With the holidays just around the corner and fall in full swing, the city is bustling with things to do: from cozy winter-themed outdoor dining, to outdoor art installations, to peak fall foliage (in the beginning of the month), to the holiday markets about to open up shop.
Fill up your calendar and check out our top 55 things to do in NYC this November here:
1. Escape to the wondrous Wizarding World at ‘Harry Potter: The Forbidden Forest Experience’ in NY
Encounter magical creatures like Hippograffs and Centaurs from the Harry Potter and the Fantastic Beasts films at NY’s unmissable Forbidden Forest experience. Follow a luminous trail through Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park and catch interactive moments, dazzling lights, and theatrical illusions. You’ll be able to try tons of delicious food and drink inspired by the Wizarding World, with photo-ops everywhere you turn. Get your tickets today!
2. Be mesmerized at this sensual burlesque-style circus
This one-of-a-kind show in NY blends cabaret, dinner and acrobatics into one unforgettable experience. Indulge in Spanish-style tapas and dessert towers as you watch world-class acrobats soar overhead. The evening is sure to be full of passion, risqué choreography, decadent cocktails and more. Buy tickets now.
3. Cheer on runners at the New York Marathon
The city’s (and one of the world’s) most famous races will return on Sunday, November 6, 2022! The route totals to 26.2 miles, traveling from Staten Island to Manhattan. Read everything you need to know about the exhilarating tradition here.
4. Get your tickets to this compelling Titanic exhibit opening in NYC
After its sold-out run in London, ‘Titanic. The Exhibition’ is making its way to NYC on November 16th. Step back in time to 1912 and learn the history and personal stories of those aboard the Titanic through original objects belonging to passengers, recreations of the ship’s interior, and moving recollections of heroism from those who survived. Secure your spot here.
5. Watch or attend the Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be back and better than ever this year. For its 96th anniversary, Macy’s announced it will showcase its signature mix of giant character helium balloons, fantastic floats, performance groups, celebrities and of course, Santa Claus. The parade will start at West 77th Street & Central Park West and end at Macy’s Herald Square. Find out everything you need to know here.
6. Visit NYC’s enthralling Basquiat exhibition in Chelsea
Don’t miss your chance to check out NYC’s mind-blowing Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure! Delve deeper into one of NYC’s most recognizable artists as you encounter more than 200 rare and never-before-seen works plus an immersive recreation of the artist’s studio. It’s the first exhibition ever presented by Jean-Michel’s family and you don’t want to miss it! Get your tickets here. 
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7. Spice up your holidays with ‘Santa’s Secret Immersive Holiday Experience’
Grab your tickets to the naughtiest event of the season! Complete with a fantastic variety show, Christmas-themed cocktails, and interactive holiday installations, it’s sure to be the best elfing experience on this side of the North Pole. You’ll travel through immersive rooms until you find Santa’s best kept secret—a vintage-style speakeasy. Secure your spot here!
8. Embark on a theatrical journey through the ancient moon phases
Bushwick’s rave-reviewed nouveau circus, MoonRise, will dazzle you on Saturday nights with circus-themed acts as you discover your inner moon goddess. Free on Fridays instead? Get tickets to the Lunar Cocktail Experience in the same space! Sip on unique crafted cocktails as jaw-dropping acts surround and entertain you. There’s even an afro-beat after party!
9. See more than 100 works by Banksy at this museum-style exhibit
Banksy: Building Castles in the Sky has fortunately been extended through the end of the year, so you still have some time to make a visit. Explore over 100 works by Bansky and delve deeper into the mysterious Bristol-born street artist’s masterpieces. Tickets are available here.
