Top 10 New York City Apartment Buildings to Watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Thanksgiving Day in New York City is usually bitterly chilly. For those not prepared to bundle up and brave the crowds, nothing could be better than watching the always fabulous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade from apartments along the route. Of course, we are talking about watching it live, out the window, not on the television. The best views are not always from the penthouses but from mid-building—an up-close-and-personal perspective that most pedestrians can’t appreciate.
#1 - The Dakota, 1 West 72nd Street
No Harry Potter could dream up a better castle from which to view the glorious Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Just be careful not to tempt the great dragons along its cast-iron moat fence if they've not been fed recently. There are, of course, plenty of fireplaces and spooks inside keeping Rosemary's Baby gigly.
#2 - The Majestic, 115 Central Park West
The twin Art-Deco towers of the Majestic offers birds'-eyes views not only of the parade but also of Bethesda Fountain in the middle of Central Park close to the Boathouse restaurant which might be a little crowded
#3 - The Prasada, 50 Central Park West
With its very grand, formal entrance with four, large, two-story banded columns supporting a cartouche and a semi-circular loggia entrance, this 1907 apartment building lost its original mansard roof in 1919 but still retains its great, large arched windows on the first floor that are perfect for "oohing" at the passing undersides of gigantic balloons
#4 - 15 Central Park West
While the vistas of the Thanksgiving Day Parade from this two-building complex are short, they are quite lengthy and fine for the turn around Columbus Circle to Central Park South
#5 - Trump International, 1 Central Park West
With its prime location at the north end of Columbus Circle, this tower is well positioned to survey the parade's turn from Central Park West to Central Park South
#6 - Residences at the Mandarin Oriental, 80 Columbus Circle
Though this twin-towered, mixed-use development has blocked views of most of Central Park West, it has terrific views of the parade's turn at Columus Circle east to Central Park South
#7 - 200 Central Park South
The broad curve of this Central Park South Tower affords fine views of the parade as it starts to descend Seventh Avenue
#8 - The Osborne, 205 West 57th Street
This mighty brownstone fortress resonates with the parade's stately stomp as it prepares to pass Carnegie Hall
#9 - Atlas New York, 66 West 38th Street
When the parade reaches 42nd Street, it veers east one block to Sixth Avenue before continuing south, thus giving residents at the Atlas New York a direct view of the parade as it heads for 34th Street
#10 - Herald Towers, 50 West 34th Street
In 1913, this large and finely detailed building overlooking Herald Square and Macy's and designed by F. M. Andrews, was erected as the Hotel McAlpin and it was converted to rental apartments in 1999 by JEMB Realty.
