Best things to do with kids when visiting NYC
The Big Apple, The City That Never Sleeps, Gotham – whatever you call it, New York City has something for everyone. Home to countless museums, parks, and historical landmarks – not to mention some of the world’s best theater and dining options – it’s no wonder NYC is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. From Times Square and Central Park to the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty, no place on earth packs more famous icons into one compact area than the island of Manhattan. Which, ironically, is exactly what makes planning a family trip to NYC a rather daunting task.
So, what’s worth the money? What’s completely overrated? Which tourist attractions are more headache than they’re worth when waiting “on line,” as New Yorkers say? Well, read on! I’ve narrowed it down to NYC’s must-sees that are fun for the whole family, won’t break the bank, and will create lasting memories for years to come.
1. Central Park
64th Street & 5th Avenue
You simply cannot come to New York and not see Central Park. The 840-acre urban oasis in the heart of Manhattan is home to a whole host of activities for children. From quintessential horse-drawn carriage rides and ice skating to renting rowboats and even rock climbing, there’s something for everyone. There’s also a zoo and more than 20 playgrounds throughout the park.
While it’s small, and you won’t see Marty and Melman from the movie Madagascar (darn!), the Central Park Zoo will provide a bit of respite from the noise, crowds, and general hubbub of NYC life along with an incredible view of the city skyline in the background, Little ones love it. Get there in time for the penguin feeding at 10:30 a.m. Stroll around the rest of the zoo and end with the sea lions performance at 11:30 a.m. Seeing the main zoo will take an 1-1/2 to 2 hours. The Tisch Children’s Zoo will entertain little ones for another 30 to 60 minutes. Cost: Youth (3-12) $7; Adult $12.
KidTripster Tip: Time it right, and you can enjoy another performance on the hour and half-hour from the Delacorte Musical Clock which sits atop a tower outside the main zoo on the way to the petting zoo. Kids will enjoy watching the brass animals on it spin and circle the tower to one of 44 melodies that change seasonally.
After the zoo, head northwest through the park for a spin on the Central Park Carousel ($3/ride; April to October) then north to Sheep Meadow, a sprawling space where the kids can run wild, if they still have the energy.
KidTripster Tip: Just north of Sheep Meadow, there’s a Le Pain Quotidien with a great, organic kids’ menu. Order lunch to go and have a picnic in the grass. Still have energy to burn? Hit the Billy Johnson Playground, aka “the rustic playground,” because it’s made of mostly natural materials. Tucked away off 5th Avenue, the park boasts a massive 45-foot-long granite slide that your kids won’t soon forget.
2. Top of the Rock
45 Rockefeller Plaza
Some say no trip to NYC is complete without a visit to the Empire State Building, but I tend to disagree. That’s because when you go to the top of the Empire State Building, which apparently is the most photographed building on the planet, guess what you won’t be in your photos? You guessed it: The Empire State Building! So, if you want to marvel at the Manhattan skyline and get the iconic art deco building in the shot, head to the Top of the Rock Observation Deck. You’ll ascend 70 floors, where you can take in the sweeping 360-degree city views from three indoor and outdoor viewing decks. Plus, it’s cheaper! Cost: Youth (3-12) $26; Adult $32.
KidTripster Tip: While you’re at it, skip Times Square, too. It’s overrated, crowded, and there’s not much to do there. My advice? Stop at Times Square for a selfie before going to the Top of the Rock. Afterward, check out the many famous works of art and landmarks in and around Rockefeller Plaza like the Atlas Statue, Radio City Music Hall, the newly-restored St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and MoMA, considered the foremost museum of modern art in the world. If you’re with teens, consider taking them to MoMA to peruse the Picassos, Pollocks, and other pieces they’ll recognize like Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, Monet’s Water Lilies, and Warhol’s iconic Campbell’s Soup Can collection.
If you’re with little ones who have limited patience for sightseeing, just snap photos of all the famous stuff then reward them with a visit to the Lego Store or FAO Schwarz at Rockefeller Center.
3. Statue of Liberty
Battery Park, Lower Manhattan
Along with the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty is New York’s most famous landmark. And at the risk of sounding like a broken record or unpatriotic, I’m going to tell you to skip it, too. It’s expensive, crowded, and takes up your whole day. Most people just want a picture of the statue anyway, but again, don’t realize that when they’re up that close, ol’ Lady Liberty won’t be in the shot. As one NYC teenager I know put it, “You basically end up looking up her nostrils!”
