ITINERARIES
New York City Itinerary with Kids
Long Weekend/4-Night Trip for Families
There is SO much to do in New York City and plenty of kid-friendly options. It can be a little overwhelming to plan all the details, but this itinerary and planning tool should help!
(If visiting around the holidays, we are working on a Christmas/New Year’s in NYC itinerary that will be a bit different from this one.)
Decide when to go
New York City can be wonderful to visit any time of year, but our family prefers to visit when the weather is nicer so you can enjoy walking outside without always being cold. It is also magical to visit around the holidays, but we have a separate itinerary for that.
Book Flights if Needed
Fly into the New York City airport of your choice – JFK (the biggest), LaGuardia (LGA – usually the most efficient), and Newark (EWR). Which you choose can be based on when you find the best or most affordable flight with the airline of your choice.
Book Hotels
We recommend staying in midtown Manhattan so you’re in walking distance to some of the touristy areas. There are so many to choose from. Here are a few of our favorite Marriott properties based on location and price:
- Fairfield Inn & Suites New York Midtown Manhattan/Penn Station (It’s easy to reach from the airports and anywhere else in the city since it’s close to a train/subway station. It also has a restaurant, a rooftop bar, and FREE continental breakfast. It’s a winner!)
- Courtyard Marriott Midtown East
- Fairfield Inn & Suites New York Manhattan/Times Square
Other Reservations to Book in Advance
- The Statue of Liberty requires advance tickets. There are several 3rd party sellers online, but the only authorized seller is Statue City Cruises. There are 3 ticket options. We recommend doing the Pedestal tour so you can get closer to the statue and it will be less crowded then the General admission area, OR doing the Crown tour which will take you up into the crown, but this is only recommended for people who are ok climbing a lot of stairs and ok with small spaces. We recommend aiming for a 9am time slot on Day 5 of the trip. Get your tickets >
- Broadway Show or Yankees Tickets – On the evening of Day 5 there’s time for a show or game. You can buy Broadway tickets at broadway.com or todaytix.com. Buy Yankees tickets here >
- The Central Park Zoo requires advanced tickets. Reserve them for Day 6 of the trip at 10am. Buy them here >
- Dinner Reservation(s) in NYC – If going to a Broadway show on Day 5, we recommend getting an early dinner reservation somewhere near the theater you will be going to. If you’re near Times Square and the theater district, check out Carmine’s, Bea, or Joe Allen. On Day 6 we recommend getting a dinner reservation before heading to Summit One. Serendipity 3 is a lot of fun for families! There are a lot of great restaurants but try to stay in midtown or close to a subway station so you can get to Grand Central and Summit One right after dinner.
- Summit One Vanderbilt – Trust us, this is the best of the “top of a building” attractions in NYC. Book tickets in advance online and try to book a time slot for about 1 hour before sunset (look up when the sun will be setting on the day you’ll be there). This will allow you to see the views during the golden hour, watch the sunset, and watch the city light up at night. Buy your tickets here >
- American Girl Doll Store – If you have kids who love American Girl Dolls, you should make reservations for lunch or tea time at the American Girl Doll Cafe. Bring your doll and she can dine with you! You can also book appointments to have your doll’s hair done or ears pierced. Try to book these reservations for day 7 of the trip. Book your reservations here >
Prep Your Kids
Reading some books or watching some movies or shows based in New York City can help get your kids excited to see the city!
- If you have kids age 5 or under, I recommend bringing a stroller because there will be a good amount of walking around the city. Bring one that can easily fold down, but can also recline for naps on the go, and has a storage space. Something like this >
- Clothes that match the season. Check the 10-day weather forecast for the locations you’ll be visiting and plan to pack layers.
- Comfortable shoes (something good for walking)
- All Toiletries
- Purse, backpack, or cross-shoulder bag to carry around essentials during the day
- All chargers – phones, watches, tablets, etc.
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Medicines
- Coats/jackets
- Ponchos or rain coats
- Sound machine (if you’re sharing a hotel room with your whole family a sound machine really helps block out city noise!)
Prices are always going to vary! But here are some ranges/estimates to help you budget:
- Flights (if needed) – $300-600 per person
- 4 hotel nights – $250-400 per night (or a lot more if you want to stay somewhere fancy)
- Food (if you’re not doing fancy dinners every day) – $80-100/adult per day, $40-60/kid per day
- Shopping – this can vary a lot depending on your shopping habits, but it’s hard to not shop in Manhattan. It’s best to have a shopping budget in mind to stick to.
