OT: NYC with kids at Christmastime

[katie111]

We're taking our 3 kids, ages 2.5, 6, and 7 to NYC for a weekend 2 weeks before Christmas. We've been a couple of times before but never at Christmas. We're looking for some fun ideas on what to do with the kids. They really wanted to climb the Statue of Liberty but I can't get tickets so I need some other ideas. The only other thing that we have planned is to visit Toys R Us as they loved that on our last trip.

I'd love any and all ideas. Thanks!

 

[emma'smom]

Skip the Statue....NYC at Christmas has it's own magic beyond the regular tourist attractions:

Macy's---Santa Land!-- "Miracle on 34th Street" comes to life
Toys R Us (you already said)
FAO Schwartz
Decorations on 5th Avenue
Windows at Lord and Taylor
Windows at Bloomingdales
St. Patrick's Cathedral (decorations)
5th Avenue Presbyterian Church (decorations)
Ice Skating and the Tree at Rockefeller Center
Radio City Music Hall (The Rockettes--tickets are pricey though)
Eat those "chestnuts roasted on an open fire"

Just walk around---the decorations are everywhere and it is beautiful!
Seriously---if you are just there for a week-end---use that time for some holiday fun!

We took dd6 and dd3 into the city for just a few hours last year and within one afternoon we hit FAO Schwartz, Rockefeller Center, Radio City--just to walk by, and China Town/Little Italy and also stopped for a few slices of "real" pizza-- We went at hyper-speed, but we were just passing through town on the way from one place to another and I wanted the kids to see what they could in the short time we had.

 

[Tricia's mom]

Skip the Statue....NYC at Christmas has it's own magic beyond the regular tourist attractions:

Macy's---Santa Land!-- "Miracle on 34th Street" comes to life
Toys R Us (you already said)
FAO Schwartz
Decorations on 5th Avenue
Windows at Lord and Taylor
Windows at Bloomingdales
St. Patrick's Cathedral (decorations)
5th Avenue Presbyterian Church (decorations)
Ice Skating and the Tree at Rockefeller Center
Radio City Music Hall (The Rockettes--tickets are pricey though)
Eat those "chestnuts roasted on an open fire"

Just walk around---the decorations are everywhere and it is beautiful!
Seriously---if you are just there for a week-end---use that time for some holiday fun!

We took dd6 and dd3 into the city for just a few hours last year and within one afternoon we hit FAO Schwartz, Rockefeller Center, Radio City--just to walk by, and China Town/Little Italy and also stopped for a few slices of "real" pizza-- We went at hyper-speed, but we were just passing through town on the way from one place to another and I wanted the kids to see what they could in the short time we had.

You've got it !!! And I'm from NY. The City is filled with much to see just walking on the streets.

Sony also has a great place for kids to play and its free check them out online.
Just around the corner from Toy R Us is a great restaurant called Tony's Di Napoli yummy Italian food served family style.

 

[duffy]

My daughter just loved looking at the windows in Macy's. And seeing the tree at Rockefeller Plaza was amazing!!

 

[disneymami]

The Disney Store on Fifth Ave
This is three floors of complete Disney wonderland. It is totally fabulous.
I love this place especially at Christmas time.

If time allows, just walk up a few blocks to central park and take in the central park zoo or take a carriage ride through the park. It would be a great day for everyone

 

[disneymami]

The Lion King on broadway

 

[emma'smom]

All this talk is making me jealous....we used to live in NYC and my dh still works there (telecommutes with some regular commuting). We try to get the city at least once over semester break, but this year we're taking them to WDW---so no "City sidewalks dressed in holiday cheer!" for me

 

[micheleq]

The New York Botanical Gardens has a holiday train show too! I think we are going to try and go in the next few weeks.

 

[disneymami]

The New York Botanical Gardens has a holiday train show too! I think we are going to try and go in the next few weeks.

I forgot about this one. This is great. You really should take the kids for this. But a word of warning. Although the weather outside is frightful, inside the botanical gardens, it is downright tropical. It is hot! You end up carrying your winter coats, and in my case, my coat plus my kids coats! Bring a stroller just for your gear.
It is such a nice place.
After the botanical gardens, drive abot a mile to Arthurs Ave in the Bronx for a fabulous Italian meal.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

If you go to Rockefeller Center to see the tree and skate, if at all possible go on a weekday and early. It will be absolutely packed in the evening, mobbed on the weekend and nearly impossible to walk around. Not a kid friendly time, and definitely not stroller friendly.

 

[Mary Anne]

Ok this is probably going to come off wrong but if you are going on a weekday to Rockefeller Center please keep in mind 30 Rock is a very big office building with people that are trying to get in our out for work and at lunch time. Please keep this in mind, we are not strolling down Main Street USA with all the time in the world. I'm sure I don't have to say this but HOLD ON TO THEIR HANDS. Some parents seem to think it's fine to let them run wild (not saying that you would) Think of it as Main Street after the fireworks. For the best visit Go on the weekend, EARLY in the morning you'll enjoy it far better then. Go down by the concourse and you can sit and have a hot choco and watch them skate. Also, just so you don't think I'm totally mean; if you do go to Radio City - feel free to use the code ROCK when you order your tickets -- you can get them 1/2 price for MOST performances. Also, top of the Rock is nice you can order your tickets ahead of time (sorry I don't have a discount code for that one) and also the tour of the 30 Rock building is really nice also.