So, save yourself $25 (a head) and hop on the Staten Island Ferry instead. It’s free, kids love it, and you get the most amazing, unobstructed view of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the skyscrapers and bridges of Lower Manhattan. If you’re traveling with teens and really want to look up your ancestry, Ellis Island is far more interesting. Unfortunately, you can’t just buy a ticket to Ellis Island, you’ll have to do both. Cost: Youth (4-12) $16; Adult $25.
KidTripster Tip: Spend all the time that you saved waiting in line for the Statue of Liberty exploring Battery Park instead. Just a short walk from the Staten Island Ferry is the one-of-a-kind, underwater-themed Seaglass Carousel. Take a spin ($5/ride) and then stroll along the Battery Park City Esplanade, a strip of riverfront parkland that’s arguably one of the best parks in New York City. Much like Central Park, you won’t know that you’re in Manhattan. The esplanade stretches along the Hudson from the southernmost tip of Manhattan all the way up the west side of the island to Tribeca and beyond. Along the way, you’ll find sprawling lawns and gardens, restaurants, and some of the coolest playgrounds in the city; younger kids will love it here. You’ll also come across a marina, the gorgeous new Brookfield Place mall, and the Irish Hunger Memorial.
You’re also about a five minute walk from Wall Street, where you can stop and see the New York Stock Exchange, the Charging Bull sculpture, and Stone Street, an uncharacteristically charming, pedestrian-only cobblestone street – the oldest in New York City. Go there for lunch or dinner and sit outside; you’ll feel like you’re in a beer garden in Germany. Try the pizza at Adrienne’s Pizzabar; you won’t regret it.
4. Brooklyn Bridge
Park Row & Centre Street, Lower Manhattan
Whether you’re a local or just visiting, everyone – and I mean everyone – should walk across the Brooklyn Bridge at least once in their lives. Not only is it the oldest and one of the most iconic sites in the city, it’s truly magnificent. It’s also free and one of the best ways to capture the NYC skyline. The bridge has a wide, safe pedestrian walkway in the center of the bridge that’s above the cars. It’s just over a mile long and can take 30 minutes to one hour to cross, depending on how often you stop for photos.
One of my favorite outings with my daughter is walking over the Brooklyn Bridge into the DUMBO neighborhood, which stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. We head out in the morning and once over the bridge, hit one of the many great playgrounds in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Then we head to one of my daughter’s favorite things in all of NYC: Jane’s Carousel, an exquisitely restored merry-go-round housed in glass in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge. Cost: (3 & up) $2; children under 3 ride free, if accompanied by paying adult.
KidTripster Tip: Pizza lovers and tourists line up at Grimaldi’s and Juliana’s, two rival, side-by-side pizzerias serving up New York style slices. But be warned, Grimaldi’s is cash-only, and the wait for both can be painfully long around lunchtime. Other hits with the kids near Brooklyn Bridge Park are the DUMBO Shake Shack (a NYC favorite and a must while you’re here), No. 7 Sub (which has hot dogs and healthier sandwich options), and the charming Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory right by the ferry stop.
KidTripster Tip: When crossing the bridge from Manhattan to Brooklyn, there are two exits you can take, but be warned – the first one to the left involves a lot of stairs, so if you have a stroller, stay to the right. Also, keep in mind that the walkway is split in half: bicyclists on one side, pedestrians on the other. If you cross the line to pass fellow walkers or to take a photo, watch out for bicycles! You can rent bicycles on the Manhattan side to ride over.
KidTripster Tip: Not up for walking? Take the ferry over instead; it’s fun too! Catch the East River Ferry from Wall St./Pier 11 (South Street and Wall Street). Cost: $6/one way. Or you can also ride the newly-expanded NYC Ferry Service, which is less expensive. Cost: Youth (under 44 inches) Free; Other $2.75/one way.
5. The High Line
Between Gansevoort & W 34th Streets, Meatpacking District
There are few places more pleasant on a sunny day in NYC than The High Line, one of Manhattan’s newest and most popular destinations. Resurrected as a 1.45-mile-long green space, this elevated public park is built on an old historic freight rail line that runs over the streets of Manhattan’s West Side. Planted with wildflowers and grasses and bristling with an array of artwork, NYC’s most unique park also offers some of the best views of the Meatpacking District, Chelsea, and Lower Manhattan. Plan it right, and you can even hit one of the family story times or art hours. There are several entrances, but only some have elevator access for those with strollers. Cost: Free.
