We have done this trip as a group of friends, a couple and many times with children of varying ages and, apart from the one episode of poor AirBnB research, we haven’t had a bad experience!
Why go
There is a wealth of things to do and experiences to be had in NYC. It is full of familiar sights and sounds, diverse cuisine and a vast range of museums and activities. Whilst the USA as a whole is not as cheap to travel to as it used to be, and shopping doesn’t have quite the same bargains to be had, it still has the same fun and we were certainly not priced out of the market.
When to go
We are biased because almost all our trips have taken place in Late November/December. This is not to say that it’s the best time to visit but that’s what has worked for us in terms of leave, other holidays and my general love of Christmas. For me, New York is synonymous with Christmas and Home alone! (Though at some point I’d like to be at the top of the Empire State building on Valentine’s day recreating Sleepless in Seattle vibes!)
To go in Winter you need to be prepared for it to be cold and wet. When it’s cold it is really cold -the wind chill is real when you’re down near the waterfront. Again, when it rains it can be really wet. So please ensure you take the right layers. Footwear – consider boots and wellies for the children. We got really wet one time and our trainers were soaked through! However, seeing the snow fall in Central Park and around the Rockefeller tree is magical!
Late Spring and early Autumn are probably the best months to visit as the weather is warmer and the rain minimal. We have visited in May and that was lovely for being outdoors. We visited in July one year and I recall it being hot. The summer months can be hot and humid so perhaps a bit harder to enjoy the outdoors as much.
Whenever you choose to visit there are plenty of indoor and outdoor options for visits so you can get the most out of the city whatever the weather. However, if you want to be out walking everywhere and seeing the sights and views then you probably want dry days, be it cold or warm!
How to get there
We fly from Heathrow as our nearest airport but plenty of UK airports fly directly to New York airports. The widest variety of routes fly into JFK airport. We have flown at different times of the day and with so many flights daily it is easy to find a time that fits around your family’s optimal sleep/nap requirements! Out of all the flights I would suggest one earlier in the day. This leaves you getting into New York in the afternoon which leaves time to get through the airport, to your hotel and have some dinner. Then you can start readjusting bedtime at whatever time you plan for it to be whilst away.
See these other posts on jet lag and flying with children.
Where to stay?
We have tended to use holiday rentals for our stays, or a relative’s spare room so I will speak more from location than particular hotels. We have stayed in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Jersey City.
Brooklyn is a great location. It’s between JFK airport and Manhattan. It doesn’t take long to get into Manhattan (where the majority of the classic sights and experiences of New York are based) and it also has plenty of places to visit and eat a meal. The apartment we found in Brooklyn was spacious, well equipped and within easy distance of the subway into Manhattan. We have also stayed (as a couple) at the Hampton Inn Brooklyn/Downtown and this was a perfect location. The rooms are not large for a standard (but that is fairly typical of New York) but were comfortable with a lovely sitting are and place to get food and drink in the lobby.
Manhattan allows you to have everything right on the doorstep but is likely to cost more in accommodation. If staying in Manhattan do consider the location. This is where we had our AirBnB mishap – the apartment was just above a bar! Jet lag or no jet lag, we weren’t getting the best sleep there! There are many hotels in Manhattan so look at the best deals out there and consider the facilities you might wish to have to help narrow things down. I would advise that you are likely to be out and about a lot so the room itself might not be a priority regarding how spacious it is. However, if you have younger children, that you plan to return to the hotel room for naps with, then a larger room might be a better investment.
Jersey City is our favourite. Not least because it’s where our relatives are based! It is just across the Hudson from Manhattan. So you get great views of the city and it’s only a 15 minute subway trip. Manhattan can also be accessed easily by car or ferry boat from here. There are plenty of accommodation options. It has a smaller town feel – there are some great play parks (Hamilton park in particular is fantastic), Newport Mall and plenty of great restaurants. You can also access the Ellis island ferry from Liberty state park. I have talked about Jersey City further elsewhere as it deserves a post of it’s own!
Eating in New York City
This is city where you can find all types of international cuisine and varying levels of culinary quality! From fast food galore to fine dining, there is something for everyone. I would spend some time looking at the day ahead and thinking about what time you want to eat and where you want to be in the city. From our trips I have found that in the more tourist heavy areas such as around the Rockefeller and Empire state building it’s a little harder to find more local and good value versus quality cuisine. There’s more of a premium on the cost and the venues are far busier. So perhaps consider eating somewhere else along the route that day.
