New York trip with 4 and 7 year old - any tips?

[Peonyyyy]

I’ve been to New York a couple of times before having kids but my husband hasn’t. It’s one of my favourite cities and I would love to go on a family trip. By the time we go our kids will be 4 and 7. We’d like to go for our wedding anniversary / big birthdays for myself and my husband.

Any tips for the flight/jet lag?
getting around the city tips?
must see attractions for kids?

also I really wanted to see the 9/11 memorial and museum, as we might not be able to visit New York again. But is this just impossible with small kids? I’ve read that the museum is heavy (obviously) and so probably not suitable for them, so I thought maybe my husband and I could take turns to go while the other does something else with the kids. Is this realistic or do I just need to park this idea? I was 13 when 9/11 happened and still remember where I was and how it felt, and it feels important to me and my husband to go. Last time I went to NY it was still ‘ground zero’ and I saw the foundations all exposed behind some fencing.

thank you for any tips or advice you can provide!

Everyone’s different - but we love exploring new towns and cities as a family. We’re not really Disney land type people. We like going out exploring, going to restaurants, museums etc

I’d wait until 4 is 7 and 7 is 10 at least. Go with DH for a long weekend before then to do your adult things - including the 9/11 museum. It will be undoubtedly upsetting though.

Thanks for everyone’s suggestions!

my ideas for the trip would be:

• pancakes for breakfast!
• parks (Central Park etc of course) and playgrounds
• museums
• boat trip to see Statue of Liberty
• Empire State Building
• trying nice food in restaurants
• ridingvthe subway, taxis, Brooklyn bridge etc
• see a show like lion king

Our kids really love going out to eat and are basically happy going out anywhere and find it interesting and fun just to be together. They honestly don’t need a theme park like Disneyland.

it’s just the 9/11 thing - we wouldn’t want to miss it in case we couldn’t go to NY again and thought maybe we could tag team while one of us takes them to a nearby attraction, as obviously we wouldn’t have them go inside at their ages, but as people spend about 3 hours there it probably would take too long.

I think they would love NYC now, but also think they would appreciate it as teens (and be able to see more of it). Food for thought!

We went with DS last year when he was (just) 6. We had a brilliant time, one of the best holidays we’ve ever been on and DS adored it. We did a number of museums (the maths museum is DS’ all-time favourite museum) and art galleries and spent quite a lot of time going up tall buildings! We didn’t do the 9/11 museum but did do the memorial and had explained to DS in an age-sensitive way what had happened and why it was a sad place. We then went up One World Trade Centre. DS also loved the Statue of Liberty and getting the boat over there. We also did a Broadway show and went to the diner where they sing songs from the musicals. We were there at Halloween so also loved seeing all the houses decorated. If your children are used to living in a city and/or city breaks, I think it works really well personally.

I would attach airtags to them just in case.

Also 9/11 memorial will be fine as long as you can trust them to behave in a respectful manner, they won't know what its about but it will be very boring for them.

@Peonyyyy i took mine when they were 7 and 9 and they absolutely LOVED it! They still talk about it now nearly 7 years later!
we did…
empire state
central park
Statue of Liberty and Ellis island
The intrepid
natural history museum
chinatown
little italy
lots of amazing playparks- battery playscape etc
Some of the bigger toy stores and Lego store etc.

6 or 7 is quite different to 4. I’d definitely wait a few years. It’s definitely worth going but not for the 4 year old. 911 is pretty grim in my view. What 4 year old would like that?

Hard disagree. I’ve been with my DC quite a few times, they love it and we have a great time there with them.

I don’t think the OP mentioned what time of year but a few things my kids have enjoyed:

Statue of Liberty - you can climb up to the platform but not the full way with little ones
Central Park - some great playgrounds and also the zoo
Circle Line
Staten Island Ferry
Natural History museum
FAO Schwartz
Empire State Building
The High Line
Walking the Brooklyn Bridge

It’s an easy city for food with kids too. Mine are quite adventurous, but lots of pizza, pasta, grilled cheese sandwiches if that’s easier. Kids love diners too of which there are many.

Transport we usually book a car service through the hotel as we often arrive late but that is expensive. We use the subway a lot. It’s cheap and easy to navigate.

We tend to cope with the jet lag by having early dinners and usually all heading to bed by 8pm. Surprisingly I actually don’t mind that for a few days as I usually get to catch up on some sleep!

Oh the Intrepid too.

I haven’t been to the 9/11 museum but you can certainly take them to the memorial.

I think they’re too young to really appreciate it tbh - sorry. I would take them when they’re at least 5years older

I get your sentiment of wanting a family trip but to me that means Disney Paris or all inclusive in Spain. It's not sightseeing in NYC.

Took mine when they were teenagers and we all loved it - desperately would like to return but with the ages of your children please reconsider. You'll be spending a lot of money and it could just end up being really hard work!
X

I mean, don’t.

Hi OP, I've been to New York a few times with my kids over the years (my husband has a annual work conference there which falls in the school holidays) The first time we went the kids were 4 and 6, so a similar age to yours. Here are things they particularly love:

• Color Factory NYC
• Tom Otterness playground
• Terapines in Central Park
• Pier 97 at Hudson playground
• Ellen's Stardust Diner (the staff sing musical numbers)
• Lego shop

I've never taken them to the 9/11 museum (I assumed it wouldn't be appropriate) but we did see the memorial fountains and I quietly tried to explain what happened in a kid friendly way.

