We will be spending 5 days in NYC at the end of September. I have one day set aside for shopping.

I'm keen to explore outlet stores as the exchange rate for New Zealand dollars isn't great!

I'm mainly interested in shopping for my 2 girls aged 5 and 2.

Is there anywhere in NYC to do this, or do I need to go somewhere like Liberty Village in NJ? If so, what's the easiest way to get there?

Thanks for your help and suggestions.

Liberty Village has only a few children's stores

Another outlet in NY State is

http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=7

Scroll down on the left side til you see accomodations & transportation. You can take a bus
$40 rd-trip; children (3-11) are $21.

The site shows 13 stores for children. No tax in NJ but there is a tax in NY State.
Hope this helps.

It's not technically an outlet store, but Century 21 is a large discount store in lower Manhattan (Church Street) that carries a wide array of children's clothing and shoes. Good brands too...Lily Pulitzer, Polo, Petit Bateau, etc.

One hour north of NYC is the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets. Type this in for their website and store info and there is bus service from NYC.

This place is huge, so bring strollers if you bring the kids with you. Plan to spend the day there and wear comfy walking shoes.

Be aware that "outlets" don't automatically have better pricing - you still have to be savvy shopper.

Having been to Century 21 and Woodbury Commons .. I would say honestly you don't need to make the trip to Woodbury Commons or elsewhere if you are looking for children's clothing .. You will find so many stores in NYC .. I think the prices at Century 21 are great .. although it is sort of hit or miss .. but well worth the trip there .. I would check with stores like Baby Gap .. Old Navy .. Children's Place .. they often have sales .. even Macy's .. maybe even email or call before you go to find out what might be on sale during the time of your visit .. If I were in the area I would go again to Woodbury Commons and I do go to the outlets in Lee and Wrentham in MA from time to time as well .. I view it more as an outing ... a change of pace than bargain hunting ...

A MUCH better shopping stop for kids clothing is Conway. GREAT prices and huge inventory for kids stuff. 35th and Broadway right next to Macy's. Kids clothing is at the back of the store to the left of the registers in that location. There is another Conway on 34th between 7th and 8th that is ALL kids clothing.

Welcome to NY and have a GREAT time.

For only five days, I would not waste an entire day at Woodberry Commons.

You can hit sales and do well at the big departments stores and some of the specialty stores.

Hit Century 21, Macy's, Bloomingdales, Baby Gap, etc.

I haven't been to the outlets in Woodbury in a while but I go to one in PA run or owned by the same corp. What I find lately is that the companies are MAKING clothes for sale at the outlets so the quality is often not the same. It used to be more that it was overstocked merchandise, off season clothes or slightly older styles. They were expensive clothes, deeply discounted. The things that are manufactured for the outlets are worth what you're paying for them. And stores like Nike and Reebok are expensive and you can do better at Modell's. You can still get real bargains, but like another poster said - keep your eyes open. Especially on a short trip your time might be better spent at Century 21, Modells and the sale rack at Macys. And if Macys is having a one day sale go straight there!

US department stores often deeply discount slightly past season merchandise. You can do very, very well in a place like Macy's if you are willing to hunt. There are also shopping guides to the city that you can purchase at any decently stocked bookstore (usually abt $15-$20 USD), and probably worth it for you if you are planning serious shopping.
Many outlets don't offer really significant bargains these days and there are good discounters in the city. I'll repeat the endorsement of Century 21, and Daffy Dan's can do pretty well too. I love Off Fifth, but I think the nearest one is in Paramus, NJ.

There are too many discount stores in Manhattan to waste time going outside the city if you're only shopping for kids clothes.

Century 21
Daffy's
Sym's
TJ Maxx
Conway
Old Navy
Kids Gap
Macy's (register at the service desk for an 11% discount)

Dohlice's point is important. Outlets aren't what they were back in the beginning. They DO manufacture merchanidise just for the outlet so you are often not getting the same as what is sold at their regular retail stores. And also true is the quality in outlet merchandise can be less.

I was just in the children's dept in my local Macy's (no comparison to NYC Macy's) They had clothing for $2.49 USD! You can't beat that.

On Sunday I was in TJMaxx -- in the infant's clearance section they had things for 70 cents all the way up to $5.00 -- not just one thing, some were entire outfits -- shirt, overalls and hat -- $3.00.

I wouldn't spend time going to Woodbury Commons -- you can do better in the city!

ah

Thanks everyone for your advice.

Seems like there'll be plenty in the city to get my credit card maxxed out!