My Christmas Morning in Manhattan Tour with Papillon
Highlights
Guaranteed reserved table at NYC’s most iconic Christmas restaurant
Special holiday menu only for our guests at the preferred rate of only $39
Rockefeller Center, Radio City, 5th Ave holiday windows, and more
Licensed guides with stories, tips and local insights
Hop off at every stop to explore, then relax on a climate controlled coach with a small group of up to 45 guests
Tour Description
Experience the magic of a true Christmas morning in Manhattan with our most iconic holiday tour, combining NYC’s most famous festive sights with an exclusive finale at Papillon Christmas Restaurant. During the holidays, this is one of the most in-demand Christmas restaurants in New York, with walk-in lines that can reach up to two hours. Not with us. You’ll skip the line, enter before opening hours, and enjoy guaranteed reserved seating with zero stress.
In just 3 hours, you’ll discover the best of Midtown’s Christmas highlights in a smart and efficient way, traveling by comfortable coach bus between stops and hopping off to experience each location up close. Starting in Times Square, you’ll be accompanied throughout the entire experience by a licensed NYC tour guide and a professional driver, ensuring a smooth, safe, and high-quality experience from start to finish.
From Radio City Music Hall, home of the legendary Rockettes, to the world-famous Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and ice-skating rink, you’ll explore some of the most iconic holiday sights in New York City. Along Sixth Avenue, you’ll see the giant red Christmas balls, towering candy canes, the FOX Christmas Tree, and the magical walkthrough Christmas tree, some of the most photographed Christmas decorations in NYC.
You’ll also walk through the elegant Channel Gardens and continue along Fifth Avenue, where New York’s most legendary holiday windows and luxury storefronts come to life. Highlights include Louis Vuitton, Bergdorf Goodman, Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Saks Fifth Avenue, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, as well as the famous snowflake above Fifth Avenue. Along the way, you’ll see The Plaza Hotel from the outside and visit the courtyard of Lotte New York Palace, one of the most charming Christmas photo spots in Manhattan.
Traveling by coach bus allows you to cover more ground while staying warm and comfortable, while still experiencing each stop up close on foot. It’s the perfect balance of sightseeing, storytelling, and efficiency, designed to make the most of your Christmas morning in New York.
The experience ends with a true highlight: exclusive early access to Papillon Christmas Restaurant, one of the most famous Christmas restaurants in New York City. During the holiday season, Papillon operates as walk-in only, with wait times that can reach up to two hours.
With us, everything is already taken care of. You skip the line, enter before opening hours, and enjoy guaranteed reserved seating inside the restaurant.
When booking your tour, you will have the option to confirm your Papillon experience by securing your table in advance with a $15 per person cover charge. This amount is paid in advance to reserve your experience and is applied toward your final bill at the restaurant. Guests who pre-book enjoy priority access and a guaranteed reserved table, while access is strictly limited to those who have confirmed this experience in advance.
Once seated, you can choose from a special 2-course prix fixe menu featuring some of Papillon’s most popular dishes, for only $39. Drinks and gratuities are paid directly at the restaurant.
Travel in comfort aboard a luxury coach bus, limited to just 45 guests for a premium and relaxed experience. Throughout the tour, your expert guide will share festive stories, NYC holiday tips, and insider insights.
Now in its third year, this is our best-selling tour, with over 14,000 guests welcomed across the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Availability is limited, and the best dates sell out quickly, especially in December and on weekends.
Join us and make this joyful morning your new Christmas tradition.
What You Will Experience
This fully guided three-hour Christmas tour combines comfortable coach transportation between locations with hop-off stops and short guided walks. Together with your licensed New York City tour guide, you will explore Manhattan’s most iconic holiday landmarks, decorations and photo locations on foot.
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Tour Start Meet in Times Square
Meet the My Christmas in New York team in Times Square and get ready for your festive morning tour. Please arrive 15 to 20 minutes before your scheduled departure time.
Complete meeting-point, check-in and arrival instructions are included in your booking confirmation once the tour has been booked.
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Hop-Off Walking Stop Radio City & Sixth Avenue Decorations
Step off the coach for a short guided walk past Radio City Music Hall, the festive FOX decorations, giant candy canes, oversized red Christmas ornaments, the Fox Square Christmas tree and the immersive walkthrough tree.
