Hi. We´re planning to stay at NYC one week after christmas. We promissed our children - aged 13 and 8 - to come with us.
My wife and I have been to NYC only three times and we always found it incredibly new and revigorating. We hope our kids feel the same.
What would you do with your kids during one week in NYC?
We usually walk (a lot) around and use the subway.
Oh, could you suggest any accomodation? I was recommended the Windham (care to comment?)
Thanks!

For a week with kids, I would get a suite hotel so you can have some privacy and a kitchenette.

Try the Affinia Hotels, The NYC Salisbury, Embassy Suites (I prefer the downtown location), The Doubletree and I know there are several more I'm missing.

I think the Greyline Doubledecker Tour bus is fantastic fun.

1. Iceskating at Wollman Park in Central Park, FAO Schwartz and a neat NYC Apple store (like all others, but underground) and lunch or snacks/hot cocoa at Serendipity 3 -- same day

At night see a play Lion King or Little Mermaid

2. Walk through China Town, Little Italy, Soho and Greenwich Village at (same day) I'd start at Canal Street dip south into China Town and have lunch there either at Joe's Shanghai (9 Pell) or Big Wong's (hole in the wall but good authentic Chinese food) on Mott... and Icecream even though it may be cold at ChinaTown Ice Cream Factory (south of Canal street in between Mott and Mulberry at 65 Bayard)... the am in China town is fun because you see the local people buying their daily goods (fruits, vegetables, fish) from the stands... then head north through Little Italy (basically two streets Mulberry and Grand --- be sure to stop in Di Palo 200 Grand -- and order at least a handmade, fresh daily, salted mozzerella and watch the people shop...then head north up mulberry and then west on Spring street to start your way through Soho... great shopping or window shopping, kids like KidRobot on Spring Street -- Dad like's the Apple store on Prince Street -- mom likes stores on West Broadway south of prince... Have dinner at an authentic Italian restaurant on Houston called Arturo's complete with a piano man each night... order a coal oven pizza for an appetizer and entrees... you will not be disappointed or hungry! On weekends the Young Designers Market in the Old St. Patrick's Church (this is the one in Nolita/Soho on Mulberry Street between Prince and Houston --- is a brilliant place to shop... while you are there, if the church doors are open, you can walk in and have a seat... and take in the beautiful, old, stain glassed windows...

You could tour Greenwich Village that night after dinner or another day.... weave your way through the West Village Streets and def. go down Bleeker street (all the way down) for amazing bakeries, cheese shops and grab a slice of cake at Amy's or a dessert and coffee/hotchocolate with homemmade whipped cream at Rocco's or Rocky's (can't recall across the street from Amy's on Bleeker...

3. 5th Avenue is the obvious Christmas shopping, window shopping to include cathedrals... stop in churches etc.

4. American Museum of Natural History (1 day) and worth it as is a stop inside the Library at Bryant Park

5. Goto the top of the rock at Rockefeller Center to get a perspective of the city (spendy at $20 pp) Here the big tree and light show will be too... I can just see the gold angles lining the walk way leading to the big tree, flags of nations, and

6. Get reservations for dinners -- Christmas is super busy and will be more so this year with the dollar to Euro or visa versa

7. A walk down Wall Street never hurts anyone to include a stop and picture with the brass bull at Bowling Green Park... while you are there, you will see a church with an old graveyard... I encourage you to walk through it and read the gravestones of those from the Civil War and earlier.... what will our gravestones say?

8. Once you are in Wall Street territory you are a hop skip and a jump form the Statue of Liberty... the waterfont is sure to be cold, but is awesome to see Lady Liberty... I've noticed kids, once they see her, just run to her... (the waterfront that is the closest to see her) --- some folks take the Staten Island Ferry (it is free) for the ride and to pass her too, and then turn around and come right back on the same ferry to Manhattan... Great Hudson River view -- see Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge...

