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Going to New York City

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Places to Go > Going to New York City

Things to do in NYC WITHOUT kids!

June 2004

My husband and I will be going to New York City at the end of July for about 4 days. We will be going without the kids! He will be attending a training 9-5pm for his work, and I'm tagging along (love those frequent flyer miles). I will have all day to do some sightseeing, check out some shows, etc. before he gets out of his training at the end of the day. Our hotel is somewhere near La Guardia but I don't mind travelling. I feel like this is a great opportunity to have a lot of fun. What should we do together in the evenings? What should I do by myself? What should I avoid? How hot will it be? How should I dress? Thanks for any tips! Laurel

Wow -- what I wouldn't give for four days to kill in NYC. If you are a museum fan, you could easily spend one entire day on Fifth Avenue's museum mile. The Metropolitan Museum has a wonderful collection, and the Costume Institute usually has a show on during the summer. (It will also be a nice cool place because yes, it will probably be pretty hot there!) The Guggenheim is worth visiting just for the building itself but the art is also great. The Museum of Modern Art I think is still in Queens while the Manhattan building is being renovated, but is also a must see.

Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, a Circle Line cruise around Manhattan, the Empire State, walks through Soho, Greenwich Village, the East Village, Upper West Side -- all worth doing. I think there are some great walking tours you can take in lower Manhattan, and probably some great architectural walking tours too.

Start getting the Friday or Sunday New York Times, or pick up a New Yorker and read the listings for shows, festivals, concerts. A lot of Broadway shows have half-price Tickets at the TKTS booth in Times Square (and some off-Broadway shows which are often better!) But spend a couple evenings with your husband having a cozy romantic dinner in the Village, and then wander around there, get some ice cream, etc. There is so much to see, that just walking around can be interesting! Have a great time! Missing New York

hi. my favorite things to do in nyc besides just wandering around different neighborhoods (soho is my favorite) is dance class at broadway dance center and seeing shows. Last time I was there I saw “de la guardia” definately an experience and I heard “Avenue Q” was really good. Pick up a copy of the New Yorker and it will tell you everything going on. Have fun! juli
Oh you are so lucky! If I had a day to myself while my husband was doing business, I would spend the whole day walking in Central Park and visiting the museums. I'd eat a hot dog, and watch the kids sailing boats, and hit at least 3 of the museums. Actually I would spend all day at the Met if I could! Then I would probably spend the second day walking around the Village and/or Soho. I would go to the theater every night. In fact, by now I would have already spent the grocery money ordering tickets online.

Be sure and do the things that you like that are unpleasant to do with little kids - walking a lot, going to museums, going shopping, going out to dinner and to a show. Maybe you'll visit again with your kids and that is when you can go to the zoo or the Statue of Liberty of whatever. Take advantage of your child-free-ness! A Very Jealous Mom

There's so much to do in NYC. Some suggestions: The Metropolitan Museum, Central Park, MoMA (temporarily in Queens), dessert at a sidewalk cafe in Little Italy, Soho or Village, afternoon tea at The Plaza Hotel or The Pennisula Hotel, ride the Staten Island ferry RT for $1, Ellis Island, Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway shows (you can get half-priced tickets at TKTS in Times Square). It's also fun to just walk around and poke into all the stores.

NYC is typically very hot and humid in July, but you can alternate between indoor and outdoor activities to keep the weather bearable. Loose cotton sleeveless shirts and short skirts/skorts/shorts or loose-ish cotton dresses all work well. Bring a light sweater for times when the a/c gets to be too much. Wear comfortable shoes, because NYC is really a ''walking'' city.

Have a great time! Cindy

I recommend taking a look at any of the of New York themed periodicals available in the Bay Area. The New Yorker and the Times are great sources of information in regards to current exhibits and local happenings in Manhattan and the buroughs. I travel to New York often so feel free to email me with questions. Tia
Oh you are so lucky! We just came back from Manhattan and went to several different plays. It was such a memorable experience! We loved Avenue Q, Rent, Hairspray, the Producers, and The Assassins (a little dark), but there are so many to chose from. The Boy from Oz with Hugh Jackman, A Raisin in the Sun with Sean Combs and Phylicia Rashad, Wicked, or I Am My own Wife. Go to nytheatre.com for a list of all your choices. Not cheap, but a real ''When in Rome'' experience. Buy tickets ahead of time if you can. Most of these are sold out well in advance of the show. Regarding clothes, people dress in all sorts of ways to plays, from casual to nice. Black is the predominant color. Our weather was shirtsleeve comfortable, even at night, but you should expect hot and muggy.

