New York New York...

[sliceofcake]

Well, we have finally booked our trip to see family in NYC , but need some advice on the trip.

DS will be 3.10 when we go, so won't need a seat restraint for the plane, is that right?

Any advice on the best travel insurance? just worrying that DS will get ill the day before and we cant' go....

How easy is it to get around using cabs etc, with a small child - assuming no car seats etc?

Any good advice on the best seats to ask for when we check in, and other good travel tips to make it easier for DS, us and other passengers!

v excited but never flown as a family before, so full of daft questions!

Your DS at 3 should have his own seat with seat belt. No extra restraint will be needed.

As for best travel insurance would have a look at wwwmoneysavingsexpert.com.

Have never seen a child seat of any sort in a NYC cab.

Most people check in online these days and print off boarding passes (who are you flying with to the US?) so seats can be reserved before you actually get to the airline's check in desk.

Other pax are more likely to be tolerant of children if the parents are seen to be making an effort with them rather than just leaving the child to get on with it.

Window, middle and aisle seats are okay, look at www.seatguru.com.

Take his favourite foodstuffs with you for him to eat on the plane (leave any uneaten fruit behind on the aircraft though!) and do not rely on the airline to fully provide in that regard. You may want to purchase a portable DVD player; childrens tv entertainment can be limited on board.

BTW if you haven't already done so do the ESTA (electronic travel authorisation) asap. This is now mandatory for all passengers travelling to the US. The website to use is this one:-

esta.cbp.dhs.gov

thanks for these, really useful - flying with KLM, but only ever flown short haul with them before (and on my own, so totally different!)

am going to do esta forms now......

Best way to get aroung NYC is via the excellent subway system! Taxis are prone to traffic jams, horrendous charges, and bad drivers But always willing to take passengers/kids without seatbelts/restraints, so the car seat shouldnt be an issue.

Check out the subway system map & daily/weekly passes at: www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.html
and

www.mta.info/metrocard/tourism/index.html

Have a great time!

Whereabouts are you staying?
We have just come back from NYC and found it very easy to walk round.

Hi slice - I have just come back from a trip to NYC with my DS (4.5 months at the time) and will confirm what other posters hve said. Would stay away from taxi's as the drivers can be really atrocious and traffic means that it is much faster to walk most places. The subway system is excellent (even if the stations look a little worse for wear) but Manhattan is very flat and the grid like street pattern makes it so easy to navigate.

Enjoy it it is such an excellent city.

Oh and if you have time take the subway to Brooklyn and get pizzas at Grimaldi's. We hade takeaways on the grass overlooking Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan and it was one of the best views of the city I have seen.

yey, getting really excited now, even though it is ages away yet! (november!)

Staying on W57th street with my sis and her DH, so will be guided about which is good.

Will definitely try Grimaldi's, and any other recommendations you all have. My sis will know lots of great places, but not sure if they are child friendly, and this is huge treat for us to be going, so I am anxious it is as good as possible!