The 100th Macy's Parade: Where to Stand on November 26, 2026

Two and a half miles, block by block

Where you can stand, and where you can't

The NYPD runs the public viewing areas. Last year Macy's pointed people to three stretches: the west side of Central Park West from W 75th to W 63rd St, the south side of W 59th St between Columbus Circle and Sixth, and Sixth Ave from W 59th to W 38th St. Note the sides. The park side of Central Park West isn't on that list, so if you come out of the subway on the wrong side you'll have to find a way across before the barricades close.

The list also stops at W 38th St, four blocks short of the store, so don't count on watching at Macy's itself.

Last year people started lining up on Central Park West around 6am. Sunrise is about 6:55am, and the normal for November 26 in Central Park is a low of 39°F and a high of 50°F, so plan on two and a half hours of standing still in the cold before anything passes you. Macy's keeps its list of what you can't bring on its parade page, so read it before you pack a chair, a stroller, a cooler or a big bag.

Getting across is the other catch. Streets near the route close to cars and foot traffic gets funneled, so pick your side before you arrive. The city posts the closures the week of the parade on the NYC DOT traffic advisory.

How far each spot is from our door

We're on the far west side, on the same street as the closest point of the route. If you're staying in Hell's Kitchen, Sixth Avenue is the easy walk. The start is not. If you end up at Columbus Circle, it's about 22 minutes to us.

• Sixth Ave & W 48th StThe closest point on the route, straight along our streetabout 17 min
• Columbus CircleWhere the parade turns onto Central Park Southabout 22 min
• Sixth Ave & W 38th StThe south end of the public viewing on Sixthabout 26 min
• Central Park West & W 65th StInside the stretch that lines up firstabout 27 min
• Macy's, 151 W 34th StThe finish. Last year's viewing list stopped at W 38th Stabout 28 min
• W 72nd St & Columbus AveLast year's way into balloon inflationabout 31 min
• W 77th St & Central Park WestThe start. A cab or the subway makes more senseabout 39 min

From 605 W 48th St, door to door at an easy pace, without waiting at lights. Street closures add time.

Balloon inflation, the afternoon before

For a lot of New Yorkers this is the better show, because the balloons are lying on the street at eye level. Time Out lists it for Wednesday, November 25, from 1pm to 6pm, free. We couldn't confirm that on Macy's own pages, so treat the hours as likely, not final.

Last year you joined the line at W 72nd St and Columbus Ave, which opened at noon. From there a set path took you up Central Park West to W 77th St, over to Columbus Ave, north to W 81st St and back east to Central Park West, where you left. Float assembly carried on north, from W 81st to W 86th St. No tickets, a security check at the entrance, and a very long line. It's about a 31-minute walk from our door to the entrance, so most people will want the subway or a cab.

Why this one is the 100th

The first parade ran on November 27, 1924, with clowns, floats and live animals from the Central Park Zoo. Macy's called it a Christmas parade, and it was promoting a bigger store. It stopped from 1942 to 1944 during World War II, which is why the 100th comes in 2026 and not 2023.

To mark it, Macy's says this year has a record 100 inflatables. Felix the Cat, the first character balloon in 1927, is back. Underdog returns for the first time since 1984. And Macy's says the Blue Hippopotamus, a balloon let go after the 1931 parade and last seen near the Empire State Building, is coming home too. In those years they released the balloons at the end of the route and offered a prize to anyone who returned one.

Which train, and the walk out

The subway is the only sensible way in. The D and F run under Sixth Avenue, so 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Center and 42 St-Bryant Park put you near the south stretch. The C stops along Central Park West, and the A, C, D and 1 meet at 59 St-Columbus Circle. Thanksgiving can run on a holiday schedule, and the B and M may not be running, so check the MTA that morning.

When it ends around noon, the crowd on Sixth Avenue all starts moving at once. If you're heading to Hell's Kitchen, walk west on a cross street instead of waiting for a train at 34th Street.

If you're looking for us that day

You can see Midtown from our roof, but not the parade: the nearest balloon is about 17 minutes east of us. Thanksgiving is the one Thursday we can't speak for yet.

Outside the holiday, our regular hours are: Tuesday to Thursday 5pm to 11pm (last reservation 10pm), Friday 5pm to 3am, Saturday 12pm to 3am and Sunday 12pm to 9:30pm. Closed Mondays. Up to 8 people can book online. Kids are welcome and there are high chairs, though it's a loud room with a DJ, more of a party than a quiet family dinner.