We didn't sightsee this trip but did make an effort to go to Ground Zero which is still a remarkable sight, and damage to adjoining buildings is still evident. From years past I felt the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island were wonderful to ferry by/to, though crowded.

If this is your first trip, I have to recommend Tavern on the Green in Central Park for dinner, though others may disagree because it's a real tourist restaurant. But with its twinkly lights and easy access to a horse and buggy ride through Central Park, who can resist? If that doesn't clinch it, its the location of the Ghost Busters scene when Rick Moranis is chased through Central Park by a supernatural creature. Have a wonderful time! Jeanne

How lucky to be able to spend time in NYC without kids!! I grew up in NJ near NY and it has been a couple of years since I have been back. A lot of people have already suggested the museums: if you go to Central Park, you will find all the big ones there, the Met the Museum of Natural History, the Guggenhiem (an amazing building). It is also a lot of fun just to walk around the different nieghborhoods. If you like jazz, you may want to consider going to a show at the Blue Note. My husband and I did this on our honeymoon and it was a lot of fun. I like walking around the Village, little Itlay, there are acutally a few good Irish pubs near South Street Seaport as well. This is really touristy, but fun, the Circle line that does the water tour of the city. I remember doing this with my parents and we had a blast! Also if you like Indian food the place to go is 6th St. in the Village. There is one Indian resturant after another there, and you can eat cheap!! It is a lot of fun and in most places if you say it's your Birthday they will fliker the lights (most of the resturants have Christmas lights up) and sing happy birthday and bring out a dessert. It's silly, but fun. Also one place I remember going to a couple times with a friend of mine is the Blue Nile (near Central Park). It is an Ethiopian resturant and it a lot of fun as well. Also getting food at one of the street vendors is always a hit. Knishes were my favorite! Don't forget you will get the best pizza and bagels in the world! (okay, I might be a little biased on that one). Hope you have a lot of fun!! Lisa

Need Cheap airfare to NYC

June 2004

I'm traveling to NY from Oakland for a weekend wedding mid-July leaving my son and partner behind (sigh). I've been in denial about going since I don't want to leave them, but now I must book a ticket and prices are higher than I would like to pay. I've searched all the cheap travel sites (hotwire, travelocity, cheaptickets, expedia) and Jet Blue - but prices are still too much for my budget. Is there any other way to get cheap tickets? What about buying someone's mileage points? If I did that, how would I find them (and is it legal to do so) and how do I negoitate prices? Does anyone else know of any super secret tricks to getting low cost airfares? Thanks! ''Waited Too Long''

try jetblue, they had a 99 each way from oakland to jfk via longbeach earlier this year. no food served, but leather seats and direct tv. i'm sure you can get a flight for around 300 if the special is over linee !
I never want to encourage anyone to fly an airline other than JetBlue (how can you bypass their famous customer service, those fabulous leather seats, great snacks, television, baby changing tables in EVERY restroom, not to mention the only direct flight out of Oakland to New York) but if you find the $300 price tag a bit daunting, then you may want to check orbitz.com or hotwire.com. Sometimes you can find a random fare (just plugged in the 17th and 19th July dates and came up with $194 on United via Chicago) that is significantly lower than the others. Also, check the southwest web-site as they don't list their fares on orbitz. True Blue
Might be too late but I just got a flight for august from oak to NYC for 156 through united. I usually start with www.sidestep.com. See what they have and then go to the airlines that come up directly as sometimes they have fares that don't show up unless you are on their site. Juliette
I always use Jet Blue when I fly to New York. Booking via the website is cheap and quick and you can book up to the last minute. You'd be looking at paying between $250 and $350 round-trip. Tia

NYC good/baby-friendly restaurants

May 2004

We're traveling back to NYC with our 5 1/2 month old and we're looking for some good, baby-friendly restaurants (no touristy places please). Both of us lived there awhile ago but it has been some time and are now returning with an infant, which will be a totally different experience. She is really easy to take anywhere (we go out a lot here) and will be staying midtown. Thanks

On the advice of a friend who lives in the city, we went to Bubby's in Tribeca and loved it. She was right: the food was very good, the waitstaff unflappable, the place entirely kid- friendly, even kid-centric, with a wall rack of kids' books among other diversions. She said JFK Jr was a regular there, so it's not your typical Chuck E Cheese kind of kid place. We felt very in-the-know there and would take the kids back in an instant. Even if the kids weren't with us, my husband would go back for the sour cherry pie alone.

