NY Trip & Central Park Activities

Hi, we are in NYC from 4-7 April with our 17 month old toddler on our second visit. We want to do some shopping, Bronx Zoo and sightseeing whilst there. We obviously wont be doing a huge amount of sightseeing as its a bid hard to drag a toddler around so i am thinking maybe we jump on the open top buses this time? In 2007 we hopped on a party shuttle tour/Staten Is ferry which was great and walked heaps all around TS to 57th St + Brooklyn Bridge. Would a Circle Line cruise be recommended?? Is Coney Island far and is it worth the visit?

Also, i wouldn%26#39;t mind spending time in Central Park this time as we only hopped on carriage ride last time. What activities and/or areas are recommended during April?

Finally where are the best kids parks to stop at to break the day up for our little one?

Sorry loads of questions!! We leave tomorrow and i feel totally disorganised this time :)

NY Trip %26amp; Central Park Activities

For Central Park sights and activities, take a look at this thread and NYSoxFan44%26#39;s responses:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k818493-鈥?/a>

Here%26#39;s a listing of some playgrounds:

nymag.com/urban/鈥laygrounds1.htm

I would also have a look at our collection of trip reports from families with young children:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k473208-鈥?/a>

As well as our page on family travel:

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60763-s401/New-York-鈥?/a>

NY Trip %26amp; Central Park Activities

I would scratch Coney Island from your list. It isn%26#39;t

what it used to be and you would be disappointed.

Bronx Zoo is great and easy to get to on the subway

with a little walk after.

Download a map of central park and look at the

various sections. April is not the best time to visit

but still great.

My personal favorite route is enter at Central Park

West and 72nd street. You will first come to the John Lennon Mosaic where if you are there on the weekend

you will probably hear people singing the boys songs.

Continue down the path to the Bethesda Fountain, on

up the path by the lake to the boat house where you

stop if you want.Over to the conservency waters where

there may be people and their little boats (you will see what I mean) and then staying inside the park find

a path going downtown and stop at the Zoo. Not as nice as the Bronx Zoo if you make it there but for the little one with you it still is a zoo. There are so many other things in the park but find them on

your own after getting a map. The discovery is half the fun.

Doubt that you want to trek to the Bronx Zoo while you are here - the Central Park Zoo is fine and the official site for Central Park is.....

www.centralparknyc.org

And if your toddler toddles -- the dioramas at the American Museum of Natural History are a great place to follow your toddler around -- And the Children%26#39;s Museum is near by.

Read about MetroCards on this site -- HOHO buses only if it%26#39;s a beautiful day and you will be a seat belt for your toddler -- and everyone is exhausted from all the sightseeing you%26#39;ll be doing from now til then == Use the buses for sightseeing - not for transportation

You%26#39;ll have more fun doing stuff and going on public buses where the view will be better -