New York City is one of most perfect destinations for families. You can never run out of things to do and there is something fun for all members of the family. As a born and raised New Yorker, NYC holds my heart! The following are my Top 10 Things to Do in NYC with Kids:
1. MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY: Every time we travel there we make it our first stop. This museum has the best dinosaur exhibits of any museums we’ve been to. Our favorite sections are: Hall of Ocean Life, Asian Mammals, Hall of Asian Peoples, African Mammals, and African Peoples.
Location: Central Park West & 79th Street
2. METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART: This is our 2nd favorite museum in NYC. My oldest daughter loves anything about Egypt (She wishes she was Cleopatra) and they both like being able to touch the mummy cases and walking inside the displays that look like the inside of the pyramids. My youngest loves the Medieval Art section. She is my wild child and loves looking at the weapons and armor. The torture devices are a particular favorite (Lord help me!).
Location: 1000 5th Avenue
3. CENTRAL PARK ZOO: It is such a quaint zoo that lets you have a fun zoo experience without having to do an entire day of staring at animals. This is a great place to watch adorable animals such as penguins, snow leopards, grizzly bears, polar bears, monkeys, and sea lions. There is a beautiful rain forest section that lets you forget you are in the middle of a busy city. If you are there during the hour and half hour times, make sure you see the historic Delacorte Musical clock with their animals dancing around to the sound of children’s nursery rhymes.
Location: 64th Street and 5th Avenue
4. ALICE’S TEA POT: As soon as your children walk into the restaurant they are given a pair of fairy wings and are sprinkled with fairy dust. Seriously…what kid wouldn’t love that? Although there is a variety of soups, salads, and sandwiches, we opted for an early afternoon tea called the Mad Hatter. This is served on a three-tiered stand that included scones, tea sandwiches, cakes, tarts, and cookies.
There are 3 locations: 102 West 73rd Street at Columbus Ave, 156 East 64th Street, and 220 East 81st Street between 2nd & 3rd Avenue.
5. CARRIAGE RIDE THROUGH CENTRAL PARK: Hands down this is the best way to see the park and get a feel for where you want to explore. On your trip you are likely to pass the zoo, Wollman Rink, the Dairy, the Carousel, the Pond, and the Dakota. The drivers are knowledgeable about the park but also entertaining and my kids always liked hearing all the facts.
Location: Central Park between 5th and 6th street.
6. CIRCLE LINE CRUISE: I love to get a different perspective of the area and one of the best ways to do this is by boat. The Circle Line reminds me of my childhood so I knew the girls would like it. The boat takes you past many important NY sites including the Statue of Liberty, Columbia University, South Street Seaport, Brooklyn Bridge, Yankee Stadium, the Cloisters, Grant’s Tomb, and many more. My girls were really interested in the Statue of Liberty and this cruise takes you within 100 feet of Lady Liberty. You can’t beat sitting in the sun with wind in your hair watching the amazing views of the skyline of this great city.
Location: Boats depart from Pier 83 (On West 42nd Street & 12h Avenue)
7. SERENDIPITY: The inside of the restaurant has so much to see and the beautiful Tiffany’s chandeliers set the mood. Although the prices are expensive for what you get, you are paying for the experience of Serendipity. If you get the frozen hot chocolate (a MUST) you may want to look around and see it first. You can easily share one with another person.
There are several locations but our favorite is: 225 East 60th Street
8. SWEDISH MARIONETT PUPPET THEATER: It is wonderful for younger children and parents will appreciate the beautiful details of the puppets as well as the skill involved in creating a marionette puppet play. The theater creates plays mostly based on children’s classics like Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Hansel and Gretel.
Location: 79th Street on West Drive
9. LE CARROUSEL IN BRYANT PARK: I like this carousel better than the one in Central Park. It is a stunning carousel that was designed with a French feel. You can sit on beautifully carved animals while French cabaret music plays. They also have a book library where you can borrow picture books and read them with your kids on one of the many shady benches.
Location: Bryant Park
10. TOP OF THE ROCK: This is where my favorite view of NYC is. The 67th and 68th floors have observation terraces with transparent safety glass. This is perfect for windy days or when there’s a chance of showers. The 70th floor is completely open air. This is the place to get the most magical aerial view of Central Park.
Location: Entrance is on 50th Street between 5th and 6th