Also, check out www.gocitykids.com for lots of restaurant reviews from a parent's perspective. DL

There are many. I was just in NYC for three weeks, and we often saw other kids- usually early- at various restaurants. I would guess that there are books specifically for families in NYC but the Eyewitness Guides (www.dk.com) (for one) guidebook on NYC notes whether the restaurants it recommends are family friendly.
Just saw this in the NY Times this am (6/2), about restaurants that have started an in-restaurant supervised play area while you eat. Sounds great! http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/02/dining/02PLAY.html?8hpib

New York City with 7 yr-old

April 2004

I'm going to New York City with my 7 yr-old daughter and mother, for a week. I'm looking for recommendations of things to do that would be fun for all three generations. Margery

I go to NYC about twice a year with my daughters, ages 8 and 10. We have developed a routine and tend to do the same things all the time, mostly around Central Park. The main thing they like to do is take a horse-drawn carriage through Central Park. This costs $40 and is a bit of a rip-off, but also a nice way to see the park at a slower pace. Lines can be long in high tourist season, so go early or late in the day. The Central Park Zoo is also an easy trip, and there is an area where you can feed the farm animals. The carousel in the park is also fun, and we usually always do that. My kids also enjoy the playgrounds in Central Park, esp. up near the Metropolitan Museum of Art, hanging out there also gives you a chance to see NY families in action, or usually during the week, NY nannies and their charges in action. My daughters also like to go see the statue of Balto in the park. Non-park places: My daughters have always been scared by the Museum of Natural History so we have only gone there once - it is dark and geared more towards older kids. The Children's Museum, conversely, is geared more towards very young kids. They do sometimes have interesting tie-ins with artists that are worthwhile, even for grade-school aged kids - check out what their program is in advance. Other options: Empire State Building, although lines can be long on clear days; Intrepid Museum, if you like planes and air/space themes. There are a couple of good guidebooks for NY with kids - it may be worth buying one, at least so you also have an idea of where to eat. In general though, I don't try and overschedule - kids often just enjoy looking at all the people, and running around in the park. SM
We were just there in November. Here's what my ten-year-old son recommends:

1) Go to the Empire State Building and look at the view. (We liked it so much we went back at night time.)

2) Take a walk around and in Central Park.

3) Have tea at Tea & Sympathy (on 13th Street near Greenwich)

4) Walk around the neighborhood around Tea & Sympathy

5) MARS! (A restaurant that looks like Mars -- you get in a spaceship and when the door opens you're underground with steaming lava and nice Martians in costumes.) Note from mom: it's burgers & pizza type food, not great food but fun place

6) Grand Central Station

7) The river walk and dog park at Carl Schurz Park (upper East Side river walk, 89th & East Side Drive)

Danny (and Ann)

If your daughter is an Eloise fan, you could have tea at the Plaza! A full-sized portrait of Eloise is also hanging on the wall, which my daughter thinks is really exciting. Other great places include the American Museum of Natural History, the Central Park Zoo (small, wonderful, and often overlooked), and the Children's Museum of Manhattan. For a low-key day, try renting a boat in Central Park (or even taking a ride on a horse-drawn carriage), taking a ferry to the Statue of Liberty, or strolling through some of the neighborhoods you've heard about, just to see what's there. This list barely scratches the surface, but anything on it would be great for all three generations. Lauren
The Museum of Natural History is great for all ages. And the STatue of Liberty. The Empire STate building is fun if you all like the idea of going very high up and seeing the view.

I haven't tried it with my kids yet, but I think the Metropolitan Museum of Art could be fun. There's the knight's armour and Egyptian tomb artifacts. If your daughter knows about George Washington there's a bunch of American paintings she might appreciate. If she's read Linnea, she might like the impressionist paintings. Another museum I haven't even ever been to, but my husband is dying to show the kids, and I can't think of the name, something like the museum of Television and Broadcast.

Zoos -- The Bronx Zoo is really nice, but a schlep if you're not in the Bronx already. The Central Park Zoo is not as big, but still quite nice (it was modernized not long ago) adn it's more centrally located in Manhattan.

If you have family who immigrated from Europe, or your daughter is for whatever reason interested in immigration, Ellis Island is a possibility. But I think making sure she's interested before you go would be advisable.

Yankee stadium? Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge?