 

[GoHerd1028]

Ok this is probably going to come off wrong but if you are going on a weekday to Rockefeller Center please keep in mind 30 Rock is a very big office building with people that are trying to get in our out for work and at lunch time. Please keep this in mind, we are not strolling down Main Street USA with all the time in the world. I'm sure I don't have to say this but HOLD ON TO THEIR HANDS. Some parents seem to think it's fine to let them run wild (not saying that you would) Think of it as Main Street after the fireworks. For the best visit Go on the weekend, EARLY in the morning you'll enjoy it far better then. Go down by the concourse and you can sit and have a hot choco and watch them skate. Also, just so you don't think I'm totally mean; if you do go to Radio City - feel free to use the code ROCK when you order your tickets -- you can get them 1/2 price for MOST performances. Also, top of the Rock is nice you can order your tickets ahead of time (sorry I don't have a discount code for that one) and also the tour of the 30 Rock building is really nice also.

Uuuugh i wish I had known that code a few weeks ago LOL. We are going to be there Dec 1-4. Dec 2 is my birthday so we are going to go to the tree lighting...any advice on the best place to stand and what time to arrive? It will just be wife and I.

 

[Mary Anne]

Uuuugh i wish I had known that code a few weeks ago LOL. We are going to be there Dec 1-4. Dec 2 is my birthday so we are going to go to the tree lighting...any advice on the best place to stand and what time to arrive? It will just be wife and I.

.
Ummmm about6:30 amif you want a good view at 9 pm that night. Honest, I am not kidding... they start roping the area off at 6 am by 5 pm you cannot get anywere near 3 or 4 blocks all around it. Think Main Street on New Years Eve only about 50 times worse. Good luck to you, me I'm thinking of working from home on the 2nd!

 

[RMulieri]

Also the AMerican Museum of Natural History is great for kids..though not really Christmassy.I have to agree with the PP though.NYC around the holidays is packed.It is easy for adults to get swallowed up by moving crowds.It is very hard to navigate a stroller( not impossible, but hard) .HOLD onto little ones! I have seen more kids lose parents in the throngs.

 

[kstinw19]

Oh have a good time. You are lucky that you didn't get tix to Statue of Liberty...not a great time with little kids.

And as for the tree, even if you are a bit far away, it's still fun.

Another little thing to do that is kind of silly but my kids love it...if you are in Times Square and you want to get warm, go into the Times Square Marriott and ride the glass elevators. They are very cool and go up about 50 stories pretty fast.

The kids are fascinated by them.

Have fun!!

 

[kstinw19]

Don't know if you have girls or boys but the American Girl store is pretty cool too, although quite crowded.

Another cool thing is Dylan's Candy Bar which is at 1011 Third Ave (and Lexington I believe). Three stories of any candy you can think of. Fun for kids.

 

[MNGaspar]

I recommend The View restaurant in the NY Marriot Marquis (Times Square). This is a revolving room restaurant that gives you a great view of the city. You can either have dinner or drinks there.

 

[Ava]

If you want to do ice skating, there are a few other options besides Rockefellar Center - not necessarily as "Christmasy" but less crowded and more affordable.

The Pond at Bryant Park - free to skate, you just need to pay for skate rental (which I think is about $10) if you don't have your own. Smallish rink so it can get crowded.
Wollman Rink in Central Park - larger rink than either Rock Center or Bryant Park, don't know the pricing as I haven't been there in a few years. Not as touristy as the above two.
American Museum of Natural History - I've never been to this rink (it was new last year) so I can't really comment on it, just throwing it out there as an option.

I agree with the PPs, NYC at the holidays is wonderful. There's so much to see, beyond the normal tourist attractions. You could spend a weekend just looking at all the special holiday decorations & visiting the "destination" stores like Toys 'R Us, FAO Schwartz, American Girl Place, & World of Disney.

It will be very crowded, so don't plan too many things for one day & try not to go all over the place - for example, if there are several things you want to do in Times Square, do all of those things before moving on to another area. Sort of like planning a Disney trip, lol. It will take time to navigate through the crowds to get from place to place.

 

[katie111]

Thank you so much for all the great ideas! I will definitely be looking into all of these as I make up my itinerary and would love any other ideas anyone has.

One more question, any other suggestions for restaurants? Any with either great views or with really cool theming. Last time we went to Bubba Gumps which was fun and a small italian place which I can't remember the name but we'd like to try something different. I was thinking of Tavern on the Green as it looks like it would be beautiful at Christmas but the reviews on the food are horrible.

 

[kstinw19]

A couple of places that I could think of:

There is that place Mars 2112 at Broadway and 51st that is alient themed.

And if your kids eat peanut butter there is peanut butter & co which has tons of different types of pb sandwiches. (Sullivan st in the village)

There is also a tea place for kids...Alice's Tea Shop (73rd street) which is Alice and Wonderland themed.

Have fun!