The shopping guide: from the outlets to Fifth Avenue

Plenty of our guests come to shop. Some want outlet prices, some want the department stores they've seen in films, and some want one afternoon on Fifth Avenue they'll remember. From our place you can do all three, and you can start with a tip that saves real money.

Clothing and shoes are tax-free in New Jersey. Handbags, jewellery and watches are still taxed, but the jeans, coats and trainers aren't. In New York City, clothing and shoes are tax-free only under $110 per item. So buy the big-ticket coat in New Jersey.

Close to us, in New Jersey

The Mills at Jersey Gardens · Elizabeth

About ten minutes from us by Uber, right by the airport. It's New Jersey's largest outlet mall, so this is where to go for brand names at outlet prices. When you're done shopping, there's bowling, arcade games and karaoke at Round1 and a 20-screen AMC with IMAX. It's a full day out on a rainy one. 651 Kapkowski Rd, Elizabeth · simon.com

American Dream · East Rutherford

The mall that speaks for itself. Under one roof: Nickelodeon Universe (an indoor theme park), the DreamWorks Water Park, Big SNOW (real snow, indoors, for skiing and snowboarding), a SEA LIFE aquarium, a LEGOLAND Discovery Center, an ice rink and a Ferris wheel, with hundreds of shops in between. It's easiest by car or Uber. On weekends NJ Transit's 355 bus also runs hourly from Port Authority in Manhattan · americandream.com

New York, from downtown to uptown

Manhattan's shopping changes every twenty blocks. Here's the walk from bottom to top.

Greenwich Village & SoHo: the boutiques

Downtown is for browsing: small independent shops in the Village, and in SoHo the big brands' most stylish stores along Broadway, Prince Street and Spring Street. Wear comfortable shoes and get lost on purpose. From here: the PATH train from Newark Penn to World Trade Center, then a short subway ride or a walk north.

Union Square & 14th Street: markets

The Union Square Greenmarket runs Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 8am to 6pm, all year. In the holiday season a holiday market fills the square with gift stalls. Last year it ran from mid-November to Christmas Eve, so check this year's dates.

Herald Square & 34th Street: the department stores

This is Macy's, the flagship at 151 West 34th Street, billed as the world's largest store. On Thanksgiving morning the parade ends right outside. It's also the easiest stop from us: NJ Transit from Newark Penn arrives at New York Penn Station, a couple of blocks away.

Times Square, 42nd Street & Bryant Park: the holiday shops

From 28 October to 3 January, Bryant Park's Winter Village fills with holiday shops around a free skating rink (the rink stays open into February). It's a few blocks from Times Square, and the 107 bus from our street drops you at Port Authority on 42nd Street in 25 minutes or less (how to ride it).

Fifth Avenue in the 50s & Rockefeller Center: the grand finale

This is the big one. Fifth Avenue from Rockefeller Center up to Central Park is where the world's luxury houses keep their flagship stores. Saks Fifth Avenue is at 611 Fifth Avenue, across from the Rockefeller Center tree, and Tiffany's "Landmark" store is at 727 Fifth Avenue at 57th Street. Window-shopping here in December is an event in itself. The Rockefeller Center tree is lit on Wednesday 2 December 2026.

Our shopping tips

• Do the big clothing shop in New Jersey, where clothes and shoes are tax-free.
• Leave the car with us, since parking on our block is free. Take the bus or train into Manhattan, where parking is expensive and the traffic in December is worse.
• Bring a folding bag or a small suitcase for the trip home. You'll thank us on the bus.
• Check store hours on the day, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Written by the team at H1 Enterprises, hosts in Newark, New Jersey. Nobody paid to be on this page. Stores and dates change, so check before you go. Checked October 2026. Own a rental in Newark? See how we help owners.