IF you want to see a Broadway show and can get tickets see the Lion King. IT's great and worth the cost, albeit expensive. Other Broadway shows will not be worth the cost for a 7-year old, or if for kids, probably not worth the cost for anyone. former New Yorker

I saw the post recommending a musical...great idea. This is what truly sets NYC apart from other big cities. Tip: Broadway tickets are sold at half-price the day of the show thru TKTS. Once you get there, look it up in the phone book and try to find out what time they start selling. They used to have two locations. One near Wall Street and one onBroadway, of course (around 42nd street), which I'd recommend. Also, pick up a copy of New York Magazine. It lists all the things to do, places to go for the week... Another place to go...South Street Seaport. It's near downtown and gorgoeous on sunny days...great view of the East River and the Brooklyn Bridge....lots of shops and eateries... have fun! former new yorker

Taking an infant to NYC

Nov 1999

Several months ago, I read info. regarding how to travel with your infant (8 months old) in NYCity. I have gone to the home page and do not find much there, so sorry to be redundant, but now I need to know for Thanksgiving. I know they should travel in car seats, is it the law in NY for a taxi? We will be taking the bus from Newark to the City - what do we do? I do remember trains are the best method but that will not always be an option. Is the only answer the travel car seat?

I am the mom who initially asked about travelling in NYCity with an 8 month old a couple months ago, and have since made my trip. I bought my son his own seat for the airplane (1/2 price) and used a car seat. When we arrived at JFK we easily got a cab. It was one of those official city ones (with the rules clearly displayed). The seat belts were readily accessible and the cab was clean... no problem there. Carseats are required for infants nationwide. I don't think it matters if the car is a taxi or not. We had intended to take the cab from JFK to the train, but found out that the train only checked in luggage on certain runs. (One too early for us to get to, and one at the end of the day that we didn't want to wait around for.) Since I couldnt' manage my baby, the carseat, the stroller and the suitcase, even with my mom to help (she had her own suitcase to haul around), we just gave up on the train. Instead we went to Enterprise and rented a car. Since we were driving to smalltown upstate NY that was a good option. I am sure it isn't a good one for getting around the metroploitan area though.

I can't answer your question about what to do on buses since I didn't use any. I see many moms around here use and umbrella (or other easily colapsable) stroller on the streets and then fold it up and keep their baby on their laps while sitting on a bus/BART, or keep the child in the stroller if they have to stand. I am sure that would be the same on the buses and subways in NYC.

The part that is tricky is when you are combining modes of trasportation and will only need the carseat part of the time. In anticipation of that problem, we used an infant carseat for travelling. Since it had a handle I though it would be easy to carry around. But at 10months, I could not carry my son in the carseat very well, he was just TOO heavy! Fortunately the car seat fit into the seat of my stroller (full sized, not umbrella style) so I didn't have to juggle everything. But I dont' think that would have worked very well getting on and off a bus. Good Luck on your trip.

I just returned from NYC with my 12 week old baby and was also concerned about taxis as I could not imagine any NY cab driver waiting while I strapped in the car seat (much less stopping inthe first place). According to several friends who are NYC moms they travel with their infants in front packs in cabs and make sure to buckle up but not to have the seat belt around the baby, just them. I did this for a number of cab rides and it worked fine and it is what I observed other Moms doing as well. I would use the car seat on the bus into town and on the airplane as well if you can.
We lived in NY until our first son was 4 years and 2nd son 10months. The inexpensive unbrella strollers are the best for running around the city. They fold easily, quickly and are light. On the subways i never folded the stroller, it fit through the turnstile with the baby in and i just scooped it up and carried it up and down the stairs. occasionally someone would offer help! The buses i just folded it up with babe in arms and took the nearest seat. We took taxis but not very often. They were slow, especially if you are going from one end of town to the other which we did alot. Yes, I know it's safer to carry baby in a safety seat but alot of the time it just isn't practical in New York riding in a taxi, unless you are going from one friends house to another. Some of the taxi's seat-belts don't work as it is. Would be great if they carried seats in the trunk. You might want to call a car-service and ask if they have seats. their rates are comparable to taxi's. You may want to consider a lightweight back pack for baby to run around the city in also but really the subway is the way to go and just as safe as a taxi only quicker!! good luck.

Taking a 16-month-old to New York

1998

I am going to be travelling to New York City (my hometown) with my 16 month old son in two weeks. Even though I am from the city, I was childless and mostly single when I lived there, so I am finding it challenging to think of things to do that my son will appreciate and/or be able to handle. Has anyone travelled to NYC with a child this age who could pass on any helpful hints? I am also a bit worried about the city overwhelming him, as he tends to become frightened with a lot of new stimulation. Of course, a lot of our time will be spent with family at home, and going to the beach and such, but I would like to expose him to the best of the city. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks! Diana

I definitely suggest the Central Park Zoo -- it's small, so you can see the whole thing in an hour or so, and of course you can buy food there. Wendy
We go there with kids (ages 1 and 3) all the time - every month or two. Here are some places that we like to go with them:

1. Some great new playgrounds in the park - one on 86th, the other on 90th, both on the west side. Let me know if you want more specifics on how to find them. Deborah

