For a holiday trip, I want to be on Fifth Avenue. Two hotels are at the top of my list, and they sit just steps from each other near 55th Street — which means Bergdorf’s, Tiffany’s and Radio City are all an easy walk.

The Peninsula New York — A Beaux-Arts landmark that dresses up beautifully for the season. It is gilded, glamorous and pure holiday from the moment you walk in.

The St. Regis New York — Old New York elegance at its finest, with legendary butler service and the King Cole Bar. If you want a stay that feels like an occasion, this is it.

You truly cannot go wrong with either. Choose the one whose lobby makes your heart beat a little faster.

If you would rather trade the grand hotel for something smaller and more personal, these are the boutique stays I would book — each one fits beautifully into this itinerary.

The Whitby Hotel — Tucked on West 56th Street, just steps from Bergdorf’s, this Firmdale hotel is a Kit Kemp dream of color and pattern. Afternoon tea here would make the sweetest birthday moment, and you are perfectly placed for Day One.

Crosby Street Hotel — Firmdale’s SoHo sister has the same playful English charm with downtown right outside the door. It is a short walk to Annie’s Ibiza on Mercer — the ideal base if your heart is set on shopping SoHo.

Baccarat Hotel — Crystal everywhere. It is the most girl-coded stay in the city, across the street from MoMA and an easy walk to Radio City for the Rockettes.

The Mark — Madison Avenue glamour on the Upper East Side, just around the corner from Day Three and the Ralph Lauren flagship.

The Carlyle — Old New York at its most charming. Bemelmans Bar is covered in murals by the illustrator who wrote Madeline — a storybook detail that feels made for a birthday girl, and the hotel is pure magic at the holidays.

Check in and head straight to Tiffany’s. Lunch at the Blue Box Café inside the Tiffany & Co. Landmark on Fifth Avenue is the kind of thing she will remember forever. Book this one as early as you can — holiday reservations go quickly.

Bergdorf Goodman. First the windows — they are the windows of the season — then up to the holiday shop and the ornament room. We are letting her choose one ornament as a birthday keepsake, something to hang on our tree every year that brings her right back to this weekend.

The Rockettes. The Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall is just too good. It does not matter how many times you have seen it — the kick line gets me every single time.

Dinner at Din Tai Fung. We loved our experience at the London location, so the Times Square outpost was an easy yes. It is just a few blocks from Radio City, which makes it the perfect post-show dinner. Order the soup dumplings — and then order more.

Russian manicures. We are starting the morning with the most meticulous manicure in the city. Plan on an hour and a half to two hours — the cuticle work is precise, and the result lasts for weeks. Polished NYC is a well-reviewed place to start your search.

Bedazzled matchas at Dreambean Café. Rhinestones are on everything right now, and matcha cups are no exception. Dreambean is just across the Williamsburg Bridge at 119 North 1st Street in Brooklyn — a quick hop from downtown and so worth it. This is the most fun, most girl-coded coffee run of the trip — and the photos are half the point.

Annie’s Ibiza in SoHo. The beloved British label just opened its first U.S. boutique at 110 Mercer Street, and it is a destination in itself — jewel-box party dresses, a custom atelier and so much color. If you need a holiday party dress, this is your stop.

The viral Chinatown blowout at Lee Ren. She has wanted to try this one for months. Lee Ren, at 104 Forsyth Street, is known for a beautiful blowout with a quick scalp massage at a fraction of uptown prices. Save it for late afternoon so you are camera-ready for dinner.

Dinner at the Polo Bar. The hardest reservation on this list and the most worth it. Plaid, leather, a crackling fire and the most Ralph Lauren room in the world — it feels like Christmas all year long. Set an alarm for the day reservations open.

Ralph’s Coffee and the Ralph Lauren flagship. Start at Ralph’s Coffee, then wander the flagship on Madison Avenue. It is a mansion of a store, and it is especially charming at the holidays.

Madison Avenue windows. Walk south and window-shop the boutiques — this stretch is so beautifully decorated in December.

The Rockefeller Center tree. End where every New York holiday should — under the tree. Go early in the day to beat the crowds.

A matinee, if you can fit it in. If you want one more show before your flight, a Broadway matinee is the perfect finale.

• The Rockettes Christmas Spectacular
• The Polo Bar
• The Blue Box Café at Tiffany & Co.
• Your manicure and blowout appointments
• A Broadway matinee, if you are adding a show

New York at the holidays is busy — but with a little planning, it is the most magical girls’ trip there is. I cannot wait to share every moment with you.

xx, Jess