10-13. Explore all the best spots for fall foliage in NYC
NYC is in peak fall foliage this month, so we asked NYers some of their favorite spots. Here’s a list of some of the best places they said to catch autumn’s beautiful colors in the city, with a sneak peek below:
- Morris Park, The Bronx
- Clove Lakes Park, Staten Island
- Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn
- Central Park, Manhattan
14. Explore NYC from 1,100 feet above at SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt took the city by storm this past year allowing New Yorkers to experience NYC like they never have before–from 1,100 feet up in the sky. In just one year they’ve become quite the NYC destination, holding titles like “Best Landmark in the United States” by Tiqets and one of the most Instagrammable places in the world by ELLE Magazine. Celebrate their first anniversary with them and visit to see why no two SUMMIT experiences are exactly alike! Sponsored
15-18. Dine at the hottest new restaurants in NYC
As we entered into fall, NYC’s dining scene experienced an overwhelming surge of incredible new spots to try. From swanky rooftops to enormous beer gardens, here are some of our favorite spots:
- Nubeluz, NoMad
- Masalawala & Sons, Park Slope
- Ainslie, Nolita/Lower East Side
- Claud, East Village
See our full list here.
19. Explore Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso 1931 Café pop-up in NYC
Swiss luxury watch company Jaeger-LeCoultre has teamed up with French pastry chef Nina Metayer to bring NYC a taste of their Reverso 1931 Café for a limited time! The pop-up of the café will be on Madison Avenue near the Jaeger-LeCoultre boutique until Nov. 22. Afterwards, it will move throughout Soho and Bryant Park from Nov. 25 to Dec. 2 serving hot beverages and specialty chocolates. See more here. Sponsored
20. See Broadway’s Phantom of the Opera before it leaves forever
It’s coming up on your last chance to catch the tragic love story that is Phantom of the Opera. Holding the title of the longest running Broadway show, the chandelier will fall for the last time on February 18, 2023. Learn more here.
21-25. Take in a glistening Candlelight concert
Fever’s popular Candlelight concerts are hosting tons of events this fall and winter, ranging from more modern songs on strings to traditional classical compositions — all surrounded by twinkling candlelight in NYC’s most beautiful spaces from historic churches to romantic restaurants. Check them out here:
- Candlelight: A Tribute to Taylor Swift
- Candlelight: The Best of Hans Zimmer at The Opera House
- Candlelight: Featuring Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and More at The Opera House
- Candlelight: A Tribute to Beyoncé
- Candlelight: From Bach to The Beatles
26. Visit the magical Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
The beloved Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park officially opened to the public even before Halloween — on Friday, October 28! As usual, the winter wonderland features tons of holiday shops, a pop-up rinkside food hall and a 17,000-foot free ice skating rink as the centerpiece. Read more here.
27. Feast at Chelsea’s massive new food hall, Olly Olly Market
Michelin star chefs and craft cocktails have come together to make an epic new food hall in NYC’s Starrett-Lehigh Building. The marketplace even hosts Forsyth Fire Escape, NYC’s most coveted burrito. More here.
28-32. Get all your gift shopping done at NYC’s holiday markets
What would the holidays be in NYC without our enchanting holiday markets? As mentioned, the Bank of America Winter Village in Bryant Park opened its holiday shops at the end of October, but others will return later this month like:
- Nov 14 – Dec 24: Grand Central Holiday Market
- Nov 17 – Dec 24: Union Square Holiday Market
- Nov 28 – Dec 26: Borough Hall Holiday Market
- Nov 28 – Dec 19: Grand Holiday Bazaar
- Nov 29 – Dec 24: Columbus Circle Holiday Market
33. Attend the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony
This year’s 82-foot, 14 ton Norway Spruce will arrive in Rockefeller Center Plaza on Saturday, November 12th. The official 90th lighting ceremony with be held on Wednesday, November 30th from 7pm-10pm. The tree will be topped with a 900-pound Swarovski star and wrapped in more than 50,000 multi-colored LED lights. Find out more here.
34. Go ice skating on the city’s most magical rinks
Winter is coming and there are a handful of outdoor ice rinks that are either already open or gearing up to! The rink at Bryant Park and Wollman Rink are now open, and the Rink at Rockefeller Center will open Saturday, Nov. 5.
35. Get your fall photos at the Seaport’s fabulous Pumpkin Arch
The Seaport District, located in the historic enclave of cobblestone streets in downtown Manhattan near the East River, has just unveiled their annual Pumpkin Arch display…and it’s everything we hoped for for fall! It’s located on the Heineken Riverdeck at Pier 17, which meets the East River and Beekman and South St. and is only up for a limited time (exact date TBD), so head there asap to get your cozy fall pics. Read more here.
