NYC Highlights with a 13 year old girl
 

I'm taking my daughter to NYC for her 13th birthday - a long awaited trip for her. What do people recommend as "must sees"? We are interested in everything, from art and music to shopping and walking. Any recs on where to stay?

When are you coming and what's your hotel budget? Do you want small hotel/big, modern/classic etc.?

If put put teens AND nyc in the text search it will give you a good start. I'd guess theater tickets would be a good idea. Hairspray is a teen favorite. Depending on when you're coming, Christina Applegate in Sweet Charity might also be a hit.

A grownup afternoon tea in some place posh can be fun (the St. Regis hotel is a good one). How about a manicure/pedicure? Bloomies nails has salons in various neighborhoods. They're good, quick, clean and cheap. I use the 1 on west 55th st b/w 5th & 6th midtown and have also been to one in the village. Speaking of village, that's a must see/do for a teen.

You didn't mention when you are planning on your trip, so I'm going to think it might be during the holidays so will give you some fun ideas.

1. Skating at Rock Center, Wollman Rink or the NEW rink at Bryant Park. You can rent skates at each rink.

2. Central Park Zoo and Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo is all dressed up for the holiday at night and you can take the subway.

3. Museum of Natural History. Well worth a day visit, lots to see and the IMAX Theatre is great for kids.

4. H&M, Macy's, Daffy's, Manhattan Mall, Time Warner Center, 5th Ave for lots of shopping.

5. Staten Island Ferry ride, just at dusk, great views of the city on the way back.

6. Broadway show, something she will remember always.

Have a great time and enjoy the city.

Wicked is definitely THE Broadway show for teen girls right now. If you're not coming for a while, I would definitely try to get tickets for that.

When I was younger (okay, and still now, I admit!) I really loved the life-size blue whale at the Museum of Natural History. It's suspended from the ceiling, and is really incredible!

There are lots of interesting walking tours of the city, which could be a great way to learn some unique history. Try bigonion.com for examples.

Of course, if this is her first trip, you definitely want to do the things that she has been dreaming about. Has she always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty? The Rockettes? The Central Park Carousel? I'm sure you've already talked about it, but it will be a dream come true for her to do the things she's only read about or seen on TV.

Enjoy! :)

My 13 yr old daughter loves to go shopping on Canal St for cheap jewelry and knockoff handbags. A favorite restaurant in Times Sq is Ellens Stardust diner where the waitstaff sing. It's actually kind of fun. She also loves to go to Dylans Candy Bar (Shop owned by Ralph Lauren's daughter)near Bloomingdales. She loved Hairspray and we picked Drumstruck as an off Broadway show to see when we head back to NYC after Thanksgiving. Don't forget to get inside Grand Central Terminal. It's a beautiful bldg and has a great food court that my daughter loves.

We took our 15 year old granddaughter to NYC this summer and she was ready to move there as soon as we checked in. New York is a great place for kids. Hit the Natural History Museum on Central Park West (plan at least half a day), Serendipity for a frozen hot chocolate (lunch looked spectacular), a real old-timey looking ice cream parlor off 3rd Avenue right down the street from Dylan's Candy Bar...Serendipity is a celebrity haunt...Jerry Lewis and his granddaughter were enjoying ice cream when we got there. Be prepared to wait in line...long wait, but worth it, then you can slip down to Dylan's. Highly recommended by Oprah. She might like the wax museum in Time's Square...we loved it. The Statue of Libery was a huge hit. The views of Manhattan from the Statue and the boat ride are always a treat. I recommend Beauty and the Beast on Broadway. This was my first Broadway Show and I enjoy it more every time I see it. Great Show for all ages. My husband even liked it and that's saying a lot. Hey, it's a fairytale. Chinatown is great for little souvenirs and a cultural lesson. And you can go around the corner to little Italy to Ferrara's for coffee and pastry... the cannoli's are great. Sony has some kind of play lab for kids. I don't remember the street it's on. How about a visit to FAO Swartz (sp?) and Toy's R Us in Time's Square has a Real Barbie House. That was fun, even for me. A real ferris wheel is located in the store as well. Hope this helps.

My 13 year old loved Serendipity, Hairspray (But this summer as a 15 year old liked the Lion King better. So did I...) shopping around Hearld Square, SoHo, Fifth Avenue and walking around Times Square. We wanted to see Wicked but it was sold out the dates we were going 2 months in advance.

Not sure of your budget but there are tons of places to choose from. I reccommend a smaller hotel a few blocks from Times Square.

I "second" Serendipity!! We JUST went and it was "awesome" (does that sound like something she would say? :)

I'd recommend taking her to "the top of the rock" at Rockefeller plaza, the observation deck at the top of the (now) GE building re-opened for about two weeks -- MUCH better than even the top of the Empire State Building!! We REALLY enjoyed the Top of the Rock views.

