NYC with Kids

NYC has a vibe all its own. If Paris is “lovely” and California is “cool”, then NYC is full of Moxie. You must be prepared for it. And good luck, if you plan to bring children to the Big Apple. We did, and it was epic Joy. Planning ahead is your friend and being ready to shift things is also a big asset to have in your back pocket.

This post is all about how to have the best time in the city and what to do to insure that you do. I have packing lists and ideas, shows to see, places to eat, and how to feel safest with kids. At the end I have included out itinerary of exactly what we did. My husband says that if I wasn’t doing what I do now I would be a travel agent and he is not wrong in the assumption that I love everything involving vacation.

Packing List:

I might be a bit sad to share this secret…LOL. I pick a theme color for every day when packing for big trips. My entire bedroom becomes a puzzle of clothes as I line everyone up to color coordinate for every single day! This was not for pictures! Although, I am asked constantly how I get everyone looking so cute and “matchy matchy” this started out as a safety feature for the kids and has continued to be so. I am much more calm when everyone knows who kids they belong to and that we are a team. Whether at Disney, a large tour, busy train, or a big city this works great! If you ave twins or multiple’s of the same gender it can also help to literally match them since you usally find clothes to do so. I don’t go to that level anymore. Just a color. Red or green or blue. Or we all have leather jackets or bright coordinated umbrellas. I don’t spend very much time anymore buying extra items, either I just see what we all have that coordinates and we go with that.

What you should always pack no matter where you go:

• Swimsuits – My mother taught me this. Even if it is dead winter, there may be a hot tub or natural springs or heated indoor pool or little tiny cousins that want to have a splash party in the giant tub with maybe a little bit older kid cousins. Always carry one.
• Umbrellas: we bought tiny travel umbrellas when going on our Italy trip and we only bring them out for travel trips. They have lasted long. *Note: they are not as sturdy as traditional ones and my hubby had to buy a new one on the last trip we took, but it went through four other big travel events so it still was cost effective and crucial to have!
• Sunglasses – Even for kids! The sun can be extreme in some locations and more so in winter and middle of summer. You don’t want kids squinting and crying in every picture and with every monument you are viewing.
• Wrinkle Spray and Flight Mode Hydration: I swear by these two items and love them so much I am sharing the exact link for you. Best Hydration in the WORLD and Packing Wrinkle Spray – These two items will transform all travel! Trust me.
• Role up water bottles: I got water bottles that fold/roll up off amazon before a European abroad trip years ago and we have used them for every trip since! they role up light when not filled so go thru security checks and everything but it is great to have so you are being conscious of the world and not spending half your budget on bottled waters. Bonus: Great for camping too!
• Slippers: I am adamant that I don’t walk around barefoot in a hotel bedroom. Some people have sanitization wipes for planes and some people can’t go anywhere without there own blowdryer. This is my thing… it grosses me out and I am a better human when I have travel slippers for the room. Figure out the one thing that will give you more peace of mind and just plan to do it. Is it socks for the airport security when they make you take off shoes or is it your gluten free crackers?

Ideas; Shows to See, What to skip:

Carriage Ride in Central Park: This is controversial as some people think the horses should be banned. As it is busier than in the older generations of NYC and our culture is becoming heavier as a whole, the poor animals are struggling when pulling four to five adults through all the busyness. To me this is classic NYC. I wanted my kids to experience it especially since the city may stop this practice completely, in the future. If you are a family that is more adult than kids consider doing two carriages for weight distribution for the horses and tip the drivers well. It is an experience for sure. You have two options of a full tour which lasts long or a quick 20 minute loop through the park. I recommend the short loop wit kids.

Trinity Church:

This is one of my favorite things! I have a thing for churches. So naturally we saw three while in NYC for four days. This one is my top must see for all. It has become much more popular since the début of a 2015 play that is now nationally known. Just seven years ago when I took my husband to see this church he did not realize how significant it really was and even dismissed it a bit. I was so shocked at him. LOL. The next two years the play Hamilton traveled and came out on TV and it has since becoming an iconic church for those who aren’t even history buffs. Trinity Church, located at Broadway and Wall Street, is an active Episcopal church with a deep history. In 1697, a little over 70 years after the Dutch settled New York as a trading post known as New Amsterdam, Trinity Church was granted a charter by King William III of England. Since then, Trinity has been an integral part of New York City and has one of the most stunning organ and cathedrals around. It is much smaller than St. Pauls but it is my favorite. It is the site of Alexander Hamilton’s grave.

The steeple’s 12 change-ringing bells are the only set in the United States; they rotate a full 360 degrees, producing a shimmering, cascading sound in a complex combination of changing tonal patterns. They can be heard on Sundays and special occasions. *Note: it is a running church and not just a tourism site so be aware that they run services and close the doors for such events.

