Christmas comes early for Today show cohosts Al Roker and Savannah Guthrie this year when they reunite with former cohost Hoda Kotb as the trio returns to host the 99th edition of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
“We got our wish granted by Santa,” Roker told Travel + Leisure last week of his excitement. Guthrie added, “It’s what we wanted—she’s all wrapped up in a bow.”
And the love is mutual. “After I left the Today show, I was thinking, ‘Boy, I wish there were certain things I could do again’—and this is top of that list,” Kotb chimed in. “Lucky me to be with them!”
But the real lucky ones will be the viewers who will be able to experience the tradition through their coverage live on NBC and Peacock on Thursday, Nov. 27, starting at 8:30 a.m., as the New York City parade travels from 77th Street and Central Park West down to 34th Street and Sixth Avenue right in front of the Macy’s flagship store.
Despite the everyday camaraderie they’ve forged from years of working together, there’s a certain holiday magic when they come together on Thanksgiving morning. “Al starts uptown, so we don’t actually see him before the parade,” Guthrie said. “So when he walks onto the set—other than the arrival of Santa Claus—there’s a lot of excitement.”
Al Roker with Big Apple Circus.
Ralph Bavaro/NBC
In recent years, Guthrie has started a new tradition, in which they enjoy a cup of “yummy hot chocolate” as soon as Roker arrives. “We really love each other, and there’s just an electricity in the air,” she said.
And it truly is a family affair. What Roker, who is a father of three and grandpa of one, cherishes most is seeing Kotb with her girls, Hope and Haley, and Guthrie with her kids, Charley and Vale. “I’ve known both these ladies before they had children,” he said. “Now they’re these terrific moms, sharing this great moment, and it’s just really special.”
With Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker
Best trick for getting over jet lag?
Kotb: I just drink water and play head games. I’m like, I’m totally fine. Don’t try to think about how much sleep you missed. You’ve had nights at home where your kid was up all night. That’s like jet lag. The more you talk about it, the worse it is.
Roker: The moment I get on the plane, I set my watch to the new time, and I do not vary from it. Our daughter lives in Paris, so we go there a decent amount, and I don’t take a nap when I land. I gut it out, and that’s it. And drink a lot of water.
Guthrie: Hydrate or diedrate, as they say! I always have to take a nap, but I don’t let it be very long, maybe 90 minutes. Then I have a big cup of coffee and spend the afternoon looking around and try to stay up until eight or nine o’clock that night, then you’ll be good to go. Unless it’s Asia, and then, I can’t help you.
Most unusual thing you always pack?
Kotb: A candle and a good shower cap. The ones in the hotels do not hold the dome well. So I bring my own because I know it keeps it tight.
Roker: For Savannah’s 50th birthday, they had a great party and [her husband] Mike [Feldman] put together this little survival bag. In there was a shower steamer, and I got hooked on those. And I always pack a bag of shower steamers that’s a combination of eucalyptus and peppermint.
Guthrie: It’s like a spa! I like to bring a travel speaker, so you can always set the vibe and have a dance party. You’ll use it more than you think you will.
Favorite item to gift travelers?
Guthrie: This is for the girls because I think we all get a little chilly on an airplane, and I love to give a cozy, soft scarf or wrap. Airlines don’t give you blankets as much anymore, so you have something that looks nice, but can double as a blanket on a cold flight.
Roker: I’m a big believer of ABC: Always Be Charging. Over the years, I’ve curated a small, but complete charging kit that I’ve made, so I give that to people.
Favorite spot in Rockefeller Center?
Kotb: The skating rink. You don’t know what you’re going to get—maybe you’ll see a proposal, maybe someone skating for the first time. Maybe you’ll be standing in the glow of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree with a hat on, having hot chocolate. It’s like a magnet for everybody.
Guthrie: There are a lot of great restaurants around Rockefeller, and I think it’s really had a resurgence. There’s Le Rock, and my personal favorite, Pebble Bar.
Roker: Then you can go downstairs and get a Magnolia [Bakery] cupcake!
The passage of time has been swift, especially notable on the eve of the parade’s centennial, as Kotb returns for her eighth parade, Guthrie for her 14th, and Roker for his landmark 30th (he started in 1995, but missed the 2022 edition because of health issues). Yet after all these years, the magnitude of what they’re doing isn’t lost on the parade veterans.
