angsanty

We have planned a trip to New york from England for 5 nights in April(2004)We do not have a limitless budget but would like to explore places that all would enjoy.Our Children are 19.18.15 (boys)and 14(a girl)Apart from the usual touristy things that seem to be on most 'must do' lists (Statue of Liberty,Times Square,Rockerfeller centre etc)please could any of you out there with offspring of the same sort of ages please give me some tips.We would love to see a show but not sure if there is one suitable for all.Helicopter rides seem to have negative feedback on the site.The boys love sport,Computer Games and Music and our daughter loves all teenage girly things especially dance and music.My husband loves birds (the feathered variety!)and is a keen ornithologist.Also...sorry any ideas for eating out that wouldn'tbe too costly (especially breakfast and evening meals)?Thankyou so much,any replies would be greatly appreciated.We are soooooo looking forward to it.

BudgetQueen

Visit Central Park. Consider a free walking tour with Big Apple Greeters. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Most Broadway is suitable for everyone- For a bargain consider TKTS 1/2 price line- consider splitting up your group if you have some uninterested. As for food- deli offer great variety and cheap take out.

Cicerone

As this is a Fodor's site, I should mention that Fodors has a guidebook called Fodor's Around New York City with Kids, 2nd Edition. It costs $11. You can buy it directly on this site.

Also check their recommendations under "Destinations" on this site.

mclaurie

Yes, Central Park is a good place for bird watching (there are some American bald eagles living there I think). You can also rent bikes, go rowing, ahve a run, go to the zoo. The website is
centralpark.org

Sports for the boys-ESPNzone is a restaurant in Times Sqaure with tv screens everywhere. A sports lovers dream. Chelsea Piers (chelseapiers.com) is a sports complex where you can hit golf balls,skate etc.

In addition to the TKTS booth for discount theater tickets, you can also buy tickets ahead of time online at several websites without standing on line & without needing cash. Try looking on playbill.com, theatermania.com, hitshowclub.com You ahve to register for free to see their offers.

There's plenty more info here if you do a text search. Try typing teens AND nyc in the text search box above. For restaurants do the same (NYC restaurants) or more specific like adding a location ro type of food. Tell us where you're staying.

mp

A successful afternoon/evening adventure with your teens might be a visit to the East Village - the famous neighborhood around St. Marks Place - 8th street between 4th avenue all the way east to Avenue A. The area is chock full of reasonably priced ethnic restaurants, music stores, small funky boutiques, students (NYU and Cooper Union are located there) and Off-Broadway theatres. A fun afternoon could include shopping and walking, an early dinner and catching a show - Stomp or Blue Man Group would please everyone (but might be a bit hard on middle aged ears!).

dan_woodlief

I second the Brooklyn Bridge walk. The whole family should love it. Start on the Brooklyn side. Your husband should love The Ramble in Central Park. Check out the following site - http://www.nysite.com/nature/birding.htm. The Museum of Natural History should be included in your plans. You could try to attend a Yankees game in April. The baseball season starts in the first half of the month. Since you were considering a helicopter ride, you might prefer either the 2-hour or 3-hour Circle line boat tour instead. The 2-hour trip will take you around the most interesting areas of Manhattan (and you get pretty close to the Statue of Liberty), while the 3-hour ride will take you around the whole island of Manhattan. There are numerous good music stores around town, including the Virgin store on Times Square. Even though your children are not very small, they may still like to see the Toys R Us store on Times Square, the world's largest. It has a ferris wheel and a life-size, animatronic T-Rex. Definitely spend at least half a day walking around Chinatown, Little Italy, SoHo, and Greenwich Village. For less expensive food, Chinatown is a good bet, and you can find good pizza places all around - Lombardi's in Little Italy, John's in Greenwich Village and near Times Square, Grimaldi's near the Brooklyn Bridge on the Brooklyn side, etc. The kids might enjoy some of the theme restaurants near Times Square, such as Mars 2112, but they tend to be overpriced. You can buy hot dogs off the street for next to nothing. They are a great snack. I have used the Fodor's children's guide to NYC, mentioned by Cicerone, and it is very useful.

