Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade 2026: Road Closures, Balloon Inflation and Where to Park

The 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade runs on Thursday, November 26, 2026, from about 8:30am to noon. It starts at West 77th Street and Central Park West and ends at Macy’s Herald Square on 34th Street. More than 3 million people line the route, and some streets around it close for more than a day.

Most guides tell you where to stand. This one covers the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade road closures, where to drive and where to park. It also lists the balloon inflation closures, garages outside the closed blocks and the parking rules on Thanksgiving Day.

Macy’s Parade 2026: Date, Time and Route

The 2026 parade is the 100th. It runs rain or shine, on Thanksgiving morning, and lasts about three and a half hours. Large balloons may stay grounded if winds are too strong.

When the parade reaches each spot

These are typical times from recent years. They help you plan when the streets near you will be busiest.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Road Closures and Times

These closures come from the city’s official 2025 Thanksgiving notice. The 2026 parade follows the same route. Expect the same streets to close on Wednesday, November 25 and Thursday, November 26. The city says closures can change at the direction of the NYPD.

Upper West Side: parade start and balloon inflation

Midtown: Central Park South, Sixth Avenue and Herald Square

Open the city’s 2025 Thanksgiving street closures (PDF) for the original list.

Map: Parade Route, Closures and Garages

The map shows the route, the balloon inflation zone and the garages in our price table. Blue garages sit outside the closed blocks. The red one sits inside the inflation zone.

Balloon Inflation 2026: Road Closures and Parking (Wednesday, November 25)

The giant balloons are inflated on Wednesday, November 25, on the streets around the American Museum of Natural History. In recent years, the public viewing ran from early afternoon until about 6pm. Visitors entered at West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue. Macy’s and the NYPD confirm the hours each year, so check before you go.

• Side streets close first. West 73rd to 85th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue close between 2am and 8am Wednesday.
• Cars on those blocks must move. Expect temporary “No Parking” signs before Wednesday morning. A car left there can be towed.
• Columbus Avenue stays open, but it is slow. Plan for heavy foot traffic from noon to evening.
• Park west of Columbus Avenue. Garages on Amsterdam Avenue, Broadway and the side streets west of them stay reachable.

Where to park for the balloon inflation

These garages sit west of Columbus Avenue, outside the closed side streets. Prices are for Wednesday, November 25, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

SpotHero rates checked November 10, 2026, before booking fees. Skip garages between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue, such as 16 W 73rd Street. Those blocks close on Wednesday morning.

Where to Park for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

Pick a garage you can drive out of while the route is still closed. That means a garage on the far side of the route from where you are heading. We checked a major booking site on November 3, 2026, for Thursday, November 26, from 6am to 2pm.

Prices are before booking fees and can change. Midtown West and Murray Hill were the cheapest. Upper West Side garages near the start cost more, up to $55 for the same hours.

Which area to choose

• Watching on Sixth Avenue: park in Midtown West between 8th and 9th Avenue, then walk east. Garages there were $17 to $27.
• Watching near Herald Square: park in Murray Hill, east of Park Avenue, for about $16 to $19. Walk west on 33rd or 35th Street.
• Watching on Central Park West: park west of Amsterdam Avenue and walk a few blocks east.
• Heading home to New Jersey: Midtown West puts you close to the Lincoln Tunnel without crossing the route.
• Heading to Queens or Long Island: Murray Hill puts you close to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel.

Garages and Streets to Avoid

• The museum garage at 54 W 81st St. It sits inside the balloon inflation closure. Booking sites still list it for parade morning.
• Any garage between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue, 72nd to 86th Street. Those blocks close from Wednesday to Thursday afternoon.
• Garages on Sixth Avenue or the blocks between Fifth and Seventh Avenue in the 30s and 40s. You may not get out until 3pm.
• Seventh Avenue, 32nd to 42nd Street. It stays closed until about 8pm Thursday, the latest reopening on the list.
• 34th Street near Macy’s. It closes Wednesday at 9pm.

ASP, Meters and Tolls on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a major legal holiday, so the city suspends both ASP and meters. The MTA lists no holiday exception for the congestion toll. Plan on the weekday peak rate from 5am to 9pm. See our alternate side parking calendar for every 2026 date.

No Parking, Tickets and Towing

Police post temporary “No Parking” signs along the route and the inflation zone before the closures start. Those signs override the regular street signs. NYPD can tow any car parked illegally. A tow costs $185, plus the ticket and daily storage fees.

Fines are from the NYC Department of Finance. See our fire hydrant ticket guide too. Holiday crowds make hydrant tickets common.

Traffic and Getting In and Out

• Tuesday, November 24 is a Gridlock Alert Day. NYC DOT expects the heaviest traffic of the week. Avoid driving into Midtown that day.
• Arrive before 7am on Thursday. Sixth Avenue closes at 5am in Midtown and 2am south of 42nd Street.
• Cross town below 23rd Street or above 86th Street. 34th, 42nd and 57th Street close between Fifth and Eighth Avenue.
• Leave after 3pm, or before noon from the far side. Most streets reopen around 3pm. Seventh Avenue reopens around 8pm.
• Use the FDR Drive or the West Side Highway to move north and south. Both stay away from the route.

Subway and Drop-Off Points

The subway is the easiest way to reach the parade. Trains run below the route, so they keep running. Some station exits near the route may be closed or exit-only, so check MTA service alerts on the morning.

Uber, taxi and drop-off

Cars cannot reach the curb on the route. Set your drop-off one or two avenues away. Try Columbus or Amsterdam Avenue uptown, Eighth Avenue in Midtown West, or Madison Avenue east of Sixth. Expect to walk the last few blocks.

Macy’s Parade Road Closures FAQ

Need Parking in Manhattan?

Sources

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade road closures in this guide come from the city’s 2025 notice. We use it as the pattern until the 2026 notice is posted. Garage prices come from a major booking site, checked November 3, 2026. NYC Parkings is not affiliated with Macy’s, the city or any garage.

• NYC Office of Citywide Event Coordination and Management, Thanksgiving street closures 2025 (PDF)
• Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, official site
• NBC New York, parade start time and route (2025)
• Mommy Poppins, balloon inflation guide
• FOX 5 New York, 2026 Gridlock Alert Days
• NYC DOT, Alternate Side Parking
• NYC Department of Finance, Parking Violation Codes
• MTA, Congestion Relief Zone FAQ