We are planning to visit NYC for the first time this July (5-8). My husband will be celebrating his 42nd bday on the 7th. We will be traveling with 3 children ages 4,9 %26amp; 14. I%26#39;ve read mixed reviews on several popular sights. Honestly, I am overwhelmed by the number of sights to see. I would appreciate any advise on the ';must-do%26#39;s'; vs the ';okay to skip';.
My daughter asked about Coney Island %26amp; the Bronz Zoo. I%26#39;ve also read that the ferry might be a better option than going to the Statue of Liberty. Any opinions?
Thank you!
L
NYC with the Family -- 1st TimeWe made our first trip to NYC when our girls were 8 and 13 and had a great time and so will you :)
I don%26#39;t know what your lodging budget is, but, we stayed at the Double Tree in Times Sq on our first visit in a 2 room suite. This gave us extra room and the location was good for our needs. I think it is running around $289 a night (high I know, but, it was worth it during that particular visit being the 1st time and with smaller kids) At this hotel I wouldn%26#39;t hesitate to leave the 14 y/o in charge while you and hubby enjoy a nice birthday dinner in the revolving restaurant on top of the Marriot in Times Square. You would be within the same block and only a quick phone call away if needed.
Yes, take a FREE ride on the Staten Island Ferry to get a wonderful view of the Statue of Liberty. Just get right back on the ferry for the return trip.
Broadway currently has Mary Poppins and The Little Mermaid running which would be great with kids. Do an afternoon matinee to avoid crankiness or falling asleep during the show (been there, done that).
I would skip the Bronx Zoo and instead visit the Central Park Zoo. We loved exploring Central Park which can take up a whole day. We also took a carriage ride which the girls enjoyed. Also given your short visit, I would skip the long ride out to Coney Island.
Do both the Empire State Bldg (night) and Top of the Rock(day) to get excellent city views.
Sony Wonder Lab was open and FREE at that time and was a hit. Don%26#39;t know if it is still around and/or open.
The Museum of Natural History is good for your kids ages. I think it is a ';pay what you want'; admission so you can ignore the ';suggested admission'; and pay what you want.
We took the kids to both FAO Swartz and the giant Toys R US to wonder around a while. Hey, what kids don%26#39;t like HUGE toy stores?
Another highlight for them was Ellen%26#39;s Stardust Cafe near the David Letterman Theatre. The wait staff sings and dances while you enjoy 50%26#39;s type dinner food. For the rest of our meals we ate from street vendors, fast food, delis, and brought pizza back to the room to eat.
Not everyone will agree with my advise, but, I%26#39;m think of what made the trip with the kids work. As we all know, if the kids are happy and well behaved, then we have a good vacation.
Hope this helps you out some :)
NYC with the Family -- 1st Time
OOps.....I forgot a biggie....
We took the Grayline 2 day hop on/hop off tour with a night city lights tour which goes over the Brooklyn Bridge and back. Kids loved sitting on top of the buses just gawking at the buildings.
The 10-year span in the ages of your children makes formulating an itinerary more of a challenge than many parents face, but I%26#39;m sure that%26#39;s nothing new for you ;-)
The SONY Wonder Technology Lab has undergone renovations since DestinationDreams was last here and reopened fairly recently:
http://wondertechlab.sony.com
I%26#39;d skip doing a Broadway show this time around: even the Disney musicals run almost 2-1/2 - 3 hours, quite a bit longer than their film counterparts, and Disney itself recommends that children be at least 6 years old.
I recommend that you spend some time downtown in lower Manhattan. Everyone can enjoy the wonderfully landscaped esplanade that runs alongside the Hudson River -- especially pleasant on a warm summer day. If you%26#39;re willing to split up, the youngest one(s) could let off steam at the Nelson Rockefeller Playground in the company of 1 parent while the other family members go past the World Trade Center site en route to nearby St. Paul%26#39;s Chapel to view the tastefully done, moving exhibition, ';Unwavering Spirit: Hope %26amp; Healing at Ground Zero.';
http://www.bpcparks.org/bpcp/parks/parks.php
http://www.saintpaulschapel.org
For a bird%26#39;s eye view of what else is in the immediate environs, see this guide that queensboulevard, one of TA%26#39;s terrific Destination Experts, has put together:
tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60763-c62611/New-Yor鈥?/a>
How about strolling through the cobblestone streets of South Street Seaport and/or the sights %26amp; sounds of Chinatown before taking the subway under the East River to Brooklyn where you could enjoy a slice of pizza at Grimaldi%26#39;s or a frozen treat at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory before walking back to Manhattan via the pedestrian walkway on the Brooklyn Bridge with its awesome views? Fail-proof directions given by TA veteran poster GreenWhiteBlue here:
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k866178-鈥?/a>
Given your limited amount of time, I think you can feel free to give a pass on the Empire State Building and instead go to just the Top of the Rock: cheaper, shorter lines, and generally more pleasant experience. Discount coupon (good for up to 6 people) here:
www.theatermania.com/extras/TopOfTheRock/
I myself think it would be a shame to visit NYC but not the Metropolitan Museum of Art [another place where the admission fee of $20 is ';suggested';, not required] -- and includes free admission, on the same day, to the intriguingly medieval (and shady) Cloisters further uptown; the M4 bus will take you there from a stop right outside the Met%26#39;s entrance.