KidTripster Tip: Start early in the morning by grabbing a coffee from Think Coffee which is right next to the 30th Street entrance. Stroll The High Line working your way south to the Gansevoort and Washington Street entrance. From there, check out the Whitney Museum, grab brunch at Bubby’s (another of my favs) or wander the shops of Chelsea Market. On a nice afternoon, check out The Standard Biergarten, tucked under the trestles of The High Line. Filled with wooden picnic tables, this German-style beer hall is open-air in summer or glass-enclosed in winter and offers beer, brats, and pretzels the size of your head. Everything on the menu is $9 (a bargain for NYC); it has foosball and ping pong tables.
6. Children’s Museum of Manhattan
W 83rd Street
If you’re traveling to New York City with children under 6, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan is a must-do for you! This Upper West Side institution features five floors of fun, interactive, educational exhibits. Explore exhibits like Frolic – a rock ‘n’ roll-themed play space where mini rockers can perform on stage, climb aboard a 1970s Volkswagen bus or slide down a Rolling Stones-inspired tongue slide; the Nickelodeon-sponsored Adventures with Dora and Diego where kids can explore with Dora in the Cloud Forest, cook meals for a fiesta, and care for baby animals; and PlayWorks, a 4,000-square-foot play area where children (up to 4) can play with Alphie, a giant talking dragon, climb on board a fire truck and slide down the fire pole, drive a bus or a taxi, and count and sort vegetables in a deli. There are also sand tables, a giant Lite-Brite, and soft spaces for crawlers. Cost: All (1 & up) $12.
KidTripster Tip: Food and drink are not allowed in the museum, but there are many family-friendly restaurants in the area; your admission stamp allows you to re-enter the museum as many times as you like throughout the day. My daughter and I lunched right across the street from the museum at Café Lalo, where part of the movie You’ve Got Mail was filmed. But why not cross another must-do off your list and hit one of NYC’s famous Jewish delicatessens? Barney Greengrass (also featured in You’ve Got Mail) is in the neighborhood. It’s a little tight on space (read: not great for strollers) but is old-school. Try the Nova Scotia salmon lox or the famed sturgeon on a bagel with schmear.
7. Bryant Park
Between 40th & 42nd Streets
I recently read a NYC writer describe Times Square as “an oasis of concrete, steel, and strangers not recognizing your personal space in the middle of Manhattan.” I kinda feel that way about Midtown in general. Maybe that’s why I love Bryant Park so much. With its colorful flower beds, lush lawn, and French-style bistro chairs, this gorgeous green oasis is big on charm and a perfect escape from manic Midtown Manhattan. From free Monday night movies on the lawn in the summertime to NYC’s only free ice rink around the holidays, this place is amazing. You’ll also find the open-air Reading Room with its kid-sized tables and chairs and carts stocked with children’s books and the Art Cart, an outdoor space that provides arts and crafts workshops. And all of it is free. There’s also my daughter’s favorite, Le Carrousel which is open year-round and features 14 different animals to ride on. Cost: $3/ride.
KidTripster Tip: Want to see a Broadway show but not sure if your squirmy kids can handle a full performance? Check out Broadway in Bryant Park, where you’ll see snippets of the best of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows.
KidTripster Tip: You’ll find clean bathrooms, tables, and chairs all throughout the park, making it the perfect place to bring your own picnic or grab a bite at one of the five food stands in the park. Foodies can check one of the top 10 food trucks in the U.S. off their bucket list at NYC’s favorite little yellow, waffle-wielding food cart, Wafels & Dinges (pronounced ding-iss). The Belgian waffles are $5 each and come with one free “dinge” or topping. A second topping costs $1.
KidTripster Tip: Check out the main branch of the New York Public Library on 42nd street while you’re here. It has incredible ceilings that look like they belong in a European cathedral. You can also see the real Winnie-the-Pooh and his four best friends – Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga and Tigger – who have lived at the New York Public Library since 1987.
