When you don’t have the funds or the time to travel a great distance, it is often suggested that you be a tourist in your own town. Our family is certainly trying to take advantage of all our town and the surrounding Hudson Valley has to offer this summer. However, we also live a short train ride away from New York City. The city offers so much to see and do that there’s always something to add to our NYC to do list. Here are five things that we’d like to do in NYC:
1. Visit the Statue Liberty – The last time I visited the Statue of Liberty was in elementary school on a Girl Scout trip. I thought that maybe we’d take the kids this summer and went online to reserve tickets to the crown…..because if we go visit the Statue of Liberty, I want to go to the top. The next available tickets were for the middle of October! Since I don’t know the kids’ sports and activity schedules for the new school year, I didn’t want to make any reservations yet. I guess this trip won’t be happening anytime soon.
2. See a Broadway Musical – New York City is famous for its Broadway musicals and plays. It is always fun to go see a show together.
3. Take a Bus Tour – I’ve been saying for awhile now that I’d love to do the whole touristy thing and take a bus tour through NYC. While The Ride is a bit on the pricey side, I’ve heard it’s one of the better bus tours available.
4. Have Dim Sum in China Town – Last year, my family conducted our own food tour of China Town. My kids ended up loving soup dumplings and have been asking for them again. Instead of doing another food tour through Chinatown, we think they’d like having dim sum there. It has been years since we’ve had dim sum and what better place to get some than in Chinatown?!
5. Visit a Museum – Last year we visited the Museum of Natural History. While we took the kids to the Children’s Museum of Manhattan when they were much younger, we think they are now old enough to enjoy the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) or the Guggenheim. We may have to take advantage of the MoMA’s free Friday nights one day this summer.
And a bonus:
6. Walk the High Line – The High Line is an elevated freight rail that has been turned into a public park.
We are fortunate to live so close to New York City. There is always something new to see or do and we are hoping to take advantage of this more often.
What are your favorite New York City family-friendly recommendations?
It’s been way too long since I’ve been to NYC and I would love to go back with the family. A broadway show would be on my list as well as the Museum of Natural History and probably Central Park. I’d also try to get in a visit to Serendipity. I hadn’t heard of the High Line. That sounds cool. You’re lucky to live so close.
It’s been awhile since we’ve taken a family trip into the city. It’s hard during the school year when the kids have super busy schedules. We really need to take advantage of our summer days and get some city trips in!