Jennifer Laing

New York City may be a long way from Aspen, but add a Jacuzzi to a rooftop and it's like the next best thing to being there. All of these homes comes with that quintessential après-ski must-have: a hot tub for whiling away a cold, snowy afternoon or evening. Now if only our wonky weather would get into the spirit of the season!

According to the Census Bureau, the size of the average American home in 2013 (the most recent year for which stats are available) was 2,598 square feet—mansion-size to a New Yorker.  In our fair city, it’s not unusual for families to live in much smaller quarters, including one bedroom apartments. Here, how and why one family is making that scenario work for them:

Didn’t score a grandstand ticket to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? No problem: You could get up early and jostle for a spot along the two and half mile route, or just move into one of these fab homes, that each come complete with enviable parade-route views.