weenie57

I can relate to your husband's desire to go birding - We have done family trips to NYC in April and all I wanted to do was go birding in Central Park! There is lots of info on the web about birding in Central Park (read the book, Redtails in Love, before you leave!). Here is one web site that I liked:

http://www.mariewinn.com/works.htm

I bet you could email her and inquire about birding tours. They certainly would have them in the spring. They'll be early so it's a good chance to get away without the teenagers!!!

Rob

i don't believe anyone has mentioned.a ride on the Staten Island ferry. It is free and you get a great view of the skyline and you sail by the Statue of Liberty

MacNaughton

I just returned from the city with my 15 yr. old and have made frequent trips. For activities, I'd suggest the Bronx zoo (easy access via special bus or subway) and the Museum of Natural History. Get the week pass for all buses and subways for $21 each and you'll save yourselves a bundle.
The Free Sony Wonderlab is a free and fun hands-on technology place. It is geared for younger kids, but fun anyhow seeing some unique technologies. Experience the Today Show by standing outside Rockefeller Center. Get there early.Just walking around China Town is good for an excursion. Our favorite restaurant is Joe's Shanghai which has wonderful crab and pork handmade dumplings and many other Chinese dishes. Two of us eat for about $30 and go away full. You can find cheap breakfast places most anywhere. The H and H Bagel places are great as are several places on the E/W street just south of Rockefeller Center.
If you want Broadway tickets go to the Broadway info center close to Times Square and pick up discount coupons and ask about other attractions. That center has a place that will take your photo and use it in a cartoon that will play on one of the electronic billboards in Times Square.
I'd recommend "Hairspray" (a hoot) and "Aida" another good musical. I got $25 tickets for the former when I went to a 5PM lottery at the theater. You get the best tickets from the actual box offices. You will save the $5 plus per ticket add-on fees at the box office, too. If you use one of the ticketing services they can't tell you about the different prices and views of the stage. If you go to TKTS, be armed with show info so you can make an informed choice.They add on a fee, too, and you may spend hours waiting in line.
So much of the fun of NYC is soaking up the atmosphere when you are moving from place to place. Don't try to cram too much into one day or you'll be exhausted.
Use the guidebooks to find out when museums are free. Get off the beaten path in areas such as Chelsea, etc.
You'll have a great time.

MFNYC

In APril, baseball season begins. You can go to a Mets or Yankees game. I think teens like 'downtown', which basically starts at Union Square Park (14th St & Broadway), down through the village, soho, nolita, and so on. The area around Washington Square Park has a college town atmosphere (NYU). On a nice day there will be all kinds of street performers at the park. The area around the park, particularly the south side, is also fun to explore. Many of the little clubs where performers began their career. Some skakeboarders and teens in general seem to hang out at Union Sq Park as well. Across from Union Sq is a good sized Virgin Records store. St. Marks Place in the E. village is a good place to wander. Th E. VIllage in general is one of the best places in NYC to eat for variety/quality/value. Your daughter would probably like checking out some of the stores in Soho (Broadway south of Houston St). There are also some flea markets around (broadway around 4th st and Spring St & W. B'way).

For show, Hairspray would be suitable and enjoyable for all, but get tickets in advance. Every teen I've met, loves Rent (many have gone dozens of times and have the word memorized). Someother possibilities are Fiddler on the Roof, Little Shop of Horrors, Wonderful Town, Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia, Millie. Have your teens check out playbill.com and head the descriptions of the shows.

bugswife1

The Central Park Zoo has a wonderful aviary. I visit often and still haven't found all of the birds.

bri19sp

Make sure you buy a week long subway pass, this will make traveling around a lot easier, It also alows your children to stay out later and have an easy way to get back.

I think Rent or the Lion King would be good choices for theater, Rent may be too mature for the 14 year old but she will still enjoy it if she is into music.