The present building is the third on the site, consecrated in 1846 and designed by British-born architect Richard Upjohn in the 19th century Gothic Revival style. The first church was lost in New York’s Great Fire of 1776 and the second was demolished in 1839, at Upjohn’s suggestion, after heavy snowfall revealed structural problems.

Lion King:

This is a must see if you have children that are at all interested in the performing arts or productions! I have friends and family who have all boys and they said their kids would never sit for something like this. If that is the case go see a Yankee’s Game in place of this. My kids (9 and 10 years) have grown up in the music and art world and so this is their thing! We could have seen a show every night we were in the city. The opening scene, my son looked right at me and said “THIS IS EPIC!”. It was one of the very best things we did!

Wicked/Harry Potter:

We took our kids to Wicked as it was the first broadway show I had ever seen 20 years ago and it has deep meaning for my career choice even now. They loved it but I would recommend looking up a few of the original Wizard of Oz songs and for them to understand the story line. We opted out of Harry Potter as we are in the middle of reading the books and I told my kids they can’t see the movies until we have finished the readings. But this is another incredible one for children.

Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Cruise: We Booked all our tours through GETYOURGUIDE . It was wonderful. we have used them in Paris and in Italy and will use it again. We picked a one hour smaller tour for this and it was incredible!! No lines, plenty of room and no large crowds.

• Sail within 100 feet of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
• Cruise under the Brooklyn Bridge and pass South Street Seaport
• Marvel at the skyline of Lower Manhattan from both the east and the west sides
• Wonder at the Freedom Tower, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere
• Enjoy entertaining English commentary highlighting all the major landmarks

Full description

Take a 60-minute boat ride to within 100 feet of the Statue of Liberty. Cruise right under the Brooklyn Bridge and see the most famous skyline in the world. Your live English guide will point out the sites as you journey along the river including the Empire State Building, the new Freedom Tower, the Manhattan Bridge, Governor’s Island, and more. Make use of both the indoor and outdoor seating, along with large open windows for your viewing pleasure.

I would recommend trying to schedule the sunset cruise if possible!

Drinks and apps at The Dead Rabbit:

This was my husbands favorite spot (mine too). We will be stopping here every-time. *Note: our kids were the only ones in the entire place, and they are foodies and well behaved. Guests under 21 are allowed in the venue prior to 10pm, so long as they are accompanied by a parent or a guardian, and are seated at a table rather than the bar. To ensure this is possible, we recommend making a booking.

In a five-story​,​ 19th-century townhouse, ​The Dead Rabbit​ offer​s​ three distinctly different dining and drinking experiences: The Taproom, The Parlor, and the Occasional Room. It’s a concept that works, and the bar remain the​ ​most awarded pub​ in the entire world​! The Dead Rabbit isn’t just the best of both worlds, it’s the best of all worlds! We got there at 8:15 and didn’t leave till 10:30! They make all kinds of mocktails and the kids loved feeling like grown ups with yummy pub food and fancy fizzles.

Janes Carousel

This is something our family has picked up doing as we travel. Our kids are getting older but to keep the spirit of play alive we look up carousels whenever we travel. Like Paris there are many in NYC and the oldest one is in Central Park. We chose this one to do for New York because its history lines up with my husband and I and we are so glad we did!

Jane’s Carousel is a classic 3-row machine with 48 exquisitely carved horses and two superb chariots. It was created in 1922, the heyday of the American Carousel, by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (P.T.C.) Designated as PTC. No. 61, it was originally installed in a park Ohio! In 1983, David Walentas, the designated developer of Empire Fulton Ferry State Park, included an historic Carousel in his Master Plan. where does this line up with my hubby and me? Jane and David Walentas purchased the Carousel at auction on October 21, 1984 ( just one year before I was born! The Carousel has been fully restored back to its original elegance. When purchased, the Carousel was in poor condition. Jane Walentas began its restoration at her studio in DUMBO, Brooklyn in 1984. Her initial tasks included making necessary carpentry repairs and hand-scraping away 62 years of “Park Paint” with an X-acto knife. The Carousel, set on the East River in Brooklyn Bridge Park, opened to the public September 16, 2011. Right after 9/11 a pivot part of our history growing up.

Skip:

