With kids · New York City · United States
New York City with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
New York is a big adventure for children: dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum, boats to the Statue of Liberty, playgrounds and a zoo in Central Park, and the rides at Coney Island. Distances and stairs are the main challenge — many subway stations have no lift — so mix the subway with buses and walking. Top picks: American Museum of Natural History, Central Park and Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Families usually base themselves in Upper West Side.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 7
- Best area for families
- Upper West Side
- Rainy-day options
- 1
- Busiest months
- June and December
Best things to do with kids
Museum · Upper West Side
1.American Museum of Natural History
Dinosaur halls with a towering Barosaurus and T. rex, a 29-metre blue whale model in the Hall of Ocean Life, the Hayden Planetarium and the canyon-like atrium of the Gilder Center make this one of the city's best stops for families. Residents of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut pay what they wish for general admission.
Arrive at opening and head straight to the fourth-floor dinosaur halls, which are busiest by late morning.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
- Iconic
.jpg){kind=link}
Park · Central Park
2.Central Park
Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux's 341-hectare park runs 51 blocks from 59th to 110th Street. Highlights include Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, Bow Bridge, the Strawberry Fields memorial to John Lennon, the Sheep Meadow lawns, the Central Park Zoo and the Conservatory Garden on the quieter north side.
Walk or cycle from Columbus Circle to Bethesda Terrace and Bow Bridge, then leave by the Met on Fifth Avenue.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
.jpg){kind=link}
Landmark · Liberty Island
3.Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
Ferries from Battery Park stop at Liberty Island, where the statue, a gift from France dedicated in 1886, has a museum and pedestal views, and at Ellis Island, whose immigration museum tells the story of the roughly 12 million people processed there between 1892 and 1954.
Take the first ferry of the day and allow at least half a day for both islands; security screening is airport-style.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Pedestal and crown access are limited and must be reserved with the official ferry operator, Statue City Cruises; crown tickets sell out months ahead.
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Views
Experience · Financial District
4.Staten Island Ferry
The free commuter ferry from Whitehall Terminal to Staten Island takes about 25 minutes each way, passing close to the Statue of Liberty and Governors Island, with views back to the Lower Manhattan skyline. It runs around the clock.
Stand on the right-hand side heading to Staten Island for the best views of the statue, then simply ride back.
- Time needed
- 1 hour round trip
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Kids
- Couples
.jpg){kind=link}
Theme park · Coney Island
5.Coney Island
Brooklyn's seaside amusement district has a wide beach, a boardwalk more than 4 km long, the wooden Cyclone roller coaster from 1927, the 1920 Wonder Wheel and the original Nathan's Famous hot dog stand. It sits at the end of the D, F, N and Q subway lines.
Visit on a summer weekday, ride the Wonder Wheel at dusk and walk the boardwalk to Brighton Beach for Russian and Ukrainian food.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Food
- History
Neighbourhood · DUMBO
6.DUMBO and Brooklyn Bridge Park
Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, DUMBO's cobbled streets frame the classic view of the Manhattan Bridge from Washington Street. Brooklyn Bridge Park runs along the waterfront below, with lawns, piers, playgrounds and Jane's Carousel, a restored 1922 carousel in a glass pavilion.
Arrive for sunset to watch the skyline light up across the East River, then walk back to Manhattan over the Brooklyn Bridge.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Couples
.jpg){kind=link}
Landmark · Midtown
7.Empire State Building
The 1931 Art Deco skyscraper has an open-air observation deck wrapping around the 86th floor, about 320 metres up, and a glass-walled observatory on the 102nd floor. Exhibits on the way up tell the story of its construction in just over a year.
Late-evening visits are often quieter than sunset and show the city lights at their best.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Timed tickets bought online cut waiting time, especially on weekends and holidays.
- Iconic
- Views
- After dark
- Architecture
- Kids
Rainy-day ideas
- American Museum of Natural History — Arrive at opening and head straight to the fourth-floor dinosaur halls, which are busiest by late morning.
Where families should stay
$$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and culture
Upper West Side
Between Central Park and Riverside Park, the Upper West Side is a residential district of brownstones and pre-war apartment buildings, with the American Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Center and food institutions such as Zabar's on Broadway. The 1, 2, 3 and B, C subway lines run straight to Midtown and Downtown.
- Good
- Family-friendly and calm; Two big parks on the doorstep; Fast subway to Midtown
- Watch out
- Quiet nightlife; A subway ride from Downtown sights
- Nearby
- American Museum of Natural History, Central Park, Lincoln Center, Riverside Park
Family travel tips
- Children under 44 inches (112 cm) ride free on the subway and local buses with a paying adult.
- Check the MTA's accessible-stations map; many stations have only stairs, which is hard work with a stroller.
- The Central Park Zoo, the Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium at Coney Island all make easy family days.
- Diners serve children's portions and quick, familiar food at almost any hour.
- Book the Statue of Liberty ferry and observation decks ahead to avoid long waits with children.
Day trips for families
- Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown (About 45 minutes by train) — The villages that inspired Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow have the Old Dutch Church and its burying ground, the Philipsburg Manor farm and Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate.
- Washington, D.C. (About 3 hours by train) — A long but doable day: the National Mall's monuments and the free Smithsonian museums, including the National Air and Space Museum, are within walking distance of Union Station.
When to go with children
The best months overall are April–June and September–October. June and December are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is New York City good for kids?
New York is a big adventure for children: dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum, boats to the Statue of Liberty, playgrounds and a zoo in Central Park, and the rides at Coney Island. Distances and stairs are the main challenge — many subway stations have no lift — so mix the subway with buses and walking.
+What can kids do in New York City?
American Museum of Natural History, Central Park, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Staten Island Ferry and Coney Island.
+Where should families stay in New York City?
Upper West Side: Brownstones, Central Park and the Natural History Museum.