Traveling to New York is never easy, but it’s always fun. If you’re planning on taking the family to the Big Apple this holiday season, CheapOair recommends these places for you and your kids through all 5 boroughs.
Ice Skating under the stars: If your kids want glamour and glitz, head over to Rockefeller Center and twirl on the ice underneath the beautiful Christmas tree and holiday decor. If you want a slightly less touristy rink head over to Wollman Rink in Central Park. Still expensive since its now owned by Trump, but your kids won’t forget the experience.
American Museum of Natural History: Located at Central Park West at 79th street in Manhattan, the museum will leave the kids in awe. They’ll be able to see Tyrannosaurus Rex and numerous other Dinosaurs, insects and a number of other species. The AMNH is very big and if you’ve got a kid with lots of energy, visit every floor using the stairs. They’ll be tired and happy by the time it’s over. The American Museum of Natural History also has a café or head outside and grab a couple of NY hotdogs.
Dylan’s Candy Bar: This colorful place is located on 1011 3rd Avenue and filled with all sorts of candies to indulge in. It’s not just one floor of sweetness, but three fully loaded floors with an ice cream bar up top. For you all cupcake fanatics, don’t fret because they’ve got some huge ones for mom and big sis’.
Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory: Another sweet place, this retro facility is located on 1 Water Street in Brooklyn, New York. Yes, you’ll have to take the subway to visit this ice cream parlor, but it’ll be worth its weight in deliciousness. All the treats that get made at this factory are homemade. It’ll beat those frozen ice cream treats about a landslide. This excursion would be fun for the whole family.
Children’s Museum of Manhattan: This great place is located on 212 West 83rd Street. It offers an amazing experience for toddlers. It’s got fun workshops and exciting classes for the kids and it costs absolutely nothing. Talk about a win-win, you’ll keep your kids satisfied and it won’t have to come out of your travel budget.
The Bronx Zoo: Kids love animals, it’s a known fact. This a fun placed located in Bronx, New York. The area is spread out so you won’t feel overcrowded and there isn’t a bad view in the place. Try and take your kids to see their favorite animals. Chances are the zoo will probably have them.
This is only a short guide to keep your kids happy during your next trip to New York City. The best things are always the creative things or the junk food oriented ones, the smile on their faces will be worth all the ice cream you consumed.
Here’s a list of more activities for kids in New York City.
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Courtesy of Aldo Singer, travel blogger at CheapOair.com, which specializes in affordable Airline Tickets.
Related Articles:
- Hot List of Best Places to take Kids in New York City (NYC)
- Where Families Should Go in NYC when the Weather’s Bad
- Best Kid-friendly Hotels in NYC
By Carol Cain
Recently I had the opportunity to head over to the fabulous St. James Theater to watch a showing of Finian’s Rainbow, a reproduction of the 1946 Broadway musical, which has been revived a few times, not only on the theatrical stage but on the big movie screen as well.
A friend of mine and I went with my 12 year old son and his 12 year old friend. As a New Yorker, I have always thought it to be extremely important to expose my children to the wonderful world of theater, though I wondered if this particular show might be a bit too sophisticated for two 12 year old boys.
The St. James Theater is a stunning venue. The massive chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings, the hand painted details and carvings on wood along the walls and above the stage, in part showing its age, while at the same time embracing us in grandeur as we took our seats near the orchestra, all setting the tone for the wonderful experience that was about to follow.
Finian’s Rainbow is set in Missitucky, the mythical deep southern state where Finian McLornegan (Oliver Norton) moves to, from Ireland, with his daughter Sharon (Kate Baldwin), to bury a crock of gold Finian stole with the belief that it will grow and lead to unmentionable riches. They are followed there by Og (Christopher Fitzgerald), a leprechaun and the crock’s owner who desperetdly needs to recover it before the loss of it turns him permanently human. All is made a bit trickier when the corrupt and racist U.S. Senator (David Schramm and Chuck Cooper) gets caught in an inadvertent wish made over the hidden crock. Sharon’s love interest, Woody Mahoney, is wonderfully played by Cheyenne Jackson, most recently seen in Xanadu.
The musical score for the show is absolutely beautiful. Music Director, Rob Berman does a magnificent job in bringing back to life the classical beauty of the pieces that made this show so easily recognizable to so many of us growing up listening to Broadway musicals favored by our parents.
I have to say of the many powerful voices in the show, Terri White’s rendition of “Necessity” was by far the most awesome. Though her character Dottie has few speaking parts, her presence on stage and that one musical performance are truly unforgettable.
At one point my friend and I wondered if the boys were bored by the show. Though we were enjoying it, we questioned if the story line and characters would seem too silly, or if it was incapable of retaining the interest of two tweens. So during intermission we asked, and were we wrong! The boys were having a wonderful time, excitedly telling me abut their favorite characters and wondering out loud what was going to become of the leprechaun, the Senator, and the crock of gold. In addition, they took the opportunity to walk around the theater just to see more of it than what the view from their seats allowed.
We grown ups really enjoyed the experience of what I call “old school” theater. Nowadays, so much of it involves high tech props or fast track musical numbers. And though they can contribute to a fascinating show, sometimes we are left longing for those original, big orchestra, incredible acting productions that are so wonderful and powerful because of their simplicity and human artistic craft.
The cast received a standing ovation, as did the orchestra. The boys ran out of the theater, playbill in hand, and stood on line to get autographs from the young actors, whom they were in complete awe of as well.
