November in New York City marks a turning point in the year. The warm weather has officially gone and many exciting seasonal events usher in the arrival of the holiday season.

The famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will celebrate its 91st anniversary this year. The landmark New York City event brings thousands of visitors and spectators from all around the country to witness larger-than-life balloon characters, like Pikachu and Charlie Brown, as well as performances by world famous musicians.

Guests of the Lucerne can enjoy the parade without having to travel far. Beginning right near Central Park, with one of the best viewing areas located at 75th and Central Park West, the parade is only a few short blocks from our Upper West Side hotel. Those interested in getting a behind the scenes look can witness the giant balloon inflation the evening before the parade. The balloons are inflated outside of the American Museum of Natural History, and begin to take shape around 4:30 to 5pm; last admission to the inflation area is 9:15pm. To help keep you warm, we will be offering guests complimentary hot chocolate and coffee during the afternoon.

New York also hosts a variety of other events and festivals throughout the month of November. In the first weekend of the month, the city is home to the world’s largest marathon, the New York City Marathon. Whether you plan to participate or just want to watch, our location near the finish line puts our guests right near the action.

Just down the street from our UWS hotel is the famous Beacon Theatre. This November the Beacon will be one of the many venues housing the New York Comedy Festival. Acts like Nick Offerman of Parks and Recreation and Jon Lovett of the political comedy podcast, Pod Save America, will perform at the Beacon during the festival taking place November 7 – 12.

These events really only scratch the surface of things to do in New York this November. Want more suggestions? Our friendly staff is more than happy to give additional local recommendations to help you get the most out of your stay.