- Activity costs:
– Statue of Liberty – $25/adult, $16/child
– Broadway show or Yankees game – varies a lot based on seats
– Central Park Zoo – $20/adult, $15/child
– American Museum of Natural History – $28/adult, $16/child
– Summit One Vanderbilt – $60/adult, $53/child
– Museum of Ice Cream – $39-62/person depending on date and time
– Rise NYC – $44/adult, $40, child
– The Color Factory – $38-43/person depending on date and time
Jump to a Day
Day 1
Arrive in New York City, Explore Midtown
Fly
There are 3 possible airports to fly in to: JFK (the biggest), LaGuardia (LGA – usually the most efficient), and Newark (EWR). Which you choose can be based on when you find the best or most affordable flight with the airline of your choice. We recommend staying in midtown Manhattan so you can walk or have short subway rides to most of the things you’ll be doing, but none of these airports are in Manhattan of course. So another thing to consider is how you’ll get from the airport to your hotel.
From JFK to Manhattan:
1. Fastest: Follow the signs inside the airport to AirTrain. Take the AirTrain from the airport to the Jamaica station, then from Jamaica take the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to Penn Station. The train ride is usually $5-7/person. From Penn Station, you can walk to your hotel (if you choose somewhere close like Fairfield Inn & Suites New York Midtown Manhattan/Penn Station) or take a short subway ride or taxi ride to other places in midtown.
2. Cheapest: Follow the signs inside the airport to AirTrain. Take the AirTrain from the airport to the Jamaica station, then take the Subway using the E Line (Blue) to Penn Station or whatever station is closest to your hotel. The subway ride is typically $2.90/person.
3. Easiest: If you don’t want to navigate trains, you can follow the signs to taxis and catch a taxi right to the entrance of your hotel. But it will cost you. It’s $70 from JFK to Manhattan plus tax and tip. The drive from Queens to Manhattan could take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes, but you will get to see more of the city. Keep in mind, if you have young kids there are no car seats in taxis so this may not be an option for you.
From LaGuardia to Manhattan:
Just take a cab. There are no subway stops from LaGuardia. You could try to navigate the buses but no one wants to do that with kids and luggage. A taxi ride to Manhattan should be between $30-45 plus any tolls and tip but it could be more during rush hour.
From Newark to Manhattan:
New Jersey Transit trains can take you from the airport to Penn Station in Manhattan or several other stops. The trip costs $15.75. Visit the NJ Transit site >
Drive
If you can drive to the city that could be the cheapest option but you need to make sure the hotel you choose has parking available and find out the daily rate. You’ll probably want to park your car and not return to it until you’re ready to leave the city otherwise you’ll be paying parking fees all over the place.
Train
Depending on where you live, a train could be the easiest and cheapest option. Multiple trains go to NYC including Amtrak. Amtrak will bring you to Penn Station/Moynihan Train Hall which is in the heart of Manhattan and in walking distance to one of our recommended hotels, or a quick subway ride away to others. Check for Amtrak tickets >
Check in, settle in, let your kids get excited about being in a hotel room, then get ready to head out when you’re ready.
Head out and see some sights! If you’re staying in midtown, you should be able to walk to most places, but can also take the subway around if you need a break from walking (or if your kids just think the subway is fun!)
Things to see and do
(in order starting from Penn Station and heading North):
- View of Empire State Building – walk toward the Empire State Building then up 6th street. You will get some views of the iconic building and pass Herald Square. If you want to walk to the building entrance you can, but the best views of the building are from further away.
- Bryant Park – Green space, a cafe, and seasonal entertainment and shopping.
- New York Public Library – Right next to Bryant Park. Check out the famous lion statues in the front, climb the steps, and take a look inside this incredible historic building.
- Times Square – Marvel at all the ads and all the people! But keep your kids close – the crowds can be a lot.
- Fun Stores around Times Square – Disney Store, Hershey’s Chocolate World, M&M’s New York
- Rockefeller Center – Check out this historical landmark and the roller/ice skating rink and plaza. As the home of NBC, you can also check out the windows where they film the Today show and see the entrance for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. If you want a tour of the area, they offer a tour for families (it’s mostly about the history of the building, not behind-the-scenes of NBC). You can get tickets here >
- Fun Stores Around Rockefeller – Nintendo, FAO Schwartz, LEGO, Americal Girl Doll (or save this one for later so you can do the full experience on day 4.)
- St. Patrick’s Cathedral – This beautiful cathedral is near Rockefeller Plaza and definitely worth viewing while you’re in the area.
If you’re around Rockefeller Center when dinner arrives, our kids like Bill’s Burger Bar on 51st Street. It’s a classic burgers and milkshakes place with a New York vibe and it has TONS of seating and takes online reservations. Yes, there are many better restaurants in Manhattan, but this is a kid-friendly winner in a popular touristy shopping area.
