NYC help for a family with young children

[Spart02]

We are considering going to NYC over the summer, but don't know where to start as far as planning goes. Our kids are ages 10, 6, and 2. We will be driving to NYC, but don't really want to drive once we get there. We're not even sure how many days to spend in order to see the main highlights. We would definitely want to see a major museum, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, FAO Schwartz, and anything else you can recommend that we wouldn't want to miss. We have no idea where to stay, but it needs to be fairly economical. We have looked at the double decker hop on, hop off sight-seeing bus tours and think maybe that would be a good way to go. What recommendations do you have?

 

[HeatherC]

I love NY! Do I sound like their commercial? LOL!

We've taken our 3 kids several times and are going again for a weekend in April.

We stay at the Marriott Courtyard Manhattan/Midtown East. The rooms are huge by NY standards and I've always gotten great rates. Last summer I paid like $130 a night and this April I'm paying $160 a night. I like it because we can fit five of us comfortably which is hard to find in NYC. They have 2 queens and a sleeper and we brought another aerobed for my youngest. They will also give you a minifridge for free if you want.

You can walk to Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Fifth Ave, etc..

Outside the door is a subway stop which is great for getting around.

With kids, I'd definitely do Times Square. There is so much...Toys R Us with the indoor ferris wheel. Sony Wonder Tech Lab, Hersheys store, M&M store, ESPN Zone, to name a few. Great area for kids.

We also did the Museum of Natural History which is great with kids and you can pay what you want. They have a suggested donation, but you only pay what you are comfortable paying.

Ellis Island is great too...but if you go, get the audio tour. The kids loved it and would have been bored without it. Well worth the extra few dollars. I would also order your tickets ahead of time...saves you a long wait in lines.

You will get tons of other great ideas so I'll stop for now. Have fun planning and if you need any other info, just let me know.

 

[my 3 princesses]

I can't really help when it comes to places to stay and such as we live about an hour away so we only do day trips. I just wanted to say that NYC can be so much fun with a family! Some of our favorite things to do are go to The Museum of Natural History http://www.amnh.org/, The Met http://www.metmuseum.org/, The Bronx Zoo http://www.bronxzoo.com/. The different botanical gardens are lovely http://www.nybg.org/ or http://www.bbg.org/. South Street Seaport is fun http://www.southstreetseaport.com/. Also, not sure if you have girls or boys but we just took our older two to the American Girl Place for tea and while it wasn't exactly educational it was a lot of fun. Or if you're into tea you could always go to Alice's Tea Cup http://www.alicesteacup.com/. You can walk around Central Park. There is a lovely old carousel there and a zoo http://www.centralparknyc.org/site/PageServer.

NYC is a wonderful place to take in a show, although I know that's difficult with a two year old. We just took the kids to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and they all did great. Not sure if you're into ballet but the NYC ballet is wonderful http://www.nycballet.com/nycb/home/, plus they have family and children's workshops.

The possibilities are endless! You will have a fabulous time. The summer is an especially fun time with street fairs and festivals, etc.

 

[dumbo_buddy]

i live here so feel free to pm me with any questions.

i actually went on the double decker bus last year with a friend who had never been up here. it was great! we new yorkers tend to miss the touristy stuff in our day to day!

 

[my 3 princesses]

i live here so feel free to pm me with any questions.

i actually went on the double decker bus last year with a friend who had never been up here. it was great! we new yorkers tend to miss the touristy stuff in our day to day!

True! While I didn't grow up in the city, I attended college in Manhattan. It wasn't until after DH and I were married with kids and back in our home town that we started to really take advantage of all the city has to offer.

 

[woodkins]

The Central Park zoo is great, you can take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry for very little money & you get a great view of the Statue of Liberty. My dd 7 loves the Museum of Natural History as well, very fun for kids.

 

[loveysbydesign]

Isn't there some yummy ice cream shop there that sells a sundae with real gold in it? forget the name of it We'd love to take our kids to NYC...heck my dh has never been there and I've only been there back when I was in high school to see broadway shows. Can you do a weekend for under $300???

