ComeSailWithME

I am crazy, I know. We had been planning our first kidless trip to NYC for months.. and then our babysitting situation fell through, so instead of cancel we decided to just bring him with us. I realize this changes things, but he travels well (this will not be his first trip - first was a cruise to 4 islands and second was a trip to beaches of FL and Disney) and I know we will have a great time. Cue freakout mode as now I have 2 weeks to totally revamp our itinerary!

We are staying with a friend in Long Island and will be training to/from Manhattan daily. We arrive at 9 am on Wednesday and leave at 8:30 am on Sunday, so we have Wed-Saturday to explore. I understand that the travel time to-from LI will be 2 hours round trip. Our original plans on Wednesday included a walking/food tour of the village with a picnic in Washington Square Park and a stop at Union Square Greenmarket. We will most likely keep this and just not count on spending hours roaming like we had originally planned.


I need some insight from people who have tackled the city with a toddler in tow and people who live there who can recommend some tips.


Here is a list of places we would LIKE to visit Thursday-Saturday, help me get this down to a realistic list please. Bonus points for family friendly restaurant recommendations near any of these attractions:

• Central Park
• SOL – going there vs staten island ferry to get a view (is Liberty Island come and go as you please?)
• Fort Green Flea – smorgasburg
• Walk over Brooklyn Bridge – Brooklyn Bridge Park and Jane’s Carousel
• South Street Seaport
• 9/11 memorial
• Top of the Rock
• Times Square
• 5th ave: Toys R us ferris wheel, FAO Schwarz Piano, St Patrick’s Cathedral
• High Line
• Chelsea Market

Rainy day activities: children’s museum of Manhattan, American museum of natural history.

williamscb13

I just spent the afternoon with my 16 month old in NYC at the Museum of Natural History. I would skip it. I think it appeals to older kids. I'd go to the Central Park Zoo.

What are you going to do about nap time?

I assume you have a good umbrella stroller you are taking with you?

Study the bus schedule. much easier to get around with a stroller by bus than taxi or subway.

I would chose one thing in the morning and one thing in the afternoon and don't discount going to playgrounds in NYC. There's great ones everywhere including Washington Square Park and Union Square (doublecheck this) and even Madison Square Park.

doug_stallings

I would cancel a visit to the Statue of Liberty (requires hours or waiting that can make a 2 year-old very cranky ... and if you haven't booked tickets by now, it's even longer to wait). Instead of the Staten Island Ferry, you could do a harbor cruise that gets you closer to the statue, but that would be at least 2 hours. The advantage of the ferry is that there's a Dairy Queen on the Staten Island side while you wait for the ferry back.

I would also cancel 9/11 Memorial. Again, too much airport-like security and problems with small kids, plus nothing to interest them there.

There's really not much at the South Street Seaport presently, and certainly nothing to interest a child, so I'd give that a miss as well.

You will want or need a collapsible, very light-weight umbrella stroller, but everything else is quite doable for you with a toddler.

I think the biggest impact on your trip is going to be the amount you can do, which will just need to drop dramatically. Twelve-hour sightseeing days just aren't in the cards when you have a little one with you. It may be chilly in early October but will not be cold, but I'd still spend a lot more time in Central Park and perhaps consider at least one day-trip in Long Island rather than one more day in the city.

ComeSailWithME

Thanks for the tips. We have a fabulous Jeep umbrella stroller than collapses with one hand, he naps really well on the go and will sleep in his stroller (it reclines) for at least 90 minutes a day. He is lulled to sleep by motion and loud noises, so he may also pass out on the LIRR, Subway or just being pushed in the stroller. I also have a backpack style carrier for the subway or for when he grows tired of the stroller.

I do not plan on having 12 hour days, I want to try and do the MUST-SEE things during the first half of the day so that if we do not get to the second half because it is too much, we are fine with it.