If you walk up 51st Street toward 7th Avenue you’ll get to Ellen’s Stardust Diner. It’s touristy but oh so fun! It’s a 50s-themed diner with singing servers and a kid-friendly diner menu. The only problem could be getting a table. They do not take reservations so it’s first come, first served.
You can continue enjoying sites and shopping around the city at night, or get on back to your hotel and go to bed. If you’re staying at the Penn Station Fairfield Inn and it’s a nice night and you can sneak away after your kids are in bed, head up to the rooftop bar for a bit and make a toast to your first night in the city!
Day 2
Venture Outside of Manhattan
Grab a quick breakfast from your hotel or somewhere on the way to the subway.
Leave your hotel by at least 7:45am if your Statue of Liberty tour time is 9am. Map out your subway route using the MTA route planner or Google maps. You will most likely be taking the Red 1 or Green 5 to Bowling Green. NYC Subways have tap-and-go abilities so you just have to scan your digital wallet on your phone or watch to pay, no need to load a card. Once you exit the subway, follow the signs for Ferries/Statue City Cruises.
- Enter the secruity screening area for Statue City Cruises and the board the boat. Try to get a spot on the top deck near an edge to enjoy the best views.
- They usually take you to the Statue of Liberty island first. Enjoy the views and enter the area for the Pedestal or Crown tours if you purchased that. When you’re done exploring the statue itself, check out the Statue of Liberty museum.
- There is a restaurant near the area you will reboad the ferry where you can get lunch.
- Board the ferry and take it to Ellis Island
- Ellis Island is a wonderful museum to explore and learn about American immigration. We could have stayed a lot longer, but with kids we cut it a bit shorter.
- Board the ferry again to return to Battery Park.
- From Battery Park, map out a route using MTA route planner to get from Bowling Green station to High St. in Brooklyn. I would choose the least walking route over fasted route in this case. It will probably have you take the green 4 and tranfer to the blue A.
- From the subway station exit, follow signs to the Brooklyn Bridge and go up the stairs to get on the pedestrian walkway.
- Enjoy a walk on this beautiful, historic bridge! There are excellent views of the city and the architecutre of the bridge makes for some great photos.
- You can walk a little ways and then walk back to where you started, or walk all the way across the bridge and then down to the Chambers St. metro station (this would be about a 1.5 mile walk).
- Depending on your interests, we recommend getting tickets to either a Broadway show or a Yankees game, or other sports depending on the season.
- The current Broadway shows I recommend most for kids are Aladdin and The Lion King (Disney shows have familiar songs and incredible sets and costumes that keep all entrained.) Older kids and teens may like Harry Potter and Cursed Child (you’ll like this one most if you are familiar with the Harry Potter story), Wicked, or of course Hamilton! But there are plenty to choose from! Browse all shows and tickets at broadway.com. You can also check for discounted tickets at todaytix.com.
- Yankees games can be a lot of fun! We did this the last time we were in town and sat in the upper deck and had a great time. But getting to and from the stadium can be tough. It may be easiest and safest with kids to get a taxi/Uber, or be prepared to share the subway with a lot of people.
- Dinner: If going to a sports game, eat at the game. If going to a show, it will depend on the time the show starts if you have time to eat before or after, and where you eat may be determined by where the theater is. Try to get a dinner reservation. If you’re near Times Square and the theater district, check out Carmine’s, Bea, or Joe Allen.
Walk, subway, taxi – decide what is easiest from where you are.
Day 3
Central Park
Grab breakfast from your hotel or somewhere close by. Start walking toward the zoo around 9:30am or catch a taxi.
- It will be about a 20 minute walk to the zoo from the hotel, or you can grab a cab. There isn’t a very direct route on the subway.
- Tickets should have been purcahsed in advance for 10am
- This zoo isn’t too big so it’s easy to see it all! Our favorites are the red pandas, snow leopards, sea lions and the bears.
- Lunch: There is a cafe inside the Zoo offering hot dogs, chicken fingers, burgers, and pizza.
