Home Alone 2 is not nearly as beloved as its iconic predecessor, but still has its enjoyable qualities. Chief among them is the wonderful New York City setting. New York is a beautiful place at Christmastime, as there's a certain magical atmosphere in the air. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York perfectly captures that atmosphere, and it serves as a great travelogue for those who have never been to New York City.
Kevin is a tourist in the city (having accidentally taken the wrong plane), and like all tourists, he visits many of the city's most iconic landmarks. These are perhaps the most iconic.
Queensboro Bridge
Kevin doesn't really visit the Queensboro Bridge so much as drives across it in a taxi. However, he leans out the window of the taxi and gazes at the bridge in wonder, as it serves as his gorgeous entry into the city proper. Spanning the width of the East River, the Queensboro Bridge connects Queens and Manhattan - specifically the Upper East Side. Completed in 1909, the Queensboro Bridge is one of four iconic New York bridges - the others being Williamsburg, Manhattan, and Brooklyn.
Empire Diner
Naturally, the first thing that Kevin does is go on a sightseeing tour and hit up all the big Law & Order (among many others).
The World Trade Center
Perhaps the most tragic and morose image in Home Alone 2 is that of Kevin standing atop The South Tower in the World Trade Center complex. Located in the Financial District, the original World Trade Center complex opened in 1973 and operated until its tragic destruction in 2001. The Twin Towers were once the tallest buildings in the entire world, and Kevin stands atop the South Tower with a magnificent view. It makes for a spectacular shot, but it also begs the question - how did he get up there?
Radio City Music Hall
Kevin also walks by Radio City Music Hall. Opened all the way back in 1932, Radio City Music Hall is one of the most famous entertainment venues in the entire world. Part of its charm and fame is undoubtedly due to its famous Art Deco exterior, adorned with giant RADIO CITY lettering and bright blue and yellow lights.
Located within Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall was made a New York City Landmark in 1978 and has been spotted in dozens of movies and TV shows throughout the years.
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
New York's greatest Christmas showcase is the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. The first fifty-foot-tall Christmas tree was erected in 1933, and the accompanying skating rink was introduced in 1936. The skating rink remains in place to this day, and the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree remains an annual landmark. In Home Alone 2, Kevin visits the massive tree to ask for his family back and is warmly rewarded when his mother arrives, having known that Kevin has a fondness for Christmas trees.
Quong Yuen Shing & Co
Soon after arriving in New York City, Kevin visits the old Quong Yuen Shing & Co. While there, he purchases the fireworks that he would later use to signal the police. Located in Chinatown, Quong Yuen Shing & Co. originally opened in the late 19th century and sold various traditional goods like herbs and silks. Unfortunately, the store faced some financial difficulties following 9/11 and was forced to close.
Fulton Fish Market
Fulton Fish Market plays quite an important role in Home Alone 2. Kevin briefly visits the famous market (and gets yelled at by a truck driver), and the Wet Bandits (now the Sticky Bandits) make their way into New York through the fish market by stowing away in a fish truck.
Located in The Bronx, the Fulton Fish Market was originally positioned near the Brooklyn Bridge, but it permanently moved locations in 2005. Even to this day, the Fulton Fish Market brings in up to $1 billion on an annual basis.
The Plaza Hotel
The Plaza Hotel plays a prominent role throughout Home Alone 2, as it's where Kevin decides to stay (for a couple of nights anyway, before his ruse is discovered). Arguably the most famous hotel in the world, the Plaza is located in Midtown Manhattan and originally opened in October of 1907. The Plaza is well known for numerous aspects, including its general luxury, the French Renaissance chateau exterior, and its location next to Central Park.
Central Park
Speaking of Central Park, Kevin spends a good chunk of the movie within its boundaries. He walks through it after arriving in New York, he runs through it while fleeing the Sticky Bandits, he meets the Pigeon Lady after being run out of the Plaza, and it's where he lures the Wet Bandits and attracts the police with the fireworks. Easily one of the most beloved landmarks of the city, Central Park is perhaps the most famous park in the entire world.
Carnegie Hall
After fleeing the Plaza, Kevin seeks solace in Central Park and befriends the Pigeon Lady. After some talking, they decide to go somewhere warm and break into Carnegie Hall, where they are treated to a beautiful concert from the dusty and cluttered attic. Carnegie Hall is a world-renowned venue for classical music and used to house the New York Philharmonic before they moved to Lincoln Center's Philharmonic Hall in 1962. That same year it was deemed a National Historic Landmark.
