We had the best time in New York with our nine year old daughter and wanted to share some of our favorite things! Usually it is just a couples trip and we walk, eat, shop and see shows, but we knew this trip would be different. It was fun to slow down and enjoy the city. Here were a few of our favorite things!
FOOD
-Tacos No. 1: the best tacos in NYC! We usually hit it up at least twice on the trip! Try their special, the fried quesadillas.
-Stardust Diner: dinner and a concert, she loved it and asked to go back! The food isn’t the best, but the entertainment was worth it and they do have really good fries.
-Maison’s Pickle: good food, better desserts! You have to get the pull apart bread and this time we got the Oreo ice box (it’s a dessert) and it was absolutely worth it.
-PIZZA: you can not go to NYC without trying their pizza! We don’t have a favorite place for this, but there is a pizza joint on every single corner.
-Magnolia Bakery: cakes, cupcakes and the famous Banana Pudding.
-Anita Gelato: the most darling shop and delicious gelato.
SHOPPING
-American Girl Store: a dream come true for mom and daughter! We scheduled a spa experience so Olive and her doll were able to get matching hair dos. They have so much inventory that we literally spent an hour just walking around and came back two other times. They even have a cafe in the basement so you can eat with your doll or if you don’t have one, you can choose one to eat with. This was her absolute favorite stop of the trip!
-LEGO store: central location and a classic stop for kids.
-FAO Schwartz: the largest toy store in NYC.
-The Disney Store: Right in Times Square, has so much inventory and items unique to New York.
-M&M Store: every M&M color available. Not only every color, but every type of M&M you could think of.
-Zara: We always find great clothing pieces in the kids section.
KID FRIENDLY BROADWAY SHOWS
-Wicked: a classic, great music and the costuming is unbelievable!
-Lion King: spin off of the movie with culture and amazing costumes. If you can, try to get your kid on an aisle seat. It will be worth it I promise you.
-Aladdin: fun and entertaining.
-& Juliet: like a pop concert and history lesson. It was a party. Parents will know every single song, kids will enjoy the upbeat music.
-Back to the Future: heard this was a great show for kids.
SITE SEEING
-Hop on/Hop off Bus: A great way to see the city and get a ferry ride by the Statue of Liberty.
-Top of the Rock: Felt like Disneyland, preview/history lesson and a great view. We chose this one because you can see the Empire State Building and Central Park.
-The New York Public Library: Amazing architecture and murals, free.
-Times Square: A classic tourist stop.
-Central Park: The zoo, Belvedere Castle, boat rides, Bethesda Terrace, Shakespeare’s gardens, the Alice Statue and so much more!
-The Plaza: The filming location for Home Alone 2. It actually has a little memorabilia case in the lobby. Also the children’s book “Eloise” is set at the Plaza and there is a painting and gift shop in the Plaza. You can also have a little tea party there.
-Carousels: there are 5 super famous carousels in the city.
-Art Museums: We knew attention spans would only last for one museum, so we chose the MOMA. It has a great collection of Modern art and several very recognizable pieces. The Met, The Guggenheim, The Natural History Museum are all other great options.
-Grand Central Station: The largest train station with great architecture and food in the basement.
-Experience public transportation: Taxi, Subway, Air Tram, or Ferry.
It doesn’t matter how well you plan, you can never fit it all in! I guess we’ll just have to go back!