This park is huge and there is so much to explore! Your kids favorite part may just be finding rocks to climb, but here are a few highlights you could hit, in order of leaving from the Zoo and eventually leading to the Natural History museum:
- Stop by the Tisch Children’s Zoo, which is included with your Zoo admission
- Slide down the big rock slide at the Billy Johnson playground
- Take a photo with the Balto statue (the heroic Alaskan sled dog)
- Stay on the East side of the park and continue walking north to the Conservatory pond to see if there are any toy boat races happening
- Walk to the left side of the pond to see the Hans Christian Anderson statue
- Walk behind the pond to see the Alice in Wonderland statue
- Start heading West toward the Natural History museum, but first stop by the Belvedere Castle
This is a huge museum so you will probably need to pick and choose what to see. Some of our favorites include:
- Level 1: Ocean Life and North American Mammals
- Level 2: Afrian Mammals, Scales of the Universe and the Cosmic Pathway around the planetarium
- Level 4: Dinosaurs
If you have smaller children, you may want to skip this and go back to your hotel for a nap. It could be done the next morning instead of shopping if it’s something you don’t want to miss.
In the Advanced Prep section, I suggested making a reservation at Serendipity 3 because it’s a fun spot for families and has fun desserts. There are of course many other options, but try to stick to something in midtown so you can easily get to your next destination.
- In the advanced prep section, we recommended getting a reservation a little before sunset so you can enjoy evening, sunset, and nighttime views. If 7:30 is too late for sunset for the time of year you are visiting, adjust your timing. Plan to stay for about 2 hours to really savor the experience.
- Take the subway to Grand Central Station and follow the signs to walk indoors to the entrance of Summit One Vanderbilt.
- This is the newest and in my opinion, the best, of the “top of a building” attractions in the city. It’s not just riding an elevator to the top of a building and looking at the views, it’s a full experience with multiple rooms and art installations and it’s so much fun!
- There are photographers that will take your picture at 2 designated locations (one being the glass box that sits over the edge) but purchasing the photos is an extra cost
Walk, subway, or taxi.
Day 4
Museums and More
Eat breakfast at your hotel or head to a restaurant.
If you didn’t do the Museum of Natural History the day before, you could do that now, or check out an art museum! The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Central Park/5th Ave.) and the Museum of Modern Art (Midtown, 53th St.) both have awesome collections and plenty for young art lovers to enjoy. If you like even more modern art, check out the Whitney Museum of American Art or the Guggenheim.
If you have kids who like dolls, I highly recommend getting a reservation for lunch at the American Girl Doll Cafe and reservations for the doll salon. The lunch is lovely and well-priced and your doll gets to sit and eat with you. The salon can do your doll’s hair and pierce their ears. We did this when my girls were 7 and 10 and had the best time!
If you don’t have kids interested in American Girl Dolls, you can do some other shopping if you didn’t get your fill the first day and get some lunch.
There are several non-traditional museums that are fun for families. Pick one to try!
The Museum of Ice Cream – Description from TripAdvisor: “12 diverse multi-sensory installations deliver an enchanting blend of creativity and sweetness, exemplifying our unique position as the best and only immersive museum where you can play like a kid while savoring unlimited ice cream.” We have not tried this one yet personally, but it looks fun! A bit pricey but we still want to try it!
The Color Factory – 16 multisensory art installations inspired by the colors of the city. The highlight is the ball room where all ages will have fun playing in a huge ball pit! There are several color activities and you get to try several colorful treats. There are also photo stations so you don’t have to worry about taking all your own photos. It’s also pricey, but fun to try once. If you’ve done something similar in another city, skip this one.
Rise NY – This one is fairly new and we haven’t tried it yet, but it looks fun! The website describes it as a 3-part museum/attraction – “Soar over the NYC skyline on a 4D ride. Experience NYC’s rich pop culture and history in our seven immersive galleries. Relive New York’s iconic history in our immersive film.” I don’t recommend this one for little kids – the ride sounds like the coolest part and you have to be 40″ tall to ride.
(There are many others to try if these don’t appeal to you. If you try one and think it’s great and other families would like it to, please tell us about it!)
From Penn Station, walk West 3 blocks until you reach Hudson Yards, or take the Purple 7 train to Hudson Yards.
Hudson Yards has a big, fancy mall plus you can see the giant sculpture/staircase to nowhere called “The Vessel.” You can shop and get some food if you would like.
Then head up to the High Line (a walking trail/skinny park built on what used to be a raised railway) and have a nice walk to Chelsea Market.
You can get dinner at Chelsea Market which has lots of little shops and eateries, or there are several spots along the High Line where you can exit and find food if walking to Chelsea Market is too far.
Subway or taxi back to your hotel and start packing up.
Day 5
Head Home
Pack up, enjoy one last free breakfast if your hotel offers it, and check out of your room.
If the way you got from the airport to your hotel worked well on day 1, reverse it today! If it did not go so well, try another means of transportation (unless you’re going to LaGuardia – always just take a taxi or Uber).
Remember to give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport, get to your terminal, check bags, go through security, go to the bathroom, etc.
Enjoy your trip home!
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