Best Places to View the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from the Street

With the 2010 Macy's Thanksgiving Parade coming up on November 25th there will be millions of people crowded along the streets of New York City hoping to catch a glance at the world famous parade floats as they float by. The parade starts at 9 a.m. on Thursday, November 25th 2010 and ends around 12 p.m. and will be celebrating its 84th year this year.

People travel from all over the world to see its famous character balloons and welcome Santa Claus and the Christmas holiday at the end of the show. You can also catch some of the hottest acts today coming by on floats, along with artists seeing a rebirth in their career, like Rick Astley did in 2008.

With its mix of cartoon characters, famous faces in the audience and music from bands and High School dancers from around the world, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has become the staple of television viewing on Thanksgiving morning as well as one of the most sought after seats in New York City on Thanksgiving morning.

You may be wondering where the best place to view the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is? Your best suggestion when it comes to getting the best seat for the parade is buying a hotel room within walking distance of the parade route, or buy a room along the parade route for the best seat in the city. But with hotels selling out months, sometimes years, in advance everyone else can utilize these tips to make this holiday tradition fun with the events and activities surrounding the parade route.

With so many people crowding the parade route, some as early as 12 a.m. the day of the parade, how can you get a seat to the hottest place in town? This official Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade route guide is straight from Macy's and includes the best places to view the floats.

Where will the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade start from?

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2010 will begin at 77th Street and Central Park West and will continue marching on Central Park West. The parade itself will travel past such historic New York City landmarks in this area as The Dakota apartment building, Donald Trump office building Trump International and The Kenilworth among many others.

Getting a seat where the show starts can be next to impossible if you arrive before the show starts. Many people start lining up at this location pretty early, sometimes the day before the event. The nice thing about getting a place at 77th Street and Central Park West early enough is seeing the floats being blown up and the parade starting to come to life.

The official viewing area can sometimes get 6 or 7 people deep and make seeing the floats over heads impossible. If you plan to beat the crowds and get there early, watch for weather reports the night before. Weather in NYC this time of year can be either harsh and bitter cold to warm or slightly warm, so dress appropriately.

Where will the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade go next?

After making its way down Central Park West the parade will turn east on Central Park South and continue on to 7th Avenue, the street where Macy's famous story is located. When the parade reaches 7th Avenue it will turn South at the corner of Central Park South to march to 42nd Street.

Check subway lines for this area, or close to it, if you plan to stay somewhere else in the city and travel to the parade location. The subway can get jammed with people if you get there too late, or before the parade starts.

Watching the parade procession in this area can also get crowded and deep with people. While the parade travels along a significant portion of 7th Avenue, if you plan to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade from this location remember it is a small area on the sidewalk surrounded by buildings and to get here early for the best seat.

Where will the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade travel nest and end?

After turning on to 42nd Street the parade will travel East along 42nd Street from 7th to 6th Avenue. Once the parade reaches 6th Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) the parade will veer South and march to 34th Street. Once it reaches 34th Street the parade will continue on to Macy's Herald Square, ending at 34th Street and 7th Avenue.

The most crowded places along the route will most likely be the starting and ending places, so always plan accordingly for where you want to be, when the best time to get there will be and be prepared for the elements. Watch for snow, rain, clouds or the sunny weather when you plan your trip to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.