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| Brooklyn Bridge on foot |
Which season is best to visit?
Halloween is our kids' absolute favourite holiday and autumn is my favourite season, so end of October to early November was definitely the best time for our family to visit. With kids, you probably mostly travel during school holidays. However, if you plan to visit New York in the summer, keep in mind that it has really hot days and balmy evenings. It gets very humid and could be brutally hot and sticky. Christmas time is wonderful, especially if it snows, but it is also when NYC is most visited so be ready for really bad crowds in Times Square or 5th Avenue. Spring and autumn might be best to visit Central Park because of the colours, but we think that October and November are best time to visit the city. The weather is great (it was dry, sunny and on the 20 degrees Celsius for us), crowds have thinned out and hotel prices are lower compared to summer and Christmas time. The beautiful autumn colours are the cherry on top!
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| Central Park in autumn |
Where to stay and in which neighbourhood?
It is important to choose a base when planning itinerary for your family. Now if Manhattan is your choice and you want an elegant charm, pick the Upper West Side known for its beautiful brownstones. It also offers easy access to Central Park, but it could take longer to travel to some other attractions. On the other side of Central Park, Upper East Side offers more upscale shops and restaurants if you look for a more sophisticated neighbourhood. If you prefer walking everywhere, you might want to stay in Midtown Manhattan, where Times Square, Central Park, Broadway theaters and many major attractions are within walking distance. However, the streets are not as charming as other neighbourhoods and they could be hectic. We chose Midtown as our base during our trip, and we chose a hotel by Bryant Park which is a little less hectic. Greenwich Village offers a more relaxed atmosphere than Midtown. If you don't want to stay in Manhattan but would like to enjoy the view of Manhattan skyline, Brooklyn Heights is your choice. Here families could get a more local experience but getting to Manhattan requires a subway ride.
Which observation decks to choose?
If you're planning a trip to NYC, chance is you want to view the city from at least one of its tallest buildings. If your budget is not limitless, you may want to choose one or two of the observation decks: the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, One World Observatory, the Edge or Summit One Vanderbilt. For a classic NY experience, you might want to visit the Empire State Building. However, you won't be able to view it that way. For the best view of the Empire State Building, put Summit One Vanderbilt on your list. We chose Top of the Rock as it offers great views of Central Park and Midtown and normally it is also less crowded. There is also an opportunity to recreate the iconic 1932 workers' lunch time photo on the steel beam 69 stories above ground.
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| The view from Top of the Rock |
When to get tickets to attractions?
Early, definitely early. As soon as you have your first draft of itinerary, you should purchase tickets. Popular attractions like Empire State Building and the Edge sell out tickets quickly, so you need to get tickets in advance for a specific time slot as soon as you know when you'd like to visit them. Tickets to a Broadway show should also be purchased in advance. Some shows don't play everyday, so make sure you check their performance schedule, especially if you're staying in the City for a week or less. We went to see Aladdin which is played in the New Amsterdam Theatre.
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| 9/11 Memorial |
How to get to Liberty Island?
There are several ways to see the Statue of Liberty, the most well-known probably being the free ferry boat to Staten Island. It's a very popular choice for tourists who want to see the statue with a free ride, but keep in mind that you can't actually get to the Liberty Island by this ferry. If you want to visit and climb the Statue of Liberty, the only vendor authorised to provide transportation to Liberty Island is the Statue City Cruises. You need to buy a ticket with a specific time slot, and your ticket includes the ferry rides to both Liberty and Ellis Islands and entrance access to both Statue of Liberty Museum and the Museum of Immigration. You can also add access for the Statue's Pedestal (which I really recommend) and the Crown (bear in mind, there is no lift).
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| The view from the Statue's Pedestal |
Here is our very own 6-day itinerary to inspire you:
Day 1
- Arrival to NYC, we took a good rest after long-haul flight
- Exploring and dinner at Times Square in the evening
Day 2
- Morning coffee at Bryant Park
- Top of the Rock and Rockefeller centre (ice skate rink was already there in October)
- St. Patrick's cathedral
- Long walk on 5th Avenue
- Lunch and spending the whole afternoon in Central Park, American Museum of Natural History
- Broadway show in the evening, Aladdin at the New Amsterdam Theatre
Day 3
- 9/11 Memorial and museum
- Financial district
- Battery Park
- Liberty Island, Statue of Liberty and Museum
- Ellis Island, National Museum of Immigration
- Brooklyn Bridge for sunset
- Dumbo and dinner in Brooklyn
Day 4
- Brunch in Chelsea (the kids also wanted Crumbl cookie)
- Empire State Building
- The kids wanted to make bears at the Build a Bear nearby
- Grand Central
- Guided tour of UN Headquarters
- Trick or Treat at Midtown East
- Roosevelt Island by Cable Car
Day 5
- Coney Island for the whole day
- NY Aquarium
- Nathan's Famous on Boardwalk
Day 6
- The High Line on the West side
- SoHo, NY cheesecake at Eileen's and cronuts at Dominique Ansel
- Departure back to Europe
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| Coney Island |