Help! NYC ideas for a group of teens!!
 

Hello...

I need suggestions of things I can do with a group of teens in Manhattan after dinner on a Saturday night that will not bankrupt me :) There will be about 14 kids and the ages range from 15-17.

Thank you.

What time of year?

How late is dinner - and how late the activity?

What do you mean by not bankrupt? Free? $10 each? $25 each?

End of March and dinner can be worked around our chosen activity.

Price point would be around $30 per person (give or take).

Thank you again.

What other activities will you be doing during your visit?
(Don't want to suggest the ideas you are already using)

After the activity, do you have special requirements?
(Like returning to a particular hotel or getting to transportation to return home)

Ice skating in Rockefeller Plaza?

Top of the Rock? (I think it is open that late, and if you are planning to do this during your visit, maybe this would be a good time to work it in?)

Shopping at H&M or Top Shop or somewhere not terribly expensive?

Shakes at Shake Shack?

Ride the Staten Island Ferry to view the Statue of Liberty? (Check the schedule to see when it runs/how late.) This is 30-minutes each way, and you get a nice close up view of the SoL. It's a free ride. Snacks for purchase on board.

Not sure how much time you are wanting to burn, or what the interests of the teens are. But maybe this will get you started with some ideas and you can let us know what sounds good (or not) and why, so we can help you with some other selections.

Thank you for your replies.

Skating sounds really good, really good :)

I also am looking for a bakery/cafe where we can go for cake (this is a birthday celebration) where we can eat there. Magnolia has a location at Rock Center but no seating.

Any suggestions for that will be very much appreciated.

(P.S. It doesn't need to be near RC but we don't want to go to far out of our way)

Thank you again!

The Staten Island ferry run 24/7/365. About every 15 minutes in rush hour, 20 minutes other times and 30 minutes in the middle of the night. The RT takes about 1.5 hours - and you can decent views of the SoL and great views of the Manhattan skyline on the way back.

Skating works if you have a fairly early dinner,

You also might want to check out student tickets for off B;way shows - they might fit your budget. Have a look at the web site of Time Out NY for options.

You'll get better answers if you describe where this group is going to be before and after dinner and this event.

Magnolia also has a location at Grand Central where there is plenty of seating. Veneiros on E 11th also has seating but is far from the tour priest areas.

The rink at Rockefeller Center is really small. Wollman Rink in Central Park is much bigger, more attractive and better for a larger group. There are loads of places on the upper west side for cake but many are small or not open that late. Telepan has very good desserts. Isabella is a good idea. A alternative to skating is going to cafewha.com and see if they can do a cake there. Where are you having dinner? Why wouldnt you bring in a cake there?

Veniero's even during a week night week is a tough place to get tables for 14.

I would go to Chinatown for dinner and then to Chinese Ice Cream Factory. The neighborhood is always jumping and interesting and the cost just went down substantially.

Try Joe's Shanghai and if there isn't a wedding at Jing Fong, it holds up to 800 people.

If the weather is nice head for the East or West Village. There are many old Italian pastry shops on Bleecker.

DeRobertis while not as good as Veniero's which across the street can usually accomodate 14 kids and the ambience is old NY.

And if the weather is not nice see if you can get tickets for an off or off-off Broadway play. The kids will very close to the stage and will give them a much different theatre experience than a Broadway show. Check out Time Out New York either in the magazine or on-line for what is playing. The cost is also a fraction of Broadway.