New York area with 3 SN teens, where to stay and what to do

[KingOfPeace]

3 DC aged 15 to 19. We're going to a wedding near New York next summer and want to make a holiday of it. Will spend a few days with relatives then head off for up to 10 days.

All DC are ASD, easily overwhelmed and quite poor with attention unless they are very interested. Dd is also partially sighted.

To me NYC is about sightseeing. I'm sure we'll manage a tour of some sort but otherwise it's pretty much out. I'm sure there are a few shops they'd be interested in visiting, but the overload from this will probably make it a one off. We'll do a Broadway show. They do all enjoy eating too. Anything else we could do that is likely to suit?

Ideally we'll have maybe 3 nights with my aunt and a lot of family then a few nights somewhere quiet, then 4 nights in NY followed by another few nights somewhere quiet before flying home. This sounds like a lot of movement to me but the alternative would be staying in a quiet hotel for the whole holiday, I feel we could do that any time.

Worth saying that DC would like to stay with aunt for few days then come back home and go to centreparcs.

After trying to put this in writing I don't even want to go. It's probably more stress than it's worth. Is NYC just a ridiculous idea? We could get another flight if there are better ideas. Somewhere relatively contained with good transport but with lots of accessible activities, dc are not interested in theme parks.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

If the wedding is in upstate NY, perhaps Woodstock would work - it's still got a hippie ethos. There are buses from NYC but a car would make things easier for local swimming holes etc and very good food. It's not cheap - but the prices do include meals and most activities, but Mohonk Mountain House might be worth checking out - it's quite Center Parcs in terms of activities (albeit housed in a huge gothic mansion).

I will check that out, thank you.

We did NY with ASD DD last year, she was 16.

It was the end of our holiday so she was already a bit out and we accepted that she stayed in the hotel two afternoons.

What are they interested in?

DD liked the 9/11 museum but left it before it was over, she started to feel overwhelmed.

The Zoo is absolutely great, it's a full day out, you can take the metro all the way.

Central Park can help with overload, just sit with headphones, book/phone. The Battery Park at the end of Manhatten is also a good outdoor space.

The New York public library is free and has a really good collection of rare books if they are into history.

If (big if) they tolerate museums then the Cloisters, the Frick and the Pierpoint Morgan are quieter than most. Frick bans children, but 15 years old should be ok.

Ferry out to Staten Island and back?

I like the Circle Line boat trip around Manhattan (either a full circle or just the bottom half). You get to see all the sights from the water and the DC can unwind or pay attention as they choose. Other than that I'd be guided by them. The USS Intrepid aircraft carrier museum went down a storm with one autistic teen - the other insisted on going to all the biggest candy stores.