New York City with kids

[Bythebeach]

We're spending 9 days in NYC with 3 kids aged 12, 9 and 4 in May. Please can I beg you for top tips and recommendations for easy/cheap/fun things to do with kids? Also what is worth splashing cash for and what's not of the 'big' attractions. And since we have 9 days, anything else close to NYC worth leaving the city for?

Many thanks.

We went last week, kids are 7 + 9. Natural history museum, staten island ferry, brooklyn Bridge - Jane's carousel on the brooklyn side is very picturesque. Central Park, I'd do the highline in may, it was still so cold last week that all the trees were bare, so may would be better with some things growing. We used an online lottery thing for tickets to be able to see Cats and it was wonderful. I'd get a metrocard to save your feet, it's a bit grimy but good service. Visit Katz delicatessen (that scene in when Harry met Sally was filmed there) - it's a very traditional Jewish place to eat pastrami on rye. If you have 9 days you could fit in the tenement museum too. They'll love it. Most of the time it's not about exactly what you do but experiences like a fresh bagel, brunch out, etc.

So many great recommendations! Thanks Custard, Mrs J and everyone!

Oh and we are staying in an apartment so hoping to keep costs down and have breakfast and dinner at home most days and just lunch out. Are there supermarkets/grocery stores everywhere?

There is a great playground at the downtown end of Central Park. It is the one just downtown from the carousel. Do take them on the carousel; it is great. Make sure you all sit on the horses on the outer circle and make sure they are ones which go up and down.

Book tickets for the top of the Rockerfeller views better than Empire State (and great to see the Empire state from Rockerfeller and Central Park). Central line ferry is good way to see the city. Toys R Us and Time Square are NY must. Lots of great playgrounds in Central Park and Zoo there is fab. Walk along the High line too - free and fab. Have Fun... might be quite warm there by May.

For the NHMuseum, you can pay whatever you like to go in. The price on the board is only a suggestion. Also go to the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria (Queens). It's worth the trip.

WTC has incredible views and a REALLY cool lift. You can get lunch at the top.

The Ride is a sideways seated bus with entertainment. Groupon often do deals for it.

Toysrus closed a while ago.

And the Museum of Math is really cool too. There's a Wagamama's round the corner for lunch.

The SS Intrepid is worth going to as it's got the enterprise spacecraft on the top level and loads of other planes/ helicopters etc.

I didn't notice many grocery stores but we ate a lot of meals from Zabar's, which is fantastic. You can get juices, milk, tea, amazing breads, dips and of course smoked fish. We still talk about Zabar's.

For food Wholefoods at Columbus Circle is great. They have everything under the sun. Different counters - pizza, pasta, salads etc m.wholefoodsmarket.com/mobile/stores/columbuscircle

Ooh, I looove Wholefoods, forgot about them. But do try Zabar's too, much less corporate.

Will loved Zabars too!

Times Square

Central Park

Statue of Liberty / boat tour / Brooklyn bridge

Empire State Building

Oh and street food as you walk.
It's amazing , filling , hot, fast and cheap .

Oh wow thank you. Think mums net should compile a NY travel guide for families from all your recommendations. xxx

We did like Times Square but it is really crowded& I was so worried I'd get separated from dc - so hang on tight!

We went on the Staten Island ferry. You can see Liberty & it's what real New Yorkers do.

One of my dc loved the Metropolitan Museum, the other loathed it. It's an amazing museum.

Soho is really cool.

If we'd have been there for longer I think we'd have given museum of modern art a try, kids are free and adults are $25.

Can I gatecrash a little bit to see if anyone bought a city pass to get entry to multiple attractions at a discount and if so would you recommend it and which one?

Breakfast out is so cheap and huge, we tended to eat out for breakfast, take out type lunch/street food, then grab a pizza slice to tide us over a kids tea time before getting our last meal in the hotel/apartment - we were near a Fairways market which was amazing and got stuff like fresh bread and cooked meat and salads. (On a tight budget!)

We were upper East side but as upper west is just as lovely and residential I'm sure you'll find loads of nice markets and delis. Also big pharmacies like dwayne Reid tend to stock basic groceries like cereal and milk

When we were there we found the subways are really dirty (compared to London & Toronto) & it was actually cheaper to hail a cab. Not true if there's only 1 or 2, but by 3 it gets cheaper and cheaper. We were only there for 3 days though, maybe there's a week's pass that would be cheaper?

Just got back from 4 nights New York and 4 nights Washington (can't sleep) with 10,8&4.

In ny -
Statute of liberty tour and skip is queues from trip advisor, tour guide amazing
Brooklyn bridge- very busy with bikes, wouldn't do again
9/11 memroril - fascinating , very important part of trip and older 2 found interesting
Yankees tour- was ok
Empire State, again we skipped queue. Worth it to say done it.
Spent hours on rocks in Central Park, kids loved it
M@m shops, Hershey shop, Nintendo shop

Subway was stressful, dirty and intimidating, über easier and cheaper when have 5. Subway wasn't based on age but height for children.

Trump tower, kids loved , secret service agents everywheee but can go in and star bucks inside.
Really enjoyed walking the high line, it's done up nicely and near the end is an area for kids to play, north end.

Did flying visit to see grand central, Madison sq, Rockefeller centre.

If want to see a show book early as so expensive e..

Took a lot of snack food for kids so we don't buy snacks and breakfast . Food expensive .

It manic and kids probably preferred chilled out Washington better.. but had fab time.

I'd disagree on the show thing, they are just as expensive in advance and the cheapest way to do it is on the day lotteries, we used lottery.broadwaydirect.com to get two loads of cats tickets at $40 each. V good advice about a big breakfast, it's the best meal of the day in NYC. We're in Washington now, and it is fantastic if you can pop here for a few days- I guess if you've already paid up for accommodation it might not be that doable.

kathryn - I wasn't sure about 9/11 memorial - thought it might feel too raw for kids but interesting it worked for your older two .

We will take it quite slowly as we have 9 days and don't want to cram in too much. Don't think we will pop to Washington MrsJ - although I do remember enjoying it very much in my teens - as we have free accommodation in NY and really want to soak it up rather than blitz just the big sights.

I've a found a child-friendly "my first trip" guide to NY as well as Lonely Planet as per u. Any other guidebook recommendations?

Didn't read all of it but I found good:

Zoo in Queens, I spent a whole day there. Easy to access by Metro and then a tiny walk.

Central Park, nice green oasis in Manhattan

Top of the Rock.

The Metropolitan Museum of Arts is worth the entry fee. Their Eqyptian galleries are better than the British Museum.

Scooter - be prepared for pedestrian to run you over. I found them less then patient with tourist traffic.

There was a Disney store at Times Square and they have lots of things not available in the UK.

At 5th Avenue you have a store called American Doll. If any of your children is playing with dolls it is worth a visit. Pricey though.