Thanksgiving Parade/traveling out of NYC after (Holland, Maryland: hotel, garage)

[cwade0]

I'm debating on taking the kids to the parade for the first time this year. I was thinking about booking a hotel in SoHo to be away from the parade area congestion and to get out of the city via the Holland Tunnel post-parade.

The plan is to view the parade from the Central Park West area or near Columbus Circle and hop on the subway back to the parking garage and then leave immediately.

A few questions:

How bad would the traffic be coming into the city the day before Thanksgiving?
I can leave from Maryland anytime on Wednesday and can get there early (before noon) if that will help.

How bad will traffic be leaving out of SoHo post-parade?

We plan on having the car packed and waiting in the parking garage, which is VERY close to the Holland Tunnel entrance.


I'm also debating between I-78 through Allentown, PA vs/ the NJ Turnpike.


Any parade viewing advice would be appreciated also! Places to view, what time do you recommend getting a spot, etc.


Thanks so much for any help/advice in advance!

[tpk-nyc]

Getting out of the city after the parade won't be the problem. The streets are surprisingly deserted on Thanksgiving Day, even with the parade.

It's getting into the city on Wednesday that will be a pain, but I don't think there's much you can do about it.

[cwade0]

Originally Posted by tpk-nyc

It's getting into the city on Wednesday that will be a pain, but I don't think there's much you can do about it.

Do you think arriving before noon would help? Or am I pretty much screwed no matter what time of day?

Thanks again!

[tpk-nyc]

It's the busiest travel day of the year so you're going to get stuck in traffic somewhere no matter what. However, some people work on Wednesday and there will be rush-hour traffic. Trying to minimize your exposure by arriving around noon isn't a bad idea.

[ezzie1]

Getting through the Holland Tunnel after the parade will be a trial; last year --only blocks from the tunnel entrance--we sat in gridlock for over an hour. We go to family in New Jersey every year, and traffic is always awful.