Top tip – If you plan to visit Eataly then go earlier and aim for an early lunch. For example, La Pizza and La Pasta opens at 11.30. You can book ahead or you can get in the queue. But at this time it was easy to get a table. By the time we left the restaurant it was full and Eataly itself had become far busier. Also to note is that there is a Lego store and the Harry potter store within a minutes walk of Eataly downtown.
I personally love to find great Mexican food whilst in the USA as it’s not something I have found as easy to get in the UK. For me, a highlight was Orale in Jersey city. Amazing food! When it says it’s spicy it really is so be careful!
Do note that portion sizes do vary. In Eataly they were just the right size for one meal but in some places the portions are huge and taking away leftovers is a common occurrence so do consider how much food you are ordering and consider taking the leftovers to have as lunch or dinner the next day. This helps with budgets/costs.
We came across a lovely café – Maman (800 Washington Street, 10014) – on our way from the subway to the southern end of The High Line. We had a hot drink and some cake from here but the menu looked great and the food that people was ordering looked tasty!
What to do?
This list could go on forever and it it’s fair to say we haven’t explored everything that the city has to offer! So lets look at some of the things we have enjoed most with the children:
The High Line – This is a great walking path along a disused freight rail line that ran above the city. It has been turned into an amazing above street level park that allows you the opportunity to see New York City form above and let the children run free without the worry of traffic. It is just under a mile and a half long so it’s just the right distance. There is elevator access should you be with a pushchair/stroller. There is seating, art, and many varieties of plants. There are a number of entry and exit points and along the route you can access Chelsea market (a food hall and retail space) and Hudson Yards (shops, eating and The Edge viewing platform) amongst much more.
Central Park – an iconic location and vast expanse of space to explore. From spotting movie locations to the 21 playgrounds dotted around the park, you could spend hours here having fun. Not just that but The Central Park Zoo is also found here and an enojayble way to spend a few hours. From Central Park you can easily walk down 5th avenue and see and visit many of the sights – the American museum of natural history, The museum of modern art, the Rockefellar centre, The Met, Times square, The Empire state building and Grand Central Station amongst many more.
Viewing Platforms
There are a number of different viewing platforms across the city. We have visited four of them. I have listed them with a highlight for each:
- The Empire State Building – Iconic and the original viewing deck. Seen in many movies you get a whole experience alongside the view.
- Edge NYC – This platform is based at 30 Hudson yards on the west side of Manhattan. It has the highest outdoor viewing deckin in the western hemisphere. The views are simply breathtaking – across Jersey City, the Hudson river and down towards the Statue of Liberty and of the iconic sights of Manhattan. Then there’s the triangular section of glass flooring where you can literally see Manhattan below you!
- One World Observatory – For us this gave a wonderful view from the southern end of Manhattan across the iconic NYC skyline. It is the highest point in the city with 360 degree views. It is well located for visiting the Oculus centre and the 9/11 memorial.
- SUMMIT One Vanderbilt – We visited this attraction on a rainy day where the views were obscured by low lying clouds. However, the trip itself was not affected by the impaired view. This was a multisensory experience for the whole family. We spent longer here than any other viewing decks and the interactive elements were perfect for entertaining the children (and the adults!) whilst the views could be enjoyed. My only criticism was the plentiful number of instagrammers looking for the perfect shot which sometimes meant you didn’t get that close to the windows.
- The Top of the Rock – Based at the Rockefellar centre this is another viewing deck. We haven’t visited this viewing deck but I didn’t want to miss it off the list as it’s one of the other iconic viewing decks.
In summary – The best for children who want to be entertained is SUMMIT. The best for a breathtaking experience is Edge. The best for an iconic experience and feeling like you’re in the movies is The Empire State Building. For history and impact then it has to be the One world observation deck.
Museums and galleries are in abundance in New York. I’m going to draw your attention to two particular places that are great for children. Neither are in Manhattan and one isn’s in NYC. However, both are work the trip if you are visiting with children:
Brooklyn childrens museum – We took one of our daughters here when she was was just over a year and a half. She loved it! There was exhibit after exhibit of multi-sensory experiences. Her favourite had to be the World Brooklyn where she spent quite some time working and shopping in the supermarket!
Liberty science centre – Based in Jersey city this is a huge, spend a whole day if you wanted, kind of place. It can be accessed via the PATH train + light rail or via ferry service (with a 20 min walk at the Jersey City end. There is something for all ages and interests here. The infinity climber in the centre of the place is also amazing!
Hopefully after reading this you will feel empowered to take a trip to New York with the children. You could fill 1-2 weeks (or more) of holiday exploring NYC and it’s local area.