New York City with Kids: A Guide by Age

New York City is far more kid-friendly than most people expect, and it is one of my favorite family trips. The trick, as always, is matching the day to your kids’ ages. Here is how I plan it.

Little ones (under 5)

Keep it green and gentle: Central Park (the playgrounds, the carousel, and the Central Park Zoo), the dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History, a ride on the free Staten Island Ferry for the Statue of Liberty view, and a stop at FAO Schwarz. In winter, the tree and the holiday windows are pure magic.

5 to 10

Now the city opens up: a family Broadway show (The Lion King and Aladdin are perfect), the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the view from Top of the Rock, the Intrepid museum, and the buzz of Times Square in small doses. Pair a museum morning with a walk in Central Park.

Teens

Teenagers can do the whole city, more Broadway, the Met and the museums, the food, the shopping, and the neighborhoods. This is the age to let them help build the itinerary.

The practical stuff

Pace it, the city is a lot, and plan around naps and the subway (elevators are limited, so a light stroller or carrier helps). My New York guides by season, summer, fall, and Christmas, and my museums guide, all layer in beautifully. For traveling with kids at every age, see my family travel guide.

Why plan New York with kids with me

I base you in the right family-friendly neighborhood, book the shows and museum passes that fill up, and build a route that keeps little legs (and big ones) happy, in English or Español.