9. Grand Central Station (a must see) -- even if you get off your subway stop and check out grand station it is dreamy at Christmas time... have a drink at one of the two restaurants that overlook all the people and simply watch... gift fair in Grand Station Station ) around the holiday's too is fun

10. Get up early (6:30am and head to the Today Show) and be on tv... Set your Tivo so you can see yourself when you get home... and place on youtube and share with us!
Make signs the night before with your kids to get them excited...

11. I'd get some kind of tickets to a taping of a show... always fun to be in the audience ... Dave Letterman is basically a safe bet but not sure what kids 13 and 8 would think although being on tv is just fun...

12. Sony Wonder Technology Lab --- Heard this is cool

13. Times Square -- simply for the lights and vibe...

14. A new hotel just opened up by my office -- Four Points Sheraton Soho on Charlton --- it is a few blocks from soho actually and is near the 1 train... but it is new so might be worth a look... not really centrally located either...

Being near the 6 train, or Grand Central Station might make more sense but thought I'd let you know in case you like new...

Don't miss the Christmas windows. By far the most special are at Lord & Taylor (34th St. and 5th Avenue), but others at Macy's, Saks, etc. are good.

If they like to ice skate, other alternatives to Wollman Rink are Bryant Park and of course Rockefeller Center (quite a NY experience.) If your budget permits, see two plays - they may also like Hairspray and Young Frankenstein or try an off B'way venue. If you go to Serendipity 3 (you should), stop in Dylan's candy store on 3rd Ave down the block. And if the weather is mild (sometimes it is), the Central Park zoo is nice as well as a carriage ride through the park.

What about the Radio City Christmas Spectacular? It runs till the end of December. I think it's a must for anyone in NY at Christmastime, but especially for anyone with kids!

Oh, and what about the NYC Ballet's Nutcracker - expensive, but beautiful. Tickets should be on sale soon if not already.

The Christmas tree at the Met Museum is the most elegant in the City.

And the Xmas tree in Natural History is covered with origami. There's usually a good Imax film in the museum too!

I'd go to Ellis Island and/or the Lower East Side Tenement museum.

Near Wall Street, stop in at Federal Hall (first capitol of the US)

The Metropolitan Museum has lots to interest kids. In addition to the tree at Christmas there are the Egyptian wing, knights and armor, and much, much more. there are lots of family-oriented programs

In a week absolutely do"

Top of the Rock
Museum of Nat'l Hist (check for interactive programs)
The Met (Christmas tree, arms & armor, Egyptian section and Temple of Dendur)
Christmas store windows
Skating (Rock Center if yuo can - otherwise Central Park)

Agree to do the Nutcracker if you can get tickets - a gret way to introduce kids to real dance

Also do at least 1 or 2 broadway shows

Pick one of the better days weatherwise to see Central Park and do a boat ride - even if only the Staten Island Ferry

There are innumerable special events that haven't been announced yet - many musical - choirs doing carols etc. So a couple of week sin advance have a look at the web site of Ne York Mangazine for special events. Also - have alook at the web site of the local news channel - ny1.com - which lists special kid freindly events every week (often puppet shoes, or special museum activities or dance troups or ???).

Also if you get a good day head up to Harlem to the Malcom Shabazz Kwanza market - incredibly interesting stuff (check web site for hours/days).

A great restaurant for kids is Mars 2112 on Broadway around 51. It's across from Mamma Mia. Also Ellen's Stardust Diner is next to Mamma Mia. Burgers and sandwiches that are about $13-$16, pay 4 atmosphere. It's a lot of fun 4 families. Mars 2112 go on a spaceship ride to land on Mars and walk deeper underground to see aliens and eat. Everyone family I have taken loved it. There is a Sony Tech Museum that free and hands off of 5th Ave, near Trumps. Entrance is a block over on Madison I think.

A friend of mind did this trip last winter. Her younger one was 7, and had read one of the books about Balto, the dog immortalized in Central Park. Despite the weather, the absolute highlight of the trip for her younger one was findng the statue. Here are a couple of the books about Balto:

http://tinyurl.com/6h2fuw

My son and I also enjoyed reading the Magic Tree House "The Blizzard of the Blue Moon," which takes the kids all over New York in a snowstorm.

