Grand Central Terminal Holiday Season

Enjoying the Holiday Train Show & Holiday Fair Shopping

New York City is always magical around the holidays...the festive decor, the lights and the Salvation Army staffs joyously singing and jingling their bells at street corners. While it’s magical, it’s also really busy so we opted for a few hours indoors at the Holiday Shops and Train Show in Grand Central Terminal during Thanksgiving weekend.

We’ve all visited Grand Central Terminal on many occasions to catch our trains, however rarely stopped to enjoy the beauty of the terminal. Plus Annie’s only visit was over 20 years ago. Grand Central is listed as a US National Historic Landmark, it’s distinct architecture and unique interior design makes it one of the world’s most visited attraction to be enjoyed during every season.

Our first stop was at the Holiday Train Show, a first time for everyone, and what a delightful experience ! First off we were greeted by a friendly security guard who offered to help us in with the wheelchair, but politely declined since Neil is good at maneuvering Annie around. There were a few other MTA staffs engaging with visitors and all of them very chipper. One explained that while we enjoyed the Lionel Metro North Polar Express show, our mission was to find a few items, a Yeti, King Kong, a super small train model spinning around on a train track and of course, Santa. That set the tone for the rest of the our time there, everyone was committed and focused. We were so determined to find everything which took a while and were certainly boisterous once we found them all! HINT! King Kong is where you expect him to be, Santa as well, look behind trees and buildings for the Yeti and as for the miniature moving train, well… hmmm… it was our last and most rewarding find so we’ll leave you with that eagerness. This unexpected scavenger hunt added a challenging excitement on top of the enchanting display and totally worth your time for enjoyable experience. The Train Show was accessible but it was quite hard to get around due to many people in a small area. Best to go there very early in the day when they’ve just opened (10am) or after the holidays since the exhibit goes to Feb 2019. Hours of operation for the show are Mon-Fri 8am-8pm & Sat/Sun 10am-6pm, with Free Admission.

After the exhibit, we opted to walk around the grand Main Concourse, enjoying the iconic ceiling with it’s wrongly painted zodiac signs and the clocktower which serves as the main meeting point for people and also the ideal spot for people watching.

During the holiday season, many artisanal shops pop up across the city. Grand Central houses 30-40 shops of American handmade products which are locally sourced or from a socially conscious business. Products range from holiday decoration, clothing, jewelry & accessories, wall art and homemade scents & candles. The hallways are wide for the wheelchair and it’s not as crowded as the pop ups in Bryant Park or Union Square, plus it’s the warm indoors!

Suggested Duration: 2-3 hours

Accessible Information:
- Grand Central Terminal is accessible for visitors with disabilities. The Main Concourse has ramps to the level below, known as the Dining Concourse with plenty of restaurants.
- Accessible public restrooms are on the lower level.
- Large Print on Signage
- Braille
- Assisted Listening System is available in the Main Concourse at the information booth.
- Wheelchairs are not available to rent.

Location:
89 East 42nd Street
Phone: 212-340-2583
 www.grandcentralterminal.com

Admissions: Free

Public Visiting Hours:
5:15 am - 2:00 am
Store and restaurant hours vary.
 
Dining Options: Urban Space @Vanderbilt Midtown a few blocks away. Click here for full details on the Restaurant page.

There is also many options for dining inside, here is a full list of what they have. Please reach out directly for access information. Link to dining options here.

Public Transportation: Bus stops nearby M101, M102, M103, M1, M2, M3, M4, Q32, M42

Important: Information is subject to change, please visit https://grandcentralterminal.com/ for the most up to date details.
Sep 2024