New York City with Teens is Priceless: Top Tips for Parents

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Your kids will navigate life independently in a few years—navigating Manhattan with you is excellent training. 

My teen daughter and I visited Manhattan last fall. The chance to spend quality time with any teen is fleeting … just like autumn in the city. My mom and sister joined us for the trip, and New York City was a brilliant setting for our girls’ getaway. Even if you know NYC well, your teens will open your eyes to a whole other city. 

New York is a slice of real life you can’t experience any other way, but to be in it. The moodiest of teens will be impressed by Manhattan’s buzz, humanity, and infrastructure. Teenagers can walk long distances and easily match the energy of a New York midnight. They feel they’re on an actual movie set with iconic scenes perfect for social feeds. 

I’ve traveled to New York twice with my teens in the past year. Here’s my playbook for an affordable, well-rounded Big Apple visit with your young adults:

Where to Stay With Teens in NYC

1. Choose a central neighborhood over everything else if you want a walkable vibe. Give your kids some independence and let them explore. (Remember, local teens do live, attend school, and walk around—on their own—in New York City.)
2. Pick a unique hotel with a good sleeping configuration. Teens value downtime and need their space. The Moxy Hotel brand (by Marriott) has a variety of hip, private, modern family rooms, some with four twin bunk beds. The rooms are compact but well-styled, and everyone gets their own bunk compartment—each bed with USB ports. There are five locations to choose from in Manhattan. We’ve stayed at the Moxy Chelsea and Moxy Times Square locations. Both have pop-up events, rooftop restaurant views, and a busy young vibe. Picture a free candy cart, a lobby DJ, themed art, games, and other fun perks. And rooms that are quiet enough for mom and dad.
3. Look for hotels with bustling communal spaces and lobbies where teens can escape with their phones while still soaking up NYC. The Ace Hotel Manhattan fits this bill. 
4. Try searching for an “apart-hotel” or apartment hotel, often with bedrooms, a kitchenette, and front desk services but without the hidden service fees of an Airbnb rental. 

[Related: Top 10 Stays in New York City]

Top Things to Do With Teens in NYC

1. Live like teens. Plan to stay up late walking around the city. Expect late dinners and let everyone sleep-in. It’s fun to let go of a schedule in New York and beneficial in the summer to avoid the heat. 
2. Or, while the teens sleep late, enjoy a parents’ date morning for breakfast. The kids will appreciate a slow start. 
3. Pre-book as much as you can, from museums to restaurants. It reduces arguments over the itinerary and “hangry” moments.
4. Rent bikes in Central Park and circumnavigate the park on the bike-only road. 
5. Visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), and take advantage of the rooftop (sneaky good city skyline and park views, and you don’t have to buy a drink). 
6. Choose a Broadway show that will keep them riveted: Hamilton and SIX are current pop music favorites.
7. The deeply historic and cobblestoned downtown financial district fascinates young Hamilton buffs and any student studying U.S. history. (You can even see Alexander Hamilton’s gravesite and significant Revolutionary War sites.) Soak in the colonial vibe with some pub fare at a cobblestone street pub like The Dubliner on Stone Street or the Fraunces Tavern, a watering hole that once served the founding fathers. Download a free walking tour map online.
8. The top of Rockefeller Plaza is a showstopper for all ages and gives everyone a good perspective of the magnitude of Manhattan. 
9. Leave time for the particular interests of your teen: the fashion district, more theater life, a major concert, skate parks, and food tours. Opportunities to indulge them in their favorite topics are endless. 
10. Explore NYC’s other iconic and centrally located parks: The High Line is a unique elevated walking park that takes you above the streets. Bryant Park is Midtown’s charming and social heart with food vendors, public bistro tables, a winter ice skating rink, and perpetual events. 

[Related: Must-Dos for the Ultimate Hamilton Fan]

Eating with Teens in NYC 

Get creative, let go of your traditional meals, and bond over food. Make a checklist of classic NYC must-try items, including a street vendor hot dog, falafel sandwich, late-night pizza by the slice, bagels, and a diner breakfast. And remember, fast food is a whole vibe for teens. 

[Related: Gluten-Free Eats in NYC]

Transport with Teens in NYC

Teenagers are great at navigating travel. Give them a role with their phone: “Get us to Madison Square Garden via the subway.” Or, “Find us good sushi near the hotel.” Mix subway rides with taxis for the complete above and below-ground experience. Let teens lead the way on the MTA app.

In good weather, opt for e-biking in low-traffic areas when possible. Public CitiBike rentals along Battery Park and the tip of Manhattan’s waterfront are great for covering lots of ground. Just download the app and take 30-minute jaunts, enough time to hopscotch your way from Liberty Park, through Battery Park, all the way to the Brooklyn Bridge. (Our teens managed all the CitiBike logistics on our phones for us.)

When to Travel to NYC

Late spring, early summer, and autumn are ideal for good weather. Midsummer can be extremely hot and limit your activities. I think holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are uniquely magical in New York.

[Related: Celebrate the Holidays in New York City]