NYC Christmas Movie Filming Locations: Home Alone 2, Elf, Miracle on 34th Street & More

New York is the setting of many of the best-loved Christmas films. Many of the locations are still there and look their best in December. Here’s where to find them, plus a walking route that links the Midtown spots.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

• The Plaza Hotel (Fifth Ave & Central Park South) — where Kevin checks in. The lobby is decorated lavishly for the holidays.
• Rockefeller Center tree — the reunion scene (tree guide).
• Central Park’s Gapstow Bridge area — where Kevin meets the pigeon lady.
• Radio City Music Hall — seen as Kevin explores Midtown.

Elf (2003)

• Empire State Building — Walter Hobbs’s office.
• Rockefeller Center skating rink — Buddy and Jovie’s skating scene.
• Central Park — the sleigh finale (scenes were filmed around the park).
• Lincoln Tunnel — Buddy’s arrival in New York.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947 and 1994)

Macy’s Herald Square is at the heart of the original film, which includes real footage of the 1946 Thanksgiving parade. See Macy’s windows and Santaland.

Serendipity (2001)

Serendipity 3 on East 60th Street, famous for its frozen hot chocolate, and the Bloomingdale’s glove counter nearby (Bloomingdale’s windows).

Other Favorites

• When Harry Met Sally (1989) — the New Year’s Eve party finale, plus a scene of Harry and Sally carrying a Christmas tree down a Manhattan street.
• Scrooged (1988) — Bill Murray’s modern Christmas Carol is set at a Manhattan TV network.
• Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) — set in a fictional Manhattan skyscraper.

Walking Route (about 2 miles)

Start at Macy’s (34th St), take the subway or walk up Sixth Avenue to Bryant Park, continue to Rockefeller Center and Radio City, walk up Fifth Avenue past the holiday windows to the Plaza, cross into Central Park to Gapstow Bridge and Wollman Rink, then walk east to Serendipity 3 and Bloomingdale’s.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where was Home Alone 2 filmed in New York?

Key locations include the Plaza Hotel, the Rockefeller Center tree, Central Park’s Gapstow Bridge area and Radio City Music Hall.

Where did Buddy work in Elf?

Walter Hobbs’s office in Elf is in the Empire State Building.