New York City

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With family in Manhattan, we've been lucky to visit numerous times around Thanksgiving.  The weather has varied each year, but as Holiday decorations begin to go up, late fall is my favorite time of the year to visit.   I'd also recommend Manhattan for a spring break trip.  The weather can be tricky, but Central Park is at its best as everything begins to bloom.

Stay


At The Plaza Hotel (which your kids may know from the Eloise at the Plaza books), with its central location (and fancy food court in the basement) near some of our favorite attractions, including:

Close By

  • Rockefeller Center and its ice skating rink (or for a larger rink visit the nearby rink at the foot of Central Park);

  • The Lego Store (and it's display of Rockefeller Center) or the flagship American Girl Store (and its cafe, where even your dolls can dine!);

  • Broadway, where you can catch a show (a matinee on a weekday if you're budget-conscious).  Our kids have loved The Lion King, Wicked and The Rockettes during the Holidays;

  • Visit the Central Park Zoo, a small zoo, that can easily reached by foot;

  • A stroll through Central Park never disappoints, especially as kids like to run and climb on its many rocks;

  • Continue walking through the Park or on Madisson Avenue uptown to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the mummies and armor displays are our favorites.  If you've built up an appetite, the cafe in the basement is a great place to grab a bite.  And if your kids are inspired by their visit, encourage them to read From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.  Hint: If you can, visit during extended hours (on a Friday or Saturday evening), you won't be fighting crowd and you'll see the Museum in a different light as the sun begins to set.


    Feeling More Ambitious?

  • The American Museum of Natural History is a MUST and isn’t just for dinosaur lovers.  Purchase tickets online in advance and you're likely spend an entire day here! To recharge, visit the basement cafe.

  • On a sunny day, take the subway to the Brooklyn Bridge and walk across, taking in views of the Statue of Liberty on the water nearby;

  • Also on warm days, experience the West Side by strolling through the The High Line, beginning or ending at Chelsea Market, an urban food court;

  • Visit Hell's Kitchen's U.S.S. Intrepid, a decommissioned aircraft carrier, which houses a museum and the Space Shuttle Pavilion, providing an interesting walk through history.