Vacation Ideas

Top 10 Things To Do With Family In New York City

By Published on Mar 26, 2024

Photo collage of various landmark sites in NYC
Source : thefamilynation

New York is the most densely populated town located in the northeastern part of America. The place is famous for various reasons such as arts, cuisines, parades, sports, and more.

Many adults come to visit to experience the nightlife of NY with their friends. Apart from the nightlife, the town is also perfect for a day out with your family and kids.

1. Central Park

Central Park is one of the most well-known public places situated in the Upper West and East Sides of Manhattan. The park welcomes over 40 million visitors per year.

The place features several activities, attractions, and events for a perfect family day out. The area has one of the most beautiful settings for picnics in New York City. The garden has seven different picnic spots such as Great Lawn, Sheep Meadow, Belvedere Castle, Great Hill, Bow Bridge, Strawberry Fields, and The Pool.

If you are visiting the CP during the spring time, then you shouldn't miss the beautiful cherry blossom trees. Enjoy your time in Central Park as you visit various attractions in the place.

It features several bridges and arches such as Balcony Bridge, Bow Bridge, Claremont Arch, Driprock Arch, Gapstow Bridge, Glen Span Bridge, Greengap Arch, and more. You can also visit the famous ride of the area known as the Carousel or stroll through The Mall a walkway that leads to beautiful Bethesda Terrace.

Collage of beautiful attractions at the Central Park
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The attractions also include statutes of Balto the sled dog, Alice in Wonderland, Eagles and Prey, Women's Rights Pioneers Monument, Indian Hunter, and Samuel F.B. Morse. Enjoy horse and carriage rides as you soak in the beauty of the garden.

The area is also a perfect place to visit with your kids as it features attractions for your children such as Tisch Children's Zoo, Belvedere Castle's Henry Luce Nature Observatory, Playgrounds, Storytelling, The Marionette Theatre, and Model Boat Selling.

2. Times Square

Things to do in New York City Times Square include dining, shopping, Broadway, and more. The historic place is known as the center of the entertainment universe.

The Square is known to be one of the globe's busiest pedestrian areas and the hub of the Broadway Theater District. The entertainment universe is lit with several digital billboards and advertisements at all hours.

The notable landmarks of the area include the Coca-Cola sign, Disney Store, MTV, Palladium Times Square, and Times Square Studios.

The area offers numerous cuisines from around the world such as Mexican, Korean, Japanese, African, Italian, Chinese, Cuban, Indian, American, Singaporean, Taiwanese, Irish, Middle Eastern, French, and more.

Photo collage of the places to visit in Times Square
Source : instagram

The place features numerous restaurants and bars such as Hard Rock Cafe, Lady Blue, 7-Eleven, Applebee's, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Curry India, Dim Sum Palace, and Dunkin'. Enjoy your time in TS by visiting Madame Tussauds New York, Bowlero Times Square, the Museum of Broadway, Planatium Dolls, and Playhouse 46.

One of the most popular attractions of the entertainment universe is watching buzzworthy Broadway shows. Your trip to TS is incomplete without shopping. Shop clothes, accessories, food, and more from stores such as H&M, Hershey's Chocolate World, Old Navy, M&M's World, Arabian Oud, and Aldo Shoes.

3. American Museum of Natural History

Things to do in New York City can be visiting the American Museum of Natural History. The museum has 45 permanent exhibition halls.

These halls feature specimens of plants, fossils, cultural artifacts, and much more. The biodiversity and environmental halls showcase the concept of biodiversity and the beauty of life on earth.

The bird, reptiles, and amphibians hall features the species of birds found in NYC, North America, and from around the globe.

The reptiles and amphibians hall showcases the evolution, anatomy, reproduction, diversity, and behavior of reptiles. The species displayed in the hall include the Japanese giant salamander, the goliath frog, the Galápagos giant tortoise, the Komodo dragon, and more.

Exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History
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The earth and planetary sciences halls feature rare gems, meteorites, minerals, and the origin of the solar system. The fossil hall displays the fossils of mammals and their extinct relatives such as Ornithischian dinosaurs, primitive mammals, Saurischian dinosaurs, and vertebrate origins.

The human origin and cultural hall features the evolution story of humans and cultures of Asia, Woodlands, the Great Plains, Pacific peoples, and more. The mammal hall includes old and new species from different geography such as Asia, Africa, and North America.

Learn about the universe as you visit the Rose Center of Earth and Space in the museum. The AMNH is the best place to learn about historical animals and cultures.

4. Coney Island USA

Coney Island USA is known for its best shows such as Mermaid Parade and Coney Island Circus Sideshow. The Island is a non-profit organization located in the southwestern part of New York.

Coney Island features two amusement parks Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park and Luna Park.

Luna Park features rides such as Coney Island Cyclone, Zenobio, Sling Shot, Sky Chaser, Coney Clipper, Circus Coaster, and Coney Island Hang Glider. The park also has numerous fun games such as Pyramid Smash Trade-up, Water Racer, Luna Arcade, and Pyramid Smash.

Attractions at the Coney Island USA
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Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park has the famous NYC landmark known as Deno's Wonder Wheel. Deno's presents 16 fun rides for kids including Samba, Pony Carts, Rio Grande Train, and Tilt a Whirl.

For adults, the park has six unique rides such as Spook-A-Rama, Bumper Cars, Stop the Zombies, and Pheonix.

