New York City is one of our favorite cities. From Broadway shows to walking tours, there are so many amazing things to do. These are just a few of our favorites to do as a family. With so many options, it is important to come up with a list and prioritize it as a family. We brainstormed the things that we wanted to do, but also had to be open if we didn’t have time to get to it.
No trip to New York City is complete without some shopping! For many stores and brands, New York City is one of their few storefront locations, which means unique items or exclusives and fun photo opportunities. There are often in-store activations and events too. If you are traveling with your family, our favorites include: FAO Schwarz, Nintendo, LEGO, and American Girl. Many of the stores are in the same area, so you can see quite a few in a couple hours or simply window shop.
FAO Schwarz // Minibar by BaubleBar
We started our morning at FAO Schwarz, where we made custom jewelry at Minibar by BaubleBar. No reservations are needed for this experience, which includes one of 7 available bracelet options and up to 9 letter and character add ons. You can design your piece with an interactive display and then one of the BaubleBar Designers helps to prepare your final creation. Minibar also has quite a few NYC BaubleBar items like a FAO Tote, Big Apple Bag Charm, FAO jewelry pouch and FAO x NYC Bead kit. These make the perfect gifts or trip keepsakes, because their quality lends itself to something that will be used beyond the trip. We paired our tote with charm and then we brought home the bead kit to make some bracelets for friends. The Bead Kit is adorable as it has NYC themed beads! The FAO Schwarz Minibar has lots of BaubleBar favorites too like headbands, bracelets and earrings. Even if you can’t make it to NYC, you can still get them online.
No stop to FAO is complete without dancing on the piano and a photo with the Toy Soldier, both are free and a fun thing to do.
LEGO
The LEGO store is fun to explore as it is the largest one in the US. Each of the window displays has fun builds and the store itself is multi-levels filled with LEGO! There are quite a few fun photo opportunities including a NYC Taxi you can sit in, NYC skyline, and more. We always enjoy checking out the LEGO store as there are inspiring builds.
NINTENDO
After LEGO, we headed to the Nintendo store as there are only two in the United States. We got to play some of the new Nintendo Switch 2 Games like Kirby Air Riders and Mario Kart World. We had to take a picture with Bowser and check out some of the fun displays with Nintendo memorabilia. This is a great option when the weather is colder or raining.
American Museum of Natural History
Museums are a great option to have on your NYC agenda especially if there is rain, snow or polar vortex in the forecast! Prior to our trip, we watched Night at the Museum, so we had to make the American Museum of Natural History Museum part of our trip. Make sure to get your tickets beforehand. We planned to be there at least half a day. There is so much to explore so don’t get discouraged if you can’t see it all in one day. We recommend looking at a map beforehand to get an idea of the exhibits you want to explore. We had Theodore Roosevelt, Fossil Halls, Hall of Ocean Life, Insectarium, and Gems & Minerals on our list. The kids also enjoyed connecting some of the scenes from the movie with exhibits in the museum too. Theodore Roosevelt was probably one of our favorites and it has been interesting to hear them share about the things they learned in that one day weeks later!
There are also ticketed exhibitions. We enjoyed the Davis Family Butterfly Vivarium, Impact: The End of the Age of Dinosaurs, and Invisible Worlds: Immersive Experience as part of our trip too.
Serendipity3
After our day at the Museum, we walked across Central Park to Serendipity 3’s Upper East Side location. Serendipity 3 holds a special place in our hearts as it was the place we went to celebrate after we got engaged. After a day full of walking, we enjoyed hamburgers and fries. We loved introducing our kids to Serendipity’s infamous Frozen Hot Chocolate and Drug Store Sundaes. The Humble Pie is one of our favorites too. The peanut butter is perfection. We recommend ordering a few of the desserts and sharing. It is definitely a place you want to leave room for dessert! Even if you don’t make it to the Upper East Side, they have also added a Times Square location. We highly recommend making reservations as it is a popular spot.
9/11 Memorial & Museum
We highly recommend making the 9/11 Memorial and Museum part of your NYC visit. The memorial is located at the site of the former World Trade Center complex and occupies approximately half of the 16-acre site. The Memorial’s twin reflecting pools are each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest man-made waterfalls in North America. We took time to be still. We reminded the kids to be somber as many people visit the Memorial to honor their loved ones.
The 9/11 Memorial Museum invites visitors to learn about the history of the 9/11 attacks and 1993 World Trade Center bombing at the site where the Twin Towers once stood. We took a guided tour of the Museum. Guests can also roam the museum at their own pace. From the fire truck and staircase to photos, we appreciated learning about the significance of the different exhibits and being able to ask the guide questions along the way. There is an area where you can watch a movie where family members share different memories of their loved ones.
When visiting both the Memorial and Museum, we reminded our family of the lives that were lost that day and that our moods should be somber and reflective. We took time afterwards to talk about the things we saw and how we felt too. It is important for us to remember the significance of 9/11. We recommend allocating at least two to three hours for the Memorial and Museum.
One World Observatory & Ferry to Statute of Liberty
One World Observatory is the perfect complement to 9/11 Memorial & Museum. The Observatory is 1250 feet above the city, providing panoramic skyline views. From the Statue of Liberty to Times Square and the Hudson, the views are spectacular. There is a cafe and restaurant at the top, where you can enjoy a snack and take in the view.
We finished out the day on the Ferry. There are free and paid ferries that go by the Statue of Liberty. There are also full tours. We opted for the ferry. We found one that went by the Statue of Liberty and took us back to Midtown! It was so beautiful seeing the Statue of Liberty as the sunset.
Bryant Park Winter Village
If you are in NYC for the holidays, then ice skating at Bryant Park Winter Village is a must! We highly recommend going at night as there is nothing more magical than the Empire State Building being lit up in green and red in the background and the Bryant Park tree twinkling. The Bryant Park Winter Village ice rink is a 17,000 square foot rink that features FREE-admission and high quality skate rentals. There are even free skating shows and events too throughout the season. After your skating session ends, make sure to check out the Winter Village complete with yummy food and other little shops to explore.
We were hosted by Minibar by BaubleBar, American Museum of Natural History, Serendipity 3, 9/11 Memorial & Museum and Bryant Park Winter Village. All of our thoughts and ideas are our own.
