See New York’s most iconic Christmas sights with a local guide who’s also a professional photographer, and leave with around 100 photos of your holiday trip.
Skip the selfie sticks and the “can you take our picture?” moments. On this private 3-hour walking tour, you’ll see the holiday magic of Midtown Manhattan while your guide captures photos of you and your group. You get the tour, the stories, and the photos.
Your NYC Christmas Tour Route [3 Hours]
This route hits Midtown’s biggest holiday highlights:
- 📍 Times Square
- 📍 Bryant Park, with Empire State Building views
- 📍 Grand Central Terminal
- 📍 Lotte New York Palace Christmas Tree
- 📍 St. Patrick’s Cathedral
- 📍 Saks Fifth Avenue
- 📍 Rockefeller Center
- 📍 Radio City Music Hall
- 📍 Fifth Avenue Holiday Windows
- 📍 Central Park
Along the way, you’ll get local tips and fun history from a licensed NYC guide and native New Yorker. Plus, recommendations for where to eat, shop, and celebrate for the rest of your trip.
Christmas Photo Tour Gallery
What’s Included
- Private 3-hour holiday walking tour with a local licensed guide and photographer
- Around 100 high-resolution photos of you and your group (depending on group pace)
- New York taxes and fees
- 1% of profits donated to local NYC charities
Not included: Gratuities (optional, but always appreciated!).
About Your Photos
This experience is part tour, part photoshoot, with a mix of posed and candid photos captured as you explore. They’re perfect for remembering your trip and sharing with family and friends.
- Light edits: Photos are batch-edited for light and color. Individual edits (like removing people in the background) are not included, unless you add “Super Edits” at checkout.
- Curated selection: We use our 13+ years of experience to choose and deliver your best shots.
- Delivery: Digital folder, typically within 2 weeks (expedited delivery available at checkout).
Want more posing and outfit changes? See the Christmas photoshoot option below.
Private Tour Pricing
Unlike group tours, this is a private experience just for you and your group. Your guide is licensed by New York City and is also a professional photographer, so you get a tour and a photoshoot in one, with around 100 photos included in the price.
$645 total for up to 3 people (not per person). That’s about $215 per hour, photos included.
- Weekends: +$60 for Saturday and Sunday tours.
- If possible, we highly recommend booking for a weekday to avoid the large holiday crowds.
- Additional guests: +$50 per person
💡 US guests: You can skip platform booking fees by paying via Zelle. Email [email protected] to reserve your date.
🎄 Book early: December dates are limited, and tours run before 4 PM due to winter light.
Want More Photos And Edits? Book A Christmas Photoshoot
If you’d rather focus fully on photos, a Christmas photoshoot is a great option. It’s ideal for holiday cards, special occasions, and content for your socials, with time for outfit changes, more poses, and individually edited images.
Book 3 hours to visit all of the festive spots on the tour route, or 2 hours for a shorter route with your favorites. Want to swap any locations out? We’re happy to customize your route.
- Pre-shoot call or email chat to plan your vision, locations, and looks
- Posing guidance and outfit changes
- Customizable route if you’d like to visit places like the Brooklyn Bridge, DUMBO, or the Upper East Side
- Edited Shoot – from $485: 2 hours, around 100 individually edited photos (including removing background crowds)
- Unedited Shoot – from $300: 2 hours, every photo taken (RAW or JPG), for those who like to edit their own
Prices are for up to 3 people. Add a third hour at checkout to cover the full holiday route outlined above.
Tour vs. Photoshoot: Which Is Right For You?
| Christmas Photo Tour | Edited Photoshoot | Unedited Photoshoot | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Sightseeing + trip memories | Holiday cards, styled shoots | DIY editors, max photos |
| Length | 3 hours | 2+ hours | 2+ hours |
| Photos | ~100 | ~100 | Every shot taken |
| Editing | Batch edits (Super Edits optional) | Individual premium edits | None (RAW/JPG) |
| Guided tour | ✅ | Light commentary | Light commentary |
| Posing + outfit changes | Minimal | ✅ | ✅ |
What Guests Say
The Best Way to Capture Christmas in NYC
Jessie did a fabulous job of navigating very crowded streets and markets on a Saturday in December to capture photos of my once-in-a-lifetime visit to NYC at Christmas time. I jokingly told Jessie I wanted photos of everything I’d ever seen in a Hallmark movie, and she did an incredible job! Dense crowds are a given in NYC during the holidays, and I was so grateful to have someone who knew their way around guiding me from one iconic Christmas site to another. Her easy-going approach also made the walk enjoyable as we snagged pictures at all the spots I requested, and at some extra places she recommended. She was also quick to offer suggestions for poses when I was at a loss. I was sad to see our time together end. The photos are priceless, and I felt as though I was leaving behind a good friend.
Wendy S.
Phenomenal Photo Tour
This tour was the best decision we made for our trip to NYC. Our photo tour guide was extremely knowledgeable about NYC history and navigated the city easily. She had great travel suggestions for us. She was friendly and took amazing photos!
Ashley B.
Exceeded My Expectations
Super impressed with the guide’s professionalism, local knowledge, and photography skills. I walked away with 4x as many great shots as I expected going into it! She made it fun as well. I will absolutely book her again for another shoot when I’m next in NYC! She captured all the looks and scenes I wanted in the city and kept it all fun!
Jeff H.
I am in love with my photos. Jessie did an awesome [job] on the tour and an amazing job with photographing the day… A highlight of my trip to NYC. Thrilled with the quantity and quality of the pictures.
Dolores H.
➡️ Read more reviews on TripAdvisor
Planning A Christmas Trip To NYC?
- 🎄 Printable NYC Christmas Itinerary: a ready-made holiday plan from a local, with a map
- ✍️ Custom NYC Trip Planning: a personalized itinerary built around you
- 🎁 Gift Cards: give a photo tour or shoot as a holiday gift
Good To Know
How much walking is involved? Quite a bit, as this is a 3-hour walking tour through Midtown. Wear comfortable shoes and dress warmly!
What if the weather is bad? If it’s raining at your tour’s start time, we’ll try to reschedule. If that isn’t possible, you’ll receive a 100% refund.
Can I use the photos commercially? Photos are for personal use. The photographer retains copyright. For commercial use, email us about licensing.
Cancellation policy:
- 30+ days before: 90% refund.
- 73 hours–29 days before: 50% refund.
- Within 72 hours: non-refundable.
- For a full refund, add Cancellation Insurance at checkout. See our Terms & Conditions (section 3).
Can I pay with Zelle? Yes! US clients can skip the online booking fees by paying via Zelle. Just email [email protected] with the subject line “Zelle Booking” and include your preferred date, time and experience. We’ll confirm availability and send payment details. Your booking is confirmed once payment is received.
Questions? Email [email protected]. We respond within 24 hours, usually much sooner.