And don%26#39;t forget to read the FAQ page on must-see%26#39;s and must-do%26#39;s, found here:
tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60763-s409/New-York-鈥?/a>
It is a challenge to find a hotel for a family of 5 in Manhattan. Do you already have that sorted out?
I think it might be a good idea to split up a bit and have one parent do some activities with the 4 yr old while the other is with the older kids. I think it would be a shame for the older kids to miss a Broadway show. There are a number of ways to get discount tickets. Post back if you%26#39;re interested.
The Children%26#39;s Museum (near the Museum of Natural History) is something the 4 yr old will love but the older kids won%26#39;t.
It would also help to know how much of a budget you%26#39;re on b/c some things might be good to do but maybe not on a tight budget.
Something that everyone seems to agree is ';not worth it'; is the skyride at Empire state. I agree with CC that you could skip ESB altogether, but if you do go, forget the skyride.
Coney Island takes an hour to get to and may disappoint. The Bronx zoo is worth the trip if the kids love zoos.
gocitykids.com
is a good website for kids%26#39; activities. You might consider requesting a Big Apple Greeter, a free service.
bigapplegreeter.org
The Bronx Zoo is much better than Central Park Zoo, so if you have the extra time head up there.
I agree with above posts and would skip Coney Island as it takes too long to get out there and once there, I believe it will disappoint.
I just took my 8 year old niece to the Museum of Natural History (CPW %26amp; 81st St) and she loved it.
FAO and Toys R Us are good ideas to bring the girls for a peek at some real big toy stores.
While in Central Park, you can rent a row boat on the lake.
And YES take the free Staten Island Ferry for a ride.
Be aware that one of the reasons many on this board recommend just taking the Staten Island Ferry instead of actually visiting the Statue of Liberty is that the crown of the statue has been closed since 2001. However, it was just announced that the intention is to reopen the crown for 4th of July this year. So if that%26#39;s something you%26#39;re interested in, be aware that it may be available, just in time for your trip!
It should be noted that no buses of any kind go over the Brooklyn Bridge. All tour buses cross the Manhattan Bridge, which is the bridge to the north of the Brookyn Bridge.
Thank you. I appreciate the feedback. We do have a hotel booked. The Doubletree at Times Square! I%26#39;m glad to hear that one worked out well.
I hadn%26#39;t thought about splitting up... that might be a great idea though. My husband isn%26#39;t interested in broadway, but the older kids and I are. I%26#39;ll look into the shows and the Children%26#39;s Museum. I would love the link to the discount tickets, and any recommendations for a great show. THANK YOU!
I%26#39;m looking at booking a ';real NY tours'; for the first day we are there. They seem to get really good reviews. Anyone personally familar with it? My only hesitation is the 4 year old and the walking for 6 hours. On the subject of tours.. Thank you for the suggestion on the BAG. I think that would be a great experience if we can get one.
As far as budget... we aren%26#39;t scrimping for every penny, but we are also not trying to blow up the bank if you know what I mean. Definitely would like to save money where we can and not waste money on things that we can do somewhere else.
I checked out the FAO Schwartz website. Looks fabulous. And it sounds like the concensus is Coney Island isn%26#39;t worth the trip. Glad to know that ahead of time.
My husband is italian and always on the lookout for a great ';real italian'; restaurant. Any suggestions near Times Square (or somewhere we can get to easily). Not the fancy stuff -- just good homemade italian!
Thank you all for your time %26amp; suggestions. I can%26#39;t wait to get there!
%26gt;%26gt;My husband is italian and always on the lookout for a great ';real italian'; restaurant. Any suggestions near Times Square (or somewhere we can get to easily). Not the fancy stuff -- just good homemade italian!%26gt;%26gt;
What are some dishes that connote ';real Italian'; to you and your husband? Sorry to ask such a strange question, but NYC has lots of restaurants that serve Italian-American food (what most Americans would call Italian: chicken parm, lasagna swimming in sauce, etc.) and lots of places that serve food that%26#39;s closer to what you%26#39;d actually find in Italy (so an antipasti-primi-secondi meal, with dishes like trippa alla Romana or polipo alla piastra or whatnot).
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