New York City Travel: Great Fun for Kids
by Sheila Somerlock Ruth
New York City would never have been my first choice in travel destinations. I always pictured New York as being dirty, dangerous, and a haven for criminals, like the penal colony in that old movie, Escape From New York. But we're always ready for an adventure, so when my husband had to travel to the area on business, I decided that my son and I would tag along and explore New York while my husband worked. I'm really glad we did - we had an absolutely wonderful time! New York City is a great place to travel with kids. It's a kids' paradise, with so much to see and do.
Getting Around New York
Getting around Manhattan couldn't be easier. The city is logically organized, and the public transportation system is great. I would never consider driving in New York; taking the subway is so much less stressful than fighting the traffic and trying to find parking in Manhattan. Contrary to my expectations, the subways were fairly clean and safe. Here are some tips for riding the subway:
- One of the best deals in New York is the Metro Fun Pass, which you can buy at any Hudson News Stand. For $4, you get unlimited rides on the buses and subway for a whole day.
- Each subway line is designated by a single letter or number. You can plan ahead with the interactive subway map at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) web site. The map shows which subway trains stop at which stations, and you can click on the stations for more information. The key at the bottom of the page will show you what the symbols mean. In particular, pay attention to whether the station you are going to is served by express trains or only by local trains. If you are going to a station that is only served by local trains, then you don't want to get on an express train.
- Even though the subways are pretty safe, you should always stand near other people. Don't stand in a deserted area that makes you an easy target. If you are traveling in the off hours, look for the yellow sign indicating where to stand for the "off hours waiting area."
- If you are going to the South Ferry station (near the Statue of Liberty and Staten Island Ferries) you need to be in one of the first five cars. The cars in the rear of the train don't open at this station.
- Don't be afraid to ask for help. We found most of the people in New York to be extremely helpful and friendly (again, contrary to my expectations!)
It helps in getting around to understand how the streets in Manhattan are organized. The city is laid out as a grid and the streets in Midtown Manhattan are numbered. Streets run east to west (horizontal) and the numbers increase as you go north. Avenues run north to south (vertical), and the numbers increase as you go west. When planning how far you can walk, you need to know that the distance between streets is very short, but the distance between avenues is very long. So if you are walking north or south with a child, it's pretty easy to cover 3-4 blocks or possibly even more, depending on the age of the child. But walking east or west, don't try to walk more than 1 or possibly 2 blocks.
Things to Do
There are so many things to do in New York that it would take an entire book to list them all - and we recommend some excellent books at the end of this article. Here are some tips and a few of our favorite places in New York:
- The Staten Island Children's Museum
Many tourists take the Staten Island Ferry for the ride and the view of the Statue of Liberty. Most simply ride the ferry back again, and never explore the things that Staten Island has to offer. My son's favorite place in New York is the Staten Island Children's Museum. It's not a large or flashy children's museum, but it has excellent exhibits that engage and educate. My son's favorite exhibit is the insect exhibit, which includes insect displays, live insects and insect activities. Kids can even pretend to be an ant in a kid-sized ant tunnel. Another favorite area is Portia's Playhouse, where kids can dress up and put on a show on stage, including sound effects. Block Harbor lets kids build with blocks (lots of blocks!) or play on a pretend ship. In Water World, kids learn about water with interactive exhibits, including water tables where kids can play with water. There is also an area which has rotating exhibits; when we were there they had an excellent exhibit about construction based on the story of the three pigs.
- The American Museum of Natural History
For many kids, the Museum of Natural History is a "must see." The dinosaur and gem exhibits are especially popular with kids. But this museum is so big that you need to plan how you will approach it. It just isn't possible to see the whole museum in a day, especially not if you have young children. Plan to visit the exhibits that you and your children are most interested in first; then if time and energy allow, you can wander around and look at other things. Don't miss the planetarium show, called "The Space Show." Narrated by Tom Hanks, it is an awe inspiring look at our universe, starting at Earth and moving outwards to the edges of the known universe.
- The Central Park Wildlife Center
This is not a large zoo, but they have some good exhibits and it is just the right size for a family with young children or a relaxing afternoon stroll. We especially liked the rain forest exhibit, and we also enjoyed watching the Sea Lion feeding at the central pool. There is a children's zoo which is included in the admission price. While you're in Central Park, make time to play in one of Central Park's many interesting playgrounds.
- FAO Schwartz
What kid wouldn't want to visit the world's most famous toy store? My son saved his allowance for months before the trip so that he could buy something. Even if you aren't buying anything, it's worth a trip to see the many interesting displays and some toys you might not see anywhere else. Be sure to set the ground rules ahead of time with your kids - whether or not you will be buying anything, and if so, how much they can spend.