The Mermaid Parade is the must-watch event of Coney Island. The parade showcases Queen Mermaid, crowned King Neptune, marching bands, and dancing groups. The Island produces the annual Coney Island Film Festival in association with indiefilmpage.com

5. Liberty Island

Liberty Island has one of the most notable landmarks of America, the Statue of Liberty. Apart from the beautiful Lady Liberty the Island also has several other attractions.

One of the best parts of the island is the beautiful views you get of Brooklyn and Manhattan. Want to know how the Statue of Liberty was built? Then visit the Statue of Liberty museum where you can take a virtual ride of the interior. The museum also displays various sculptures and images.

The iconic landmark of NYC Statue of Liberty
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Another best part of Liberty Island is Flagpole Plaza as it showcases the all-around view of the place. The main attraction of the area is visiting the interior of the Statue of Liberty with our own eyes.

Get the tickets to Lady Liberty and visit the Pedestal and the crown of the statue. While you visit Liberty Island don't forget to take a stop at Ellis Island as well.

6. Empire State Building

The world famous Empire State Building is located in Midtown Manhattan. The beautiful 102-story skyscraper has over four million visitors each year.

As you reach the top of the Empire State Building you will be able to spot beautiful landmarks such as Rockefeller Center, Times Square, One World Trade Center, The Chrysler Building, Central Park, and Lady Liberty.

Night view of the Empire State Building
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You can even view the five states Delaware, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The building also features several exhibits on the 2nd and 80th floors for the ticket holders.

Enjoy wonderful exhibits such as The Site in the 1920s, Constructions, Modern Marvel, Otis Elevators, Urban Campus, Kong, Artistry in Light, Stephen Wiltshire's Drawing, and Scenes of NYC.

The Empire State Building also has shops and restaurants. As you visit the place don't forget to try delicious meals at Tacombi, and State Grill & Bar.

7. Intrepid Sea, Air And Space Museum

Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum is the best place for you if you are a history geek. The museum exhibits the original artifacts of aircraft and vessels used in American history.

The museum features the National Historic Landmark, Aircraft Carrier Intrepid. The Intrepid that fought in World War II is displayed as the centerpiece of the museum. The Aircraft Carrier features four decks such as flight deck, gallery deck, hangar deck, and third deck.

Aircrafts exhibited at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum
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The museum also includes Space Shuttle Pavilion that exhibits the space shuttle Enterprise, the first orbiter in the space shuttle program. The Pavilion also presents photographs, original artifacts, audio, and videos that showcase the history of the space shuttle.

The other exhibits of the museum are Submarine Gowler, British Airways Concorde, and Lockheed A-12.

8. Bronx Zoo Wildlife Conservation Society

Bronx Zoo Wildlife Conservation Society has over ten thousand animals. The Zoo includes various types of species from around the globe.

Want to see beautiful and colorful butterflies? Then visit the zoo's butterfly garden which has dozens of butterflies in the greenhouse and meadow. The butterfly garden is a seasonal exhibit that is open from March to October.

Different species exhibited at Bronx Zoo
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Visit the Asian jungle known as Jungleworld which exhibits langurs, leopards, Indian gharials, tropical birds, tapir, Asian small-clawed otters, and more. The zoo also presents animals from Madagascar.

It exhibits the Nile crocodiles, tomato frogs, mongooses, radiated tortoises, fossas, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, and four species of lemur. Apart from animal sightseeing the zoo offers natural trek, quest, treetop adventure, and bug carousel.

You can also get up close experiences with animals or feed the penguins and sea lions.

9. The Escape Game

Things to do in New York in weekend are playing Escape The Room. The NYC Escape Game features Prison Break, The Heist, Gold Rush and much more.

The Escape Room Center has five rooms with different themes. You have to use the clues to escape from those rooms.

The first room of the place is the Prison Break where the players are separated into two different cells. The participants must work together to free themselves from the 1950's style prison.

The second escape room is The Heist theme where your mission is to break into a museum curator's room undetected and recover the stolen painting before the curator returns. The Heist is the most popular game among the five of them.

The escape room themes at The Escape Game NYC
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Uncover the truth with the third escape room known as Special Ops: Mysterious Market. When the routine search of a spice market unravels a mysterious discovery. The players must combat an international crisis that threatens the world.

The fourth escape room is Gold Rush where you find the inheritance left by your deceased relative. The final room in the Escape Game is Playground where the players must complete assignments before the end of the day in order to enjoy the summer break.

The Escape Game is the best pick for you if you want to have fun while you use your tactical skill and teamwork.

10. Rockefeller Center

Winter activities in New York include ice skating at The Rink at the Rockefeller Center. The roller skating season begins on April 14 each year.

The Center offers roller skating with a beautiful backdrop of the city. Explore the beautiful art and architecture with the help of a guided Rockefeller Center tour.

Spend a wonderful time with your loved ones at the iconic Rockefeller Center when you visit NYC. The place offers several attractions that will leave you amazed.

Attractions of the Rockefeller center
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Enjoy the 360-view of the NYC from Top of the Rock. It has three levels of outdoor and indoor decks that showcase the beautiful views of the city skylines.

Visit the Rainbow Room for the original NYC entertainment and glamour. The trip to Rockefeller is incomplete without visiting Radio City Music Hall. Don't forget to click pictures in front of the famous Christmas tree if you are visiting the place during Christmas Holidays.