The following is a Family Friendly guide to New York. It features the places that we enjoyed and experiences that we would recommend to other travellers visiting the Big Apple with kids.
New York had always been somewhere that we wanted to take our two children, so when we found ourselves faced with a connecting flight via there, we jumped at the opportunity to stay a few nights.
For a city that has built its reputation on being brash, loud and uncompromising it might not seem the obvious choice for younger visitors, but any doubts were quickly blown away by the kid’s enthusiasm. To say they were excited was an understatement.
Read on to see what our highlights were.
The High Line
One of our first stops was The High Line. This long, narrow park runs between Hudson Yards and Chelsea – two stylish west neighbourhoods that have steadily gentrified since this former railway line closed in the 1980’s. Spanning over 2.5 km, this linear green space winds it way through residential blocks and offices, opening up new views across the city and out to the Hudson River. A water feature En-route was a hit with the kids who took the opportunity to have a paddle on what was a hot summers day.
The Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty was high up on our list of places to visit – despite having visited several times before. We had booked way ahead, managing to secure a space to visit the crown. This doesn’t cost any extra, but you do need to book this at least 3-4 months in advance. On arrival we stashed our bags in a locker (you can get change from the machine) and then climbed up the 377 steps to Lady Liberty’s crown. Ascending the narrow winding staircase is not for the faint of heart, but certainly an adventure. The kids loved the excitement of being in the statue, and the journey to the top where you can take in the view across the harbour.
Johns of Bleecker
Whilst wandering around Greenwich Village we stumbled across this brilliant pizzeria. The pizzas were huge (two was plenty enough to share between us), tasty and were served fresh from a traditional brick oven. The many photos of famous faces lining the walls, suggest that it wasn’t just our kids that loved this New York gem!
Summit One Vanderbilt
One of the best views we had whilst in New York was from Summit One Vanderbilt. A new addition to the Manhattan skyline, Summit One has revolutionised the observation deck experience. After transcending to the 91st floor, a series of interactive spaces assaulted our senses, each offering a different view and experience. Whether walking across a mirrored floor, ‘levitating’ in a glass box above the bustling streets below, or walking through a room full of floating orbs, we were stimulated at every turn. It was a massive hit with our children who found it both fun and ‘cool’ in equal measure. We visited in the daytime, but its just as spectacular at night, and even more so at sunset.
Central Park
After a few days of marching up and down New York’s streets, we welcomed the change of scenery and greenery that Central Park offers. Our children especially enjoyed spotting turtles swimming in the pond and letting off some steam in the playground. It goes without saying that Central Park is absolutely massive – it spans around 50 blocks in length (or approximately 2.5 miles), so you could easily spend a day here. If you are an active family then a bike rental is a brilliant way to get around, allowing you to see some parts of the park that you might otherwise miss. If you are there in winter a trip to the Woolman rink is a must – ice skating under the Manhattan skyline is a unique experience that you and your family will not forget!
New York Public Library
A trip to the library might not be on everyone’s holiday bucket list , but a visit to the New York Public Library was one of our trip highlights. It’s a grand old building which oozes history. Its biggest appeal for our two, was the chance to see the original teddies that were the inspiration behind the Winnie The Pooh stories. The library was gifted Christopher Robin’s childhood playmates in the 1980’s and they have delighted children (big and small!) ever since.
The Brooklyn Bridge
Leaving Manhattan behind we took a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, at one point the world’s longest suspension bridge, and now a tourist attraction in its own right. The elevated pedestrian walkway rises up and over the traffic – so although it can be a bit noisy, it’s perfectly safe for kids and the skyline views are spectacular. It does get a bit crowded in parts but its a unique way to see the city.
DUMBO
Whilst in Brooklyn we explored the cobbled streets around DUMBO (an acronym for Down under Manhattan Bridge Overpass). Once a busy ferry landing, the old warehouses are now occupied by trendy shops, cafes, and a busy street food market. After the long walk from Manhattan, we were happy to put our feet up and do a spot of people watching whilst enjoying an ice cream from Jacques Torres. This cute café/chocolate shop serves up handmade ice creams, chocolate, and hot chocolate so there’s plenty of choice for all the family.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Walking down to the riverfront from DUMBO we spent some time in Fulton Ferry Park – a grassy lawn that sits between the two bridges. It would have been perfect for a picnic, but the star attraction here is Jane’s Carousel – a hundred-year-old merry go round that offers its riders wonderful views of the river. From here you can follow the riverfront round to the sprawling Brooklyn Bridge Park. This fabulous green space hugs the shore of the East River for miles. We walked the length of the park taking in amazing views of the skyline and exploring some of the playgrounds enroute.
Queens Zoo
Boarding the subway at 42nd street we rode all the way to Corona Park, where we visited Queens Zoo. Featuring over 75 species from across North and South America. We saw spectacled bears, bison, bald eagles, alligators and so many more. The zoo was small enough to see in an hour or two, but there is also a neighbouring petting farm. Make sure you have some quarters as there are some vending machines that provide you with food for the goats and sheep. It was well worth the long subway ride, as not only did the youngest have a brilliant time, but we also got to see a part of the city that is new to us.
The Empire State Building
Having already had our skyscraper fix at Summit One Vanderbilt we didn’t visit the observation desk this time, but we did want to show the kids the iconic lobby. As avid fans of Percy Jackson they were keen to see the 600th floor but ‘the gods’ were unavailable!
Ellen’s Stardust Diner
We didn’t get round to a Broadway show, but this delightfully camp diner was the next best thing! Throughout our meal we were treated to performances from its servers who combine waiting tables, with a career on Broadway. During brunch, the staff took turns belting out musical numbers and serenaded us with pop hits. The kids loved the theatre of it all and the food was pretty good too!
Experience Your own Family Friendly New York with AWWT
If you are thinking about a family friendly New York trip then we would love to help you plan this. If you want a city break or to combine New York as part of a larger tour of the USA our team will be happy to help you.
Call us on 01892 779900, drop us an e-mail or schedule a free video consultation to speak to one of our experts.
