Part 2: Manhattan. 4 days in the City during your New York with Kids Roadtrip.
Manhattan was the middle section of our ten day trip to New York with the kids. We were meeting friends there who we’d got to know in a Worldschool hub in Guatemala 6 months previously, so our dates for this section were fixed, but there’s nothing to stop you doing this at the start or end of your time in New York State.
One thing we did say however is that we enjoyed having a couple of quieter days to get over the long travel day, and perhaps a full on immediate launch into Manhattan may not have been as enjoyable as our time on Long Island.
So we’re picking up part to after we departed Greenport the morning of our 3rd day.
- Manhattan Magic: Toy Shops Galore
- Central Park & Manhattan Sights: Playgrounds, Landmarks, and City Views
- Brooklyn Bridge & Dumbo: Iconic Sights and Tasty Bites
- Colour Factory: An Immersive Art Experience
Day 3: Manhattan Magic — Toy Shops Galore
It took us a three-hour drive back to Manhattan with the traffic and we dropped our rental car off near Grand Central station. Driving towards the Manhattan skyline and then through the tunnels was pretty exciting for us all too and we saved the cash on a taxi had we dropped it back at the airport.
No New York road trip with kids would be complete without visiting the heart of Manhattan’s toy wonderland. We spent the afternoon at the legendary Lego Store on Fifth Avenue, get interactive at the Nintendo Store, and marvel at the classic delights in FAO Schwarz. All 3 stores are a 5-minute walk from one to the other.
Stef enjoyed visiting MOMA on her own, whilst we killed time in retail heaven for the kids. It was a good way of not ticking off any of the sites that we all wanted to see together. But she did say the kids would have enjoyed MOMA too – although I reckon she got more out of her art fix on her own!
On this first afternoon in New York, we also walked through Grand Central Station, past the public library and through Bryant Park to get to the stores. It was a 20-25 minute walk but with so much to see there were no moans. We even stopped off for our first slice of New York Pizza en route.
Grand Central Station is full of art and I’d really recommend exploring it and not only seeing it as a transport hub. There are mosaics throughout, including Kiki Smith mosaics which take a bit of finding but are worth the effort. The ceiling and building of Grand Central is also iconic and definitely worth adding to your New York with Kids list.
On Manhattan we stayed at The Shelburne Sonesta in a family suite which had 2 double beds, a spacious room, bathroom and a mini kitchenette. It was nice having the extra space that many Manhattan hotels don’t offer and there are 1 bedroom apartments available too, with use of a gym and access to a roof top bar. The location was amazing, just 4 blocks from Grand Central Station.
Day 4: Central Park & Manhattan Sights — Playgrounds, Landmarks, and City Views
This was a 22,000 step day – you have been warned!
We started by walking along fifth aveneue all the way to Central Park. Fifth Avenue is great for building spotting and we passed the Rockfeller Centre, Louis Vutton and Trump Tower (to many boos from the kids!).
On arrival at Central Park we lost the kids to rock climbing and then to the southernmost playground – again with more rocks to climb. After prizing them away after a good hour, we hit the carousel, and walked along the mall to Bethesda Terrace. There are plenty of food carts in the park so drinks and snacks are never far away – the boys loved the hot dogs and the girls snacked up on roasted nuts, all of which were very reasonably priced.
We headed out the park to the west for lunch (note the Natural History Museum is here so could be a good option too), and then took the bus down to Hudson Yards to see at the futuristic Vessel sculpture, then stroll the High Line. The Edge is also here and our friends went up to the viewing platform which they loved but we didn’t have enough desire to warrant the $40 entrance fee (each).
The High Line is great for kids in Manhattan. It’s a spectacular elevated park with views, gardens, and unique art installations which run for around a 30 minute walk, perhaps just over 1 mile. It’s traffic free and so the kids can run freely whilst you enjoy the art and views across Manhattan.
End the day at Pier 57, just 5 minutes from the end of the High Line and next to Chelsea market too. There’s a food market, a free rooftop with stunning views, where you can relax and take in the sunset over the Hudson River. There’s also great views of Downtown Manhattan and Little Island – which would be another good place to visit if any of you had any steps left in you!
Day 5: Brooklyn Bridge & Dumbo — Iconic Sights and Tasty Bites
This was our first experience of the New York subway which took us straight from our hotel to Brooklyn Bridge station. You exit straight to the bridge to begin your walk to Brooklyn. The first 5-10 minutes are busy but then the crowds thin out a lot – and the Brooklyn end is quitter than the Manhattan side if you want the best photos! The walk took us around 45 minutes, stopping to enjoy the views and street vendors – and of course supplying the kids with snacks. We saw the Statue of Liberty from the Bridge as well.
Once in Brooklyn, we visited the Time Out Food Market for lunch, offering something for even the pickiest eaters -and you can order online for delivery to your table. In Dumbo, kids can play on the small pebble beach, explore playgrounds, and pose in front of street art walls.
We had planned to take the Subway from here to Battery Park and visit either 9/11 or take the Staten Island Ferry but in all honesty the kids were done and wanted to just chill. Manhattan is full on so don’t worry if you don’t do everything on your wish list! It was nice just taking the time and letting them choose how long they wanted to stay somewhere.
In the evening, we (mums only) headed for the electric buzz of Times Square and when to see Moulin Rouge on Broadway. Here’s a few tips:
Times Square is BUSY! The busiest park of Manhattan we saw, and we were relieved we hadn’t brought the kids here at night. I would suggest a day time visit if you do want to show them the bright lights and street entertainers.
We also saved $300 on a Broadway show by snapping up the single seats that have been left – so no we didn’t sit together, but we all agreed we had the same fun for a fraction of the price.
Day 6: Colour Factory — An Immersive Art Experience
We had a very wet final day in Manhattan thanks to Hurricane Melissa brushing the edge of the city. So it was indoor fun we sought – we considered The Summit, Chelsea Market, The Natural History Museum but opted for The Colour Factory in SoHo.
This interactive art museum is made for families, offering multi-sensory installations that will delight both kids and grown-ups. It cost us $100 for us all (due to getting a discount code). Select a fixed time for cheaper entry tickets as well.
There are 14 rooms to enjoy and we spent 2 hours here – although we did see some families rushing through a bit quicker than us and they would probably have been done within the hour – and disappointed. There is a silence disco, a confetti room, free fortune cookies and the highlight was the ball pit room.
Our kids were the absolute perfect ages for the Colour Factory, aged between 7 and 10. Each exhibit is hands-on, colourful, and perfect for playful photos which get emailed to you afterwards via a QR code.
Because the rain was so bad this day we headed back for an afternoon of films and food in our hotel as well as packing up to leave Manhattan the next morning.
We adored our time in Manhattan but 3 full days in the city was probably enough. It’s full on, physically and mentally so make sure you do plan downtime. And remember it is impossible to see and experience it all – and sometimes less is more for everyone’s sanity!
Read part 3, and the final stage of our road trip to the Catskills here. But did you read our Long Island Part 1 here?
