A real look at old-school American retail, the massive Macy’s flagship at Herald Square is worth doing at least once. The place takes up an entire city block and has been a fixture in the city since 1902. While navigating the endless floors can be a bit overwhelming any time of year, there are two specific seasons when it's especially worth checking out.
The first is early spring during the annual Macy's Flower Show. For about two weeks, they completely transform the ground-floor cosmetics and accessories departments into a massive indoor garden. It is packed with thousands of live, exotic flowers, huge floral sculptures, and vertical plant walls that completely mask the usual department store smells.
The other major time to visit is during the holidays from November through December. The sidewalks along 34th Street get crowded, but the animated holiday window displays are always fun to look at. Inside, the upper levels turn into "Santaland," which is a massive, immersive indoor winter village that really captures that classic New York Christmas vibe.
My Personal Highlight: The Wooden Escalators Even if you visit during the off-season, my favorite part of the building is a piece of history hidden right in plain sight. When you are moving between the upper floors, skip the modern metal escalators and use n the historic wooden ones. They date back to the 1920s, are built from solid oak, and are among the very last operating wooden escalators left in the world.
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