“Growing up in New York City, we would always ask my dad, who was a New York City bus driver and worked long hours, if we could go see the parade, and he’d say, ‘Did they stop showing it on TV?’” Roker remembered. “So when I stepped in for my mentor Willard [Scott], it was one of those ‘Is this really happening?’ moments. That was my first chance to experience it in person, and I’ve got to tell you, 30 years later, it still thrills. We all become kids when we watch the Thanksgiving Day parade.”
Today Co-Anchors Al Roker, Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb at the 93rd Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City on Thursday November 28, 2019.
Peter Kramer/NBC
Guthrie also looked back fondly on her days watching Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric host. “I just couldn’t believe that I—a girl from Tucson, Arizona—was getting to do it, knowing it’s so much a part of our history,” she said, marveling that a record 31.3 million viewers tuned in last year, making it the most-watched entertainment telecast of the year. “The parade is the star, and it always is. That’s why we feel lucky that we get to be connected to it.”
For the 99th parade, organizers have pulled out all the stops with performances from Broadway hits “Just In Time,” “Ragtime,” and “Buena Vista Social Club,” new balloons of Buzz Lightyear, Mario, Shrek, and Pac-Man, a Netflix sensation “KPop Demon Hunters” “balloonicle,” a POPCITY Labubu Friendsgiving float, and appearances from stars including Busta Rhymes, Ciara, Debbie Gibson, Jewel, and Kool & the Gang.
But it’s not just about all the starry pomp and circumstance. “There are all of the balloon handlers walking the route who’ve waited for their moment in the sun, and we get to cheer them on,” Kotb said. “Watching them and having a fun exchange with them, screaming and yelling, is probably my favorite part. “
Of course, it all leads up to the arrival of Santa, which Guthrie called the “iconic moment,” saying it “never disappoints” with the atmosphere always “getting loud” as far as the ears can hear.
Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb at the 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Peter Kramer/NBC
The moment ushers in the official start of the holiday season, one that transforms New York City into a holiday wonderland, especially around the Today studios in Rockefeller Center. “Everyone is there, crowded around to see the tree,” Guthrie said. “Open your eyes and take it all in. It’s just a moment in time, and it’s beautiful.”
Roker said to make time to wander around the neighborhood, whether it’s visiting Radio City Music Hall with the Rockettes celebrating their 100th anniversary this year, or taking in the decorations along Sixth Avenue. But the savvy native New Yorker also has a pro tip: “If you’ve seen whatever you need to above ground, go below ground to the concourse, and you can travel underground with a lot less traffic from 52nd Street and Sixth Avenue to around Madison Avenue and 47th Street through a series of underground tunnels.”
Other favorite city spots during the holidays for Roker include Central Park, including its carousel and the outdoor market by Columbus Circle, as well as the Bronx’s New York Botanical Garden, which hosts its Holiday Train Show through Jan. 11. Guthrie enjoys taking her kids to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and seeing its Lightscape show through Jan. 4.
With New York becoming such a holiday hub, the longtime New Yorkers also offered advice for first-time visitors. “The subway is the best way to get around, no questions asked, especially around the holidays,” Guthrie said, adding the importance of good walking shoes, as well as a good hat and scarf.
Roker also highlighted the breadth of free activities, like the elevated walkway The High Line and Little Island park, which hovers over the Hudson River. Plus, there’s the Staten Island Ferry that passes by the Statue of Liberty (“You can’t get a better view than that”).
Al Roker at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2021.
Peter Kramer/NBC
“There are just so many terrific places, and a number of museums have free days too,” he added. He echoed Guthrie about the subway, adding that it’s a bargain being able to ride as far as you like for a set fare. Guthrie chimed in that she’s taken it all the way out to Coney Island.
That said, they’re also aware that the fast-paced nature of NYC can be overwhelming. “The city is going 100 miles per hour—drink it all in,” Kotb said, advising visitors to do all the iconic things. “No one’s trying to run you over, people are just going places. If no one’s smiling, don’t worry—everybody’s busy. Don’t take offense. This is a place that’s so special, so magnetic, and so incredible, but you’ve got to soak it all in. There’s no place on Earth like New York City—don’t miss a second of it.”
