New York City/Northern NJ vacation recs…..

[AnnieW625]

Already thinking towards next summer for possible vacations. Hit me with your best tips. My kids have been bugging us for years to go here, but tbh I don’t know where to start. Dd2 has said she wants to go to the Statue of Liberty, and to Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken (she is a huge fan of Cake Boss). I think the girls are just in awe of going to a big city. Neither DH nor I have been there, and tbh I don’t know if we would want to spend a whole week in the actual city. I would love to take a live Peloton class, but who knows what the availability will be then.

Hit me with your best hotel recs., best places or neighborhoods to stay in, favorite attractions for teens (they will be 17, and 13), etc.

TIA


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[SnuggleBuggles]

Personal preference but I hate Times Square, but not as much as my kids do. They pretty much wanted to leave as soon as they saw it. For that reason, I highly recommend looking for lodging in other areas. If your kids hate TS then they will be stuck dealing with it as opposed to just visiting it. My favorite location is the Upper West Side. It's convenient to Central Park, the subway and so much more. Hotel Beacon has great family rooms. We also really liked our large room at the nearby Arthouse hotel. UWS is a residential area so not a lot of hotels- which I love. I would much rather be in a neighborhood with locals, good shops and dining as opposed to tourist land with mediocre chain restaurants all around (I know I sound totally snobby!).
The other area I would consider for loding is the Financial District. Lots of subway lines converge there (look at a map and you'll see how everything narrows down to the tip of Manhattan with Battery Park). Lots of newer hotel construction and bigger hotel rooms as a result. Prices are often pretty decent too. Check Mint House and Artezen Hotel to start. FiDi gets your close to the Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park, Statue of Liberty (fyi- that books way in advance so don't wait if you want to do that) and lots of other attractions- there's really no one place in Manhattan that's close to everything.

I think using Google Maps streetview when looking at NYC hotels is super handy- you can get the vibe of the area around you.

I know some people like Hyatt House over in Jersey City- easy commute in- but I really like being in Manhattan. On the plus sides, it's usually cheaper AND you get great views of NYC.

I have toyed with staying in Brooklyn (won't cost less than Manhattan but the views would be good).

To do

• If they are Harry Potter fans, go to the HP store; book the VR experience a few weeks ahead of time as it's supposed to be super cool and comes with guaranteed store entry.
• The Met (especially the Temple of Dendur) is a must, imo.
• A broadway show would be great- roll the dice and see what's on discount day of or pick one you really want and buy tix well in advance (hot shows don't go on sale either).
• Levain for cookies- I didn't know they were special; it was just the closest bakery to our hotel! So, so good.
• Sample bagels (they really are better in NYC)
• Maybe a fun food walking tour? Plenty of those around.
• Top of the Rock at Sunset and the NBC Studio Tour if it ever resumes.

[DualvansMommy]

It's only an hour away from us, so we've made tons of day and weekend trips to the city over the years and we never stay in/near Times square, it's our least favorite section of the city, fun to visit but not to stay.

my personal favorite areas to stay in the city are Upper west side, Arthouse hotel is one of our favorite. Another area is flatiron/NoMad area as it's a residential neighborhood with tons of great shops, cafes, bookstores and restuarants. Agree with snugglesbuggles on downtown, it's a really growing neighborhood with newer hotels and places to explore.

things to do:
see a broadway show for sure.
take circle line sightseeing cruise at dusk for different perspective of the city to see Statue of Liberty, United nations, and Empire state building.
9/11 museum esp since your kids are older and able to handle it.
don't miss visiting MOMA (Museum of modern Art) in fact, google museum mile of NYC as several museums are located along that section
Met, Cooper Hewett museum of design if your girls are into design and i LOVE whitney museum of american art. it's near the High line, another great spot to check it out.
High line/Hudson yards is a great place to hang out, relax and visit chelsea market underneath High line for great food, bakeries and chocolate shops.
shopping is fun if you go to Soho neighborhood and brooklyn flea in brooklyn is a great find for vintage clothing, bags, crafts and other quirky goods from 100 vendors.
central park is a must-check out the strawberry fields, and free shakespear in the park at Delacorte theatre. my boys love going to central park and check out American museum of natural history.

if you stay in those neighborhoods, you really can't go wrong local food but i know my boys love checking out Joe Shanghai in chinatown, sugar factory in meatpacking district, RA sushi at Upper West Side. my current favorite brunch place is jack's wife freda in west village.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I've heard that the National Museum of Mathematics is pretty cool https://momath.org/

If you want to do any museums, zoos, tall buildings...it's important to book ahead of time.

