New York, New York

There's no city like it. See About's pages on remembering Sept. 11... Here, our focus is on Travel With Kids: and NYC is tops for that.

Top Things to do in NY with Teens include movie tours, gigantic dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural History, Broadway plays....

"Big Apple Greeters" is a terrific New York experience: Friendly New Yorkers volunteer to show tourists around their favorite town. A terrific introduction to the city, and free. Some volunteers specialize in families.

Got younger kids? Six New York City Toy Stores turn retail space into entertainment. American Girl Place has restaurant and theater, Toys R Us has a ferris wheel; Build-A-Bear Workshop has an "Eat With Your Bear Hands Cafe"...

Last year I visited with a teen: check out our 5-day itinerary, and our very cool family-friendly digs.

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New York City: 5-day Itinerary with a Teen

New York has so much going on and so many choices, that every family can find an itinerary that fits their predilections. So this is just a sample: see links at bottom, to explore more.

Tip:

• We did the Empire State Building, Natural History Museum, MOMA, and Circle Line harbor tour using CityPass-- a great way to save money on admissions

Day One:

• checked into Embassy Suites Hotel New York, in Lower Manhattan-- a great place for families (and pets) with playground and parks by the river just outside the door. "Creativity Suite" comes with with iMac, plasma tv, interesting books, and massaging chair.
• at Times Square, had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe which has a stunning collection of rock memorabilia
• Grand Central Station
• walked to TriBeCa and Little Italy: terrific dinner at Benito II on Mulburry St.

Day Two:

• complimentary big breakfast at Embassy Suites, with all the fixins'
• work day for me. Evening: Broadway play "Spamalot": reprise of Monty Python and the Holy Grail with the comic addition of David Hyde Pierce ("Niles" on the Frasier show)

Day Three:

• tour of NBC Studios
• Lunch at landmark Tavern on the Green
• Natural History Museum: real-life dinosaur fossils are a highlight, as are the prehistoric mammals
• walk down 5th Ave.
• Empire State Building: prepare to wait in line-ups! Going up and down.

Day Four

• Dim Sum lunch feast in Chinatown
• Chinese Ice Cream Store (black sesame ice cream)
• Museum of Modern Art: two reluctant teens were wowed by the top floor of Greatest Hits. Van Gogh's Starry Night, Henri Rousseau's The Lion and the Gypsy, Picasso's Three Musicians, to name only a few.

Day Five:

• Manhattan TV and Movie Tour: 3-hour guided bus tour by On Location Tours, visiting places where movies and tv shows have been filmed. Nice intro to Greenwhich Village.
• "The Beast" high-speed harbor tour by Circle Line, past Statue of Liberty
• check-in at airport to lose luggage forever

For more about NYC, see:

• New York City for Visitors: find out what's going on, where to eat, lots of tips

• GoCityKids covers every sort of event and fun place for kids. Visitor info such as lodging and restaurants, too.