New York City vacations with young kids?

[madamgeo]

We are trying to decide where to go for our next non-disney vacation. We have never been to New York City before. Our daughters are 3 and 7. Would that be a difficult vacation with children that age or is there lots to do there with small children. I've heard the American Girl store is fun but I don't know what else there is. Thanks for your input!

 

[jnordan]

Ooooh. I want to know, too! My DH travels to NYC frequently via train and so has accumulated a lot of "companion tickets". Additionally, he has a few $25/night weekend certificates for the business hotel he uses! So, I'm planning on accompanying him on an end-of-the-week business trip sometime soon so that we can enjoy the weekend together in the BIG CITY!

 

[MomPOM]

We just went to NYC last New Year's Eve with our son who was then three. He LOVED it. And if that kid can still love NY while walking around Times Square in his stroller the night before NYE with at least 10,000 other people it's a pretty cool place.

We were only there for a weekend but he really loved it. I think he ate about 10 pretzels while we were there. He loved seeing the statue of Liberty and riding in the cabs. We just walked around the city, rode the Staten Island Ferry, Central Park Zoo and he had a blast!

 

[wrighter]

We've taken our DS3 into NYC many times and he absolutely loves it. It has been harder to do since we added our DD1 to the mix, but is always a good time.

You can PM me if you'd like specific ideas for children in the city, although I might not be a good resource for 7 year-old fun. I say go for it - it is a big adventure for them!

 

[monorailsilver]

There is alot to do there besides sit & people watch.

You can take the Staten Island Ferry (for free) & view the Statue of Liberty (then you have to get off to get back on).

You can take the bus tours.

You can take the boat tours.

South Street Seaport.

Shopping (although that may be boring to kids!) but some of the stores may be fun.

Central Park.

The Wax museum (the last time I went in it, it was at the bottom of the Empire State building).

You can take a boat to the Statue/Ellis Island (again it may be boring for kids).

There might be some good shows for the kids to see but the 3 yo may not be interested in it.

I haven't been to NYC since June 2005 & I used to go there too often in the mid-90's & I took the train in for the day with my friends & we'd just walk around, shop, do some sights, eat, etc....

Hopefully a native can chime in & give you better info.

 

[Desnik]

We live not far from the city and our kids are 3 and 8. We have taken them alot of times on day trips. We have been to the American Girl store and it is great! There is also a cafe and a show there. I do think the kids have to be at least 6 years old to see the show. There is also the World of Disney store. They have characters for meet and greets. It's a cool store. Then there is the Toys R Us. It is huge and has a ferris wheel inside. Lots of fun. Don't forget FAO Swartz. There are alot of hands on things for the kids there. Then you have the museum of natural history with lots of cool things. We just did this with the kids and they had a great time. We also took them to Central Park. At the park there is a zoo and in the winter an ice skating rink. What time of year are you thinking of going? The Radio City Christmas show is nice for a family. Also there is the wax museum which is fun. There are some great kid friendly restaurants too. Do keep in mind that alot of places are not stroller friendly! That's really my only problem I had when taking the kids when they were really little. My DD, 8yo, loves walking around the village and looking at the shops, eating outside, and buying things from the street vendors! She thinks that is so cool!LOL
Here's a link for a site that has some good suggestions: http://www.ny.com/kids/
A trip to the statue of Liberty is a must too!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I've taken my son twice, at 4 and at 6. A highlight both times was going to that Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the Egyptian temple and then playing outside on the Egypt playground nextdoor, with it's pyramid climber, sand, and water fountain (bring extra clothes).

Sailing the little remote control boats in central park was another favorite at 4.

At 6 I took him to Beauty and the Beast which he really liked. I think he would have like Lion King better but we didn't get tickets in time.

Times Square and Toys R Us was also fun.

Our favorite restaurant was Amy Ruth's, a southern/soul food restaurant on 116th St. where Central Park ends and Harlem begins.

 

[madamgeo]

Wow, great suggestions. Keep them coming!!

 

[MinnieGi]

My DH used to work for weeks at a time in NYC and DD and I when she was young would accompany him and explore NYC together. DD was 2 & 3 at the time. We stayed actually at the Sheraton Suites across the river in NJ. The ferry was just a short walk away. DD loved taking it! From there we could walk to many places or take a bus to lots of points of interests. There are soooooo many things for little ones and their parents to explore in NYC. Many have been mentioned. Not to mention all the great shows on Broadway and RAdio City Music Hall.

