November 12, 2026 · Apex Event Rides
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is the centerpiece of the holidays in Manhattan. The 2026 tree, a Norway spruce, arrived on November 7, and the lighting is on Wednesday, December 2, 2026. Here is how to see it without spending the evening stuck in Midtown.
Lighting night: watch it on TV, visit another night
The lighting ceremony draws huge crowds to the streets around Rockefeller Center, and Midtown traffic is at a standstill for much of the evening. Unless being there for the switch-on is the point of your trip, see the tree on a different night. It stays lit through the holiday season after December 2; Rockefeller Center publishes the viewing hours closer to the date.
When to go
- Quietest: weekday mornings and late evenings.
- Busiest: weekend evenings in December and the week between Christmas and New Year.
- Best photos: after dark, from the plaza above the rink, looking up past the Prometheus statue.
Getting there
The tree stands on the plaza between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, around West 49th and 50th Streets. On busy evenings the surrounding blocks fill with people on foot and cars barely move. If you come by car, ask to be dropped a couple of blocks away on Sixth Avenue or Madison Avenue and walk in; your chauffeur can wait nearby and meet you at an agreed corner when you are done.
Make it a holiday lights evening
The tree is the start of a good evening rather than the whole of it. Within a short walk are the Fifth Avenue window displays and the holiday market at Bryant Park. For the full tour, add the Dyker Heights Christmas lights in Brooklyn, about 40 to 60 minutes' drive away depending on traffic. Allow three to four hours, and wear warm shoes: most of the evening is on foot.
Booking a holiday lights tour
We run holiday lights tours by the hour for families, visiting relatives and groups of up to six per vehicle: Rockefeller Center, the windows, Dyker Heights, or your own list of stops. December evenings book up quickly. See our holiday season services or request a quote.
Lighting date as announced for 2026 (reported by Time Out New York). Viewing hours are set by Rockefeller Center; check rockefellercenter.com before you go.
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