Flight to NYC from St. Louis.  Upon arrival, we will transfer to our group transportation for our short trip into Manhattan.  Our next three nights are in the heart of Midtown at the BWP Empire State Hotel offering guests contemporary accommodations in a refined atmosphere with superior comfort and service.  Our hotel is located just blocks from the iconic Empire State Building and situated between Fifth and Park Avenues.  After lunch on your own, join your Tour Host for an optional stroll to Bryant Park's Winter Village Holiday Market! This European inspired open-air market shops are housed in custom-designed, "jewel box" kiosks. Enjoy local crafts, artisan provisions, and exquisite gifts from around the world. This evening we will have a welcome dinner together before heading to dessert at the "Starbucks Reserve" at Empire State Building.  This is not your everyday Starbucks... this is a journey of the senses, an immersive discovery of craft coffee, carefully curated confectionaries, and desserts perfectly designed to be shared and celebrated together.  Afterwards, you may choose to take the fast elevator to the Top Deck Observation levels at the 102nd and 86th floors with breathtaking views of the city in every direction.

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After breakfast, get ready to experience the sights, sounds and dazzling Time's Square!  With its neon lights and billboards, Times Square is New York’s most famous landmark.  Times Square sits right smack in the center of New York City's Theater District and visitor's enjoy the street musicians, restaurants, museums and shops all hours of the day. You will have time to explore and have some lunch.   This afternoon we will arrive at the magnificent Radio City Music Hall for "Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes"!  This annual musical holiday stage show features more than 140 performers and an original live musical score, and combines singing, dancing, and humor with traditional scenes.  You never forget the memories you make after seeing this incomparable production!   After the show, we will enjoy dinner together in Rockefeller Center.  We will see where the famous Christmas tree* is in the plaza, watch the ice skaters on the rink and sip a hot chocolate as we stroll Fifth Avenue shop windows and make a stop at St. Patrick's Cathedral. The cathedral is the largest Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral in North America, as well as the first major Gothic Revival cathedral in the United States.  

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This morning, we will depart our hotel with our outstanding NYC guide to tour and showcase the city's most known sights and sounds from Midtown to Uptown to Downtown and points between.  Our tour will feature several stops along the way including Central Park and John Lennon's Strawberry Fields memorial, the Upper and East sides, Columbus Circle, SoHo, Greenwich Village, Grand Central Station and many more!  We will stop in Little Italy to partake in included delicious luncheon.  Leave room for dessert at New York's oldest Italian bakery - Ferrara!  Baker and importer of over 200 superb Italian specialties, Ferrara is known world-wide since 1892. This afternoon we will transfer to lower Manhattan and the Financial District.  We will pay our respects to our fallen and 9/11 heroes at the Memorial waterfall footprints of both towers.  We will also visit the new World Trade Oculus Center and Winter Garden.  Here you can enjoy dinner on your own at one of the many eateries at Hudson Eats.  We will also have a chance to spot and photograph the Statue of Liberty in the harbor.   

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After breakfast, we will check-out and depart our hotel for Pier 81 on the Hudson River for the World Famous "Best of New York" Circle Line cruise.  We have seen the city street by street, but today's river cruise features breathtaking views of the NYC skyline and an up-close encounter of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island while listening to the award winning tour guides narrate every detail along your route. Our ride is in comfort on one of the modern, temperature-controlled, Bronx-class boats, each with a huge outdoor deck and multiple concessions areas to purchase food and drinks.  This cruise will truly culminate your New York City Holiday Journey with Cornerstone... We hope you can join us!

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Journey Notes:

• Broadway Shows: Our guests are welcome and encouraged to enjoy a Broadway evening show while on this journey.  Tickets are on own, however, we will provide a show schedule of events approximately 30 days before your departure.  You will have time on the evening of Day #2 or Day #3.  Transportation to/from and the show tickets are on own (however your Tour Host will assist you in securing both).   

•This Tour does require walking some distances.  We pace our groups timing, however, good physical mobility is needed to enjoy the itinerary.

*In 2024 the Rockefeller Square Christmas Tree will not be lit until December due to the later holiday calendar.