I took my son when he was 13 and it was perfect - he was not yet a grump glued to his phone, but he was old enough to walk for miles every day and appreciate the 9/11 museum and art galleries. And I, just divorced, splashed out on a helicopter ride which he still says was one of the best days of his life

I went with similar ages kids and they loved it. We stayed centrally near Times SQ (on 42nd St) so things were easy to walk to.
Would recommend the Rise NY experience. It doesn’t take more than an hour or so, so they don’t get bored but it’s a bit of history of Times SQ/NY and includes pop culture and a simulator ride. Mine enjoyed it.

Theres some good play grounds in Central Park so I’d stay within walking distance and take a pushchair or scooter for the little.

Ferry ride also good. And skyscraper number 1 Vanderbilt.

Mine particularly loved the American Girl store (if you have girly girls). And the signing diner.

I think it’s a shame when people say kids are too young to go to cities. They can still get a lot out of it and it might not be the only time they’ll go, I plan to take mine again in a few years when they’re in the early teens. There’s something for everyone in New York.

I think NYC is great for kids that age! I live there and all the children of all ages that have visited it have loved it.

I think your list is good, depending on the time of year. The 9/11 museum is close to Battery Park which has great playgrounds so it would work find for you and your husband to tag team inside the museum. The memorial fountains are also lovely and set in open space so your kids would be interested to see them.

I'd look into the Brooklyn Children's Museum and Children's Museum of Manhattan as well as the obvious ones like the Met, but don't miss the Met for the Egyptian section (and maybe armour?). The Mathematics museum is also fun.

People often recommend skipping the official Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island boat tour and seeing the statue from the Staten Island Ferry instead, but I think seeing the statue close up is awe-inspiring and Ellis Island is a lot of fun too.

I'd definitely agree with the American Girl store if either child is into dolls. It's very well done. And the Intrepid.

My current favourite skyscraper is the Edge in Hudson Yards, but Top of the Rock and one world trade are also very good.

Get some snacks on the plane before you get off as you could be up to two hours, easily, waiting in the customs line at the airport in New York. They won’t fast track you, even with small kids.

Plan your routes before you leave the hotel whenever possible so you don’t have to search too much on the sidewalk.

Honestly I would skip the 9/11 museum. Maybe that’s my bias though I just thought it was incredibly grim that they charge for entry. I know all touristy places overcharge but, New York was probably the worst place for rinsing people that I’ve ever been.

I wouldn’t take my kids on the underground.

At night it can suddenly get very cold. Like it turns on a dime. 7pm might be absolutely fine but by 8 it’s Baltic. So wrap up warm.

Also, I found my nose was really dry the whole trip and I don’t know what it was…it wasn’t the car pollution. Maybe just a difference in air. But if I went again I’d definitely take some sort of nasal spray.

You probably need to book places to eat for dinner in advance. I cheated by just using Macdonalds and groceries tbf haha.

If I’m honest, I think it’s not worth it. Like, I got a good deal, something like £1700 including flights for the week and I still would rather have had two sunshine holidays or done maybe Paris and London.

I think it’s an ok place for kids but…they’d probably prefer a beach let’s be real.

My DC got a lot out if cities by around 6, but I’m not paying £ thousands to go to a playground! @BrilliantBetty The whole holiday might as well be anywhere if all a 4 year old wants is play. Mine appreciated art at 6, had developed a sense of place and awe. Not so much at 4. We have been twice but a 4 year old can wait a couple of years and grow out of playgrounds. We really liked Washington.

Have they been to Disney World? In Florida I mean? Very few people who have been will ever report not enjoying it, and your kids are 4 and 7.

I’ve been to museums all over the world with my son, between Disney trips…he appreciated New York most as an 18 year old, Italy as a young teen, but Disney is his favourite for all ages.

Kids that age won’t get anything from New York that they couldn’t get in London, science/art/history museums, yes there are 9/11 memorials etc. but that just doesn’t hit in the same way at age 4 and 7 that it will as young teens or older, when they can fully appreciate the scale of what happened.

Culture you can get here in London, but holidays for a 4 and 7 year old just won’t be beaten by Disney World.

With children 4 and 7 those activities could be anywhere. They could go on a boat on the Thames, go to the top of our tall buildings or on the Eye, FAO Schwartz could just be Hamleys, museums can be anywhere…the Uffizi, Tate, Louvre…it is literally irrelevant at that age, it’s just about getting culture, and that can be done in London.

Nobody is saying they won’t have a good time in New York, but it won’t be any better than a couple of days out in London. Better to use the holiday for a solo trip to New York so that the OP can appreciate everything properly, or go to somewhere like Disney where the kids will have a way more age appropriate time and make memories that will actually last.

My 7 year old would be totally bored by Disney (as indeed I was as a child). He’s not into rides, has never watched a Disney film and likes going to museums, seeing the view from the top of skyscrapers and travelling on public transport in different cities. For us, and him, Disney would be a huge waste of money when we could actually do something that he enjoys instead.

Does he also speak mandarin and is already at Cambridge?

I wouldn’t go with kids that age. Just been recently with teen dd. There is a lot of walking involved and it would be tricky for those ages. I don’t think it’s very family friendly either.

Well, he did learn some Mandarin at nursery so…

I realise, of course, that your comment is sarcastic but the point that I was making was that not all 7 year olds are the same. A previous poster suggested that all children would prefer Disney to a city break. That’s just not true. Children like doing different things. If my child was into Disney, I’d take them. But they’re not. They’re just a 7 year old kid who likes doing other things.

You’ve never let your kid watch a Disney film. You’ve never taken him to Disney. How do you know he’d be bored?