Having lived in New York City for close to a decade, and having had numerous visitors, my wife and I had reached a stage where our tour guide credentials had become well entrenched and trusted. Friends and family were guaranteed a unique and fun adventure whenever they came to visit. From kayak tours on the Hudson River, to that awesome restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn – we had found smart ways to consistently achieve the “WOW-factor” for guests looking to get beyond typical sight-seeing (Statue of Liberty, Times Square, etc).
- A cultural hub, Time Square boasts of theaters, chic hotels, music centers. But is Time Square a good place for sightseeing with child in tow? What do you think?
But recently, my NYC savvy was put to the test in a very different way – in the shape of our four year old nephew, a four year old with a sense of adventure. The trendiest bars and restaurants in meat-packing weren’t going to cut it. And this kid has seriously low attention span. But, I can tell you, over a long weekend, we had an excellent time, and seeing New York through the eyes of a young child was very refreshing. The trip was, by all accounts, a resounding success. And for those of you about to plan a trip to NYC with a child in the four year old range, here are some helpful tips:
The Subway: Let’s just say that this way the best $2.25 you could ever spend on a four year old boy in NYC. He loved it, and could not get enough of it. This included the anticipation of the arriving car, the swiping of the Metro Card, the voice of the conductor, and of course the subway train itself. He was in pure heaven every time we went for a ride, and often times, the ride turned out to be more fun than the destination. The JMZ train crosses the Williamsburg Bridge and provides not only the requisite subway ride, but also stunning views of Manhattan as you cross the East River. A build on the subway experience, is taking a ride on a city bus. And, whenever you’re on the streets, be on the lookout for police cars, fire trucks, and garbage trucks. A thrill a minute – guaranteed!
Transport Museum: Since the Subway was such a hit, we figured he may get a kick out of the NYC Transport Museum – and we were so right. Not only did we get to walk though and learn about over 100 years of subway cars in NYC – but there’s no end of activities in the museum for kids to enjoy. It’s located in downtown Brooklyn and is in fact an actual subway station that has been transformed into a museum. The place was really built with kids in mind – they even have a buses section where aspiring bus drivers (of the pint size variety) can sit in the driver’s seat and steer the wheel. Way cool -and another big thumbs up. Best way to get there? You guessed it. By subway, of course.
Dylan’s Candy Bar: Most kids (and adults) have Willy Wonka type fantasies when it comes to candy factories. Dylans’ knows this and built a four story complex in the Upper East Side with the idea of bringing these fantasies alive. Everywhere you look in this magical land there are bright and beautiful candy treats to sweeten the senses. Our young hero thought he had made it to heaven when we entered this candy kingdom and I think he could have stayed here all day if we let him. What’s nice about it is that it’s out of the Times Square madhouse – which can get old at the best of times, but especially when you have a youngster in tow.
Restaurant Guide: No offense to young kids out there, but the gourmet delights that are defined by New York’s finest restaurants are largely wasted on this demographic. When you’re four, you couldn’t care less about the latest octopus sashimi at Mori Moto’s. But evem when you’re out in the city, you’ve still got to eat. Patsy’s Pizzeria comes to the rescue. This legendary chain of NYC pizzerias serves as the perfect balance between providing everyone with a well earned break and delicious food – with the great plus being that even young kids love pizza, especially delicious pizza of the Patsy’s variety.
Central Park: At the southern tip of the park there are the usual horse and carriage options. But if you go a little west you’ll find the pedicabs (think bicyle with a cab in the back), who’ll give you and your youngster the kind of tour that’s really in demand: a tour of the playgrounds. The fact is that Central Park abounds with playgrounds built for kids – from slides, to swings, to wooden castles – they’ve got all the bases covered, and tour of these via pedicab is the way to catch the best of them.
I must say that we had an excellent time with our visiting nephew. It opened our eyes to a different perspective of New York and made us once again appreciate some of those things about New York that make it New York. Like pizza and the subway…
Planning a trip to New York? Looking for good hotels, restaurants, and shops? Go to VIAkeo.com, free travel guide and trip planner.
Looking for things to do in New York? Go to City-Discovery.com.
thanks so much for thsi I will pass this on to my colleague who is travelling there next January.