Cheap things to do in NYC with kids

[WaltonOnNaze]

Taking the kids (aged 7, 10, 11) to NYC next Spring. I have been loads but always pre kids and they have never been. Want to keep it relatively cheap so here are my ideas but would love more if you have them please - everything is so expensive even museums.

Walk the highline
Pizza slices in little italy
Pretzels
Hot dogs from street vendor
Staten Island ferry and back
A day in central park
Just soaking up the whole yellow cab, steam from street grates atmosphere of it all including a walk around Grand Central
A pedicure in Greenwich Village with dd
A tall building - probably empire state as ds wants to do this even though I know top of the rock is better. This will cost $$ though so any free tall buildings that you know of please let me know

In terms of interests - ds1 loves sport but I don't think we can afford a basketball or baseball game. DD loves theatre but same goes for Broadway shows. There is a diner where broadway wannabes sing as they wait tables that we will go to though. DS2 will just love being in America and some tacky souvenir shops.

Subway to Brooklyn, check out the Dumbo area which is quite cool and then walk back over the bridge - you can see Statue of Liberty in distance and it is the coolest walk. There were stalls at the end of the bridge selling souvenirs quite cheaply such as decorative licence plates.
At one end of the high line is the Vessel which is cool for photos and I believe free but you have to book.
Lots of movie locations to find - plaza hotel from Home Alone 2 (you can go in and see the lobby area if you get an obliging doorman), ghostbusters firehouse, the floor piano from Big in Macy’s, fountain in central park (Enchanted).
You can also go in Trump Tower for free. Bit weird but there is a massive waterfall down a marble wall which I believe is all Evian water, a Starbucks inside if you need cheapish refreshments and free loos.Plus some very strange Trump themed shops and eateries.

Don't go?

Seriously it's not the place to want to be worrying about money all the time.

Central Park is great, with loads to do. Stop off at the Dakota building and see the great shops round there, and grab a picnic to eat in the park.

For others thinking about NYC with children, see if you can combine it with Washington DC. Everything in Washington DC is free! The zoo, all the museums, tours of the Capitol, the Pentagon and all the memorials etc.

We did NYC when DC were 12 and 14. We did a tour of the UN (free), climbed to the crown of the Statue of Liberty (www.cityexperiences.com/new-york/city-cruises/statue/new-york-crown-reserve/) book months in 4-5 months in advance, Ellis Island, free tour of the High Line, Hop on Hop off bus, walked over Brooklyn Bridge, watched the entertainers at South Street Seaport, Grand Central Terminus, took a 'free' cycling tour of Central Park (you pay to hire a bike), 911 memorial and museum.

We all loved the the High Line tour (free walking tour) and our 12 yr old son's highlight was the tour of the UN! We all loved Washington DC more than NYC.

We took the subway to the bus station and got a Mega bus to Washington DC for $10! We did 5 days NYC and 5 days DC.

Subway to Brooklyn and pizza at Juliana’s then walk back across the bridge,
Photo op outside the Friends apartment block, there is (was) some funny graffiti on the wall outside,
Grand Central and the whispering arches
staten Island ferry, all free, apart from the pizza!

Hi OP, just wanted to see if you had been on your trip yet. If so, do you have any to tips ? Thanks

Hi @ohyesohyesoh,

We went and loved it but oh my gosh it was expensive - way more expensive now than the times I have been in the past and not just because there were five of us. We ended up spending so much.

Central park was a winner (but we then paid for a pedicab but honestly it was so much fun and we saw way more than the kids would have managed without)

9/11 memorial v moving but we also paid for the museum which was excellent

Staten island ferry past statue of liberty excellent.

Cheapest food was slices of pizza - dollar hotdogs are now $4 and not very filling.

We got broadway tickets in advance on todaytix.

DD loved goodwill thrift store shopping. We all loved riding the subway. Empire State was brilliant but expensive.

Sorry - not super helpful is it in terms of saving money. They were very happy buying big gulps and prime in 7-11!

My thoughts exactly.

@WaltonOnNaze Is this a postponed trip from before Covid? Because I’m not sure why you would choose NYC, a notoriously expensive city, if you’re on a budget.

When I last went in 2017, it felt like money was flying out of my hands, and this was coming from another expensive city (London). NYC is considerably more expensive now than it was then.

Ignore my post, I’ve just seen the update!

Glad you had fun :)