Thousands of parents on Trekaroo share their experiences and real reviews of places across the United States. Here’s a summary of their top picks for the Big Apple … New York City!

According to Trekaroo parents, these are the top rated places to take kids in NYC:

#1 Place to take Kids in New York / Best View in NYC – Top of the Rock

Photo Credit: Flickr/lemoncat1

The Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Plaza provides “three levels of viewing and two levels with outdoor viewing lend this attraction to the best views of Manhattan. Why is it better then the Empire State Building? It’s in a slightly better location of midtown, you can see the Empire State Building (instead of standing at the top of it) against the skyline, you can see Central Park, and so much more. Order your tickets in advance online and you can skip ahead in the ticket lines. Wait is not too long to get to the top and bathrooms exist all along the attraction. Children under 6 are free.”

Best NYC Museum for Kids under 3 – Children’s Museum of Manhattan

Photo Credit: Flickr/WalkingGeek

The Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) is a fun pit-stop for the younger set. With 5 floors of interactive exhibits, “a giant Lite Brite, a fun kitchen with lots of fake food, a bunch of blocks, a ball maze, a talking alligator that says the ABCs, a slide and jungle gym thing to climb on with bridges and lookout areas…and tons of other stuff.” Gets crowded on the weekends and rainy days, but otherwise guaranteed fun for little ones.

Best NYC Museum for Kids – American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History is an institution knows kids. There’s something here for every child whether it’s the Dinosaur room or the life-size Blue Whale or catching a planetarium show, there’s more than enough here to entertain any member of the family from young to old. If you’re kids want to be more hands-on, check out the Discovery Room (ages 3-7) and let them  excavate a dino bone or hunt for little critters with a magnifying glass.

Photo Credit: Flickr/maveric2003

Best NYC amusement park – Toys R’ Us in Times Square

OK, so this really isn’t a full blown amusement park, but did you know that the Toys R’ Us in Times Square has an indoor ferris wheel? Only in New York.

Best playground in NYC – Herksher Playground and the Hudson River Park

This was a tie between the Herksher Playground and the Hudson River Park. The Herksher Playground in Central Park is great for kids. “There’s a suspension bridge and water play area! Wonderful slides and nets to climb!”The Hudson River Park is a long stretch of area to enjoy the West Side of Manhattan. The 3 main playground areas are at Pier 51 (in the Village across from Jane Street), Chelsea Waterside (at 24th street) and Pier 84 (across from 44th Street). They all have restrooms on-site.

Best Outdoor area for families – Central Park

Zoos, gardens, open space to run, playgrounds, street performers, boats, and more, Central Park is ginormous fun for the family.

Best walk in NYC – The High Line

The High Line is “a restored train line, protected by the community residents, it is a great preservation of history with a touch of modern design and architecture.” Great for strolls and locals, but not a lot of space for little ones to run around in. “There’s a huge viewing window above the bustle of 10th Avenue where car fanatics like my 2 year old guy just loves. We were able to watch taxis, buses, cars and trucks here for a long time.” Stroller access limited.

Here’s a list of all 134 activities for kids in New York City.

Esther Lee is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
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