Itinerary
3 days in New York with kids
Three days that keep each day in one part of the city, with a park or playground after every big sight. Swap the days around the weather.
Day 1
Dinosaurs and Central Park
- Morning
- Be at the American Museum of Natural History for 10 am and go straight to the fossil halls on Floor 4, then down to the blue whale. Eat at the food court on the lower level, which opens at 10:45 am.
- Afternoon
- Cross into Central Park and walk south to Heckscher Playground. If there is energy left, the Central Park Zoo is ten minutes east and takes about an hour.
- Break
- Heckscher Playground has restrooms. A stroller nap on the walk down through the park works well.
Day 2
Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn waterfront
- Morning
- Take the first Statue City Cruises ferry from The Battery. With under-sixes, do Liberty Island and skip Ellis Island so you are back by lunch.
- Afternoon
- Take the subway or NYC Ferry to Brooklyn Bridge Park. Start at the Pier 6 playgrounds and walk north to Jane's Carousel as the light drops.
- Break
- Food is sold on Liberty Island, or bring your own. The lawns at Brooklyn Bridge Park are the place to stop and do nothing for an hour.
Day 3
Ships, a cable car and the view
- Morning
- Book a 10 am slot at the Intrepid Museum and do the submarine first, before the line builds. Then the flight deck and the space shuttle.
- Afternoon
- Cross town to East 60th Street for the Roosevelt Island Tram and a walk by the river. Go to the Empire State Building last, with a reservation.
- Break
- Eat a packed lunch on the Intrepid's mess deck or the pier. Roosevelt Island is quiet and a good place to slow down.