 

[cour10ee]

Hi, I live in NJ and just visited the city today with my DD6 and DS3. We had an awesome time! The only other time they've gone in was to visit the Central Park Zoo which was all we did that day. (A recommended stop if you are vacationing in NYC w/kids, by the way.)

Today we went to the big Toys R Us which is fun, but it really is just a big TRU. The thing that is so cool about it is the Ferris wheel. $4 bucks a person if you are wondering, ages 2 and under are free. They take your picture when you walk in the store and again on the Ferris wheel and sell them for $15 a piece, 2 for $20. There was a long line even today, a non-holiday weekday. I would have done it anyway, but my daughter really was scared as she doesn't like heights. We had fun watching it and all the people from the sidelines however, so it is worth a stop even if you don't get to ride on it.

We also went to the World of Disney store which was amazing. There were a lot of things that I thought were exclusive to WDW that you could get there as well -- like the stuff a Mr. Potato Head and Skull, build a princess crown, etc. My daughter was so excited to find a hidden Mickey on the statue of Cruella Deville (it's one of the spots on the Dalmation!) The absolute best part was the character meet/greet. We got to visit with Snow White and Cinderella. They took pictures and used photopass which is free for us to view and share for 30 days. If you can curb the urge to buy everything in the place (and the long lines at checkout helped me with this today,) the World of Disney store is actually a great "freebie" to do with the kids. We had plenty of fun just exploring all 3 floors, playing with the Potato Heads (we were encouraged to do as many real ones as we liked and even made virtual Potato Heads using a touch screen -- those print out pics of your creations for you to take home,) and of course the Princess visits/photos -- all free of charge.

We spent most of the rest of our day just walking around mid-town, seeing the Empire State Building ("It really does scrape the sky!" said my 3.5 yr old,) Rockefeller Center (they were putting up the Christmas Tree today,) all the stores on 5th ave, Times Square, the horse and carriages on Central Park South, and all the hustle and bustle of the City. We took 2 cab rides which were quite a hit w/my kids. Who knew something so simple would be like a theme park ride to them?

We did not go to the American Girl store, although I saw girls on every corner carrying big shopping bags from there. Those I know who have gone say it is wonderful and worth the cost. We did have lunch at a great place on Lexington and 64th street called Alice's Tea Cup. (I think there are 2 other locations as well.) It was a lovely place, both kid-friendly and restful if there could be such a thing. They had delicious food, very friendly staff, and a wonderful atmosphere. The Alice in Wonderland theme is carried on in the restroom -- go there to check out the mini-paintings on the walls (magnifying glass is provided,) "painted" roses on the ceiling and cheshire cat grin on the mirror. And the kids loved being "fancy" and drinking hot chocolate with full sized marshmallows from real tea cups.

There are lots of other ideas at www.gocitykids.com. In the future, we will check out the Sony Wonder Technology Lab, maybe the Radio City and NBC tours but they may be too young for those still. Not to mention the museums! The MOMA has free events for kids on Sat mornings and during the week they have an audio tour for young kids... all the museums have something geared toward the little ones, just check out the websites for info.

Sorry this got so long, but since I just came home and saw this I wanted to share! I'll be watching the thread for others' ideas too, seeing as our first day trip was so successful, we'll be going back!

 

[kaysmommie]

We took DD for her 5th Bday to NYC when we lived in NJ it was just a 2 hour ride. We got tickets to Beauty & the Beast which she loved. Also we went to American Girl Cafe for lunch and shopping (make resies ahead of time for lunch). I have to agree with the other post about Toys R Us Times Square it is alot of fun, DD loved the Ferris wheel and the Candy Land section with the Candy! Also we went to World of disney which is a great store. I would love to take the kids to see the Tree but we live far away now and DS is only 2 so he won't appreciate it yet. Have fun!

 

[emma'smom]

My DH works in the city. I take dd1 and dd4 3-4 times per year when we accompany him on his longer trips. We used to live in NYC and I used to teach school there. I've built up a pretty long list of "Things to Do With Young Kids In the City". Some good suggestions have already been made that are on my list. Here are some others:

C-MOM- Children's Museum of Manhattan- This is on the upper west side. It is a great children's museum with four floors of activities. I love it because it is a safe place for the kids to really move around and see things. The staff is great at working with the kids too.

Artie's Deli- After the Children's Museum, we usually go to Artie's Deli on Broadway for Matsoh Ball soup and egg creams. They have a nice children's menu.

