Monday, July 30, 2012

NYC Summer Fun! My Top 10 list of Family Friendly New York City Things To Do! {Photos}

With a ton of bloggers about to descend upon Manhattan for the BlogHer Conference (where I will be Live Blogging), I know invariably some will be bringing family and many of you extending your stay for a few days to take in all the family friendly sites New York City has to offer!

My Top Ten Family Friendly Fun things to do in New York City include:



1) OK so I'm a bit biased here and will start with the fact that there are three major NYC family friendly landmarks in my 'backyard' - Take in a game at Yankee Stadium. Summer is synonymous with Yankee Games for most New Yorkers and the stadium is just a train ride away no matter where in the city you may find yourself.



2) A little more bias here, and even closer to my home is The Bronx Zoo, check out this link for a major discount on tickets! Yes I am a Wildlife Conservation Society Blogger Brand Ambassador, but I have been visiting the zoo since I was a kid, and the tradition continues today with my nieces and nephews. Our summer isn't complete until we have visited the zoo, there is always something new going on there!

The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York


3) Also near me is the New York Botanical Gardens. The Gardens are as fun and as family friendly as it gets, your prettiest photos are going to come from here!

Central Park, New York City


4) Central Park and the Central Park Zoo - It would be difficult to do the park in one day as there is so much to do and see, but the Central Park Zoo is a must visit with your family.

Coney Island, Brooklyn New York


5) Coney Island - The amusement park and beach are a NYC landmark. This is just plain fun.

Rye Playland, Rye New York


6) Rye Playland - Another New York Amusement Park, it's a bit further out but not difficult to reach.

The New York Aquarium, Brooklyn, New York


7) The New York Aquarium - Another one of my favorite annual summer things to do, it's family friendly and kids love watching the animal feedings!

View of Lady Liberty from Smooth Jazz Cruise, photo used WITH permission

Staten Island Ferry, New York City


8) Statue of Liberty - There are tons of way to see her, but us locals still recommend seeing her from the Staten Island Ferry! I got to see her last year from the Smooth Jazz Cruise and had a fantastic time!

Museum of Natural History, New York City


9) The Museum of Natural History - Not that any of the museums in 'museum mile' should be missed, but this one is hands down the most family fun of all them all.

Empire State Building, New York City


10) Empire State Building - The view of NYC from the Empire State Building is bar none, that's why it's been in numerous movies and tv shows throughout the years. Just please be prepared that there is a security line to contend with and a long ride to the top. Only you know how well your child handles long lines and LOTS of people. and depending on their age, they might not find all that work to get to the top is worth it.

Any bloggers coming in that need additional recos, please feel free to comment here!

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FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, I am a Britax Latina Advisory Board Member and Blogger. I am also a Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Society Blog Ambassador. All opinions are 100% my own.

20 comments:

  1. Bookmarking this for future trips to NY!

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    1. @Unknown Mami - I always seek out these kinds of posts when visiting a new City, so I figured it was high time I write one for my favorite city! ;-)

      ♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

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  2. This is great! Now my fear that there is nothing for my child in the city is gone. These are great options. Thank you for this post Tracy.

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    1. @Yadira - There are tons of fun things to do with Kids in the City. Central Park can be a day unto itself! :)

      ♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

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  3. I've only been to NYC one time, and it was a brief weekend jaunt. I would LOVE to go back. A brief tip to add for visitors...if you're interested in seeing Wall Street, like we were, do not go on a weekend, lol. We booked our hotel in that area, and it's just dead on the weekend, but the rest of the trip was fabulous! I love your list.

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    1. @mail4rosey Wall Street is a bit emptier on the weekends, but the line to see the World Trade Center is ALWAYS long, including weekends, so be sure to factor that in as well.

      Let us know when you are coming back! And if there is anything you are looking to doing that you need help finding info for, please let us know!

      I may make another post one of these days about locals spots. Those off the beaten path places locals love that tourists might miss.

      ♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

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  4. Great tips!! I love knowing what to do with the kids when I travel. Now, I just need to plan a trip there again.

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  5. @bloggingbabiesandthebayou - Honestly mid September through late October are favorites, it's still sunny during the day but not as humid as August, and the evening is just starting to require a sweater or light jacket. And I can certainly add more recos on if you are renting a car. Like Great Adventures, a jaunt over to Atlantic City for whale watching (also fantastic in Boston), depending on how far out the city you are willing to adventure, there are all kinds of hidden treasures and fun to be had!

    ♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

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  6. We would love to take JDaniel to New York!

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    1. I always say blogging conferences are a great way to kill two birds with one stone if you factor in some extra days so you can have some downtime with your family! I think JD will love visiting NYC!

      ♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

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  7. I love to visit the zoos, aquariums and gardens in different cities, they are great for kids!! Thank for the list!!

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    1. @Dariela - Me too! That's the first thing I did when I hit San Fran the very first time! Brooklyn's Botanical Garden has a great 'tea garden' within the gardens by the way!

      ♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

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  8. Great recommendations! NYC is the capital of the world, so many places to go, so many things to do.
    Thanks for this info. Now I know that there are more good places to visit, outside the big city.

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    1. @Cristina - That was one of the motivating factors behind my post, the bustling entertainment and nightlife tend to come to mind first when people think NYC but this city is very family friendly too!

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  9. Sweet!! This is a great list Tracy!! Thank you, thank you! Will definitely share and bookmark this. We're planning to take our first visit to NYC next year, so fingers crossed...I'll try to get to as many of these as possible! ;)

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    1. @Chantilly - Thanks! This is the post that I seek out before I visit a new city myself, so I thought I should finally write one! Let me know as soon as you know the exact date you are coming, we have to meet up!

      ♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

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  10. Nice posting! Thanks for sharing about this place seems to be interesting and worth visiting here.
    Aquariums Zoo

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    1. @Zoya - New York City is a great place to visit and more family friendly than people give it credit for! :)

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  11. Thanks for stopping by and linking up to the Best of the USA blog hops. :) I saw several of these sites when I was in NYC with my daughter. Central Park was fun and seeing Dum Dum (the Easter Island Statue from the Night at the Museum)in the Museum of Natural History was great. Can't wait to visit again. I love NYC!

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    1. @Tonya @ The Traveling Praters - Central Park is definitely one of my favorite parts of the city. I haven't had a chance to see the Dum Dum statue at the Museum of Natural History yet, it's been awhile since I've been there actually, thanks for the reminder!

      ♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

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