Skipping the 9/11 memorial would make me really sad.. we have special access to it since we know someone who is working on the new towers. What problems with small kids are you referring to? maybe we can plan for this during a time where he will be napping in his stroller.

doug_stallings

If the 9/11 Memorial is a must-see for you, then just go. But it has airport-like security and lines, and then once inside it can be crowded and offering nothing of interest to a child. But as you say, a toddler might just sleep there. The plaza itself can be cold and windy.

ComeSailWithME

That is good to know, thank you.

HappyTrvlr

When you visit The Highline, walk over to the Hudson River Park at 22nd Street to the carousel. The animals are all North American and you're in a waterfront park. This is just north of the Chelsea Piers.
There is also a carousel in Central Park which you could combine with a visit to the small zoo there.
Take a ride on the Staten Is ferry too.

ComeSailWithME

I had not heard that one yet about waterfront park but it sounds great. My son loves a carousel.

Central Park we wrote down - Victoria Gardens (carousel), Belvedere Castle, Conservatory Water, Loeb Boathouse and the Zoo to try and check out.

ellenem

Victoria Gardens is closed--it is just open in the summer. The carousel is not part of Victoria Gardens, so it is still open--not far from the zoo.

ComeSailWithME

Oh ok, I thought it was all a part of it, but good to know! We are planning to enter the park at Central Park West & 86th Street and end at the carousel.

ComeSailWithME

Been going crazy with planning every last detail. I know we may not get to all of this, but I like to have a plan in place anyway.. planning is part of the fun of vacation for me! So any feedback on this itinerary is greatly appreciated. (Still need a dinner rec for after ToTR)

- Wednesday -

9 am arrival

DIY Food tour of Greenwich Village – picnic in Washington Square Park

Take the downtown 1 (which has a separate platform at Penn Station, on the 7th Avenue side to Christopher St-Sherdian Square), Stops: Il Cantuccio (biscotti), Big Gay Ice Cream, Milk & Cookies Bakery, Murray’s Cheese Bar, Faicco Pork Store, Pasticceria Rocco (cheesecake), Joe’s Pizza, Bious Caio (macarons) Washington Square Park - http://mapq.st/1e2Qa91

Exploring/Shopping in the Village and Union Square Farmer’s Market

Directions: From the WA Square Park arch, go up 5th Avenue 4-5 blocks, passing the two pretty churches and other nice architecture. Then go east on 12th or 13th Street to University Place. Up University 1-2 blocks to 14th Street and you're at Union Square. Wander through the greenmarket and exit at the NW corner, at 17th Street & Broadway. Up Broadway another 6 blocks (to 23rd Street) and you're at Madison Square Park and the Flatiron Building. From there Take the N train to 34th Street stop and walk to Penn Station

- Thursday -

Central Park
Penn Station – head northeast on 7th ave toward w 33rd street, turn left on 34th street and take C train toward 168 st – exit 86th street, enter park at central park west and 86th street and head east/southeast to belvedere castle. Go west/southwest and exit 77thstreet, walk up to Christopher St for lunch at Shake Shack. Re-enter park and head south to strawberry field, then east to conservatory water and then southwest to central park zoo and carsouel

Exit at 59th Street – The Plaza(late lunch at plaza food hall) & FAO Schwarz

From FAO Schawarz, head northeast on 5th avenue toward central park south, take Q subway towards coney island, exit 49th street and head SW to 7th ave and 47th street – enter Times Square

Times Square – Disney Store, Toys R us ferris wheel & Junior’s for cheesecake to go.

Dinner – Toloache

- Friday -

High Line/Chelsea Market

9/11 Memorial

Century 21 shopping

Top of the Rock (sunset)

Dinner (need a recommendation somewhere between totr and grand central terminal)

Grand Central Terminal

- Saturday -
Brooklyn Bridge Park & Jane’s Carousel

East River Ferry to Williamsburg – Smorgaburg

Woolworth Building Tour

Walk through Wall Street/FiDi to Battery park

4 pm – liberty cruise circle line tour

Lower East Side – Economy Candy, Katz’s and Russ & Daughters

williamscb13

I would go to Century 21 first thing in the morning. Past 10:30 or 11 it becomes a zoo.
Do you have tickets or arrangements with your friend for the 9/11 memorial? And then I would go do the Chelsea Market and Highline for lunch.

or you could stay in the area and walk through Wall Street to Battery Park, because you know there only about 2 blocks away.