I also agree, some great free-bies, subway to brooklyn walk back across the bridge, take the staten Island ferry to see the statue of liberty.

nytraveler

Beleive it or not Central Park is one of the best places on the east cost for bird watching. It's right in the middle of the Esat Cosat flyway the birds use for migrating spring and fall. If you go to the web site of the Central Park Conservancy you should find lots of info. Central Park also has a small zoo if you don't get to the Bronx and in Coney Island there is a sizeable aquarium with "shows" of various sea mammals throughout the day. Also, consider the Planetarium attached to the Museum of Natural History - it has incredible music/laser shows.

As for the "kid" stuff I would send them off to do some exploring on their own (Tower Record, downtown shopping etc.) and a couple of those theme restaurants (there's no need for the adults to suffer through those restaurants). As for a show I know kids always love Rent (which should be dirt cheap) and Hairspray should be good for everyone. Do go to the top of the Empire State building - much cheaper and safer than a helicopter ride.

There are tons of inexpensive coffee shops everywhere for breakfast. The best bet for an inexpensive dinner is to get out of midtown into one of the residential neighborhoods - the food is much cheaper and better (any ethnic variety you can possibly think of) than in many more expensive midtown eateries. I favor the Upper West side but you can do very well downtown, village, etc.

Hope you have a great time!

Anonymous

Several people have mentioned taking the Staten Island Ferry to sail past the Statue of Liberty -- I just wanted to make sure that the OP realizes that this is good enough, since thte Statue itself (herself?) is not open to visitors.

angsanty

I am absolutely amazed at the response I have received to my posting.A sincere thankyou to all of you that have taken the time to reply with so much useful info.We are all getting EVEN more excited about the trip (if that is possible!!)This site is wonderful.If anyone ever wants any tips on the U.K.please contact me.Thankyou again,Angela

angsanty

Reply for mclaurie-Thankyou for all the info.we are staying in the Bedford hotel-is it O.K?

mclaurie

Thanks for the kind words Angela. I've sort of forgotten what info I provided. I don't know the Bedford but know the street well & have read the reviews on tripadvisor. It sounds fine. Could you post (for others & my info) what you're paying. I gather you've taken 2 rooms. There are a few places with 2 bedroom suites (the Beacon Hotel on the upper west side & the Dumont Hotel-can't remember where-part of the affinia.com group). Where in the UK are you?

angsanty

Reply to mclaurie-we are paying about £900 (approx $1800) for a suite to sleep 4 and a double room.Not really sure if that is O.K.or not.We originally booked at the 'Howard Johnson'Penn Station,then read the reviews(on Trip Advisor) about RATS in the bedrooms so cancelled it!We booked through 'ebookers'.Thanks again for all comments.My husband has been in contact (by e.mail) re.birdwatching tours in Central Park,so he is well pleased.I hope to still be in bed at 7am!!!but he will have fun!

monpetit

More than the statue of liberty which I would skip, you will have better time in
Ellis island-this is really a must and an emotional visit.Try to arrive early to take the first visit.
On the return, museum of the indians
could also be a good idea and then,
by feet to southstreet seaport...
So it can take #a whole day and you can walk thereafter by broadway and if you are tired, there is the subway to come back to hotel...
All the other ideas are good and particulary the Brooklyn bridge by foot
with a prolongement in Brooklyn heights.
The transport museum and the Brooklyn historical society are pleasant...
Erik and Anny Monpetit

spectre

You've gotten a lot of great advice here,. One thing I would recommend though is that you should section off the city when you visit. Spend one downtown near battery park, South Street Seaport, may chinatown. Then the next day hit midtown or another section. You can get very tired very quickly if you start bouncing around all over Manhattan. April is a great time of year as the flowers start blooming. You may even want to take in the Bronx Zoo or the botanical gardens. There are a lot of good restaraunts that aren't expensive and really good. I recommend a Zagat's guide.