NY in February half term with kids?

[HighRopes]

Anyone done this? Kids are 8 and 11 and so we were thinking a mix of museums and food and sightseeing - but hadn’t got that much further than that. Anything not to miss? And is the weather going to be a problem or no worse than a British winter?

What a snobby post Bubbles. Katz was certainly rammed with New Yorkers when we went and going by what you read is most of the time.

Couldn’t give a stuff if it wasn’t. We absolutely loved it as did the teens. Such a lovely atmosphere and the food was fab. We had the pastrami on rye, an egg cream and pickles. Can’t wait to go back. If you go split up to order, share a sandwich as huge and don’t lose your ticket!!!!!!! Our kids had the hit dogs and fries. Was one of our favourite things we did. Quite near The Tenement Building if you time your tour it’s a lovely way to spend the morning.

Katz is full of history from a disappearing era. The New Yorker we waited in line with said to make sure our cutter saw us tip and to ask for juicy. We did and it didn’t disappoint.

Can’t wait to go back.Enjoy, you’ll have an amazing time. Love that city.

Our kids were 8 and 11 when we went in February half term they loved it my tips are as follows:
Brave the subway its not as scary or complicated as it first seems and saves whining about tired feet. My kids actually really loved 'riding the subway'.
Dave and Busters is good for the kids to blow off some steam playing all the games and the food is not bad either. It was the one place we felt we could let them out of sight while we just had a sit down and a drink.
The maths museum sounds boring but is actually quite fun and near the Flat Iron building so you can kill 2 birds with one stone.
Natural History Museum, if you go to the tickets desk rather than one of the machines you can pay any amount you want. We paid a dollar each for entry rather than the actual advertised admission price.
Ice skating in Central Park is an amazing experience.
We liked Central Patk zoo as well, again a nice place to give the kids a bit more freedom and the bird house is a nice break from the cold
If you can get tickets watching basketball is a good evening out, we went to see Brooklyn Nets which is cheaper than New York Knicks and easily accessible by subway.

The Spyscape Museum (928 8th Ave) is brilliant!
www.spyscape.com

I've done February in New York 6 times but never with kids.

Honestly? Don't do it.

It is colder than you can possibly imagine. Even going in and out of shops it is freezing. And then you have to take off all your layers and put them back on again...one thing as an adult but with kids: no chance.

Every time I have been in feb it has snowed. It's huge dumps of snow there, which after a couple of days become hideous sludge and it's a massive pain to get about.

Sorry to be negative, but I can't imagine it to be fun at all.

It is colder than you can possibly imagine I've been in February a number of times and never found it that cold. Winter coats and hats was all we needed.

If you can, try to get tickets for Mathilda or the Lion King. Both fab on Broadway.

DS (12) been to NYC several times says open top bus tour, take your scooters in your case and go to Central Park and hang out in a coffee shop with your iPad are his favourite things.

I’ve been in Feb when it’s springlike and I’ve been in the middle of a white out. NYC does not stop even if you can’t see past your feet in the snow. If it snows, it snows - there are shops to buy stuff if you need it. There is a Gap on every corner!

I’ve been in a December and Jan when it was snowing and yes while it’s very cold, if you know that in advance and you’ve brought the right clothes and shoes, still possible to have a great time! I guess it depends on your cold tolerance.

So jealous, I've not long came back from a week there with my 9 year old daughter. Was fabulous! We went to see the lion king, spyscape museum, central park, the met, empire state (103rd floor), top of the rock, ice skating both at central park and rockerfeller, the ride bus tour, Brooklyn, wandered round times square, explored grand central... the list goes on! It was unseasonably warm when we were there though, had packed for freezing weather and it was 10 degrees most days

DD interned there from Jan to end of March a couple of years ago and said it’s cold! Icy cold! It snowed in Feb. Hotels are cheap due to the weather.

It’s not snobbish to prefer neighbourhood restaurants over hyped ones that are repeated on these threads year after year. It’s a point of view. Branch out and dare to be different. We have been with DC when they were 8 and 6 and several times since. DD loved it so much she interned there. My DC didn’t know about Katz, Ellen’s etc so we didn’t tell them. They were more than happy with where we did go! In fact when we did go to somewhere tacky DDs hated it!
You can get pastrami on rye everywhere! And dogs!

When DD interned she recommended restaurants to us! Not a tourist in sight and nicer for it. Horses for courses though!

Thanks, all! A few people have mentioned tipping - is there a guide to how much / what for anyone could recommend?