Santa Claus—Defying Drone Anxiety—Lands in 2 Lower Manhattan Venues

Not only is it holiday season, it’s invasive drone season too!

Given the chance that unexplained aerial interlopers disrupt the scheduled Christmas Eve flights of Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and other seasonal creatures of the night, Straus News recently hit the downtown streets in search of drone-less seasonal cheer.

For kids and adults alike, what we found is encouraging, with refuge from airborne fear featured in two distinct and pleasant locations, one on a pier jutting into the East River at South Street Seaport, the other inside a glass-enclosed mall in Battery Park City, hard against the Hudson River.

On the East Side, the destination is Pier 15, at 78 South Street between John and Fletcher Streets. In its non-Christmas guise, Pier 15 is best known as Watermark, a restaurant, bar and event venue whose primary distinction is historic location and views of the Brooklyn Bridge. (Fans of the classic 1953 atomic bomb testing monster movie, “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms”—which sees the Beast surface right here—must visit regardless of the season.)

Come early November and continuing through December 31, Watermark is transformed into Santa’s Winter Wonderland. At the high end, this means visitors can purchase tickets for a variety of dining options—chalet seating, glasshouse table, private glasshouse—whose prices includes reservations, food and admission to the Christmas-themed Winter Wonderland arcade.

At the low end, you can pay about $19 for admission to the Wonderland arcade alone. For many people with kids, this is the most compelling option and gives one an hour or so of entertainment in what’s essentially an outdoor Christmas-decorated play space.

Among the Wonderland’s offerings are numerous Christmas trees, a lighted tunnel, a large chalk wishing wall, a photograph-ready sleigh carriage with the Brooklyn Bridge behind it, a mini-carousel, and a toy shed with a fake “snow” makers (which seemed to be soap bubbles), marshmallow roasting fire, and, of course, pictures with Santa.

Whatever choice one makes, neighboring attractions are plentiful, including Haul-a-Stall, “Luxury Mobile Restrooms” (a funny name but a truly welcome amenity too), a handsome Christmas tree outside the always inviting Tin Building food court, the John Street Imagination Playground, the South Street Seaport Museum and McNally Jackson Books, which has an excellent kids section too.

Lower West Side Story

Over on Manhattan’s lower west side, Santa has taken up residence in Brookfield Place—everyone’s favorite glass-enclosed upscale mall in Battery Park City.

To the many people more familiar with the Oculus Center mall on the World Trade Center side of West Street and thought well, that’s... uh.... interesting, as they hustle to or from some train or another, Brookfield Place is a proverbial oasis—and not just for the delightful fake palm trees in its ground floor atrium.

Before heading up to excellent 2nd floor food court and bathrooms, if you’ve come to see the Jolly Old Elf himself, it’s important to note that while Brookfield Place’s “Selfies With Santa” events are entirely free, you do need to check in and get a spot in the “virtual queue.”

If this sounds intimidating—like the kind of thing an enemy drone would make you do—it’s really easy. You just scan a “QR” code with your smartphone and boom, you’re in, first come, first served. Afterward, Santa will send you a text when he’s ready. Having witnessed his work in person, Santa seems an affable, chatty fellow, so if do have drone anxiety, he’s likely a good guy to talk it out with. Santa’s “queue” opens 15 minutes before his various scheduled hours, which run though 6 p.m. on December 25; see the Brooklyn Place calendar for details.

While waiting for Santa, Brookfield Place has much to offer inside and out. Up the in the food court, this reporter is especially fond of coffee and black seed bagels but from Dos Toros Taqueria, Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue and All’Antico Vinaio’s Italian sandwiches and more, there are choices a plenty, and lots of places to sit with stunning views also.

Stepping outside— from where one can press their mug against the glass and see Santa on his couch—are not just the mighty Hudson River and the paths, promenades and marinas of Battery Park City, but Brookfield Place’s very own ice skating rink. Basic fees are $15 an hour weekdays, $17 weekends plus skate rental if needed. Sadly, this is New York, kids, and unlike in the movies you can’t just shuffle on the ice like Rocky with his girlfriend Adrian.

You gotta have skates!