8. Broadway
Between W 41st & 54th Streets and 6th to 8th Avenues
There’s something very special about seeing a show on Broadway, so if your kids are old enough (five and up, I’d say) and the budget allows, why not treat them to theater tickets? With plenty of kid-friendly options, there’s bound to be a show that fits the bill. Cost: Varies.
KidTripster Tip: Some shows are so popular, you must book in advance, and you’ll rarely find discounted tickets. But if you’re flexible and looking to save money, the best way to get cheap tickets is to wait in line at one of the city’s three TKTS booths on the day of the show. Check the website to see what shows are generally being sold. Also the most popular TKTS booth (with the longest line always!) is in Times Square. For a shorter line, try the one at South Street Seaport (corner of Front & John Streets) in Lower Manhattan.
9. Bronx Zoo
2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx
Arguably one of the nation’s most famous zoos, the Bronx Zoo, home to more than 4,000 animals across 265 acres, is certainly a highlight for families visiting New York with small children. Open 365 days a year, there’s a lot to see, so I recommend doing a little research on the zoo’s website before you go. I also highly recommend that you build in some of the animal feedings and enrichment demonstrations into your trip. Visit Today at the Zoo to see a schedule of feedings and special activities. Cost: Youth (3-12) $12.95; Adults $19.95.
KidTripster Tip: General admission is free on Wednesdays. Visitors are asked to donate what they wish to support the zoo’s mission. Also, consider buying your family a shuttle pass ($3 each) for all-day unlimited rides. There’s a lot of ground to cover and even the most energetic zoo fanatic get worn out.
10. American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West & 79th Street
Now here’s a place the dinosaur lovers in your family will really dig. You’ll be awestruck the second that you step foot in the rotunda and spot the hulking Barosaurus that towers overhead. The five-story giant is the highest, freestanding dinosaur on display in the world! The rest of the prehistoric giants are in the must-see dinosaur wing on the fourth floor. Kids also will want to check out the real exhibits behind the characters featured in the Night at the Museum movies. Besides being the largest natural history museum in the world with 45 exhibition halls and more than 30 million artifacts, the American Museum of Natural History is also home to one of the country’s best planetariums and an IMAX theater. If you have time, lie down under the 94-foot-long, life-sized model of a blue whale in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life; it’ll blow you away. Cost: Youth (2-12) $12.50; Student $12; Adult $22.
KidTripster Tip: This museum is best for kids 5 and up. I took my 2-1/2-year-old daughter, and while she liked seeing the animals and dinosaurs, much of it was lost on her.
KidTripster Tip: As mammoth as this place is, you really need to plan ahead. There are several shows and exhibitions, all of which require separate tickets, so know what you want to see the most. If you want to see them all, the SuperSaver pass is a good way to save some money.
Additional suggestion: The 9/11 Memorial
I realize that this is a list of top 10 PLAYS, and that there is nothing at all fun about the thought of the 9/11 Memorial. However, there are some things that we really must see, do, and teach our children. And so, for that reason, I am adding a visit to the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the new World Trade Center to the list. Consider it the fiber you need after a week’s worth of NYC-style pizza, cheesecake, and pastrami-on-rye.
Start your visit at 9/11 Memorial Plaza, where you’ll find the memorial’s centerpiece: two massive, square waterfall reflecting pools built into the footprints of where the original twin towers stood. You cannot see these pools for the first time without being struck by their enormity. Inscribed in bronze panels surrounding the fountains are the names of the nearly 3,000 victims who died when those towers fell. The plaza is surrounded by more than 400 trees, symbolizing the rebirth of the neighborhood. Be sure to show kids the Survivor Tree, a little pear tree that miraculously survived the destruction at Ground Zero.
Then head into the museum and relive the events of the day. It’s thoughtful, powerful, and deeply moving. Cost: Youth (7-17) $15; Adult $24.
I don’t really recommend this museum for children under 10. Having said that, if you’re traveling with younger children and would like to see the 9/11 Memorial for yourself, go see the fountains which are free and perhaps go up to the top of One World Observatory for a view of NYC from the city’s tallest skyscraper. Cost: Youth $28; Adult $34.
KidTripster Tip: You must book tickets in advance online for timed entry. A limited number of free tickets are available on Tuesday evenings and can be booked two weeks prior.
For Top 10 Stays in New York City, click here.
For Top 10 Eats in New York City, click here.
This writer received some complimentary activities for the purpose of this review. However, all opinions expressed are solely her own.
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