Don’t let the constant hustle and rush of New York keep you from hanging out there with the kiddos: NYC might be even more fun for children than for adults. With tons of museums (often free for kids), green spaces, and other ways to explore, make Manhattan your temporary home with this itinerary.
Day 1
New York City can be intense even for a single person, so gaining a foothold is essential if you don’t want to end up like the 21st-century version of Home Alone 2: Lost In New York. It might sound cheesy, but taking a hop-on, hop-off bus tour is the way to go. Not only will you get oriented around the area, but the trip is contained — meaning little ones won’t be able to run and get lost in a sea of Manhattanites.
Plus if you get good weather, they’re actually pretty fun.
There are tons to choose from, depending on what you want to see. The most inclusive is the Gray Line City Sightseeing Freestyle New York, which gives you 72 hours of transportation Uptown, Downtown, tours at night, and into parts of Brooklyn. Or check out the company’s Land and Sea tour, which includes a CitySightseeing Midtown Cruise.
Make some time for a stop at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, where kids can learn about the history of NYC and interact with cultural exhibitions that change seasonally. Grab a pie at Freddie & Pepper’s and expose your kids to the greatest pizza they’ll ever eat in their entire lives.
Day 2
Grab some bagels and cream cheese at H & H Bagels East for a picnic breakfast in Central Park. Enjoy the relative peace in the morning on the Great Lawn before the tourists, joggers, and teenagers hanging out after school arrive. Check out the penguins at the Central Park Zoo or climb to the watchtower at Belvedere Castle.
Walk down to Times Square and feel the city pulse around you (or maybe it’s just a Mixtape Street Performer blasting ‘90s hip hop in your ear while he breakdances?). Check out the stores, which are almost theme park-like in their eccentric displays. Get your chocolate fix at M&M’s World or Hershey’s Chocolate World, or get animated at the Disney Store. Take a few pics with the random Elmos, Hello Kittys, and Spiderman lookalikes, but bring a couple of bucks (most expect a tip).
Wait in line at the TKTS Booth for discounted, day-of Broadway show tickets, or check out some of the awesome children’s theater NYC has to offer. The Vital Theater Company and the New Victory Theater offer original children’s programming, many times by local playwrights. End the day with a Sch’mores cookie from Schmackery’s on 45th Street.
Day 3
Sleep in to avoid the morning rush, then head to Downtown Manhattan where you’ll explore the ships and shops at the South Street Seaport. Grab some lunch at Seaport Smorgasburg — maybe some tacos at Cemitas El Tigre, and Bacon on a Stick from Landhaus. Pause for reflection at the 9/11 Memorial (buy tickets in advance, they tend to sell out).
Head north and go into Chinatown. Explore the shops selling everything from custom chopsticks to Chinese good luck charms. Have a snack of bubble tea and pork dumplings, four for $1.25, at Vanessa’s Dumpling House. Learn a little about NYC’s immigrant culture at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum where there’s interactive exhibitions kids will really enjoy.
Linger around Little Italy as the sun begins to set. If you’re lucky to be there during an Italian feast, be prepared for some major crowds and all kinds of sausage and peppers to be had, but otherwise this pedestrian-friendly slice of the old country is easy to maneuver. Share heaping plates of chicken parmigiana and spaghetti at Benito One, but leave room for a few cannolis from Ferrara’s Bakery.
Day 4
Staten Island is actually a great place to explore with kids in tow, one of the city’s best kept secrets in fact. Hop on the Staten Island Ferry, which is free to ride and fun to experience. The trip is approximately 20 minutes long and includes a snackbar if you’re hungry, but make sure you leave some time to take selfies out on the top deck as you pass by the Statue of Liberty.
Upon landing take your pick of activities: visit meerkats, leopards, and more at the Staten Island Zoo, get creative at the Staten Island Children’s Museum or the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, or catch a baseball game with the Staten Island Yankees.
Grab a bite to eat at Marie’s Gourmet. If you’re lucky enough to be there during brunch, you might catch their creative specials (think: Twinkies French Toast), but all of their comfort-style food is great and appealing enough that kids will want in on the baby back ribs too.
Day 5
Unwind after a whirlwind of a trip with a view of New York City from the top of 30 Rock. The Top of the Rock has more interactive and kid-friendly exhibits than the Empire State Building, and the other advantage is that the view includes the towering counterpart, making for some postcard-perfect family pics.
Take a studio tour of NBC and see where The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, as well as Saturday Night Live! are filmed (there’s always a chance you might see a celebrity strolling through the hallways…). The gift shop is a great place to snag some souvenirs, or you can walk down the street to The Lego Store NYC and stock up on your favorite colorful bricks.
Take the E train down to 23rd Street, or the 7 train to Hudson Yards, and make your way to The Highline. This elevated stretch of NYC is a great place to let kids run around and see the world from above.
Have dinner at the Jekyll and Hyde Club, where spooky waiters and talking gargoyles will entertain you with their cheesy (but fun) interactive dining experience (pro tip: everyone gets to become a member of the club during the “initiation” ceremony). Walk across the street and share a Bea Arthur cone or Melt Sandwich at the Big Gay Ice Cream shop, the happiest dessert shop Manhattan has to offer.
Katka Lapelosova
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Did you guys see Eddie Murphy on SNL? He was on there with Jimmy Fallon. It’s great to see Eddie Muphy return after his new movie, Dolemite Is My Name.