Swiss Cottage Marionette Theater- This little theater is right in the middle of Central Park. They have great marionette puppet shows for about 6.00 a child. They are just the right length for a child audience. I've taken my kids many times. They have two shows a day on week-days. You have to call in advance to reserve tickets...but I've never had trouble reserving them.

86th street Toddler Playground- Just off of Central Park West.Just a great little playground to hang out in in Central Park on a sunny afternoon.

New York Children's Museum of Art- This isn't really a museum..it is a place to experience art. They have many different art activities set up on different floors for children to do/experience.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Factory- A little lunch place that serves...you guessed it! Try the PB and J milkshakes! It's in the village.

Magnolia Bakery- A great place for cupcakes...also in the village.

Cupcake Cafe- Another great cupcake place...on the east side.

Serendipity- Famous for frozen hot chocolates...also on the east side.

Lower Eastside Tenement Museum- A great musuem for parents and kids. They do a dress up experience for the kids to learn what life was like for new immigrants at the turn of the 20th century.

Museum of Natural History- Dinosaurs and a planetarium!

Staten Island Ferry- A great...free...ride that allows you to see the NY harbor, including the Statue of LIberty without a long wait.

Subway Museum- First subway stop on the #2 line into Brooklyn. It is a museum that features the history of the subway system...the fun part for kids is the old subway cars from various decades that they can climb on and the buses and trucks that they can "drive".

Bronx Zoo- Headquarters of the World Wildlife Federation and a fantastic zoo...one of the best in the country! If you go to the city during the holidays, go here in the evening for ZOO LIGHTS!

Also love (but already mentioned):

FAO Schwartz
American Girl Place
Toys R Us
Rockefeller Center
Radio City (expensive though if you don't think your kids will make it through the whole thing)
Lion King on Broadway
Central Park Zoo
Prospect Park (in Brooklyn)

Another note-
We do both taxis and subways to get around. Don't be afraid to try the subways with the kids...my dd4 just loves it and it's quicker than a cab. I do find it hard to collapse the stroller, carry it down the stairs, hang on to my dd1 and direct my dd4 when I am by myself. Mom's in NYC do it all the time without a hitch...so I like the challenge of trying.

When I am by myself with taxis, I hail it...When it stops, I tell the driver to pop the trunk and then I set dd1 and the diaper bag in the cab and direct dd4 to get in a put her seatbelt on. Then I SHUT THE DOOR while I collapse the stroller and put it in the trunk Sometimes the driver will get out and do this for me, but if s/he doesn't....I've got it down to a science. If you SHUT THE DOOR, the kids will be safe inside the cab....and with the trunk open, the driver won't go anywhere. The first year I did this...I was a mess trying to figure out how to keep dd safe while handling the stroller...

PM me with questions.....there's lots to do!

 

[SeeDisney]

Can any experts here suggest what we can do for NYC with my two older children.

I'm planning on buying three tickets through a travel agent for Radio City Christmas Spectucalar. Our lunch is included at the Playwright rest.

Bus will arrive at 11:00 a.m. or so

Lunch at Playwright 2:00 p.m.

Christ. spect. show at 5:30 p.m.

Leave on bus right afterwards for home.

I'd really like to take my kids to Time Square to see Toys R us and Empire State building, was musuem, and perhaps the top of the building.

My question -- can we do this in about four hours?? Say take the subway from the bus stop at 11:00 to Empire State building, then taxi to Toys R Us, then taxi over to Playwright restaurant for our reserved sitting????

Also, I'd like my kids to see the Trump tower -- big fans of Apprentice and the tree at Rockerfeller center, I'm thinking this can be accomplished after lunch.

Please help me with planning.

It's been 20 years since I've been to NYC and the map I see on NYC visit, doesn't list exactly every locations.

Thank you so much!!!!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Emma'smom,

I just wanted to add something to your comment about shutting the door of the cab.

Twice when my son was younger I put him in a cab, buckling in his carseat and closed the door so I could go around to the other side and get in, and the cab driver drove off without looking back to notice that I wasn't there. Once I screamed and a doorman stepped in front of the cab and stopped it, the other time my son was older and he told the driver to stop. Of course he wasn't in real danger since I'm sure the driver would have come back as soon as he realized it, but it was still a little scary.

So, if you're going to do this (put your kids in and shut the door) PLEASE make sure the driver knows what you're doing. I now always tell the driver "I'm going to shut the door and walk around to the other side".

 

[emma'smom]

Emma'smom,

I just wanted to add something to your comment about shutting the door of the cab.

