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Vacation in America's most famous big city
What better way to plan a vacation that is unique and memorable, than to experience New York City's most famous traditions. To help you get started, we listed the city's top 10 year-round events that you simply won't want to miss.
1.U.S. Open Tennis Tournament Beginning in late August and running for two weeks, the greatest names in tennis participate in the richest tennis tournament and the final Grand Slam event of the year. Tickets are difficult to come by, so you'll want to plan ahead for the largest-attended annual sporting event in the world.
2. Christmas Shopping Weekends Whether it's Cartier's - wrapped in ribbons and bows - or Macy's and Bloomingdale's - or Fifth Avenue designer boutiques - or even Canal Street open air markets - you're sure to find everything on your holiday shopping list in New York City. And when the stores close, Broadway's curtains rise. The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is lit, the Rockettes are on stage at the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and the Big Apple is wrapped in holiday splendor!
3. New Year's Eve Times Square is synonymous with New Year's Eve. Over 1 million people gather to celebrate in an amazingly exuberant yet peaceful display of friendship and fun.
4. Christmas in New York New York isn't just about shopping. It's about decorations. Lights, department store windows - and the most famous Christmas tree in the world at Rockefeller Center. It's truly a winter wonderland, from the 70-foot tree rising high above the Rockefeller Center ice skating rink, to the world's largest Hanukkah menorah and Kwanzaa celebrations throughout the city.
5. Wicket Weekend and Halloween Greenwich Village hosts an annual Halloween Parade with bands, dancers, puppets and the most wildly creative costumes. All those in costume are welcome to participate.
6. Columbus Day Parade New York City honors its Italian-America residents every year with a parade up Fifth Avenue on the second Tuesday of October. Maseratis and Ferraris highlight the parade, which features over 35,000 participants.
7. St. Patrick's Day Parade As popular as the Thanksgiving Day parade is, it's not as big as the St. Patrick's Day Parade up Fifth Avenue. The annual March 17 event has thrilled millions with bagpipe brigades, high school bands, military units and Irish heritage societies.
8. Fourth of July Fireworks Crowds gather in Lower Manhattan to watch more than 120,000 bursts of fireworks over the East River - all choreographed to music by the New York Pops. It's a New York tradition that has to be seen live to be appreciated.
9. New York Yankees Baseball Weekends Next year is the final season for venerable Yankee Stadium. "The House That Ruth Built" will be replaced by a new stadium in 2009. Game tickets will certainly be hard to come by. The stadium is home to Monument Park, honoring the greatest Yankee heroes of all time.
10. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade The most famous parade in the world! It's fun to watch on TV, but it's breathtaking to see it in person. Thousands visit the parade staging area the day before to view the gigantic balloons being inflated.
Customers who purchase an Economy ticket will be charged a $20 service fee, per direction for the first checked bag. This applies to travel within the United States including Hawaii as well as Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Also, a $30 fee, per direction will apply for a second checked bag. Free checked bags may be allowed based on Mileage Plus status and/or the type of ticket purchased. Baggage policies may change at any time. Please see United Airlines Baggage Policy for additional information. United Vacations also offers flights via other airlines, these airlines may impose additional charges for checked baggage which is collected by the airline at check-in. Click here for a current list of airline baggage charges or contact the airline directly for current fees and policies.