On Saturday, why are you taking the East River Ferry to Williamsburg if you are already going to the Brooklyn Bridge Park? Your train may also stop somewhere in Brooklyn and you might want to look at getting off there instead of taking it all the way into Manhattan.

Woolworth Building tour? Is this a new thing? Do you have tickets? I though the Woolworth Building was closed to tourists.

ComeSailWithME

Good to know about Century 21. Although we will have a stroller, I didn't want to have bags with all us all long.

We do not have a time set up for the 9.11 memorial yet.

Because Smorgasburg is going on in Williamburg on Saturday. SO we are taking the LIRR to go to Brooklyn park Bridge Park and then the ferry (fastest way) to Williamsburg to hit up Smorgasburg for lunch.

I guess? They have a 15, 30 and 60 minute tour of the lobby where they give you a history and allow you to take pictures.

I know Wall St and Battery Park are near each other. We want to do some kind of ferry/cruise on the river so we can get a better view of SOL since we don't have time to go the full tour there.

nytraveler

"Penn Station – head northeast on 7th ave toward w 33rd street, turn left on 34th street and take C train toward 168 st – exit 86th street, enter park at central park west and 86th street and head east/southeast to belvedere castle. Go west/southwest and exit 77thstreet, walk up to Christopher St for lunch at Shake Shack. Re-enter park and head south to strawberry field, then east to conservatory water and then southwest to central park zoo and carsouel"

There is something wrong here. christopher street is way downtown and Shake Shack is on Columbus Ave (and mobbed with lines at all hours)maybe at 78th or 77th.

You will need a map of central park to get around. It's not a flat open space - parts are very rocky and heavily wooded - and you must use the paths. suggest you go to the web site of the central park conservancy and download a map of the various walks and trails - otherwise it's easy to get lost.

ComeSailWithME

Opps, I must have gotten the name mixed up with our Village food crawl. Thanks for noticing that! Yes, Shake Shack is at Columbus & 77th.

I am open to another lunch idea in place of Shake Shack. I want something not more than 2ish blocks from the park somewhere along our route.

Thanks for that tip, I will look into a map I can use from my phone.

ComeSailWithME

For that lunch rec - it would be sometime between 11-1, casual, no budget, no pizza recs and must be family friendly (read: stroller parking and kids menu or kid friendly appetizer menu)

ellenem

"Up Broadway another 6 blocks (to 23rd Street) and you're at Madison Square Park and the Flatiron Building. From there Take the N train to 34th Street stop and walk to Penn Station"

Most NYers would not bother with the subway, just to go this short distance, but it's your choice. The problem is that the 34th Street stop is still a very long block away from Penn Station. From the Flatiron Building I'd probably take a taxi so I could get all the way to Penn Station. Not sure if your group will fit in one taxi.

"Penn Station – head northeast on 7th ave toward w 33rd street, turn left on 34th street and take C train toward 168 st"
This is a bit silly because you can catch the C train from WITHIN Penn Station--no need to go outside.

nytraveler

If you go at 11 you can probably walk right in - no one eats lunch that early unless with tiny tots.

maxima

Children under ten years of age are not permitted on the Woolworth building tours.

Your activities are nearly all out of doors. You should consider some alternatives in case of rain.

ComeSailWithME

Thanks for the subway tips! I will make a note of what you have said. I used mapquest and that is what it told me. We will be with my friend who knows all of this anyways.

I didn't realize that about the Woolworth tour, I had just crossed it off the list anyway cuz I didn't think it would be appropriate.

I did list the AMNH and Manhattan Children's Museum as rainy day activities in my OP. Since then I had added: Little Athlete’s Exploration Center at Chelsea Piers, City Tree House – in the Village and Brooklyn Children’s Museum .