Some palces to take kids to eat:

Lombardi's-pizza, if not too busy they will show the ovens to the kids and is arguably the best pizza in town

Chinatown-the hustle and bustle and the markets enthrall kids. There is many restaurants and always something on every menu for kids and be sure to stop at the Chiantown Ice Cream Factory even in winter.

Xunta-Spanish tapas with an extraordinary long menu, some nights free flamenco. For fussy eaters-tortilla espanol (plain omelet), patacas bravas (fried potatoes with a suace on the side), and chicken, pork and beef dishes.

Other ice cream stores with home made ice cream-Grom (gelati) Il Laboratorio de Delato, Cones (on Bleecker)Sundaes (East 10th off Third)

Katz's-There is counter service and waitrer service. If the kids go the counter and order a meat sandwich and slip the cutter a buck they get a thikcer sandwich. The pastrami and corned beef is excellent and they haven;t remodeled in at least 70 years.

Veniero's-an expensive Italian pastry place that every kid will love.

Hambuger's-Corner Bistro (very busy on weekends) The place in the Meridien Hotel and Forty Acres on Ave B.

You've received some terrific recommendations. Just be mindful of the crowds. We were last in New York in mid-July of last year and there were areas (Chinatown, around the library, 5th Avenue) that were crazy crowded, and it wasn't even a holiday week! While crowds can be invigorating, they can be intimidating if you're way shorter than everyone else.

We had lunch and ice cream in Chinatown and had planned to walk around for a while but the shops and streets were so crowded that it was stressful to try to keep everyone together, so we left.

Try to go to the more crowded areas as soon as you can get there in the morning.

Mars 2112 go on a spaceship ride to land on Mars and walk deeper underground to see aliens and eat. Everyone family I have taken loved it.

This is just my opinion, which obviously differs from Trish's. I really dislike theme restaurants. I'd rather eat in any NY coffee shop than a theme restaurant.

Katz's-There is counter service and waitrer service. If the kids go the counter and order a meat sandwich and slip the cutter a buck they get a thikcer sandwich. The pastrami and corned beef is excellent and they haven;t remodeled in at least 70 years.

Don't get waiter service - half the fun is getting the food at the counter! Take your "ticket" at the door (everyone who walks in gets a blank ticket). Pick a line (each "cutter" has his own line). Put $1.00 in the tip bowl (and make sure he sees you doing so). Order your sandwich (if you get pastrami, order extra-lean). You can also get soup from your cutter. French Fries (excellent) and soda are a different line). The cutter/server will mark what you got on your ticket - when you leave, everyone turns in their tickets, even if they're blank, and you get charged accordingly. Also, sit in the front room - the back room is a lot quieter and less fun!

A few more thoughts

Cheap NYC Eats

Gray's Papaya
Cheap bur decent franks with fruit drinks

Yonah Schimmel
Knishes (kids usually love them)

Max Brenner, Chocolates
Good for kids, OK for adults

Donut Plant
Great, great donuts

Australia
Ice Cream and wonderful hot chocolate

Fat Witch Brownies
That is all they make
Chelsea Market

Stores
Forbidden Planet
All sorts of games and graphic novels

If they like books across the street from FP
Strand Bookstore

Sporting Goods
Paragon
High quaslity

Cosby's
Entrance to Madison Square Garden
High Quality hockey, especially NY Ranger gear and basketabll, especially NY Knick gear

Evolution
Spring Street
Here is the website since it is difficult to explain succiently. Kids truly love this place
http://www.evolutionnyc.com/

Thank you all for your helpful recommendations. I still have time to plan our holidays - although I should think about reservations now.
Speaking of which, we usually go for suites when we travel together. Any suggestions?
Please feel free to comment. You are welcome!!!
pedro

Lower East Side Tenement Museum - make a reservation for a 1 hour tour. They take you into a tenement building and an actress pretends you are a new arrival to the US and gives you tips on how to survive in your new country.

There are a few tours there but I think that one of them is especially geared towards kids.