• Subway – We have taken the subway before when in NYC and it was fine and an experience. It also saves lots of money from taxi service but, since our kids have experienced the Paris tram and Disney rail already, we opted out of the NYC subway in place of walking and taxi use. This was due to the recent safety concerns that have happened in and around the subway. Although, we did not save money necessarily we surprisingly, saved time! This was our biggest bonus that we were not expecting. Taking the subway and stoping at routes and planning with buying tickets and feeling unsafe all was eliminated and we walked everywhere! We took a cab once in the rain to and from dinner on one of our “fancy” nights and then we took a cab to ground zero from our hotel and then back that same night. Obviously, we took one to and from the airport and we took one back over the bridge of Brooklyn to Little Italy for shopping to save time from the two mile walk with kids. If you opt to eliminate the subway prepare for high taxi/Uber costs in budget!
• The Plaza – This was on our list because it is the most prestigious hotel in almost all of America. It also had a high tea service which I love! (as 90% english ancestry and a major fan of Downton Abbey I was exited to do this here.) It is also the hotel that is showcased from Home Alone 2. We will never go back! The staff was snooty, we were snubbed because we didn’t want to spend 250 dollars a person for tea (I have had High Tea multiple places, I know what it is and this was not it) We ended up walking out. the best part? The bell man who opened my car door to leave. We are “average American’s”, we know. Yet, we also have dined at Michelin star restaurants in Pairs, have taken private tours through Napa valley wineries and Austrian castles. We have eaten our way across Italy and Germany and do not mind spending money for special events or good food! So this not to say we are a hot dog and flip flop kinda group and this was just “fancy”. This was a waste because the service was so horrid. Do NOT go.
• Beam on Top of Rock – This was a last minute add on for our family as we found out the kids were tall enough and though it was supper cool to get lifted to that height and we have super cool pictures from it it was very expensive and very fast. I would skip next time because the cost was not worth the short time we got. You hardly get to register the view before they are flipping you around. *Note: do pay the extra for fast pass! This a legit fast pass and not like Disney – we skipped at least an hour and half of lines!
• Museum of Ice Cream – We did not go here because after lots of reviews I found this was just a colorful insta pic place and very very busy. We do eat Ice Cream a ton but read the quality was not good. This is tourism at its best. If you have little ones and it is a rainy day, it might be worth the trip as they have soft play areas and slides.
• Grande Central Station – My husband and I have done this and loved the vibe but with not using the trains and knowing the time constraint we were on we opted at not taking kids here. Something I would have loved to do but not needed with littles!

*If I could do it again we would probable stay in Chelsea or Meat market area and then taxi up for shows and and the main tourism area. It was so nice to be within walking distance to so much “classic” but I will admit that we love a different parts of the city than the tourism aspects and the smells are not fun. (be prepared for trash and pot smell all over”. Parts of my favorite area’s we did not even go to this time due to timing and rain.

Places to Eat:

Top places we ate at and their exact addresses:

The Dead Rabbit – 30 Water Street, New York, NY, 10004

Bond 45 – 221 West 46th Street,
New York, NY 10036 

Front Street Pizza – 510 N. FRONT ST. | NILES, MI 49120

Bagel Pub – 350 7th Avenue New York, NY 10001 
(212) 901-4170

Feel Safe and with Kids:

We did not feel unsafe at all. However, we have traveled internationally and all over so we are fully aware of the tactics. Do not keep your eyes on your phone when walking! When needing directions know where you are headed or have a good idea so you can stay eyes up and out and not GPS! Watch for pick pockets, keep all valuables on front of you or in a secured backpack looped with both arms. Hold hands with kids. Always have safety features talked about with kids about staying close, meeting locations and not getting lost and what they do… I.E. Go into store/museum and find the security guard and give them moms phone number. My kids learned their home address and phone numbers at 3 and 4 years old. I also highly recommend snapping safety alarms on backpacks that they can pull if need be.

We opted out of the subway this time: This was due to the recent safety concerns that have happened in and around the subway. Although, we did not save money necessarily we surprisingly, saved time! If safety is an issue make sure you know what is going on when you go. Look up local weather and news. We were in Paris right at the Labor Strike with trash and we did not have issues there either so be aware of things, be safe, do not breed fear but be smart and know that news does inflate these things often.

OUR Itinerary:

This is for those who would like an idea of walking distances/blocks of areas so that you can do things all at the same time so that you aren’t wasting time back and forth all over.

Land @ 12:47pm

• Head to hotel for check-in and then to Top of Rock
• Carriage Ride in Central Park
• St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Dinner – Serendipity 3 –

*from Christmas movie Serendipity – highly recommend reservations and trying a dessert at least!

Day Two

Bagel stand for breakfast

• The MET Fifth Ave @ 10am

• Belvedere Castle and Home Alone 2 Sites
• Albertine (972 Fifth Ave) – french bookstore for mommy
• >>>Be back at hotel by 3pm to get ready!
• Dinner @ Bond 45 @ 5pm
• Wicked @ 7pm

Day 3

• Shopping day in Times Square:

FAO Schwarz, LEGO Store, TIFFANY, Kate spade, swaverosqie,

LV, Rolex

• >>>Be back at hotel by 1:30pm to get ready
• Plaza Hotel – Tea time @ 4pm
• The Lion King @ 7pm

Day 4

• Brooklyn Bridge
• Dumbo – Jane’s Carousel and Pebble Beach Park
• Pizza
• One World Trade Center
• Trinity Church
• Little Italy and China Town shopping
• 6:30pm – Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Cruise

Drinks and apps at The Dead Rabbit

Day 5

• Brunch
• Central Park playground and rock play, Bow Bridge, Cherry Fountain
• Gyro stand for lunch

>>>Leave for Airport by 2:30pm!!!