4/29/2016

TakingtheKids:ThreeDaysinNewYork|IndependentTraveler.com

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LoveIsintheAir:ThreeDaysinNewYork
SeniorsinMotion:ThreeDaysinNewYork

Inacitythathassomethingforeveryone,it'snosurprisethatthereareso
manythingsforthewholefamilytoenjoytogetherinNewYorkCityinpart
perhapsbecausekidsconsideritagiantplaygroundfilledwiththelatesttoys.
164
You'llfindplentytokeepthementertained...andintheprocess,you'llfind
yourselveshavingaprettyrousinggoodtime,too.
Andbytheway,visitingherewithlittleonesismadeeveneasierbysomeof
thetopmuseumsandattractionsbecausenotonlydotheyallowstrollers,
someevenprovidethem.
HomeAwayFromHome
WesuggestastayatEmbassySuites,downtownintheFinancialDistrict.It's
wellpriced,butthemajordrawsaretheinsuitekitchenforquicksnacksand
latenightrequestsforjustonemoreglassofjuicethecomplimentarycooked
toorderbreakfastserveddownstairs,whichmeansyou'renotshellingoutagazilliondollarsforbreakfast
everydayandtwoTV'stohelpkeepthose"whattowatch"argumentstoaminimum.
OrtryDoubletreeGuestSuitesinTimesSquare.Thespaciouschildproofsuiteshaveamicrowaveand
minifridge.Cribs,strollers,laundryserviceevenakidsonlyroomservicemenuarealsoonthelist
ofofferings.
DayOne
Ifyoucangetupearlyenough(read:predawn),gotoRockefellerCenterforNBC'sglasswalled"Today
Show"studioandalivebroadcastwithMeredithVieira,MattLauerandAlRoker.Wordtothewise:If
youwon'tbecontentsimplywatchingthroughthelargestudiowindows,bringthesilliestsignyoucan
thinkoftograbthecamera'sattention.Thenfriendsandfamilybackhomecanseehowmuchfunyou're
havingwhenthenewsgangheadsoutsidetojointhecrowdandacecelebsperformforthealfresco
crowd.
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Weallwantourkidstobecultured.Thingisthat'susuallyofnointeresttothem.Thegoodnewsis
manycityculturestopshavekidcoolstuffandourfirstchoiceistheAmericanMuseumofNatural
History.Theunder12'swillenjoygettingahandsonlookateverymajorfieldofscience,huntingfor
hiddencreaturesinamajestictwostoryreplicaofanAfricanbaobabtreefilledwithtropicalbirds,
insects,reptilesandsmallmammalsorassemblingthecastskeletonofaPrestosuchus,a14footlong
reptilefromthelateTriassicPeriod.Don'tforgettoseetheHallofDinosaurs.

Whentheganggetshungry,therearetwosuperwalkablechoices.Trytheinexpensiveandveryfriendly
Gabriela'sforpossiblythebesthomestyleMexicanfoodfromrecipeshandeddownfromgenerationto
generationorthealldolledupandreasonablypricedAlice'sTeaCupwherekidscanmunchon
GrannySmithapplesliceswithpeanutbutterormaybeasandwichofpeanutbutterandfruitpreserveson
homemadebanananutbread.Ifit'saniceday,considerpickinguponeoftheirpicnicboxlunchesand
headoneblockovertoCentralParkseeingasthere'satonoffunstufftodointhereyearround.Check
outthepark'szooforchillingoutwiththepenguinsandfeed"fishicles"(peanutbuttersmearedtreats)to
thepolarbears,ortakeoutarowboatforanhourorso(oruntilyourarmsgettootired)ofturtle,frog
andswanspotting.

Nextstopthe86thflooroftheEmpireStateBuildingforupclose,jawdroppingviewsofManhattan.
Youwon'tseeKingKongdangling,butwebetyoucanpickouttheexactspotwhereTomHanksand
MegRyanhadtheirfatefulmeetingin"SleeplessinSeattle."CheckouttheirvirtualrealityNewYork
Skyride,too.

NofamilycancometoNewYorkandnotseeatleastoneBroadwayshow,andtherearelotsofchoices
topleaseeveryonesohaveanearlyfamilystyleItaliandinneratCarmine'soratoweringpastrami
sandwichandahugepieceofcheesecakeattheCarnegieDelibeforeseeingthecurtaingoupononeof
thecity'smanyfamilyfriendlyshows.

DayTwo

Sometimesit'seasytoforgetManhattanisanislandwithsomeexcellentwaystosailthewatersandsee
thecity'sskylineatitsbest.ThreemorningoptionsincludetheStatenIslandFerryaglorious,5.2mile,
20minuteminicruisewithgreatviewsoftheStatueofLiberty,NewYorkHarborandlowerManhattan
andit'sfree!OryoucanholduntoyourhatsandtakeCircleLine's30minuteBeast,speedingpastthe
skyscrapersataheartpounding45m.p.h.Forthosewhoareabitmorefainthearted,CircleLinealso
offersveryserenecruisesaroundManhattanIsland.