I wouldn't do a bus tour because sitting in traffic isn't for me. I love the subway but we do a lot of walking too.

[marinkitty]

Another plug for the Arthouse on the UWS. We sometimes stay at the JW Marriott on Central Park South too (usually with points). I agree not to stay in Times Square - reeks of pot, seedy and overwhelming. Just passing through to get to a theater is plenty for us! We also love Brooklyn but haven't stayed there - I think it would get old trekking back and forth but it's great to spend a half day or so there. Last visit we tried a small hotel in Chelsea. The location was amazing but the rooms were teeny tiny and so I would not recommend.

Our fave things to do:
the Met
Natural History museum (my boys are huge fans)
the park - we always run or take a long walk there and if the weather is great usually picnic in one of the meadows
the Highline and Chelsea Market
walk the Brooklyn Bridge and explore Dumbo
shop in SoHo
Hudson yards area (more for my boys than DD)
the Occulus and 9/11 memorial
Top of the Rock at sunset
wander around (and eat) in the west village; hit the 8th street shops (DD, again)
Broadway shows (we always see 1 or 2 when we go)
street food/NY slices/bagels
Bryant park and wander surrounding area

We walk as many places as we can whenever we go and take the subway when needed. Best ways to get around and see the city!

Circle tour is a great way to get out on the water and see the island from a different perspective.

[lizzywednesday]

DD and I go to NYC on the regular as day-trippers - we take public transit (NJ Transit + MTA subways) and I've taught DD how to ride the subway safely.

I don't mind Times Square when it's not rush-hour, but I'm also built like a linebacker & walk like everybody's in my way (I do not shove, but I do lead with my shoulders) ... it wouldn't be my first choice for a hotel stay; everything's expensive in Manhattan, but I think that pricing in Times Square is obscene.

In 2023, the Museum of Broadway will be open; IDK if this is appealing to you/your family or not, but I'm excited.

DD and I love the Met 5th Avenue; we typically do not pre-book, but depending on health & safety protocols at any given time, this could be a gamble.

If you will be there before February 20th 2023, you will be able to catch the kimono exhibit that I want to see (I might take DD later this month.) DD's favorite place is the Temple of Dendur, while mine is the Costume Institute. I really want to take her through the Greek & Roman galleries, especially while they are having a special exhibition of adding color to the statuary & frescoes (through March 26th 2023.)

I want to take her up to The Cloisters sometime this summer; she loves unicorns, so having her able to see the Unicorn Tapestries in situ will make up for her rushing me through the reliquaries (I love reliquaries, canopic jars, and other funereal art)

We like people-watching at the NYPL's Schwartzman Building (42nd St & 5th Ave/Bryant Park) and I usually take her photo outside with Fortitude. (One year, it was Patience, but it's usually Fortitude.)

If art museums aren't your thing, we also love the New-York Historical Society, just south of the American Museum of Natural History (also a favorite.)

I've been meaning to take her to the Guggenheim, but she usually gets to call the shots.

My brother Ger and I think Carlo's is overrated, but don't let our opinion stop you. Check their website for hours ... you can probably plan to take the PATH train to Hoboken instead of trying to use a rideshare or take a cab the whole way, especially with toll hikes into NYC on the horizon.

No advice about the Statue of Liberty (it's still on my to-visit list, though I've lived within an hour of it my entire life) but I have visited Ellis Island; the Ellis Island Preservation Society runs hard-hat tours of the old hospital buildings that aren't included in the ferry/Ellis Island Immigration Museum pricing. (I only mention bc I'm interested in these, but I don't know if I have anyone else who wants to go with me!)

[lizzywednesday]

...
Cooper Hewett museum of design....

Cooper-Hewitt is on my list - the founders, the Hewitt sisters (Miss Sally and Miss Nellie, er, more properly, Sarah and Eleanor, but when you grow up with their summer home being among your favorite places, including two features of what's now a state park named for them, it's rather a habit), were very involved in my hometown and there is a special exhibition about them on currently. (It closes in October 2022, so OP will miss it.)

[sariana]

We enjoyed Ellis Island, probably more than the Statue of Liberty, though the Statue museum was fantastic.