What can I say about New York? A place everyone should visit at least once, but are there enough things to do with kids? Sure! And while accommodation may be pricey, the great thing about visiting a city like New York is many of the best things to do are free.
But be warned, no matter where you go, when you ask them what their favorite thing was they will say the subway.
If your child has a fear of flying but you still want – or need – to travel with them, what steps can you take to help them?
Morning
Bagels seem an obvious choice but I won’t blame you if you want to start the day with cheesecake. The Soho and East Village neighborhoods are good places to track down a coffee and pastry of your choice, then take it to Washington Square Park to enjoy the street entertainment and people watching. Eileen’s Special Cheesecake (17 Cleveland Place) is an excellent way to start the day before heading to one of New York’s famous museums.
Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum
From Washington Square Park, walk to the W 4 St-Washington Sq subway station and take the A train uptown toward Inwood, to 42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal. It’s then about a 20 minute walk to Pier 86, where you will find the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, an aircraft carrier turned air and space museum. Even if you are not into military history, it’s hard not to be inspired by the aircraft, space shuttle and the aircraft carrier itself. There’s enough to see and do for everyone, from toddlers to adults. The museum cafe is pretty cool, located in the depths of the aircraft carrier. The Intrepid is open 10am-5pm daily in the winter, 10am-6pm on summer weekends and tickets cost $33 for adults 13-64, $24 for children 5-12 and free for children under 5. Entrance is free for US military and veterans.
American Museum of Natural History
From Washington Square Park, walk to the W 4 St Washington Square subway station and take the B train uptown toward 145 St, to 81 St-Museum of Natural History, to the Museum of Natural History. It’s a traditional museum but one of the best, with an incredible display of dinosaurs to appeal to all ages. Skip the museum cafe and head to the Shake Shack on the corner of W 77th St and Columbus Ave, then eat in Central Park. Open daily 10am-5.45pm, general admission tickets are $23 for adults and $13 for children aged 2-12, but if you go to the ticket kiosks you can pay what you like as a donation. Special exhibitions cost extra.
Bronx Zoo
From Washington Square Park, walk to 14 St and follow signs for Uptown and the Bronx Express, taking the 2 toward Wakefield. It’s a 45 minute ride to Pelham Parkway, then a 10 minute walk to the Bronx Zoo. If it’s a sunny day, a trip to the Bronx Zoo (2300 Southern Blvd, Bronx, 10am-4.30pm) is a fun family day out. It’s a beautiful green space and a break from the bustle of the city, with a children’s petting area and a butterfly exhibit, plus the more exotic animals. Total experience tickets are available online, costing adults 13 and over $28.95, children 3-12 $20.95 and 2 and under are free. General admission tickets are available at the door and if you go on a Wednesday, you can pay what you want as a donation. You can get lunch at one of the cafes in the zoo but I would recommend packing yourself a picnic before heading out there.
Afternoon
The zoo is probably an all-day trip but if you went to one of the Manhattan museums, you probably have time for something else in the afternoon. Central Park is just as beautiful as you imagined and there are plenty of playgrounds for children, so this is a good place to head for the remainder of your day.
If you are feeling energetic (and have a stroller for little ones), take the 4, 5, or 6 trains to the Brooklyn Bridge and find the pedestrian walkway across the bridge. Once on the other side, look out for Jane’s Carousel at Brooklyn Bridge Park, a restored 1922 carousel, open Thursday-Sunday 11am-6pm in the winter and daily except Tuesdays 11am-7pm in the summer. Tickets are $2 with children 3 and under riding free with a paying adult.
A shorter but also great city walk is the High Line, a 1.45-mile long former railroad, which runs above Manhattan’s west side. The park is full of flowers, art and opportunities to admire New York’s street life from a lofty vantage point. You can start at by the Hudson at W 34 St and walk through the Chelsea neighborhood to end at Gansevoort St.
If you would prefer a rest from walking, consider taking the ferry to Staten Island – you still get the great views of the city and it’s one of the best free things to do with kids in New York. Once there, check out the Staten Island Children’s Museum at 1000 Richmond Terrace, open daily 10am-5pm except Mondays, tickets $8, under 1’s free, or visit the Snug Harbor Botanical Garden.
Wherever you go, try and end your day at Times Square. It is much prettier after dark and kids love the M&M’s World store.
Getting around
Public transport in NYC consists of the subway, trains, buses and ferries. The subway is fairly easy to get the hang of, once you have worked out whether you are going uptown, downtown or across the city. Train routes are all letters and the stations all have maps. You can get a Metro card day pass or multi-day pass from one of the kiosks underground.
Metro cards can also be used on the buses, which you may find more convenient if you want to go crosstown (east to west, west to east) rather than uptown or downtown (north to south). Getting a bus might be slower but it’s a good option as you will see more of the city and they are easier to access with small children as there are no stairs.
For toddlers, a light-weight stroller is essential. Many of the subway stations have elevators but some do not or are out of order, so bring something that can easily be folded up and carried down the stairs. For babies, an ergonomic carrier like an Infantino or a Boba is a good option. We have used this Kolcraft Cloud Plus Lightweight Stroller for years and despite clocking up many miles is still going strong. It is very study, folds easily and has a recliner, making your toddler more comfortable if they fall asleep.
Taxis and Ubers
If your child is over 12 months, you can book a car seat with Uber X in New York City, just check the “car seat” box when you book your car. There is a $10 surcharge.
Taxis are exempt from state car seat and seatbelt laws, so you don’t actually need a car seat to hail a cab. However, it’s a safety risk. Taxi drivers are required to wait while you install a seat so you can bring your own – if you are traveling with a baby, you could bring the car seat as part of a convertible stroller, like the Graco Snugride seat plus the stroller frame. Check out my essential travel gear for babies post for more suggestions.