Onceyou'reallbackonterrafirma,whynotheadoutforanearlylunchandleisurelystrollinChinatown
andLittleItaly?(They'rerightnextdoortooneanother.)InChinatown,it'sfuntowanderthefrenetic
blendoftiny,winding,cobblestonebackstreetsdottedwithdozensoffamilyownedrestaurantsreadyto
serveupsilkystuffeddumplingsandcrispyshrimpanythinganytimeofday.Thesceneismore
ShanghaibazaarthancitystreetscapealongPellandMottstreetsyou'llpassfunkyshopsandkitschy
storessellingeverythingfromsilkpajamastoChineseboardgames.LittleItaly'sstreetsarelinedin19th
centurytenementsandlongheldtraditions,andMulberryStreetisconsidereditsheart.Forlunch,check
outthemorethan50wellpricedrestaurantsintheneighborhood.WerecommendLombardi's,thefirst
everpizzeriaintheUnitedStates(1905).

It'swithinwalkingdistance,sonextupistheFinancialDistrict.HeadupthestepstotheFederalHall
NationalMemorialacrossfromtheStockExchangetoseewhereGeorgeWashingtonacceptedthe
presidency.AsforvisitingGroundZerothesedays,there'slesstoseeandmoretoimaginebutyoucan
seetheaffixedPlexiglaspanelswithnamesinscribedofsomeofthe2,800victimslostaswellasother
panelsexhibitingthesite'shistoryallthewaybacktothe1993carbombexplosion.Bepreparedforthe
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oddmixofgriefandtourismthatsurroundstheareawheresomecometolayflowersandleavenotes
amidvendorssellingGroundZerobaseballcapsandothercheesysouvenirs.

Ifeveryone'sfeelingabitpoopedfromwalking,considergettingonboardtheDowntownConnectiona
freehopon/hopoffbusserviceforgettingaroundtheFinancialDistrictthatwilltakeyoupasticonic
sightssuchastheNewYorkStockExchange,theFederalReserveBankandTrinityChurchaswellas
theSouthStreetSeaport.

NextafairlyeasystrollthroughSoHo(there'saBloomingdale'soutposttherenow)andTriBeCato
GreenwichVillagetowanderthenarrowstreetsdottedwith19thcenturybrickbuildings.It'saperfect
neighborhoodforselfguidedwalkingtoursdon'tmissBleeckerStreetforyummycupcakesfrom
MagnoliaBakeryandBedfordStreettoseetheneighborhood'snarrowesthouseatNo.751/2(theoldest
isNo.77,andNo.102isanoffkilterchalet).CheckoutGrove'sCourt(GroveStreetbetweenSeventh
AvenueSouthandHudsonStreet),whereO.HenrywroteTheLastLeaf,andPatchinPlaceonWest10th
Streetforthecity'slastfunctioninggaslamp.Ofcourse,youmustwalkthroughStanfordWhitedesigned
archinWashingtonSquare.

Foranafternoonsnack,trytheNewYorkMilkshakeCompany'stodieforhotwaffleicecream
sandwiches.

Walkoffthecaloriesbyheadingnorthto14thStreetandUnionSquare,agreatspotforkickingbackand
peoplewatchingorlisteningtomusicalactsinthesmallpaviliononthenorthside.Don'tforgettocheck
outtheamazingstatueoftheMarquisdeLafayette.ItwassculptedbyBartholdi,whoalsosculptedthe
StatueofLiberty.HavedinnernearbyatRosaMexicano,whereadultscanenjoycrabmeatenchiladas
anddelicioustablesideguacamole,andkidsgettheirown"YoungAmigos"menu.

DayThree

PracticallyeveryoneknowstheBronxishomeforJ.Lo,butit'salsohometotheNewYorkBotanical
Garden,YankeeStadiumandtheBronxZoo.Thereareactuallymorethan60landmarksandhistoric
districtsintheBronx,includingtheEdgarAllanPoeCottageontheGrandConcourseandthestatelyVan
CortlandHouseMuseuminVanCortlandtPark.Onweekendsandallholidays,thefreeBronxTour
TrolleylinkstheBronxZooandtheNewYorkBotanicalGardensoifadayatthezoohasn'tworn
everyoneout,takesometimetoseethegardens.

TheBronxZoohasmorethan4,500animalsandover500speciesinnaturalhabitats.ACongoGorilla
ForestrecreatesanAfricanrainforestwithmorethan300animals,whileJungleWorldishometofour
Asianhabitats,includingamangroveforestpackedwithbearcats,blackleopardsandtheAsiansmall
clawedotter.TigerMountainisarecreationofthenaturalhabitatforSiberiantigers(only5,000remain
inthewildtoday).

HeadbacktoManhattan'sTimesSquareinthelateafternoon.Stickaroundforawhile,sinceyou'llwant
towaituntilit'sdarktogetthefulleffect.TheamazingToys"R"UsinTimesSquare(they'reopenuntil
midnight)isabestbetforkids(nearbyAmericanGirlPlace,alsoopenlate,shouldbeonyourdaughter
list).AtToys"R"Us,you'llseewhatispracticallyanamusementparksmackdabinthecenterofthe
city.KidsgocrazytheminutetheyspottheFerriswheelthatsweepsupthroughallfourlevelsandas
ifthestoreneededanythingelsetogetakid'sattention,there'sa20foothighand34footlong
animatronicsTyrannosaurusRexwithappropriateroarsandatwostoryBazookaGumpinkBarbie
mansion.

Forsportsfanswhocan'tmissaminuteofanythingthathastodowithaballevenduringdinner,trythe
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ESPNZone,wherethey'veevenputTV'sineverybathroomstall.Foramoreretrokindofdining
experience,headforEllen'sStardustDiner.It'sthe1950'sfromtoptobottomwithamenuthatworks
fordinersofalltastesandages.

Visitoursistersite,FamilyVacationCritic,formoreinformationonNewYorkCityfamilyvacations.

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