New York City
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is our favorite neighborhood in Manhattan, with wide, shady streets, the buildings feel homey, strollers and kids are everywhere.
American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) - The American Museum of Natural History is a “must-see” for your visit with kids to New York.
Head to the fourth floor Fossil Halls for a boggling collection of dinosaurs - full size T-Rex, Stegosaurus, Allosaurus, Triceratops, gigantic Titanosaur, and more, plus dinosaur tracks, and kids can touch a skull, bones, etc.
New! Gilder Center – Four story addition, with huge beehive model, live insect displays, butterfly garden, and “Invisible World” immersive science-and-art experience.
On the second floor, don't miss the Mexico and Central America, South American Peoples, with a huge Olmec head, Teotihuacan and Aztec artifacts, Maya stele, replica of a Sipan tomb,ancient Andean pottery, gold and textiles.
On the first floor, see the Star of India, biggest sapphire in the world (Hall of Gems), or a 4.5 billion year old meteorite (Hall of Meteorites).
Take in a show at Hayden Planetarium and Hayden Big Bang Theater in Rose Center for Earth and Space.
Playground - Across from the museum in Central Park is the Diana Ross playground, at 81st St. and Central Park West. Little kids can play on the climbing structures and swings, water play area in summer.
Children's Museum of Manhattan - The museum has plenty of hands-on activities for kids of all ages, from infants to bigger kids. Toddlers can "drive" a NY fire truck or mail truck, paint on a wall, build a city, have fun in the water play area (summers), bigger kids can explore with Dora the Explorer, and older kids will find out about the Trojan horse and other myths and legends of ancient Greece.
Lincoln Center - Lincoln Center, home of the Metropolitan Opera and other music and dance companies, has a wonderful selection of family events. During your visit to New York City, attend family concerts, ballet productions of Swan Lake or Cinderella, juggling, African drumming and dancing for kids, outdoor storytime.
Fun food
Zabar's - If the weather is good, take a picnic out to Central Park. Zabar's, the ultimate deli, is a West Side favorite, with everything under the sun (really) for a picnic - sandwiches made to order (tons of ingredients to choose from), bagels and cream cheese, sweets, cookies, and more.
Shopping
For teens, there's lots of shops with fun clothes and shoes on Broadway. Start at around 63rd St. and walk north.
