How To See the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in NYC

Christmas in New York City is like no other — and the centerpiece is the Rockefeller Christmas tree. 

Lighting the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center has been a tradition for almost 100 years. Before you make your holiday trip to the Big Apple, you’ll want to know what to see, where to go, and how to make the most of your visit.

As a New Yorker who’s been to Rockefeller Center plenty of times, holidays included, that’s exactly what I’m here to tell you.

But first, let’s start with a little history. 

The history of Rockefeller Center

Before the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, there was John D. Rockefeller, Jr. 

As a financier and philanthropist, Rockefeller was quite successful. After graduating college, he joined his father’s oil business in 1897. It was at this time that he decided to make NYC his home office. Despite some controversies and a blow from the stock market crash in 1929, John D. held strong. He set his sights on a particular plot of land in uptown Manhattan to bring New York further into the 20th century.

Originally conceived as a space for a new Metropolitan Opera House, Rockefeller Center has become so much more. Due to his partners backing out after the stock market crash, John D. Rockefeller was forced to finance the entire project on his own. The plaza then became home to up to 14 different buildings including Radio City Music Hall, offices for Rockefeller’s rivals Sinclair Oil and Royal Dutch Shell, and even a home base for British intelligence during World War II.

However, it wasn’t long after the initial construction that the first Rockefeller Center Christmas tree would make its appearance.

How the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree started

The first tree was put up and decorated on Dec. 24, 1931. It was done so by construction workers who were there to build the Rockefeller Center itself. 

That year, decorations were as simple as cranberries, paper, and tin cans. In 1933, the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree became an annual tradition, and it has grown more and more extravagant as the years go on. 

Fun fact: The tree of choice for over 40 years has been the Norway spruce. In 1999, the largest tree so far was used, standing at a whopping 100 feet!

When will the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree be lit for 2024?

Rockefeller Center hasn’t yet released the details on this year’s tree, so we don’t yet know where it’s coming from or when it will arrive in the city, but we know the tree usually arrives a couple weeks ahead of the big lighting ceremony so the team has time to get it set up and lit. 

It usually comes from New York or a neighboring state, and you’ll sometimes see some fun videos that fans capture along the route as it makes its journey to Manhattan! The 2024 tree, measuring 74 feet tall, came from Massachusetts.

Here’s a fun TikTok of the 2023 Christmas tree being hauled into Rockefeller Center in the early morning hours.

A big lighting ceremony is then held after Thanksgiving (usually the Wednesday after). It’s an extremely popular event. Not only do millions of people come from all over the world to see it; the ceremony is streamed on TV and various social media outlets.

Here’s a peek at what it looked like last year.

What was once a humble way for construction workers to celebrate the holidays has become a night of live music, countless celebrities, and the Rockettes! We don’t yet know who will perform at this year’s ceremony, but it’s sure to be a star-studded night. 

And of course, the tree lighting officially kicks off the holidays here in New York.

But if you won’t be here for Christmas, you can still see it after New Year’s. The tree will be taken down in January, usually around Jan. 11.

What is the Rockefeller Christmas tree decorated with?

The gorgeous tree is decorated with more than 50,000 lights that are strung on more than five miles of wire. 

It’s topped with a 3D Swarovski crystal star that was designed by architect Daniel Libeskind in 2018. It weighs 900 pounds and has 70 spikes that are covered in 3 million crystals.

How to visit the Rockefeller Christmas tree

If you’re in New York during the holidays, seeing the tree should be at the top of your list, but make sure you give yourself plenty of time, because it won’t be quick getting around Rockefeller Center this time of year. It’s one of the most popular spots to see at Christmas, so it gets packed with people. People will also be ice skating, shopping, dining, and just enjoying the sights.

You might be tempted to visit the tree in the middle of the night to avoid the people (trust me, I tried it too!), but the lights won’t be on. The tree lights are typically on from about 5 a.m. to midnight. 

If you’re an early riser, you can get ahead of the crowds and go first thing in the morning to get photos with the tree or go late at night to get photos almost crowd-free. Dinner time tends to be really crowded, especially the closer you get to Christmas, and it’s going to be really hard to even get down the sidewalks all around the area.

Going in the afternoon before work lets out can be a good time since it’s the warmest part of the day. Join our Rockefeller Center Walking Tour to see the tree, art, Top of the Rock, and more with your local guide to fill you in on the magic of New York at Christmas.

Here are some helpful tips for visiting Rockefeller Center during the holidays.

Visiting the Rockefeller Christmas tree with kids

Of course your little ones will want to see the Rockefeller Christmas tree too — it’s so pretty! 

My best tip, if you can swing it, is to leave your stroller behind, at least for this part of the day. Because the crowds can get so thick, a stroller is only going to be a nuisance for both you and those around you. 

Opting for the early morning hours can also be your best bet with kids. However, you won’t get the night lights. If you absolutely must see the tree lit up, try to go on a weekday rather than a weekend, as there will be slightly fewer people. If you go earlier in December (but not during the lighting ceremony, you may also catch a sweet spot for slightly fewer people). 

You might also find slightly fewer people if you go to some of the spots on 49th or 50th streets — which are closed for most of the day during this time of year — to snap pictures. 

And of course, if you go with our tour, your guide can help you navigate the crowds. We often have kids on our tours, which are family-friendly, so all ages are welcome!

Best places to take photos of the Rockefeller Christmas tree

There are a few great spots to take photos of the Rockefeller Center tree. Here are some of my favorites.

• One of the best places to take photos of the Rockefeller Christmas tree is directly in front of it on the Fifth Avenue side. The pathway between the tree and Fifth Avenue is lined with more lights and angels for a gorgeous view. 
• Another spot is from the ice skating rink below the tree. 
• Of course you want a photo right in front of the tree if you can! From any side — if you can get to it.
• Grab a reservation at L’Avenue at Saks Fifth Avenue and see if you can get a window seat — the view of the tree is incredible.

More to do nearby

There’s plenty to do in the Rockefeller Center area before or after you’ve checked out the tree — and you can see all of it with our tour. The 90-minute tour includes stops at Radio City Music Hall, Atlas, and St Patrick’s Cathedral, as well as a trip to Top of the Rock, which provides some of the best views of Manhattan and beyond. 

If you want to streamline your day, you can just see the tree while on our walking tour because we’ll be going right by there! (Not into walking in winter? We get it. We have an NYC bus tour that goes by Rockefeller Center too!)

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While visiting the tree, you can also check out Saks Fifth Avenue’s window displays and light show. The window displays will be up all day, but the music and light show only happens in the evenings. The outside of the store is decorated for the season in thousands of lights that are set to music for a show that happens periodically throughout each evening. That also means Fifth Avenue gets very, very busy with people! But it’s worth seeing while you’re in town. 

Local tip: Find a spot in the Channel Gardens (the area between the tree and Fifth Avenue where the angels are) to take photos with the tree where you can also see Saks’ light show so you don’t have to get stuck in two crowds. The crowd on Fifth Avenue tends to get really big and difficult to get through. If you can avoid it, do!