New York City With Kids: An Insider’s Travel Guide to Doing It Right! by Christine Jones


New York City With Kids: An Insider’s Travel Guide to Doing It Right!

Having been born and raised in NYC, I'm proud to call the Big Apple my second home (I now live in Chicago). I’m often asked for my list of insider activities for families. These are a great compliment to the usual list like Central Park, Ellis Island, the Intrepid, The Met and The Natural History Museum!

  • One of the best museums for kids is The Tenement Museum downtown. Buy tickets in advance. You'll see amazing apartments that have been recreated to show what immigrants experienced when they first arrived. Reward kids for good behavior at nearby Economy Candy.
  • The High Line is an incredible elevated park and a great place for kids and adults to enjoy being outside. You can eat at the Standard Hotel or people are loving the food and ice cream creations at Black Tap.
  • Top of the Rock: Let everyone else head to the Empire State Building, but Top of the Rock is more fun for kids. The elevator ride up to the top floors is a thrill and you’ll be in famous 30 Rockefeller Center, home of NBC, TODAY and SNL.
  • Broadway: If you have older kids and can score tickets to "Hamilton" then it's a must-do. Otherwise, opt for "Aladdin The Musical." Big musical numbers and bold costumes make this a sure bet for the whole family.

Here are some other favorites:

Cool Mess: Ice Cream Parlor Where Kids Make Their Own Ice Cream
The latest hot spot for families. Kids can make their own flavored ice creams with their choice of mix-ins! Two locations.
Chocolate Works: Interactive Chocolate Shop
Cool candy store where kids can mold and decorate their own chocolate treats. Two locations.
The Math Museum
This is not the snooze-fest it sounds like. It's extremely interactive and engages kids of all ages. My kids were particularly taken with the bicycle with a square wheel.
Dylan's Candy Bar
Iconic candy shop that is really a must see. Now there are two locations in NYC.
John's of Bleeker Street Pizza
An iconic NYC pizza joint!
Craft Studio
NYC can be a fabulous place to be with young kids ... until it rains. That's why I'm adding this gem to the list. It's an awesome walk-in craft studio that will keep little ones occupied in bad weather.
Sarabeth's
NYC is overrun with awesome restaurants, but when you don't know where specifically to go for breakfast, lunch or just a pick-me-up, Sarabeth's is always a sure thing. There are a ton of them around NYC.
Serafina
Another great restaurant group with multiple locations throughout NYC. My kids always make me take them here for great pastas, salads and thin crust pizzas.
Meredith Schneider
Ahhhhh! So love NYC! Awesome info Christine Jones ! xoxo ;) <3
Michael Kennedy
We're going this summer, so glad I saw this!
Mike Prochaska
What about governors island?

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