36. Take a gorgeous fall foliage ride in the Catskills on historic railroad tracks
While foliage hasn’t peaked in NYC quite yet, it’s been at its most fiery colors in upstate New York for the past couple weeks! And these innovative “rail explorers” lets visitors ride down decommissioned railroad tracks in some of the country’s most picturesque locations — including in the nearby Catskill Mountains. It’s the perfect way to catch the foliage — find out more here.
37. Take in the most over-the-top holiday decorations at NYC icon Rolf’s
Rolf’s German Restaurant in Gramercy is an Instagram favorite year after year. With the extravagant floor-to-ceiling Christmas ornaments, twinkle lights and ribbon, they really know how to pull in a crowd. Find out how to make reservations here.
38-41. Try all the best ramen in the city
Nothing says comfort quite like a bowl of steaming ramen. Slurp on delicious noodles and broth at these NYC favorites:
- HinoMaru, Astoria
- Okiboru House of Tsukemen, Lower East Side
- Chuko, Prospect Heights
- Minca, Alphabet City
Full list can be viewed here.
42-46. Go on a stunning fall hike
It’s a perfect time to check out some amazing hikes that are right on NYC’s doorstep before it gets too cold. Each of these hikes are accessible by public transport, perhaps with a bit of walking (or even a short cab ride if you’d prefer) to reach the trailhead…but you’re there to hike, so might as well start early!
- Franny Reese State Park
- Arden Point and Glenclyffe
- Anthony’s Nose Hike
- Camp Smith Trail
- Wanaque Ridge Trail
47. Snuggle up at 230 Fifth’s enchanting winter rooftop Igloo Bar
Winter is right around the corner, and that means rooftops will start to turn into wintry wonderlands—and the Igloo Bar at 230 Fifth is the first to pop up! The Rooftop Igloo Bar officially opens their doors Tuesday, November 15. If you’re feeling particularly chilly, you can indulge in a boozy hot chocolate — with flavors from Almond Joy to Pumpkin Pie — or their Apple Pie Cider. Find out more here.
48-51. Dance the night away at these NYC clubs
NYC nightlife is some of the best in the world! Whether you’re looking for a place to shake those hips or simply enjoy some music with a drink in hand, we’ve got you covered. We’ve listed a few standouts below but be sure to check out our full list here.
- Nebula, Midtown
- Elsewhere, Brooklyn
- Little Sister, East Village
- Avant Gardner, East Williamsburg
52. Pop by Miracle’s annual holiday bars
Miracle on 9th Street is opening once again for the holiday season! The popular holiday-themed cocktail pop-up bar reopens for its ninth season, with their staple kitschy holiday décor and festive, well-crafted cocktails. The pop-up originally began at Mace in 2014, but has since grown globally with over 120 locations worldwide! Miracle on 9th Street & Sippin’ Santa, Miracle’s tiki-themed partner will both return on November 21! Their fairly new Brooklyn location called Miracle on Union will return for a second year at Thief bar in Williamsburg on November 21 as well. Find out more here.
53. Shop at NYC’s only Queens IKEA before it closes for good
NYC will be down to a single IKEA location come next year as the first and only Queens outpost has just announced its impending closure on December 3rd. Until then, shoppers are still welcome, so get over there before you’ll have to solely rely on the Red Hook location. Learn more here.
54. Sink your teeth into fluffier-than-ever donuts at Cloudy Donut
Social media famous donut shop, Cloudy Donut, has just opened in Brooklyn Heights. Their vegan donuts come in 44 different flavors that rotate on a weekly basis. Be blown away by inventive flavors like Grapefruit Mimosa, Salted Caramel Whiskey, Bananas Foster and so many more. See here for more info.
55. Roam NYC’s enormous Louis Vuitton exhibition
Taking over the former Barney’s building, “200 TRUNKS, 200 VISIONARIES: THE EXHIBITION” has made it to its final destination on Madison Avenue. The traveling exhibition was intended to celebrate Louis Vuitton’s bicentennial birthday while honoring his career beginnings as a trunk maker. Explore a variety of trunks ranging from traditional to avant-garde iterations from 200 visionaries. Entry is entirely free to the public. Details here.
Source: secretnyc.co
