new york for new year

[Nicecupofteaandabiscuit]

We've never done a big holiday with our boys (15 and 16) and I want to do so soon before one goes off to Uni. We asked and they both want to go to Iceland or New York. Problem is with school and exams we can only go in July/August or in Dec/Jan. They both have school trips in Feb half term, then both have exams then DoE etc. We have a long standing commitment to a family holiday with my sisters in October each year. Then we have my ILs for Xmas itself. So looking at Jul/Aug - too hot for New York and no chance of seeing northern lights so instead looking at 28/29 Dec to 3/4 Jan.

So New York for new year
Will it be miserably cold?
Does a package with BA make sense about £4k for 4 nights. Or should I try and book separately?
Book now or later in the year?

It will be cold in NY, yes (although this year has been exceptionally mild). Your DC are the right age to enjoy NY at that time though, and you/they will have plenty of time to look into what they want to do, where they want to go, book tickets etc. Assuming you’re coming from the UK, 4 nights could be brutally short in terms of jet lag. You’d just have to power through and rest when you get back.

£4K for 4 ppl, flights and accommodation is ambitious. Sorry. Flights are around the $750/800 mark now for non-peak travel days. Accommodation will also be super expensive over the NY and you really don’t want to mar your experience by staying in a motel or hotel with bedbugs or inescapable noise etc. If you insist on traveling over that time, fly back on Jan 1, or fly out on Dec 25. It might help with costs. Then, of course, spending money. Boys that age with large appetites….stick to fast food chains (they’re not all awful, and it’s only 4 days, plenty of salad chains as well as burgers and tacos etc), local bistros etc. Portions are big, at least.

Iceland I think would be more realistic BUT you may have to spend $$$ on cold weather gear if you don’t have any. It would be miserable to shiver throughout your trip. Boots, coat, ski pants etc - if you don’t have them yet, beg steal or borrow! Also, no guarantee you’ll have a clear night and if you do, that you’ll see the lights so have a Plan B up your sleeve.

What about Svalbard, or Tromso? Northern Finland? You’ll need all the same winter gear but it’ll be cheaper. Also if you don’t see the lights you can go dog sledding, reindeer racing, snow-monolingual etc. But again, £4K would be ambitious.

thank you so much. I think you are right re the duration. I was looking on BA (British Airways from London) holidays today and it is only bookable up to 355 days in advance so I looked at 29 Dec to 3 Jan. Tomorrow I can get prices up to 4 Jan and so on. 29 Dec to 3 Jan for 4 in grand hyatt new york with flights but room only was just under £4k we then have to add transfers, airport parking etc. Extra nights will be more and we are aware of food etc. I'm budgeting £8-9k for the whole thing. That has to be enough. I hope. They never has any interest in Disney etc. They have never mentioned Finland and I know they would be gutted to go to Iceland and not see the Northern Lights hence I am erring on the side of New York. We have all sort of cold weather gear. They are both on Ski trips with school in Feb this year and we've been skiing in Europe before. DH and I lived in Toronto before so we are well equipped

I would love to travel on 25 Dec but the fallout with in-laws (or worse still them deciding to accompany us) wouldn't be worth it.

I mentioned Disney because we have never been to Disney and they have never ever wanted to go. All there friends and cousins have been. We've only ever been to Europe so they want to go further afield