Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
4.5
About
There's nothing more quintessentially New York in the wintertime than a visit to Rockefeller Centre. The Centre's Christmas Tree is a cultural landmark, and the tree lighting is a most anticipated event for locals and visitors alike. The tree itself, always a US-born Norway Spruce, stands up to one-hundred feet tall, and festooned with lights, ornaments, and a giant star, it overlooks the outdoors Rockefeller ice rink: open only in winter, and very popular with the public. With rink hours going late into the night, skaters often enjoy a stroll or a quick outdoor cocoa or indoor bite to eat at one of the lively shops nearby, with a view of the tree. The official tree lighting takes place at the start of December, with over five miles of fairy lights employed to make it glow through January. Celebrity guests stop by to hold a free concert in conjunction with the lighting, and folks arrive early to reserve their spot. In the week leading up to the lighting, curious visitors can see the surrounding garden being decorated for the lighting, and workers beginning to hang lights on the tree.
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Midtown
This is the iconic New York that so many visitors imagine before they visit—spectacular skyscrapers like the Chrysler Building and Empire State Building, iconic public buildings like Grand Central Terminal and the New York Public Library, and the non-stop hustle and bustle of the city streets. Fifth Avenue is a shopper's heaven where you can find every kind of store imaginable, with fashion brands ranging from the affordable to the ultra-fancy. Visit the Rockefeller Center to experience towering Art Deco grandeur, and foodies will love the busy restaurants that stay open late in Koreatown. After dark, Midtown calms down a bit, but at any time of day or night it still feels 100% New York.
How to get there
- 47–50 Sts – Rockefeller Center • 3 min walk
- 5th Ave / 53rd St • 5 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
449 reviews
Excellent
290
Very good
114
Average
28
Poor
10
Terrible
7
romadaro
Washington DC, DC1,618 contributions
Dec 2024 • Couples
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is one of the season’s most magnificent spectacles bringing joy and love to thousands of New Yorkers and tourists. If you’ve never seen it, it is well worth the trip. My wife and I fly to NYC every year primarily to see it, but also to shop and enjoy the windows at Macy’s, Saks and Bergdoff’s, as well as other displays throughout the city. It all truly puts you in the Christmas spirit. Admittedly, it’s crowded and you may get jostled a bit, but be careful and mindful of pickpockets who are out to ruin your holiday and you’ll be fine. We’ve gone for 35 years (except during the pandemic, and never had a problem.
Written 7 December 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bbbob84
Staten Island, NY1,611 contributions
Dec 2022
A tree has been placed in Rockefeller Center for over 90 years. The selection process in recent years has resulted in some amazing and yet disappointing selections depending upon who you ask. However, it is always adorned with thousands upon thousands of lights. It stands majestically above the skating rink. It is best viewed from 49th of 50th streets from the side or the iconic long view from 5th Avenue through the angels on the center plaza approach. In recent years regardless of what time you visit the number of visitors has grown exponentially. Throngs of people all wanting to see the tree. This can be challenging. Add in the food vendors, street merchandise vendors and other holiday attractions that block the sidewalks and you can have a very long and frustrating experience. All I am saying is be prepared. This comes from a local New Yorker who has been visiting the tree for over 50 years. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!!
Written 1 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Conny Wylie
Ottawa, Canada1,017 contributions
Dec 2023 • Solo
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is considered a NYC holiday jewel and is admired by locals & tourists alike. I was mesmerized over the brilliant architecture with 50,000 multi-colored LED lights topped off with a Swarovski Star. I stopped by before ice-skating on the Rock rink, but the hypnotic affect of the tree lingered long after my startling experience.
Written 7 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jessica S
14 contributions
Dec 2024 • Family
I would advise not buying the Tree photo option from The Rink, which is on Rockefeller Center's website. It's $40 for a time slot and they take up to 5 pictures/poses (since the background is the same for each pose). First issue the email states to go to 50th street by Todd Snyder to entrance. No signs, no nothing as you fight through the massive crowds. Get to 50th and see an information booth. They point us to 49th street. We head all the way back through the crowds to find out that they really don't pay attention to the time slot and just let x # of people through. So even though our time slot was 4:30pm and we got there at 4:30pm as the tickets stayed do not get the queue before your time slot, many later slots were ahead of us. They were running so far behind we did not get to our pictures until 5:45pm. Total waste of time getting a slot if they can't keep on time or at least closer to on time. Then they have a VIP line for people who paid even more money for this. Those people got weaved into the process leading to a longer wait. I would not recommend this at all. You can push your way up to the fence and take pictures without the cost and aggravation of waiting in line while it's 25 degrees out. They could have at least figured out how to clear the clogged drain to avoid the two large puddles in the line. Overall disappointing. The pictures came out good and the photographers were friendly. The only saving grace.
Written 22 December 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Theresa
Pueblo, CO87 contributions
Nov 2022 • Couples
A true American classic. Rockefeller Plaza was stunning with the ice skating rink and the tree (undecorated as of 11/25). It was worth seeing, but the crowds were intense both during daytime as well as after dark. Ice skating was insane at $51/pp. not worth the price.
Written 26 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sharon M
Bishopton, UK1 contribution
Dec 2023 • Friends
I want to warn anyone wishing to go and see the Rockefeller Tree. My friend and
I wanted to go and see it. What we found was chaos. People were crammed into the area in front of the tree, people were coming from 4 different directions all converging in the one place. We literally couldn’t move and had to go with the flow! Couldn’t get my camera out to take pics and I had some of my sisters ashes with me that I wanted to sprinkle near the tree but didn’t even have space to get the ashes out of my pocket. If there had been any kind of “incident” thousands of people would have died due to panic or being trampled. This was seriously dangerous and there was no one guiding the crowds. I’ve never been so glad to get away from the area.
