New York is a lot greater than the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, and different in style Manhattan sights. And, when you’re touring to New York with youngsters, you’ll be happy to listen to that there’s additionally loads so that you can do!
New York Metropolis is comprised of 5 boroughs: The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Manhattan. Simply exterior of New York Metropolis, you’ll discover Lengthy Island, Rockland County, Orange County, and Westchester County, all inside an hour’s drive.
In the event you go to New York however solely keep inside Manhattan, you’re doing your self and your loved ones an injustice by not getting the total New York expertise. So hop on a bus, a prepare, or in a automobile and enterprise out slightly additional. You’ll uncover a few of these superb New York locations that your youngsters will likely be speaking about for years.
Get the New York Go
Expertise NYC with as much as 40% off admission to a few of the hottest vacationer sights with the New York Pass. Get pleasure from free entry to 100+ high sights, and go to as many as you want for as much as 10 days. Household-friendly actions embrace Marvel & DC Superheroes Strolling Tour, Central Park Bike Tour, LEGOLAND® Discovery Heart, Staten Island Zoo and Staten Island Kids’s Museum.
10 issues to do in New York with Youngsters
Right here’s the way to get probably the most of out visiting NYC with youngsters – from museums to nature and journey parks.
See additionally: Where To Stay In New York City: Our New York Accommodation Guide
New York Corridor of Science, Queens, NY
In case your youngsters love science, experiments, and hands-on museums, you’ll wish to go to The New York Hall of Science. The New York Corridor of Science is well accessible utilizing public transportation. You may soar on the 7 prepare to the 111th Avenue subway station, and it’s solely a brief stroll away.
On the New York Corridor of Science, there’s something for youngsters of all ages. Older youngsters can invent issues within the design lab. For youthful youngsters, you’ll discover Preschool Place, an space with multi-sensory actions for youngsters underneath 6. Exterior of the included reveals and experiences, there’s additionally a 3D Theater, mini-golf, and a science playground.
The Corridor of Science is within the good location for a full day of household enjoyable. After spending a few hours on the museum, you may stroll to Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Within the park, you’ll discover some further sights together with the Queens Zoo.
New York Transit Museum, Brooklyn, NY
Is your baby fascinated with trains? Does the historical past of New York Metropolis and the transit system curiosity you? If that’s the case, then hop on over to Brooklyn to take a look at the New York Transit Museum.
What makes this museum fascinating is that it’s positioned inside a decommissioned subway station from 1936. You enter the museum utilizing the unique subway station entrance. Present your ticket to an worker who’s sitting inside the unique ticket sales space after which stroll via the previous turnstiles.
On the principle ground of the museum, you may sit on a duplicate of an previous NYC bus, view classic signage, and find out about how the fare assortment has modified over time. However downstairs is the place the magic occurs! On the bottom stage of the museum, you may stroll onto subway automobiles courting again to 1907. The museum itself is small however the expertise is value each penny.
Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY
In the event you got here to New York Metropolis however didn’t go to Coney Island, you’d be lacking out on such an necessary a part of New York Metropolis’s historical past, to not point out plenty of enjoyable. Hop on the D, F, N, and Q trains headed in direction of Brooklyn and take them to the final cease. The Coney Island Boardwalk, sights, and seaside are only a 5-minute stroll from there.
Take a journey on Dino’s Wonder Wheel, Coney Island’s Ferris wheel which was inbuilt 1920 and has turn out to be a New York Metropolis landmark. Afterward, go to Luna Park, an amusement park with fashionable video games and rides. Inside Luna Park, you’ll discover The Cyclone, Coney Island’s iconic picket curler coaster which dates again to 1926.
While you’re hungry, you may head over to Nathan’s Well-known, residence of the 4th of July sizzling canine consuming contest. The restaurant and its well-known sizzling canine date again to 1916. In the event you’re not a fan of sizzling canine, there are many different locations to eat in Coney Island. A brief stroll from the well-known Coney Island sights is the New York Aquarium. No matter you fancy, there isn’t a scarcity of issues to do in Coney Island.
Bronx Zoo, Bronx, NY
The Bronx Zoo, residence to over 700 species of animals, is without doubt one of the largest zoos within the United States. With over 265 acres of land to discover, you’ll wish to deliver your most snug strolling sneakers. Along with the everyday animal reveals, there’s a youngsters’s zoo with a petting zoo, a playground, and loads of interactive actions.
After the kids’s zoo, you may stroll via the butterfly backyard, or one of many zoo’s hottest sights, Jungle World. When it’s good to relaxation your toes, journey the open-air monorail and watch the animals roam. In the event you’re searching for a special zoo expertise, you may take your youngsters to journey the carousel, take a nature trek, or do a ropes course at Treetop Journey.
Bear Mountain State Park, Tompkins Cove, NY
If climbing and exploring nature is extra your loved ones’s factor, then lease a automobile and head on as much as Bear Mountain State Park, about an hour north of NYC. For individuals who like to picnic, there are many picnic areas scattered via the park, or you may sit on the big open grass space. This grass space additionally doubles as a play space for leisure sports activities like soccer and American soccer.
