NYC w/a 13 yr old...what to do?
 

My family will be in NYC for Thanksgiving and this is our 5th year so we've done most of the typical things -- all fun, but looking for something new. Thought we would visit the Jumel Mansion in Washington Heights on Friday. Would love any more suggestions anyone can offer. Thanks! HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL!

Have you been to the Tenement museum?

Haven't even heard of the Tenement Museum. I will look into that. Thanks!

http://www.tenement.org/

It is fabulous - one of my favorite things to see in NYC and something your 13yo should see.

There are different tours but they each visit apartments in the tenement house across the street from the visitor center/museum. So, there's not much walking but the tours are fabulous.

If you haven't been to Ellis Island, that would be a natural tie-in.

If you haven't been on a Circle cruise tour, that would be good too.

While you are down in the Lower East Side, to to Economy candy -
http://www.economycandy.com/
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/08...ty-candy-shop/
If he was tempted by the tower of M&Ms in the M&M store in Times Square, wait to buy them at 1/2 the price at Economy.

You may want to eat at Katz's Deli,
http://www.katzdeli.com/presentation.html
stop by to see the Pickle guys and grab a doughnut from the Doughnut Plant - be ready to stand in line
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/08...ghnuts-donuts/

If you need some exercise after all that, go to Chelsea Piers
http://www.chelseapiers.com/age3.htm?from=cphome

Have you been to the Intrepid?
http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/The-In.../Exhibits.aspx

Ice skating -
http://gonyc.about.com/od/iceskating..._York_City.htm

If you plan to go to a Broadway show, consider taking the subway down to South Street Seaport. The TKTS line is much shorter there than in Times Square -
http://www.tdf.org/TDF_ServicePage.aspx?id=56
http://www.yelp.com/biz/tkts-new-york-2


and you can visit the ships, grab a bite to eat, etc -
http://www.southstreetseaport.com/programs

Something I've not done that I want to do is to take the subway to Brooklyn and walk the Brooklyn Bridge back towards the city. I have eaten at Grimaldi's pizza though -

http://brooklyn.about.com/od/histori...alkbbridge.htm

I ate there when I took the Slice of Brooklyn Pizza tour. They were just about to start their Brooklyn Christmas Light tour. I'm going to take this one the next time I'm in the city during the holidays -
http://www.asliceofbrooklyn.com/christmas.html

The bus (a very nice charter bus) leaves from Union Square for their regular tour. I imagine they do the same for this tour.

If you haven't wandered the vendors of Union Square, consider doing that. There's a current thread going about the Christmas markets in NYC.

I thought they were closed for the winter, but it doesn't look like it. If the weather is good enough, consider a bike tour of Central Park - they also offer a walking tour. Check the reviews on tripadvisor for more info

http://www.centralparkbiketour.com/CPBT10/cp.html

If the 13 year old is a girl, she may enjoy afternoon tea in one of the grand hotel lobbies.

I'm assuming you've watched the balloons being blown up the night before the parade.

Enjoy! It's such a treat to be in the city during this time of year.

Have you been to the following:

NY Public Library Main branch
Museum of te City of New York
toured Central Park in depth (depending on the weather - look at website of Central Park Conservancy)
the Cloisters
Bronx Zoo
Bronx Botanical Garden ( think the Christmas/train display is up)
Check out any rehearsals or practices open to the public at Lincoln Center

I'd go see the Legend of Pale Male at the Angelika Theater - It is wonderful!
http://thestarryeye.typepad.com/expl...le-see-it.html

Thank you so much to ALL OF YOU. I just love this forum because I always find it so informative. Some of the suggestions we have done -- Bronx Zoo, watch balloons being blown up and a few other things), but many of them we have not done! Great info. Thanks, again. Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!

There are few stores he/she might like:

Evolution on Spring
Forbidden Planet on Broadway and 13th
Maxilla & Mandible on the Upper West Side

Does he or she have any specific interests?

It may be too late to get reservations for this weekend, but I strongly recommend the Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Gardens.

Museum of Art & Design is very cool. http://www.madmuseum.org/

Getting out of midtown on Friday might be a great idea the crowds on Black Friday are well, think sardines have it good!

The Jumel House is beautiful and set up on a hill overlooking the Harlem River. Hard to imagine at one time it was the only thing standing in the area. I live just a few blocks south of there. There isn't much else in the immediate area, but you might think about jumping back on the A train to head up and see The Cloisters if you haven't seen it yet, and this time of year it's really beautiful, since the trees changed color really late this year, there is still alot of color in Ft. Tryon Park and over on the Palisades.

If you like Indian food, on of the BEST restaurnts in the city is a short walk from The Cloisters at 187th and Ft. Washington, KISMAT.

Have a great time while you are here.

that should be one of the best Indian restaurants.