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Iconic Christmas Stop Rockefeller Center & Channel Gardens
Explore Rockefeller Center on foot and see the world-famous Christmas Tree, the ice-skating rink and the elegant seasonal displays throughout the Channel Gardens, with time for photos along the way.
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Hop-Off Walking Stop Fifth Avenue Holiday Landmarks
Walk along Fifth Avenue to see the seasonal displays at Saks Fifth Avenue, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the beautifully decorated Cartier Mansion.
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Hop-Off Walking Stop The Plaza, Bergdorf Goodman & UNICEF Snowflake
Discover the exterior of the Plaza Hotel, the Pulitzer Fountain, the Bergdorf Goodman holiday windows and the illuminated UNICEF Snowflake, together with the festive displays at Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co. and Dior.
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Hop-Off Walking Stop Lotte New York Palace Courtyard
Visit the elegant courtyard of the Lotte New York Palace, decorated for the season and home to one of Midtown Manhattan’s most photogenic Christmas trees.
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Tour Finale Papillon Christmas Restaurant
The coach drops the group directly at Papillon Bistro & Bar, where your guide will meet the My Christmas in New York team and the guided tour will conclude.
Guests who selected the Papillon reservation option will use the dedicated My Christmas in New York check-in arrangement and receive their guaranteed reserved table. A table is not included unless this option was selected during booking.
MCNY Exclusive Experience Guaranteed Reserved Table at Papillon Available when the Papillon reservation option is selected during booking, with dedicated My Christmas in New York check-in arrangements.Full menu, payment and reservation details are explained in the Papillon section immediately below.
Your Papillon Experience
Papillon Bistro & Bar is one of New York City’s most famous Christmas restaurants, celebrated for its spectacular festive decorations, immersive atmosphere and unforgettable photo opportunities.
During the holiday season, regular visitors can face walk-in waits of up to two hours. Guests who pre-book the Papillon experience through My Christmas in New York skip the regular public walk-in line and receive a guaranteed reserved table.
SKIP THE LINE & ENJOY A RESERVED TABLE
Guests who reserve the Papillon experience through My Christmas in New York skip Papillon’s regular public walk-in line and use a dedicated check-in line exclusively for our tour groups.
This separate line is used only to confirm reservation names and organise seating. Your table has already been allocated, so you are not joining the public walk-in or standing waiting line. Papillon’s reception team will check each reservation and escort your party to its table on one of the restaurant’s two floors.
Your guide and the My Christmas in New York team will be present to coordinate the arrival and help ensure everything runs smoothly.
- Dedicated My Christmas in New York check-in line
- Guaranteed reserved table for up to 1.5 hours
- $15 reservation payment fully credited to your restaurant bill
- Guide and My Christmas in New York team coordinate your arrival
Important: A reserved table is available only to guests who selected and paid for the $15 per-person Papillon reservation option when booking. If the option was not selected, no table will have been reserved.
Exclusive Two-Course Menu for $39
2
COURSES
$39
PER PERSON
$15
FULLY CREDITED
Guests with a confirmed Papillon reservation will enjoy a special two-course prix fixe menu for $39 per person, available exclusively to My Christmas in New York guests.
This offers exceptional value for dining at one of Midtown Manhattan’s most popular Christmas restaurants during the busiest season of the year. Papillon updates its regular menu and public pricing for the holidays, when demand and restaurant prices are typically higher.
The exclusive menu gives our guests a predictable price and a curated selection of some of Papillon’s most popular dishes at a preferential rate.
The $15 reservation payment is fully credited towards your restaurant bill. It is not an additional fee. You will pay only the remaining menu balance, together with any drinks, extras and gratuities, directly at Papillon.
What You Will See
Discover the most iconic Christmas sights in Midtown Manhattan in just 3 hours, all in one seamless experience. From world famous trees and festive decorations to historic landmarks, each stop is carefully selected to show you the very best of New York at Christmas, with the perfect balance between time spent outside exploring and time inside your comfortable bus to warm up and relax. All the sights below are experienced up close, with guided stops where you hop off the bus to take photos and fully enjoy each location.
