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Top festivals and major cultural events

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New York City
Five boroughs of skyline, food and museums
9.5
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has filled Manhattan's streets each November since 1924. Giant character balloons float above crowds lining the route to Herald Square. Visitors can watch the parade in person or catch balloon inflation the night before. Nearby Central Park hosts the parade's starting point each year.
Highlights:
  • 🌃 Visit Times Square at night for unforgettable neon views
  • 🎭 Watch a Broadway musical in the Theater District
  • 🏙️ Admire skyline views from the Top of a skyscraper
Tokyo
Japan's capital of temples, towers and food
9.7
The Sanja Matsuri festival fills Asakusa's streets each May with portable shrines carried by crowds. Participants hoist ornate mikoshi shrines through narrow streets in a centuries-old tradition. Visitors can watch the procession or join crowds gathered near Senso-ji temple. Nearby stalls sell festival food along the parade route.
Highlights:
  • 🖼️ Visit the teamLab digital art museum
  • 🌆 Enjoy panoramic city views from observation decks
  • 🍣 Savor sushi at a local eatery
Kyoto
Temples, geisha districts and kaiseki dining
9.2
Gion Matsuri fills Kyoto's streets each July with towering wooden festival floats. Merchants have pulled these elaborately decorated floats through the city for over a thousand years. Visitors can watch the parade or admire floats displayed the nights before. Nearby streets close to traffic during the festival's peak days.
Highlights:
  • ⛩️ Climb the vermillion torii gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine
  • 🍱 Experience Japan’s beautifully presented Kaiseki dining at a traditional restaurant
  • 🎋 Stroll through the magical Arashiyama bamboo forest early in the morning
Munich
Bavarian capital of beer gardens and museums
8.7
Oktoberfest began in Munich in 1810 as a celebration of a royal wedding. The festival grew from a single event into the world's largest beer festival. Visitors can join the celebration in massive beer tents each autumn. Nearby, the English Garden offers a quieter green escape from the crowds.
Highlights:
  • 🌇 Climb St. Peter’s Church tower for city views
  • 🏰 Visit the grand Nymphenburg Palace and gardens
  • 🍺 Raise a stein at Oktoberfest in Theresienwiese
Cologne
Gothic cathedral, Roman ruins and Kölsch
8.4
Cologne Carnival fills the city each February with parades and costumed street parties. Locals have celebrated the pre-Lenten festival here since medieval times. Visitors can join street parties or watch the main parade wind through downtown. Nearby cathedral bells ring out as part of the citywide celebration.
Highlights:
  • 🍺 Taste authentic Kölsch beer in a traditional brewhouse
  • 🌇 Stroll along the Rhine River promenade at sunset
  • ⛪ Climb the Cologne Cathedral towers for panoramic Rhine views
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