- The Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognizable landmarks in New York, and a symbol of the immigrants who built this country. The Statue itself is an awe inspiring site, but think carefully about whether you actually want to visit the Statue, or whether a view of it from the water will be sufficient. The Statue is always crowded, especially during the summer months. There is an elevator to the top of the pedestal, but the only way to reach the crown is to climb up 354 steps to the top. The literature warns that the climb is "strenuous," but we found it more tedious because of the lines. It took us two hours to reach the crown, going up a few steps at a time and then waiting for the line to move. Children who are too young to understand immigration will not understand the significance of the Statue, and will find the lines and crowds overwhelming.
Still, the view from the top is great, and it's fun for older kids to be able to say, "I did it!" If your kids are old enough and you decide to make the attempt, be sure to get an early start, especially in the summer. During the summer months, only people on the first ferry at 8:30 AM are allowed to climb to the crown. Visitors on the later ferries can go up to the top of the pedestal, walk around Liberty Island, and visit the immigration museum on Ellis Island.
Places to Eat
New York is a virtual smorgasbord. From the street vendors all the way up to the classiest 5 star restaurants, the range of food available in New York is incredible. If your kids are adventurous and like to try new things, ethnic cuisine abounds. Even if chicken nuggets are all your kids will eat, you can still get a taste of New York atmosphere at the Times Square McDonalds, which has a doorman and a piano player.
One of our favorite places to eat is the Jekyll and Hyde club, on 6th Avenue between 57th and 58th street. It's fun place to eat, and it's only a block (although a long one) away from FAO Schwartz. The Jekyll and Hyde club is decorated like a haunted house, complete with skeletons and pictures with moving eyes. Even the elevator has skeletons on it (although not actually in the car with you), eternally riding up and down. In the center of the restaurant is the show area, where every ten minutes or so you are entertained by singing gargoyles, joking skeletons, and Dr. Jekyll himself (who quickly transforms into Mr. Hyde). Not only is it fun, but the food is good, too!
Safety
While New York City is generally pretty safe, there is always some crime when that many people are packed close together. So it pays to be be safe and follow some common sense precautions, as you would in any major metropolitan area.
The best thing that you can do is to not look like a tourist. Don't wear flashy clothes or souvenir tee shirts, and don't stand on street corners looking at maps. If you must look at a map, stop in a nearby building to do it. Another way to look less conspicuous is to use laminated, easy to fold maps. You can purchase several of these maps, including a subway map, from Everything NYC.
Don't go down deserted streets and be especially careful to stay in well-lit public areas after dark. Above all, use your common sense and your instincts. If a place or a situation feels wrong, then get out of there quickly.
We had such a great time in New York that I'm looking forward to visiting again. We stayed for a week and barely scratched the surface of all that New York has to offer. I hope that you, too, will enjoy New York City as much as we did, and that you have a safe, healthy, and happy trip.
Related Books
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Frommer's New York City With Kids by Holly Hughes |
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Eyewitness Kids' Travel Guides: New York For kids who know where they're going! An exciting new series of travel guides to help kids make the most of that special trip. Dorling Kindersley's Travel Guides are an unparalleled publishing success. Now, with Kids' Travel Guides, the "guides that show you what other guides only tell you" come to a new generation! Developed especially for children, these colorful guidebooks are bursting with everything the globe-trotting youngster needs to make the most of that special trip. These one-of-a-kind guides are invaluable resources for grown-ups traveling with kids too. |
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The complete five boro city street guide in 3d super scale. Features top attractions, museums, shops, nughtlife, nature, dining, hotels plus a cultural history of NYC in the 20th century. Measures 6"x6" |
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Atlas & guide to Manhattan. Features listings of attractions, museums, theatre, nightlife, shopping, dining the arts & film and more. Measures 6"x6". The New York Times calls it "...a sophisticated resource..." |
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The official Borough Guide! Super scale guide to the arts, film, museums, entertainment, dining, hotels attractions kid's stuff, shopping, nature, sports & more. 6"x6" |
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by Kathy Jakobsen |
Maps
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This New York City subway map by vanDam unfold/folds for you when open or closed. No fumbling to close this map. Measures 7"x3" when folded. Complete NYC subway system map. |
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This unique New York City map made by vanDam is 3 seperate maps of manhattan that unfold/fold up for you when opened or closed. Manhattan is broken down in 3 sections for easy viewing. No fumbling to fold up this map. Attractions are noted right on the map. Measures 7"x3". |
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Laminated map of Manhattan measures 8 1/2" x 4" when folded. Attractions listed & visually noted right on the map. |