 

[my 3 princesses]

Isn't there some yummy ice cream shop there that sells a sundae with real gold in it? forget the name of it We'd love to take our kids to NYC...heck my dh has never been there and I've only been there back when I was in high school to see broadway shows. Can you do a weekend for under $300???

http://www.serendipity3.com/

$300 for a weekend? Including a hotel? That would be pretty impossible, I believe. NYC is so freakin expensive. The food, parking, entertainment, can't say much about the hotels as I've never stayed in one but I can only imagine....If you do your research I'm sure you could put together a fantastic, somewhat affordable weekend trip.

 

[mjkacmom]

Isn't there some yummy ice cream shop there that sells a sundae with real gold in it? forget the name of it We'd love to take our kids to NYC...heck my dh has never been there and I've only been there back when I was in high school to see broadway shows. Can you do a weekend for under $300???

You might be able to do a hotel for 2 nights for $300, if you check for specials. It can be expensive to park if you drive.

 

[loveysbydesign]

You might be able to do a hotel for 2 nights for $300, if you check for specials. It can be expensive to park if you drive.

Oops, I meant $300 for 1 night and 2 days of activites!

 

[bamor]

Make the NYC forum on tripadvisor.com your new friend
Get a good map and sit down with it
www.hopstop.com for walking and/or subway directions
www.menupages.com for restaurants broken down by area
some ideas:
Brooklyn Botanic Garden (free on sats 10-12)
Walk Brooklyn Bridge back into Manhattan
Ride the Staten Island ferry (free and a great way to see the Statue of Liberty)
Walk through Chinatown........have ice cream at the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
-----------------------------------
Midtown
Times Square
Rockefeller Center
Top of the Rock
Bryant Park
See a show..........www.broadwaybox.com for current discounts OR
New Victory Theater has family shows and balcony seats are generally $12.50 each
---------------------------------
Am Museum of Nat History (suggested donation)
Central Park
Central Park Zoo
Met Museum of Art (suggested donation)
---------------------------------------
Walk around Soho, Little Italy and Greenwich Village (peanut butter and co)

A GREAT hotel for you would be Radio City Apartments. See www.radiocityapartments.com for rates. The one bedroom suite has two double beds and a sleep sofa plus a full kitchen (which would be helpful for breakfast). There is a full supermarket a few blocks away. Sometimes, www.hotelconxions.com has better rates on this hotel, if that is the case email Radio City and they usually match.
Steps from Rockefeller Center and the subway.
Read reviews on tripadvisor.com

Have fun!

 

[Bowen9475]

I love NY! Do I sound like their commercial? LOL!

We've taken our 3 kids several times and are going again for a weekend in April.

We stay at the Marriott Courtyard Manhattan/Midtown East. The rooms are huge by NY standards and I've always gotten great rates. Last summer I paid like $130 a night and this April I'm paying $160 a night. I like it because we can fit five of us comfortably which is hard to find in NYC. They have 2 queens and a sleeper and we brought another aerobed for my youngest. They will also give you a minifridge for free if you want.QUOTE]

Heather - How do you book a room for 5? Whenever I check this hotel I get a message that the rooms only accomodate 4. Thanks

 

[mjkacmom]

I love NY! Do I sound like their commercial? LOL!

We've taken our 3 kids several times and are going again for a weekend in April.

We stay at the Marriott Courtyard Manhattan/Midtown East. The rooms are huge by NY standards and I've always gotten great rates. Last summer I paid like $130 a night and this April I'm paying $160 a night. I like it because we can fit five of us comfortably which is hard to find in NYC. They have 2 queens and a sleeper and we brought another aerobed for my youngest. They will also give you a minifridge for free if you want.QUOTE]

Heather - How do you book a room for 5? Whenever I check this hotel I get a message that the rooms only accomodate 4. Thanks

Most hotels have a 4 person limit, so I guess you just input 4.