 miniature landmark replicas built from plant material (palm fronds, pinecones, cinnamon sticks) with model trains running through them. On select dates in late November, December and early January the Conservatory stays open until 8pm, with last entry at 7pm. Ticket prices weren't on the page we read, so check the garden's site.

It's the most reliable thing on this list for a small child who loves trains: it's indoors and there are trains.

- Subway: B/D to Bedford Park Blvd (accessible station), then the Bx25/Bx26 bus; or Metro-North Harlem line to Botanical Garden, across from the Mosholu Entrance
- Cost: Prices not on the page we read
- Time: Two hours with the grounds
- Check first: Timed tickets and which evenings run late
- Website: https://www.nybg.org/

### Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden (Prospect Heights, Brooklyn)

November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027, an after-dark light trail that begins and ends at the Visitor Center with staggered entry times. The garden closes each day at 3:30pm during the run, which tells you the evening is a separate event. Tickets: adults $29 on value nights, $39 off-peak, $44 peak; children 3 to 11 $15, $22 or $28; babies 0 to 2 free. No upper age limit is stated.

Those are the non-member prices on the garden's page. The evening nature means it's best for children who can still stay up, and it's a good rule to book value nights if you can.

- Subway: 2/3 to Eastern Pkwy-Brooklyn Museum (accessible station) for the Washington Avenue entrance; B/Q to Prospect Park (accessible) for 455 Flatbush Ave
- Cost: Adult $29/$39/$44; child 3 to 11 $15/$22/$28; 0 to 2 free
- Time: About 1 to 1.5 hours on the trail
- Check first: Hours (not announced), which nights are value nights and the closed entrances
- Website: https://www.bbg.org/lightscape

### The Bronx Zoo's winter lights (Fordham, The Bronx)

November 21, 2026 to January 3, 2027, with members' previews on November 19 and 20 (the 20th sold out). It's animal lanterns, animated sculptures and six themed trails, with ice carving, a snow-tube slide and a train ride at $4 ($3 for members). New for 2026: the Children's Zoo Farmyard opens for the event, with donkeys, sheep, goats and alpacas. A 2-in-1 ticket lets you in from 1pm for the daytime zoo and then the lights.

Hours and prices weren't announced when we checked, so there's nothing to book yet. It's the one I'd pick for a family with animal-obsessed children, because it's the lights plus a farmyard.

- Subway: 2 to Pelham Pkwy (accessible station), then the Bronx River entrance (Gate B)
- Cost: Event ticket prices not announced; train ride $4 ($3 members)
- Time: Two to three hours in the evening
- Check first: Opening hours and ticket prices, not announced when we checked
- Lesser known: yes
- Website: https://bronxzoo.com/

## Farms and old villages outside Manhattan

### Illuminate the Farm at Queens County Farm Museum (Floral Park, Queens)

Illuminate the Farm runs November 27, 2026 to January 7, 2027. Trees and wreaths are on sale from November 28 to December 23, and the Tree Lighting Ceremony is on December 5. The farm's calendar says details are "still under construction", with no price listed, so treat this as a date to watch.

The point of including it: a lit farm with a tree lighting, away from Midtown, in the borough that gets skipped. Free street parking runs along Little Neck Parkway.

- Subway: None; check MTA bus options
- Cost: Not announced
- Check first: Event details and prices, which the farm says are under construction
- Lesser known: yes
- Website: https://www.queensfarm.org/events-calendar/month/2026-12/

### Christmas in Historic Richmond Town (Richmond Town, Staten Island)

The village is turned into a Christmas scene on December 5 and 6. Candlelight Tours follow on December 11 and 12 (the museum promises the seasonal pleasures of centuries past), and decorated house interiors are open on House Tours from December 17 to 31. The prices weren't announced when we checked.

Getting there is the difficulty: the museum says it's about 90 minutes from Midtown by Staten Island Ferry and the S74 bus, and a 15-minute drive from the bridges. That's a day trip, and a good one if your children like old houses more than shopping.

- Subway: Staten Island Ferry from Whitehall, then the S74 bus
- Cost: Not announced
- Time: A half day with travel
- Check first: Prices and which houses are open for each date
- Lesser known: yes
- Website: https://www.historicrichmondtown.org/events

## When everything else is shut: two free-ish boat rides

On Christmas Day the museums close. The American Museum of Natural History, the Bronx Zoo and the Intrepid Museum all say they're closed on Christmas Day. The reliable options are ones that don't have doors.

### Staten Island Ferry (Financial District, Manhattan)

Free, and the city says it runs every day of the week, year-round. A round trip gives children a boat, a skyline and the Statue of Liberty at no cost, and in December it's a decent way to see the harbor lit up. The Christmas Day timetable wasn't on the page we read, so check it.