In the event you like to fish, there’s a stunning giant lake and entry to river fishing. It’s also possible to lease a canoe to take onto the lake. There are climbing trails for all ranges of expertise and walkways alongside the lake for strolling and biking. In the event you’re visiting in the summertime, try the swimming pool and the Trailside Museum and Zoo.
Planning a winter journey? Go ice skating or snowboarding. Hike, bike, or drive to the highest of Bear Mountain to expertise breathtaking views of the Hudson Valley. Within the fall you may see some spectacular views of the autumn foliage. Not prepared to depart after simply at some point, lease a room on the Bear Mountain Inn.
Associated learn: Hiking Mohonk in New York’s Hudson Valley
Playland Park, Rye, NY
Playland Park has been a well-liked household vacation spot since 1926, identified largely for its amusement park. Positioned proper off the Lengthy Island Sound, Playland Park additionally has a pool and a seaside. In the event you’re a fan of picket rollercoasters, you may take a journey on the historic Dragon Coaster which is considered one of Playland’s unique rides.
The amusement park additionally features a kiddie park with rides for smaller youngsters and a few thrill rides for older youngsters. There are additionally areas for picnicking and boating. Solely a brief 40-minute drive from New York Metropolis, Playland Park is a good summer season attraction. In the event you don’t have a automobile, you may take a 45-minute prepare journey from Grand Central Station.
Palisades Heart, West Nyack, NY
The Palisades Center is a big four-level shopping center half-hour north of New York Metropolis. It has a big assortment of sights and eating places that can hold your youngsters busy for hours. Inside The Palisades Heart, you’ll discover the world’s tallest indoor ropes course which spans all 4 ranges of the mall.
In the event you’re touring with a toddler, there’s a small apply rope course for them as effectively. Tucked away within the nook of the mall on the underside stage, you’ll discover Billy Beez. Billy Beez is an indoor playground with a few of the longest, steepest, craziest slides your youngsters have in all probability even been on.
In the event you’re a child at coronary heart, you’ll be glad to know that Billy Beez encourages dad and mom to hitch in on the enjoyable. For youths who prefer to drive, there’s a speedway and bumper automobiles. If arcade video games are extra your child’s fashion, there’s a Dave & Buster’s as effectively. Add an IMAX movie show, a bowling alley, and an ice skating rink and your baby won’t ever wish to depart the mall.
Legoland Theme Park and Resort, Goshen, NY
Do you know that New York has its personal theme park? Opening its gate in the summertime of 2021, Legoland Theme Park and Resort has been a beautiful addition to New York. In the event you’re staying in New York Metropolis and would reasonably take public transportation, you may hop on a Coach bus on the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan.
Legoland is the right addition to your New York journey when you’re touring with youngsters underneath 13. They gained’t have to fret about being tall sufficient to journey at this theme park as many of the rides would not have a minimal top requirement and those that do have a minimal top of 36″, with a couple of exceptions.
Whereas the theme park caters to younger youngsters, dad and mom may also have enjoyable using with their youngsters. Keep for a day or spend the night time on the Legoland Lodge. Visiting throughout the summer season? Don’t overlook your bathing swimsuit! Legoland New York has a couple of water rides to chill off on a sizzling summer season day.
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Splish Splash, Lengthy Island, NY
You may’t have an inventory of enjoyable issues to do with youngsters in New York and never embrace a waterpark. Splish Splash, positioned 60 miles east of New York Metropolis, is without doubt one of the greatest waterparks within the larger New York Metropolis space. It has 20 waterslides and sights. Settle down and chill out within the lazy river or soar round in considered one of their two wave swimming pools.
In case you have youngsters who’re daredevils and love thrills, they gained’t be disenchanted. There are a number of intense rides to select from. When your youngsters get hungry from continuous swimming and splashing, head to Johnny Rockets positioned contained in the waterpark for the very best burgers and shakes.
The Journey Park, Lengthy Island, NY
Calling all ropes course lovers to The Adventure Park in Lengthy Island. In the event you’ve been searching for an exercise to bond along with your youngsters in New York, that is it. What makes The Journey Park totally different from different ropes programs, is that its programs are aerial treetop programs.
Whether or not you’re a starting or an professional, there’s a path for you. There are 5 totally different ranges of problem, every color-coded. With 14 trails and 49 ziplines, The Journey Park is well a day-long exercise. Kids underneath 7, who’re too younger to climb the paths, can play within the Journey Playground.
With this listing of issues to do with youngsters in New York, chances are you’ll by no means make it to any of the extra in style vacationer sights in Manhattan. You’ll nonetheless have skilled New York in a means many vacationers haven’t and will likely be planning your subsequent journey again to New York to do a few of the stuff you by no means received round to. For extra household journey suggestions and concepts, try Traveling the West Way, a household journey weblog.
In the event you’re visiting New York on a finances, try this listing of free things to do in New York – and don’t overlook to take a look at our publish on How to Be a New York Tourist!
TravltheWestWay
We are the West Family and we love to travel. There’s me (Monique), my husband (Henry) and our two boys, Isaiah, and Kamari. We travel as often as time and money allows.
So many wonder how we are able to travel as often as we do, as we are a typical American family living on an average income. We’re here to show you that with the right planning and certain tips and tricks, you too can make travel a regular part of your life.
