Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So, I will be in New York in late May, minding my 5 year old son for a week while my wife is busy rehearsing*. Besides the zoo in Central Park and the Natural History Museum, what is there to do that a kid would find fun on Manhattan? He loves tall buildings, but the line at the Empire State Building might be too much for him. Is there another skyscraper that's good to visit? Are there any must-see playgrounds? He is obsessed with dogs and astronomy, so are there any attractions related to those? Cool statues?






*Her choir will be performing Carmina Burana with a full orchestra at Carnegie hall. They'll also perform in SoCal, if anyone's interested.

Air and Sea Museum
http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/?gclid=CKrS7cexr9MCFQGoaQodVbgBKQ

September 11 memorial
https://www.tiqets.com/en/new-york-c260932/the-national-9-11-memorial-museum-l145772?gclid=CJWr7fWxr9MCFVC5wAod2pkGXg

But I think top priority should be Natural History museum's Hayden Planetarium. You might get to see NDT, the man, the myth, the legend.

Never been there, but those are places I wanna go, and my wife says I have the mind of a small child.

Enroll them in an underground kumite so they may prove their worth.

 redleger wrote:
Air and Sea Museum
http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/?gclid=CKrS7cexr9MCFQGoaQodVbgBKQ

September 11 memorial
https://www.tiqets.com/en/new-york-c260932/the-national-9-11-memorial-museum-l145772?gclid=CJWr7fWxr9MCFVC5wAod2pkGXg

But I think top priority should be Natural History museum's Hayden Planetarium. You might get to see NDT, the man, the myth, the legend.

Never been there, but those are places I wanna go, and my wife says I have the mind of a small child.

The air and sea museum looks like a pretty safe bet, and the planetarium is perfect. He'll love that. Thanks for the suggestion. Catching sight of NDT would make my day, but the boy might be just as happy with Dr. Amy Mainzer.

The Sept 11th memorial would be a bit heavy for him, emotionally.

A strong second for the 'Intrepid' visit and definitely take him over to Central Park, lots of things to do there for him and you.


http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/

 Ahtman wrote:
Enroll them in an underground kumite so they may prove their worth.

This...and the Statue of Liberty

And if you don't fancy the Statue of Liberty but feel like a boat trip would be cool, the Staten Island Ferry used to be free for foot passengers and you can see the Manhatten skyline and the statue from a distance.

 BigWaaagh wrote:
A strong second for the 'Intrepid' visit and definitely take him over to Central Park, lots of things to do there for him and you.


http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/

Great googly moogly. I forgot most of that stuff existed. If he is patient enough for the tours, there's a few of those we would get a lot out of. We could definitely spend a few days wandering around there. Last trip, my wife decided she'd had enough of Central Park after I told one of the carriage horses I was Vinz, Vinz Clortho, Keymaster of Gozer, Volguus Zildrohar, Lord of the Seboullia...


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Graphite wrote:
And if you don't fancy the Statue of Liberty but feel like a boat trip would be cool, the Staten Island Ferry used to be free for foot passengers and you can see the Manhatten skyline and the statue from a distance.

That's a great idea. The long lines and security at the statue itself are probably a bit much for the kid.

 BigWaaagh wrote:
A strong second for the 'Intrepid' visit and definitely take him over to Central Park, lots of things to do there for him and you.


http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/

Intrepid is definitely worth your while, as they have some NASA stuff there, too.
I was less than impressed with the Statue of Liberty (Ellis Island museum was more interesting TBH, but maybe not for a 5-year-old), but I suppose it's one of those boxes to tick when you're there.
If you have the dinhero, a helicopter ride around Manhattan is pretty cool too, if not exactly cheap. Depending on what time the sun sets, get as late a flight as you can so you'll actually see NY from above in the dark. Don't know the minimum age to get on one though.

There's plenty of skyscrapers besides the ESB that offer tours (the Top of the Rock was pretty good).

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
*Her choir will be performing Carmina Burana with a full orchestra at Carnegie hall. They'll also perform in SoCal, if anyone's interested.

In a colossal coincidence, my friend and her mom are travelling to NY in late May to perform Brahms' Requiem at the Carnegie .

Bran, thanks for the tip about Top of the Rock. He'll also enjoy the NASA stuff at intrepid.

Feeder, that's awesome. Tell them congratulations!

You can go down to Battery Park and get a ticket for the ferry that goes out to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. If you're staying in a hotel in the Hoboken or Jersey City area I would recommend using the water taxi, more fun than the train and the view is nice.

Oh, hell, I almost forgot...Katz's Deli!!!!!!!! Do not pass go, do not collect any money until you go to Katz's Deli in NYC. I'm drooling as I type...

http://www.katzsdelicatessen.com/

Seek out the Ghostbusters Firehouse?

Unless it's been demolished. Which would be a shame, and a total waste of your time.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Seek out the Ghostbusters Firehouse?

Unless it's been demolished. Which would be a shame, and a total waste of your time.

That's going on the list. He hasn't seen the movie, so he'll just have to be bored while daddy geeks out.

Might also visit the Dark Tower at 1 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, although last time we went security wouldn't even let us into the lobby.

Thank you all for your suggestions. The vacation went moderately well in that there were only two incidents of vomiting and less than three screaming fits per day.

We didn't make it to the Intrepid due to the combination of rain and Fleet Week. And it closed at 1pm the day we thought we could make it, which wouldn't have been worth the blood, sweat and tears.

Visited the 9/11 Memorial until security intervened.

Went to the Natural History Museum and Planetarium twice. They were a big hit with the whole family. Bribed a lot of people, but no Neal DeGrasse Tyson. Also, that Dark Matter video is the most expensive fifteen minute "I dunno *shrug*" ever. Worth it for that soothing voice.

We did quite a bit in Central Park, including ruining two sets of clothing. Why the hell is there a concrete playground with jagged rocks for toddlers?

The Statue of Liberty was also a hit. He loved it so much he broke his Godzilla.

Top of the Rock was a hit. He loved spotting all the tall buildings and asking where all the boroughs were. Subway directions and the five boroughs became his obsession there. I was surprised at how many gnats lived way up there.

He loved St. Patrick's Cathedral, as well as a couple others we saw (St. Thomas?)

Ghostbusters Firehouse is still there, but covered with scaffolding for renovations. We also saw a few other Ghostbuster sights such as the library and some spots in central park, as well as the Dark Tower (at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza) and Trump Tower. Grand Central was very impressive. Lots of craziness at Times Square. A family friend screamed insults at the Phillipines Embassy while we went to Barnes and Noble.

We went to the Met, which is too much to take in in one day, and the Ancient Playground was pretty awesome for kids.


2nd Avenue Deli was better than Katz. Lombardi's was overrated. Pellegrino's/La Nonna was a total disaster and deserves to perish in flames. Best pizza we found? Famous Original Ray's. H and H bagels were great. Olivero's was the superior deli in the region of Carnegie Hall, much better than Premier or the vacant shell of Carnegie Deli, God rest its soul. There was a chinese restaurant with a special menu for backyard chickens freshly killed: decent.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 feeder wrote:

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
*Her choir will be performing Carmina Burana with a full orchestra at Carnegie hall. They'll also perform in SoCal, if anyone's interested.

In a colossal coincidence, my friend and her mom are travelling to NY in late May to perform Brahms' Requiem at the Carnegie .

We saw the posters for that performance! They looked better than the posters for my wife's choir's show.