A perfect musical for kids 10 and over, who enjoy musical comedy and are enthralled more by the art of acting and music than shows and high tech spectacles. “I thought the acting was amazing and funny,” said my 12 year old, “most of all, I was really impressed when watching the young actors, who seemed close to my age.”
A real feel-good show I would recommend to all my friends. Classical Broadway, beautiful in every way.
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Now through December 20th, Trekaroo families can get select orchestra and mezzanine row seats for $59 tickets (Tues-Fri) and $75 tickets (Sat + Sun). Go to Broadway Offers or call Telecharge at 212-947-8844 and use our special discount code FRBOW75.
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Carol Cain from The Adventures of a NYCity Mama is a contributing writer on Trekaroo, a reviews website dedicated to helping parents explore and travel with kids. Tickets to review the show were complimentary and did not require the reviewer to express a particular point of view.
Here are some of hotels that Trekaroo families are recommending for our next visit to New York City with the kids.
Best Family-Friendly Hotel in NYC (Editor’s Choice) – Hotel Beacon
For our last vacation hooray this summer, we stayed at the Hotel Beacon on the Upper West Side. I was blown away! I’ve got a 2 year old son, so I wanted to stay in the Upper West Side to make it easy to get to the Children’s Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, Central Park and more. The Hotel Beacon was within easy walking distance to all the mentioned attractions and the price just made it all the better.
What’s to love
- Location, location, location (top NYC family attraction within walking distance, easy subway access, grocery store across the street, yummy restaurants all around)
- Newly renovated large suites (bathrooms are separate and not attached to bedrooms)
- Fully equipped kitchens in all rooms (standard and suites)
- Price ($245 for a one-bedroom suite Sun/Mon, $295/night Tue-Sat)
- Service
What’s not to love
- The fact that it was sold out when we wanted to extend our stay. Bummer!
For my full review, go to Hotel Beacon. To check on availability and current rates at the Hotel Beacon.
Other kid-friendly hotels
WooGo Central Park – Tempo Apartments
Also on the Upper West Side, the Tempo Apartments has a collection of studios and one-bedroom suites with fully equipped kitchens and hard-wood floors. Book now and save 30% on travel through October 31st. Rates start at $192/night. To check on availability and current rates at Tempo Apartments.
The Pod Hotel New York
A hip, new hotel in midtown New York has got the normal rooms and bunkbed rooms! Perfect for familes with teens and tweens. Book now and save 25% off their average nightly rate of $229.
On The Ave Hotel
Another Upper West side hotel (can you tell that I like the UWS?). Book now and receive 30% off their average nightly rates ($282/night for a regular room)
Hotels with pools
Gramercy Park Hotel (Gramercy Park, Rates start at $595/night)
Empire Hotel (Newly renovated Midtown hotel, Rates start at $350/night)
Hotel Gansevoort (Located in the West village – Rates start at $465/night)
Travel Inn Hotel (Located in Midtown West, outdoor pool, Rates start at $142/night). Only hotel with free parking in NYC.
- For more hotels for kids in New York City
- For nearby activities for kids in New York City
- Hot List of Best Places to take Kids in New York City (NYC)
- Where Families Should Go in NYC when the Weather’s Bad
- 13 Things I Learned Visiting NYC with 2 Young Kids
- Must-See New York City attractions
Esther Lee is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | FL | HI | MA | NY | PA | TX | VA
The Trekaroo KidsMobile has a full tank of gas and we’re off to find the best activities for families to take their kids to in cities and destinations all across the US.
Our first stop… New York City!!!!
With the help of our entire Trekaroo community and a group of mommy and daddy bloggers, we’ve pulled together a slew of tips and lists on what to do when traveling in New York with Kids.
According to the thousands of reviews from Trekaroo parents, here’s Trekaroo’s Hot List of Best Places to take Kids in New York City (NYC) and Best Kid-friendly Hotels in New York City.
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Next, Meryl Pearlstein, the author of Fodor’s Families: New York City with Kids Guidebook tells us Where Families Should Go in NYC when the Weather’s Bad. Check out her blog – Travel Food Notes. That’s where I found out about a new foodtruck in New York that’s selling my favorite… Cupcakes!
Next, if you’re looking for tips on traveling to NYC, Tony Chen’s got you covered with 13 Things I Learned Visiting NYC with 2 Young Kids. Tony’s a blogging dad extraordinaire at SavvyDaddy, a content-rich website and online community for dads. His mantra… my kids rock my world.
Lastly, local mommy expert Carol Cain, the fabulous woman behind her blog NYCityMama shares her Must-See New York City attractions and reviews of various places around town with Trekaroo. I’m a rookie behind the camera lens, but you should definitely check out her pictures at NYCityMama.
More Resources for New York City:
Next week, we’ll be heading to the Left Coast to the fine city of Los Angeles.
The Trekaroo KidsMobile is a blog carnival with a twist. It’s designed to provide a unique opportunity for mom and dad bloggers to be featured on Trekaroo while
1) expressing their unique point of view
2) getting a web of link exchanges.
Join us for one of our next stopovers.
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Esther Lee is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | FL | HI | MA | NY | PA | TX | VA
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
Photo Credit: Flickr/maveric2003
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.
Travel with kids to: CA | FL | HI | MA | NY | PA | TX | VA
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