If you want to go, I would suggest going at 5am when the lights get switched on for the day and leave the nights for other more brave souls.
I wanted to go and see it. What we found was chaos. People were crammed into the area in front of the tree, people were coming from 4 different directions all converging in the one place. We literally couldn’t move and had to go with the flow! Couldn’t get my camera out to take pics and I had some of my sisters ashes with me that I wanted to sprinkle near the tree but didn’t even have space to get the ashes out of my pocket. If there had been any kind of “incident” thousands of people would have died due to panic or being trampled. This was seriously dangerous and there was no one guiding the crowds. I’ve never been so glad to get away from the area.
If you want to go, I would suggest going at 5am when the lights get switched on for the day and leave the nights for other more brave souls.
Written 25 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brooke In The Air
Cleveland, OH535 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
We visited at the end of the 2022 holiday, and it was magical. The tree lighting in Rockefeller Center is something everyone should see at least once in their lifetime. It's so beautiful, and the tree is imported in usually late November before it is set up in mid-December.
Written 9 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shirannie
Singapore, Singapore40 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
Definitely a must see attraction. The iconic tree and view from the statues and rows of decorative plants is quintessential NY. You’ll be tempted to hop on a skate and ice skate. However, I think you can skip it. It’s pretty expensive, I tried it hahahah! I’m not exactly good at it, but I just think the price is a little stiff for the experience. It’s about $35. That’s about $10 away from a ticket to Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, and it’s literally the price of a 7-day unlimited MTA card. Also, great photo op, which you can lump together in your itinerary to Times Square, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Saint Tomas Church, Bryant Park, and probably Empire State Building OR Top of the Rock.
Written 19 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maltipoo16
New York1,949 contributions
Serious safety incident
Dec 2023 • Friends
The Christmas tree is always one of the highlights of my Christmas visit to manhattan, but I had an absolutely traumatic experience this year. I honestly want to warn people about this for next year! I visited on a weekend, and there was 0 crowd control in any of the busy Christmas areas. The Tree was the worst by far. I was watching the first showing of the Sacks display, and as soon as it ended is where the crowd management issues came into play. It suddenly became a giant pushing match to get through one tiny fence entry way to the cross walk. People pushed so hard I was up against the fence. Then these older men came up to myself and other women and started rubbing up against them and putting their hands on the waist/butt area. It was the most uncomfortable thing that had ever happened to me in public. A man in the crowd yelled at them, and they laughed and walked off. Wile this was all going on, the cops were standing there watching this huge mess of mosh pit pushing and shoving and literally did nothing to help direct traffic. They could have at least opened up the gates a bit more.. I’d personally not visit the tree on the weekend and try to go late at night when tourists are gone.
Written 28 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
daisyferret1
Bear, DE27,215 contributions
Dec 2021
We include the tree at Rockefeller Center every year when we visit NYC for the holidays. This year was even better than previous years. This year they had the area around the tree barricaded off so that you could not get as close to the tree. Also they had walkways that were one-way traffic. This made navigating around the tree so much simpler this year. It did not feel as congested and it felt easier to get a picture of the family with the tree in the background. We were super excited to get to see the tree as it was donated by a neighboring town just mere miles from our hometown. You can also ice skate at the base of the tree for fee while there if interested . They have some pretty angel decorations lining the path leading to the tree as well.
Overall, we had a great experience viewing the Rockefeller Center tree this year. I would recommend. Just know that this area can be congested with foot traffic.
Overall, we had a great experience viewing the Rockefeller Center tree this year. I would recommend. Just know that this area can be congested with foot traffic.
Written 17 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WHen are the lights of the tree shut off permanently and when is the last day you can see the tree before they take it down in January 2021?
Written 3 January 2021
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will be on display until January 2nd, 2020. Today is the 3rd of January, so they may have brought it down already.
Written 3 January 2021
Is there a long wait to view the tree due to Covid in 2020?
Written 19 December 2020
Yes but you don’t need to be on too
If it. You can be on 5th Avenue and take a photo of it in the background. You will not be in the crowded areas and can watch the saks light show.
Written 19 December 2020
Hi,
We are planning to come to New York November 2022.
Does anyone know what day the tree will be lit from please?
Thanks
Written 11 November 2020
How long in January is the tree up till because my other half and I are coming over in 2022, many thanks
Written 15 April 2020
It was almost 2 weeks it was the 11th Jan this year when we were there
Written 7 August 2020
Bonjour, je voudrais savoir à partir de quelle date peut-on voir les décorations de Noël à New-York et à partir de quelle date le sapin est illuminé? Merci
Written 7 February 2020
Bonjour,
Sauf erreur de ma part….
Les décorations de New-York sont mises en places pour Thanksgiving, dernier jeudi de novembre et l'allumage du sapin au Rockefeller center débute le premier mercredi de décembre.
Mais pour plus de sécurité, consultez internet.
Written 7 February 2020
Hello. Do you have to book and pay to visit the tree only?
Written 19 December 2019
Hi... no, you can go there for free.. i think the lights turn off at 12pm. Don't need to pay or book! Best christmas tree in the world
Written 20 December 2019
Do you need to book to go ice skating? Thank you
Written 4 December 2019
Thanks for the question! I don’t think you can buy advanced tickets. Everyone has to wait in line. It took my wife and I almost two hours. But it was so worth it. I highly recommend it!
Written 5 December 2019
Bonjour, pouvez vous me dire jusqu a quelle date le sapin de Noel du Rockfeller sera visible en janvier 2020 ? Merci
Written 29 October 2019
does anyone know if you can just turn up when the ceremony is finished to see the tree alight?
Written 15 October 2019
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