Norwaygirl

Hi.....

We have been to NYC 6 times before,but this is the first time our niece are coming with us.We have family that are locals,but we want to explore the city ourselves this timeSo,if anyone can tell us to where some great beaches(we dont have a car and live on 57th street) and all other great activities and resturants for our kids is to be found.We know about the free summer concerts on Fridays in Bryant park and Toyota concerts at Rockefeller Plaza.But is there a park where the Broadway performers also have free summer concerts???We would appriciate it very much if anyone could answer our cry for helpThanks!!!!

nytraveler

Broadway has a one-day "concert" to drum up business - but don;t know exactly when - and that's it.

If you want free activities check Lincoln Center - which opens many rehearsals to the public for free or a very modes cost.

If you want a really nice beach you should head to Jones Beach State Park on LI - but it's a bit of a trek and you need to take the LIRR and, I believe, a bus from there. You would have to go to the Park web site and check.

If you want a beach not so nice with a boardwalk/rides then head to Coney Island - at the end of the subway line - about an hour from midtown. It is quite tacky but can be amusing and there is also a small aquarium.

Obvious activities:
Central Park
Museum of Natural History
Staten Island ferry (or a circle line cruise)
Top of the rock
Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island (get tickets far in advance)
and dozens of other places - check out NYC of kids above

For restaurants - it would help to have budgets and types of off they like/dislike


I always reco Ellen's Stardust - which has basic diner fare but great performances by the waitstaff - who are "resting" B'way chorus boys and girls

Norwaygirl

Thank you very much for your answerI will check it outAbout the resturants it would be nice if they were not as pricey,and maybe some with kids entertainment(We were at at Jekyll and Hyde,our youngest loved itBut now there are teens to think about tooIt would be easy to just go to Planet Hollywood or TGIF etc,but Ellens Stardust sounds like something we would love to visit.And Coney Island too.Thanks again for all your answers

nytraveler

Well Ellen's Stardust fare is basic - but it's definitely better than that in any of the chain places (TGIF, PH, etc) - which are also very expensive in NYC.

Much better for bargains at lunch time to visit a variety of ethnic places - which often have lunch specials that can be as little as $10 or $12 per person - including beverage and tip. Look for specials in local Chinese, Indian, Thai etc places.

ggreen

If you want a beach, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) runs promotions to Long Beach, Jones Beach and Robert Moses Beach in the summers. (Metro North also runs a special to Rye Playland, if amusement parks interest your kids at all.) And Coney Island off the F subway train is a must-see IMO, and not nearly as cheesy as one might think. Each of these would take 1 to 1 1/2 hours each way.

Are you on East or West 57th Street?

Ellen's Stardust is great for that food-plus-entertainment meal. For a few more dining options on the west side:
- Vynl now has a couple of locations: upscale diner food with some Asian fusion items also on the menu. Cute, kitschy interior, complete with their famous Barbies!
- Island Burgers and Shakes: more burger variations (and their grilled chicken counterparts) than you can possibly choose from, plus yummy salads and milkshakes.

And on the east side, there's always Dylan's Candy-!

Use NY Magazine's sister site menupages.com to see sample menus, prices, and other restaurant details. (I seriously don't know what I did before it existed!)

New York City in the summer is now chock-a-block full of free and low-cost events. Time Out New York has an annual issue devoted to what will be around, and each promoter/location has its own website too. For example, Bryant Park also has free movies on Mondays, book readings, kids activities and more. The teens might be interested in some of the concerts at Summerstage or in Brooklyn. And there's the very comprehensive River-to-River Festival downtown... not to mention, rollerblading or bicycling along the Hudson, and lots of activities on Governor's Island if you take a free ferry over.

travelbuff

If you want to get out of the City for a whole day the LIRR also has a trip out to Fire Island to the Sunken Forest. The trip includes the train/cab/ferry round trip. There is a shower house there and the beach is really beautiful, it is part of the National Seashore so there is also a Park Ranger and a Ranger Building the kids migh enjoy seeing. There is a walk through the forest on a boardwalk that's a little over a mile. The forest is between dunes so protected from the water. There is quite a bit of "wildlife" there as well from deer to fox. You would leave NYC's Penn Station quite early in teh am and come back in late in the day. Oh and there's also a cafe on the beach. This area of Fire Island is very family oriented.

More suggestions include the Central Park Zoo, and if you join as a family you would then get in free to the Bronx Zoo and the Coney Island Aquarium. You also get a free Tshirt and once you are home there is a monthly magazine sent to your home, a nice souvineer for a whole year.

Another nice day trip would be way uptown to the Cloisters, which is one of the real gems of Museums here in the city, the grounds are beautiful and you can tour the museum and then have a picnic on the grounds. The view of the Hudson River from there is beautiful, as you are on the highest point of Manhattan, in Ft. Tryon Park.

Time Out NY and you might check their online site, as well as www.gonyc.com and The Village Voice, and NY Magazine will have lots of ideas of things to see and do while you are here.

Have a wonderful trip.

ellenem

Another possible beach excursion: from downtown Manhattan there are a few ferry services that run to Sandy Hook in New Jersey, a wonderful beach and national park at the mouth of New York harbor. The ferries leave from Wall Street, and the trip is 30-45 minutes, which is the same as the trip to Coney Island and much closer than a trip to Jones Beach or Robert Moses. Plus you get a boat ride across New York harbor!

Here a great article describing Sandy Hook:
http://travel.nytimes.com/2005/08/05...ewanted=1&_r=1

mclaurie

How old are the teens? There's a big difference in taste between a 14 yr old and a `7 yr old. Are they adventurous eaters or picky? And east or west 57th st. would be helpful for us to help you.

mclaurie

That should read 17 yr old.

Norwaygirl

Im very grateful you take time to give me lots of feedback on our NYC tripWe will def find a beach amongst the ones you all have mentioned...We have 5 days to spend and being busy in NYC,before we will visit family for 9 days in Nanuet.Mclaurie:The teengirls are 14 and 15 yrsNot picky with food at all.Like all from spicy,chinese and burgers....But,our youngest,8 yrs old,she is very pickyI cant even start...But she loves to be entertainedWe are def gonna go to that Ellen Stardust resturant.We love broadway<3.We live on West 57th streetThanks again for all your responses...

ggreen

Being on West 57th Street, do pop over to the Hell's Kitchen area for lots of dining options. Tons of Thai restaurants - look for the multiple Yum Yum and Wondee locations - plus Vynl Diner and Island Burgers and Shakes as mentioned above!