Where do you want to be when Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade marches through New York City?

Hotel rooms with parade views (and room service breakfasts) offer a serene (and weatherproof) alternative to a sidewalk teeming with humanity. This year, the parade will march from Central Park West to Central Park South and down Sixth Avenue (aka Avenue of the Americas) to the Macy’s Herald Square mother ship. That means eight hotel are ideally situated to serve up rooms with the view you want.

Booking a parade-view room comes with a unique set of rules. Call the hotel directly (don’t even think about reserving online). Expect holiday pricing (the cheapest start at around $500 a night) and a three-night minimum. Another holiday quirk: the parade is meant to be seen from the street, so rooms on lower floors are the most desirable. Just because a hotel faces Sixth Avenue doesn’t mean Beagle Scout Snoopy and newcomer Minnie Mouse will be visible from every window. Read more