New York City
What to see and do in New York City
New York City is a city like no other. There are so many charming nooks and crannies and hidden gems in New York City for families to explore. Getting lost in New York City is truly enchanting.
- Times Square - it’s hard not be put in a trance by all of the lights, sights, and sounds. Times Square can feel overwhelmingly magical. My kids love walking through the Giant Disney store, M &M store, and the Hershey store.
- Take in a Broadway show.
- Top of The Rock - Located at the top of Rocker Feller Center. Such a beautiful way to seen all of New York from up above.
- Rockefeller Center
- Radio City Music Hall
- Statue of Liberty- walk around the base and admire how beautiful lady liberty really is!
- Ellis Island - Walk around the great hall and the exhibits. With older kids, be sure to watch the 30 min movie with stories told by actual immigrants that came through Ellis Island. What they went through was so traumatic.
- Chelsea Market -One of my favorite places in New York!! Incredible architecture, crazy amount of delicious food, and cute stores.
- Empire State Building - My favorite time to visit is right at sunset, the sky is a glistening glow of aqua, orange, and yellow. I love how the building still represents it age and the beauty is in the details. Far out we can see the Statue of Liberty, the Chrysler Building, and beautiful rooftop patios.
- Central Park - Spend hours exploring the park. Bring a picnic, buy a map, and climb the giant rocks. Be sure to book a carriage ride around the park to see it all! Henry, our carriage driver was amazing! He showed us all around the park, pointing out where different movies filmed different scenes. He showed us the bridge where they had the snowball fight in Elf. And the bridge where Kevin met the pigeon lady in Home Alone 2.
- Bryant Park - A beautiful park filled with greenery, giant bright flowers, a golden carousel, board games to rent while eating ice cream at a little bistro table, the most picturesque park I think I have ever seen. The park is nestled in the back of the New York Public Library.
- The New York Public Library - Just wow!! So beautiful!! The craftsmanship of the building, so detailed. It is really stunning how much artistry they put into the building. A beautiful architectural masterpiece + books=
. - 9/11 memorial - It’s amazing when you walk up to the giant fountains that lay where the World Trade Centers once stood, how you feel an immediate sense of loss, a sense of overwhelming emotion. The museum is a beautiful tribute to the heroes and people that were effected by 9/11. We spent over 2 1/2 hours at the museum but there is so much to see we could have spent another hour or two.
- FAO Schwarz - The iconic toy store in New York City
- The Plaza Hotel and The Todd English Food Hall.
- The High Line - a beautiful raised walking path through the city of New York. So beautiful and so much art to see.
- China Town
- Little Italy
- Soho
- Greenwich Village
- The Strand Bookstore
Where to eat in New York City
Katz Deli - This is one of the most legendary places in New York City. It's been here since 1888. Katz's Delicatessen has been a New York institution for over 130 years. The old-school deli is like a living museum. It can be crazy but it is so worth it!! The pastrami Rueben is a must! The matzo ball soup and macaroni salad are delicious. Seriously you can't go wrong with anything here. Every bite was so delicious!! Or you can just say "I'll have what she's having"! (The famous line from the movie "When Harry met Sally" filmed at Katz Deli. https://katzsdelicatessen.com/
Joe's Pizza - Famous for their delicious slices of pizza. Tons of types of slices to choose from. Even if there is a long line, line goes quick. We visited the one in Midtown but there are a few different locations. http://www.joespizzanyc.com/
Two Bros Pizza - We really love Two Bros. Pizza by the slice. There are usually 6-8 different pizzas to choose from. We usually go to the one in Midtown. https://www.2brospizza.com/
Juniors - Juniors is similar to a large old fashioned diner with their specialty being cheesecake. All of their food is fresh a delicious. We tried the salads, sandwiches, burgers, and chicken fingers, everything tasted so good. The carrot cake cheesecake was our favorite cheesecake. Thin layers of cheesecake with thin layers of carrot cake!! It’s was absolutely divine!! https://www.juniorscheesecake.com/
Todd English Food Hall - highly recommend. This is one of our favorites spots. Located underneath the Plaza Hotel. A European-inspired specialty food hall filled with mini restaurants showcasing foods and flavors from all around the world. Also in the food hall is the Todd English Restaurant. Our favorite dishes are the Asian Salad and Pork Buns. highly recommend a reservation for the restaurant. https://www.theplazany.com/dining/the-todd-english-food-hall/
Serendipity - A frozen hot chocolate is a must in New York! Definitely get a reservation! https://serendipitybrands.com/restaurant/
Bouchon Bakery - Enjoy a delicious soup, salad, or sandwich or just a cup of coffee while overlooking the Today Show windows. https://www.thomaskeller.com/rock-center-new-york/bouchon-bakery/bakery#
Chelsea Market - Chelsea Market has so many amazing restaurants. Some of our favorites are: https://www.chelseamarket.com/directory-food-and-beverage
- Creamline - Mouthwatering burgers, fries, and milkshakes are a must at Creamline Farm to Tray restaurant.
- Los Tacos No.1 - The tacos and salsas are Ah-mazing!
- L’Arte del Gelato - authentic Sicilian Gelato. The perfect cool down to a hot New York day.
Tavola -Close to our hotel we found this little gem. We shared Mediterranean salad, calamari, and a margarita pizza. Everything was delicious! https://www.tavolaofnewyork.com/
Best Bagels and Coffee - delicious warm New York Bagels. Tons of options for sandwiches and smears! Love these for breakfast of lunch. https://serendipitybrands.com/restaurant/
Eataly - Gigantic Italian store filled with exquisite mini restaurants. Everything is absolutely enticing. https://www.eataly.com/us_en/stores/nyc-flatiron
Shanghai 21 - This little gem is located in China Town. We order lots of different dishes to try a little bit of everything. We loved the dumplings too! https://shanghai21togo.com/
China Town Ice Cream Factory - Looking for a cool place to enjoy a sweet treat to cool down. We loved trying lots of delicious unique flavors. https://www.chinatownicecreamfactory.com/