- Subway: 1 to South Ferry (accessible station); R/W to Whitehall St is not accessible
- Cost: Free
- Time: An hour or more for a round trip
- Check first: The Christmas Day timetable
- Lesser known: yes
- Website: https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/ferrybus/staten-island-ferry.shtml

### Governors Island (Governors Island, Manhattan)

The island says it's open daily and year-round, and the Manhattan ferry from 10 South Street runs every 30 minutes. It's $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under. In winter the island is mostly a wide, flat, open place to run children round, so bring hats.

- Subway: 1 to South Ferry (accessible station), then the ferry
- Cost: Ferry $5 adults, children 12 and under free
- Check first: The winter ferry timetable and the Christmas Day schedule
- Lesser known: yes
- Website: https://www.govisland.com/plan-your-visit/ferry

## Dyker Heights, and the rest of the lights

Dyker Heights in Brooklyn is the famous street-by-street house display, and it has its own guide. We've written it as a how-to-do-it-without-a-tour piece.

## Crowds, costs and what to wear

- Go early or go late. The tree and rink are busiest in the evenings and on weekends; a weekday morning is a different place.
- Cold is a real problem. Hats and mittens matter more than anything you can buy at the market. Children lose heat standing still faster than walking, so plan warm stops.
- Skating: children under 14 need an adult at Bryant Park. Keep a hand on small children on the ice, and don't let anyone skate with loose scarves.
- Elevators in subway stations go out of service. Check the MTA's elevator status before relying on one.
- Budget: the tree is free, the Winter Village rink is free to enter, and a lit farm or ferry is cheap. Radio City and Lightscape are the line items.

## Questions people ask

**When is the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting in 2026?** The Rockefeller Center site lists the Tree Lighting Ceremony on December 2, with the tree returning to the plaza on November 7. It hadn't published the lighting time, the date the tree comes down or the rink's 2026 opening date when we checked on October 5.

**Is the Rockefeller Center rink worth it with kids?** General skate starts at $22 for 60 minutes at the time of writing, with VIP skate from $131. The Bryant Park rink has free admission, with rentals from $18.72, so it's usually cheaper for a first skate.

**When does the Radio City Christmas Spectacular start in 2026?** November 4, 2026, with 230 performances. The show lasts 90 minutes with no intermission, children under 2 can sit on a lap, and there's a free stroller check on all seating levels.

**What are the best Christmas lights in NYC for kids?** Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Lightscape (from November 20, children 3 to 11 from $15), the Bronx Zoo's winter lights (from November 21) and the Rockefeller tree. Dyker Heights is the free neighborhood option, with its own guide.

**When do the department store windows go up in NYC?** Not announced when we checked on October 5, 2026. Look for each store's own announcement closer to Thanksgiving.

**What is open on Christmas Day in NYC with kids?** The Winter Village at Bryant Park is open daily including holidays, the Staten Island Ferry runs every day, and Governors Island is open daily. The American Museum of Natural History, Bronx Zoo and Intrepid Museum say they're closed on Christmas Day.

**Can you go to the Train Show at the Botanical Garden with a stroller?** We didn't find a stroller policy on the page we read, so check the garden's site. The show runs from November 14, 2026 to January 10, 2027 in the Conservatory.

## Sources

- Rockefeller Center: seasonal events (tree and rink): https://www.rockefellercenter.com/holidays/
- Bryant Park: Bank of America Winter Village 2026-27: https://bryantpark.org/activities/bank-of-america-winter-village-at-bryant-park
- Bryant Park: public restrooms: https://bryantpark.org/the-park/public-restrooms
- Bryant Park: hours and directions: https://bryantpark.org/the-park/hours-and-directions
- Radio City Christmas Spectacular: https://www.rockettes.com/christmas/
- Radio City Christmas Spectacular: FAQ: https://www.rockettes.com/christmas/faq/
- NYC Tourism: Christmas events (Radio City run dates): https://www.nyctourism.com/events/
- New York Botanical Garden: Train Show 2026-27 (see the garden's events): https://www.nybg.org/
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Lightscape: https://www.bbg.org/lightscape
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden: directions: https://www.bbg.org/visit/directions
- Bronx Zoo: winter lights event (see the zoo's events): https://bronxzoo.com/
- Bronx Zoo: transit: https://bronxzoo.com/visitor-info/getting-here/transit
- Bronx Zoo: hours and closures: https://bronxzoo.com/visitor-info/hours
- Queens County Farm Museum: December 2026 events: https://www.queensfarm.org/events-calendar/month/2026-12/
- Historic Richmond Town: events: https://www.historicrichmondtown.org/events
- Historic Richmond Town: visit: https://www.historicrichmondtown.org/visit
- NYC DOT: Staten Island Ferry: https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/ferrybus/staten-island-ferry.shtml
- Governors Island: ferry: https://www.govisland.com/plan-your-visit/ferry
- American Museum of Natural History: plan your visit: https://www.amnh.org/plan-your-visit
- Intrepid Museum: plan your visit: https://www.intrepidmuseum.org/plan-your-visit