Daytripping: New York's Top 10 Kid Friendly Destinations

New York is known as the gateway to the United States and when it came to unlocking the secrets of the top 10 kid friendly places to visit, Breezy Mama turned to the Co-Founder of the uber-hip Mamaista, mother and NY resident Elina to start spreading the news.

From Elina:

10. South Street Seaport: Winter or summer, you’ll always find something amazing at the South Street Seaport. A historic district with cobble stone streets that cover 11 city blocks, it’s a family-friendly place to enjoy shops, great food and a host of other activities. Stop by the Seaport Museum, The Shark (a speedy motorboat that stops in front of the Statue of Liberty) or any of the five historic ships that are sure to wow your nautical adventurers.

9. The Children’s Museum of Manhattan: With over 4,000 square feet of fun, interactive play space and activity, this museum is a haven for weary parents and their overactive offspring. Rotating exhibits include Clifford the Big Red Dog, Alice in Wonderland and many other kid favorites. Stressing early childhood education, creativity, health and world cultures, there are also exhibits like Little West Side and Ancient Greece if your tastes don’t exactly run along the Dora trail.

8. Holiday Window Displays: Looking for some low-cost activities? There’s nothing better than the city during the holiday months. Come November, the city’s famous department stores shed their everyday finery in exchange for the festive regalia known as the holiday window display. Barney’s, Bergdorf’s, Bloomingdale’s, Bendel’s, Saks, Lord & Taylor and Macy’s spare no expense. And as evidenced by the lines of tourists and locals who flock to these beautiful windows year after year, this is one holiday experience you can’t afford to miss.

7. Chelsea Piers: For families who find themselves rained out during their visit, Chelsea Piers is a recreational oasis in the middle of it all. With over 80,000 square feet, the Field House features a gymnastics center, a rock climbing wall, two basketball courts, a soccer field, batting cages, a kids’ gym and a toddler adventure center. There’s no chance of anyone getting bored here.

6. Time for High Tea: The city has long been a great place to enjoy afternoon tea, but recent years have seen the tradition flourish unlike ever before. With more and more kids getting in on the act, there are plenty of new restaurants popping up all over town and turning the tea scene into something that is uniquely New York. For the most festive tea parties you can imagine, head on over to one of the three Alice’s Tea Cup locations or visit the new Sweetiepie children’s themed restaurant, complete with a giant gilded birdcage that seats six in the West Village.

5. Broadway/Times Square: Once the kids are a bit older, there’s nothing like a Broadway show to bring the entire family together. Of course, you can’t go into the theater without first spending some time in Times Square, a kaleidoscope of lights, sounds and people that will no doubt become a life-long memory. Once they’re thoroughly overwhelmed by all the Times Square mayhem, usher them into the theater to see perennial favorites such as the Lion King, Marry Poppins or The Little Mermaid.

4. American Museum of Natural History: If your kids are mad about dinosaurs or have dreams of launching off into space, you won’t want to miss this. The museum offers a day’s worth of fun for kids and adults alike. Located on the Upper West Side, you can explore the museum for hours and then enjoy brunch at the always-popular Serafina restaurant conveniently located next door.

3. Dylan’s Candy Bar: Willy Wonka had nothing on this place. Dylan’s Candy Bar is a one of a kind shop for serious candy fanatics. With a café, lounge area, giant chocolate fountain, and literally thousands of candies to indulge any sweet tooth, this is a yummy stop you and your kids won’t soon forget.

2. F.A.O. Schwartz: Whether you’re in town for a weekend or a whole week, no trip to New York would be complete without a stop at FAO Schwartz. While some families head straight to the giant piano made famous by Tom Hanks in the film “Big,” others are content to watch the spectacle of life-sized toys, soldiers and dolls come to life. And while you probably won’t be able to avoid buying at least one item, how can you put a price tag on fun?

1. Central Park: A true urban oasis with as many activities as you have time to enjoy. There’s really no better spot to take in the city from a natural vantage point, whether it’s winter, spring, summer or fall. Pack a picnic and watch the ducks glide by on Turtle Pond, sail model boats at the Conservatory Water, go ice skating in winter, or hang with the penguins and petting zoo at the Central Park Zoo. There’s even an old-fashioned carousel to put the cherry on the cake of your day.

About Elina:
Elina Furman grew up in Chicago, IL and moved to New York in 1999 to pursue her career in media. She is the author of over 20 books on such topics as female commitment phobia, adult children living with their parents and relationships, and has appeared as a lifestyle expert on such shows as The Today Show and Good Morning America.

While working as a writer, she also got her feet wet in new media, having worked as Editorial Director for such websites as Seventeen Magazine Online and WomansDay.com.

She started Mamaista.com (the chic little daily for moms) after giving birth to her son Julian in 2008. In 2009, she and her sister, Leah Furman, launched the free daily e-mail newsletter and website that delivers the coolest, most useful products and services for babies, tykes, tots and moms.

Besides missing a few things about her former life — traveling to exotic locales and quiet days at home watching reality TV while pretending to write – she loves being a mom to her 20 month old son and all the newfound creative inspiration that comes from entering the motherhood.

To sign up for the Mamaista daily newsletter, please click here.

DAYTRIPPING GUIDE — For kid friendly adventures in:
Boulder, Colorado, click here!
Los Angeles, click here!
Seattle, click here!

For tips on traveling with babies and kids, click here.

QUICK CONTEST: Speaking of Broadway — With a sparkling score of beloved standards and a whimsical story that dances between romance, satire and fairy tale, FINIAN’S RAINBOW is a musical theater treasure! Attention all readers who live in NY, plan to travel there or want to give someone you know who is a gift — win a family 4-pack giveaway to see FINIAN’S RAINBOW! The tickets will be in a the form of vouchers and the winner will be able to choose any date they choose based on the date range on the voucher (Blackout dates may apply)! To enter, leave a comment on this post by midnight tonight and I will email the winner in the morning! To find out more about FINIAN’S RAINBOW, click here! (Note: Contest has ended. To be alerted to contests, make sure to subscribe to receive Breezy Mama in your email in-box — it’s free! Click here!)

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