5 best places to take your Holiday photos in NYC

It's still not too late to get Holiday photo cards printed and the city is the perfect backdrop for your holiday photos—bright lights, shiny blues, silver, red and greens galore. For studio-style photos with even better scenery, grab your camera and take the family out to these holiday hotspots for fun-filled days of photo ops.

Department Store Windows
This year, Bloomingdale’s windows display is designer Vicki Khumazi’s interpretation of classic Christmas tunes like, “Silver Bells,” “Winter Wonderland,” and “O Christmas Tree.” Lord & Taylor’s windows show us their favorite things like “My Favorite Foods,” a window scene decked out with gingerbread. Macy’s windows all relate to St. Nick, in honor of their “Believe” campaign. Try to snap a shot of your tyke writing his letter to Santa and mailing it at their “Believe” stations. Or head to Barney's to pose in front of their Hippie Holiday windows. See our photo and walking tour of department store Holiday windows here.

Giant Snow Globe at the New York Hall of Science
Nothing says holiday photo like the whole family inside a giant snow globe. Head to the New York Hall of Science Crystal Winter exhibit where kids can learn about the science behind snow, but don't leave without your family's photo inside the giant snow globe (professional photo packages start at $8). They’ll never shake up a snow globe the same way again.

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
I know Rockefeller Center is a tourist trap, insanely crowded and can be somewhat aggravating. But this New York tradition is worth a trip to at least once. Great for photos, great time for the kids and with all those lights and ice skaters, it can be a romantic family date, too.

Polar Rink at the AMNH
Kids can fall all over this ice skating rink without leaving with soaked pants and freezing hands. The synthetic ice isn’t wet or cold, and it’s a little softer, too. Take pics of them skating and falling around, but don’t forget to snap one in front of the 17-foot-tall, twinkling polar bear.

On Santa’s Lap
No holiday photo album is complete without photos of the kids telling dear old St. Nick what it is they just can’t live without. Check out the best places to take pictures with Santa in New York City and on Long Island.

Do you have a favorite place to take your family photos in NYC? Share it in the comments below.