What’s Included
Your three-hour guided tour, coach transportation and all itinerary stops are included. Guests who select the Papillon dining experience during booking also receive dedicated check-in and a guaranteed reserved table.
Your Guided Christmas Experience
- Fully guided three-hour Christmas sightseeing tour with a licensed New York City tour guide
- Hop-off stops and short guided walks at Manhattan’s most iconic holiday locations
- Live narration, festive stories and insider tips throughout the experience
- Comfortable transportation between stops on a climate-controlled coach with a professional driver
- Group size limited to 45 guests
- Direct drop-off at Papillon Christmas Restaurant in Midtown Manhattan at the end of the tour
Papillon Dining Experience
- Dedicated My Christmas in New York check-in arrangement
- Priority access without joining Papillon’s regular public walk-in line
- Guaranteed reserved table for up to 1.5 hours after the guided tour
- $15 per-person reservation payment fully credited towards your final restaurant bill
Not Included
- Food, drinks, extras and restaurant gratuities at Papillon
- Guaranteed entry or a reserved table at Papillon unless the $15 per-person reservation option was selected during booking
- Guide and driver gratuities, which are optional but appreciated
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Return transportation to Times Square, as the tour ends at Papillon Christmas Restaurant in Midtown Manhattan
Important Information About Your Tour
- At the time of booking, guests can reserve a table at Papillon Christmas Restaurant by paying a $15 per person reservation fee. This amount is fully credited toward your final bill at the restaurant.
- Access to Papillon Bistro & Bar is strictly limited to guests who reserve their table in advance during the booking process. Guests without a reservation will not be able to enter the restaurant at the end of the tour, including for photos or quick visits.
- The $15 reservation fee cannot be added or paid on the day of the tour. If you wish to add this experience after booking, you must request it in advance via email at info@discovernyc.tours, subject to availability.
- Once seated, guests will enjoy a special 2 course prix fixe menu featuring some of Papillon’s most popular dishes at a preferred rate of $39 directly paid at the restaurant. Please note that an à la carte menu is not available for this experience.
- Your reserved table is guaranteed for up to 1.5 hours, in addition to the 3 hour guided tour.
- All food, drinks, and gratuities are paid directly at the restaurant. The $15 per person paid at booking will be credited toward your final bill.
- The meeting point is in Times Square at 220 W 45th Street, a busy Midtown Manhattan location.
- Please arrive 15 to 20 minutes before your scheduled departure time for a smooth check in process.
- Our team will be there holding a yellow umbrella so you can easily find us.
- All check in instructions are provided in your booking confirmation and can also be reviewed in our FAQ section at any time.
- Our cancellation policy applies without exceptions. Full details are available during the booking process and in our FAQ section.
- If you arrive late, you will not be able to join the tour once it has started and no refund will be issued.
- Rebooking options may be limited, as tours often sell out in advance.
- Our buses depart exactly at the scheduled time out of respect for guests who arrive on time, so it is essential to arrive at least 15 minutes early.
- The My Christmas Morning in Manhattan Tour operates in all weather conditions, including rain, snow, or sunshine.
- Please dress appropriately for winter in New York City. We recommend comfortable walking shoes, warm clothing, and an umbrella if needed.
- Children aged 0 to 2 can join for free if they sit on a parent’s lap. No separate seat will be provided.
- Snacks and non alcoholic drinks are allowed on board.
- Pets, bicycles, alcohol, drugs, and strong smelling foods are not permitted on the vehicle.
- Seating on the vehicle is assigned on a first come, first served basis within your selected category, Priority or General Seating.
- This is a bus and walking sightseeing tour with multiple stops. Guests should be comfortable walking short distances.
- The tour is not suitable for guests with significant mobility impairments or wheelchair users due to vehicle and operational limitations.
- For safety and compliance reasons, wheelchairs cannot be accommodated on the bus.
- The tour ends at Papillon Bistro & Bar in Midtown Manhattan.
- Guests who selected the Papillon option will enjoy exclusive access and a reserved table inside the restaurant.
- Return transportation to Times Square is not included, even if you did not select the Papillon dining experience.
Starting at
$99 per person
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