Thanks everyone for your enthusiastic and helpful responses. We are not coming until March, so we have time to plan. Re Broadway, I was thinking of the Spelling Bee show. Any thoughts?

Another thing that a 13 year old would love
to see is The MTV Studios around Times Square.
Sometimes there's a band there and a crowd of young fans gathered on the street below- the Musicians will be in the window and wave to them!

Oops, almost forgot- Ice skating in Rockefellar Center.

There's a great deal for these kind of excursions with our teenagers... see the website www.highfivetix.org. This organization promotes arts for teens, with $5 tickets! Plus one adult may also get a $5 ticket. Group deals, too. "Through High 5, any teen can buy $5 tickets to hundreds of New York's best dance, music, theater, film, museum and spoken word events all year round." Check it out. For Broadway, it's worth looking at broadwaybox.com and schooltix.com (student prices, plus non-profit/teacher prices if you're a teacher as I am).

For hotel, I found a private hostel with 2-person rooms (bathroom down the hall) mid-town Manhattan for $90/nite, using a lodging search engine.

Looking forward to wonderful Father/Daughter memories (incl. New Years Eve in Times Square) with my 15-year-old daughter!

- a Dad in Iowa

March sounds like a long way off, but time has a tendency to fly and hotels in NYC are still in high demand. I would book a hotel room ASAP. Book something cancelleable so if you see a great deal closer to the time of the trip, you can grab it. Keep checking on travelzoo.com Meantime, look on quikbook for ideas. If you post a budget, we can offer ideas.

On "Spelling Bee..." there is 1 song that's more than a bit suggestive in the show. I'm sure your daughter knows about the subject, but if you're at all prudish, it might not be a good idea. I also don't think this show is the best Broadway option. It's a small show originally designed for Off Broadway and it still feels like an off Broadway show to me. I would only go with discounted tickets. Btw, the highfive tickets are a great idea.

A great Hotel in NYC mid-town is Super 8 Times Square on 46th street between 5th and 6th Avenue. One year I booked a double bed room for $99.00 a night. $89 for a single. Safe at night and just around the corner from Rockerfeller Center and Theater District.

I tend to disagree with mclaurie on "Spelling Bee" (from other posts)- I really enjoyed it and feel that any show is worth the money if you have a good experience (and many big shows are poorly done and therefore not worth it).

However, I'm really not sure I would bring a 13-year-old to it. The humor of the show is appreciated more from a retrospective point of view, I think- you "get" the adolescent angst after you've survived it! And as mentioned above, there are some suggestive words and songs.

That being said, only you know your daughter...but there may be other options available that she would enjoy more. If this is her first Broadway show, I would go with something else. Hairspray, Wicked, Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast are all good choices (though Wicked may not have tickets available). If you're coming before March 12, Hairspray has a discount on broadwaybox.com.

As a mother of 13- and 11-year-old girls who live in NYC, I would not recommend Beauty and the Beast. I really think it's too young for this age group and, frankly, not all that great anyway, compoared to Lion King. Lion King sounds young,t oo, but it's not because the puppetry is so sophisticated and imaginative. But, right on target, would be Wicked or Hairspray, without a doubt.

Also, take her to Pearl River mart on Broadway just a few blocks up from Canal (where chinatown is). Great fashion and accessories for very little money, but it's nicely displayed and a pleasant shopping experience.

I really appreciated everyone's comments on the Broadway shows. We're coming in April with our 15 year old daughter and l0 year old son. Would Hairspray and Wicked be appropriate for him?

Yes!

Yes, Wicked would be great, if you can get tickets for April.

Another one to consider at that time is Tarzan. It's the new Disney musical (based on the film and book), and begins previews at the end of March.

Enjoy!

Spelling Bee is a good choice. It's not as elaborate a production as a Lion King or Phantom, but it's a delightful show, and the theater is smaller than most other broadway theaters. Hairspray, Wicked, Lion King, and Phantom are also good choices.


If she likes art, perhaps Moma or the Metropolitan. If you choose the met, just pick a few select areas to visit, it's quite huge and could be overwhelming.

She may also enjoy a meal in Chinatown or Little Italy (which are beside each other). A stroll through the village, especially Washington Sq Park. In teh village area, 8th Street between University Pl and Broadway has a few little stores with inexpensive jewelry and accessories. There;s also some stores around Union Square park (Amer. Eagle, Filenes, DSW), and down Broadway in Soho (H*M, Daffy's, Amer. Eagle, Urban Outfitter, and some higher end designer stores).