2. The Children's Museum - approximately 83rd and Amsterdam

3. The Museum of Natural History - also on the upper west side

The playgrounds have separate areas for little kids and are very nice. The museums are great for rainy days. Have a good time. -Deborah

I've taken my daughter to New York City twice so far, at age 10 months and age 21 months. Highly recommend the Central Park Zoo, at the SE corner of the park. If you haven't lived in New York in a while, you may not have visited the zoo since it was renovated (8 or 10 years ago?). It is now small and select, and, for a zoo, clean, peaceful, and very manageable. A particular highlight is the Polar Bear tank, which you can view from different levels. At ground level, you're looking directly through the glass into the tank, underwater. One of the bears is a show-off and seems to love to swim laps. You see his enormous head coming at you and then his giant feet as he pushes himself off the wall of the tank. Other animals include penguins, monkeys, red pandas, tropical birds, and (I think) seals. There's a snack bar on the premises. Elisa

Apartment & Condo Rentals

November 2001

Greetings - Our family of two grown-ups and two kids plans to head to New York City for a four - seven day stay early next year - we'd love to find an apartment or condo that would provide a kitchen and other home-like qualities. The archives do not have this type of info, so I'm wondering if there is a seasoned traveler among us with either a specific recommendation for a place to stay or the name of website (other than Expedia) that provides access to this type of accommodation. Thanks very much. Deborah

Try the Kimberly Suites Hotel. They're located very centraly at Lexinton and 50th St. The hotel was originally built as an apartment building and their 1 bedroom suitees are very large and have complete kitchens. If you do a web search you will find many sites that discount them. Barbara
We're trying CitySonnet.com. Since it's our first time of using them, I can't give you a final answer. They listed a lot of places of their web site, and we heard they were ok. We found an apartment that met our needs in the Village. Good luck. Please post if you find any great info. CDorf
My sister rents her apartment in Manhattan through an agency. The description is below. If hers isn't available at the time you need, the agency has other listings.

WEST 54th STREET off of Seventh Avenue This apartment is in a pre-war doorman building in a wonderful location. It is in the Theatre District close to Central Park, Carnegie Hall, The Museum of Modern Art, Rockefeller Center, etc. The apartment is artfully furnished, with hardwood floors, beautiful moldings, an elegant archway, and a newly renovated kitchen. There is a queen- size bed in the bedroom and a full-size sofabed futon in the living room. This is the home of two writers, so the apartment is filled with books. Amenities include cable TV/VCR, microwave, air conditioning, answering machine with separate inbox for guests. There is a full bathroom with tub and shower. This is a charming, comfortable apartment in a most convenient neighborhood. Price: $160 a night for 1 or 2 persons, $185 a night for 3 or 4 persons

Contact Manhattan Lodgings, 212-677-7616 or rodson at manhattanlodgings.com Lynn

I've had some luck finding vacation rental apartments in Manhattan through B & B agencies. It's often considerably less expensive and more comfortable to go this route. It's been a couple of years since I've called these agencies, but here are some names you might try: 
At Home in New York     (212)956-3125
City Lights Bed & Breakfast Ltd.   (212)737-7049  CityLightsBedandBreakfast.com [updated 12/03]
Abode Bed & Breakfast Inc.    (212)472-2000
Bed & Breakfast Network of New York    (212)645-8134
Have a great time! alissa
We signed up with the web site tradinghomes.com and had an opportunity to trade our Berkeley appartment for one in Manhattan. People all over the world sign up, and you contact each other and make your own arrangements. It might be something to look into if you're looking for nice but cheap accomadations. Clare
2001

Does anybody have a recommendation for where to find short-term sublets? Thanks, Elisa

We are going to New York City next Spring with our two young children, the grandparents and my brother in law. I would like to find a three bedroom apartment or condo that we could rent for a week to 10 days. I am not having any luck with my travel agent. Any help on where to look would be appreciated! Thanks! Lisa
We usually stay with family in Queens, but last year a friend of mine stayed at the Off Soho Suites with her family of five. The suites have a kitchen and are located near the Village. They aren't apartments, they probably don't have weekly rentals, but I thought I throw it out there. The URL is http://www.offsoho.com Sonya
About 5 years ago, I stayed in Manhattan for 10 days. I was able to stay in a furnished studio apartment in midtown. I went through a place called "Off Park Bed & Breakfast." It cost $90/night and I was in a doorman building on Madison Avenue, near the Empire State Building. The number is 212-228-4645. I don't know if it still exists, but it might be worth a shot. Ilana
try manhattanlodgings.com I'm told that you can rent empty apts (eg airline pilot apts) for days or weeks at a time. Merr
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