Twice when my son was younger I put him in a cab, buckling in his carseat and closed the door so I could go around to the other side and get in, and the cab driver drove off without looking back to notice that I wasn't there. Once I screamed and a doorman stepped in front of the cab and stopped it, the other time my son was older and he told the driver to stop. Of course he wasn't in real danger since I'm sure the driver would have come back as soon as he realized it, but it was still a little scary.

So, if you're going to do this (put your kids in and shut the door) PLEASE make sure the driver knows what you're doing. I now always tell the driver "I'm going to shut the door and walk around to the other side".

Good point...and a good idea! This is why I make them pop the trunk before I put them in. Most times the driver does hop out to help. I have opened the front passenger door too...and left it open. My kids are still safe in the back while I am wrestling with the stroller, but it is another clue to the driver that all is not ready to go yet. However, the more ways that one can make this clear...the safer everyone is!

BTW- When the driver drove off with your kids (how scary). How did you get him to come back? Did the police have to help or did he realize it when he said "Where to?" and come back quickly?

The hotel we stay at does not have a doorman since it is part of the hospital system where my husband works. When we stay in buildings with doormen, I don't have to worry about these issues.

We have also talked to dd4 about what to do if we get separated on the subway...to get off at the next stop and go to the token both (metrocard both with people in it)....I pray this will never happen because I think she would be scared to death...however, this did happen to my sister-in-law when she was a child. Better to have some kind of plan and discussion.

My sister-in-law and her mother were running down the stairs to catch the train and her mother tripped on the stairs. SIL didn't see her fall and ran onto an open car. The doors closed before her mother could get up and get to the train. SIL was a bit older at the time, but not much. They weren't tourists...they lived in Queens, so she was used to using the trains. It was just the fact that they hadn't planned a strategy for what to do if they became separated.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

The first time we were at a hotel (weren't staying there, just went there to use the cab stand) and the doorman heard me scream and stepped in front of the cab which stopped. The second time my son was a little older and screamed "Mommy" and the driver stopped. Neither time was he actually in danger, but I practically had a heart attack.

We go over the subway safety too. A few years ago a little boy got killed when he got on a train and his mother didn't -- he panicked and opened the door between the cars and fell under the wheels of the train. Since then we've had a lot of conversations about what to do if we're separated -- if he's off the train he needs to find a bench and sit down and stay put! If he's the one on the train he needs to get off at the next station and find a bench and sit. Of course I don't actually foresee us getting separated since I'm usually holding on to him when we go through the doors, even now when he's almost 8.

 

[ntink]

Can any experts here suggest what we can do for NYC with my two older children.

I'm planning on buying three tickets through a travel agent for Radio City Christmas Spectucalar. Our lunch is included at the Playwright rest.

Bus will arrive at 11:00 a.m. or so

Lunch at Playwright 2:00 p.m.

Christ. spect. show at 5:30 p.m.

Leave on bus right afterwards for home.

I'd really like to take my kids to Time Square to see Toys R us and Empire State building, was musuem, and perhaps the top of the building.

My question -- can we do this in about four hours?? Say take the subway from the bus stop at 11:00 to Empire State building, then taxi to Toys R Us, then taxi over to Playwright restaurant for our reserved sitting????

Also, I'd like my kids to see the Trump tower -- big fans of Apprentice and the tree at Rockerfeller center, I'm thinking this can be accomplished after lunch.

Please help me with planning.

It's been 20 years since I've been to NYC and the map I see on NYC visit, doesn't list exactly every locations.

Thank you so much!!!!

First, where does the bus drop you off? If you are with your 2 older children, you should be able to see everything (I don't really know anything about the wax museum thought) by walking.

The Playright is at 49th and 7th (there are 2 other locations but this seems the closest to Radio City)
Radio City is on 6th ave b/w 50th & 51st
Empire State is on 5th ave b/w 33rd & 34th
Toys R Us is on Broadway b/w 43rd & 44th
Trump Tower is at 5th ave & 56th st

The streets run Broadway, 7th, 6th, 5th going east. The blocks b/w 5th, 6th and 7th are much longer than the cross streets but still pretty do-able.

A taxi might be tough just because of the time of year and congestion in that area.

The 1 subway has stops (on Broadway) at 50th, 42nd and 34th (Penn Station). Here is a link to a subway map that you can enlarge and scroll to the area you are looking at:http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/nyct/maps/manbus.pdf

btw - love your tag WAWA rules!!

 

[emma'smom]

Well, it sounds like your son was very smart to say something!