Spending 3 days in New York with kids? Here’s a 3-day itinerary designed to minimize walking for the kids with tips on where to stay and eat in the city.
Planning a trip to New York is fun but also overwhelming. There is so much to see and do, all while balancing the needs and wants of everyone in the group. As we planned our trip, we asked each of kids for sights on their must-see list and took those into account when planning. M&M’s World was definitely not on my list, but family travel is all about compromises. The boys wanted to see the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but it wouldn’t work well for their younger sister so another compromise. I think our 3-day itinerary ended up being perfect!
Day 1 Itinerary
After a leisurely breakfast in our hotel, we started our day by walking to Rockefeller Center. We had tickets for Top of the Rock and the kids first wanted to check out FAO Schwartz, which is just around the corner. The store is a much smaller version of its former location but fun to explore regardless.
Our reservations for Top of the Rock were at 11:15 a.m. The process is well organized and moves fairly quickly to get you to the top. The view is one of my favorites in the city with the Empire State building off to one side and Central Park on the other. While there is a smaller viewing area inside, the main attraction is the rooftop area so keep this in mind when planning your trip. We waited to buy our tickets until a few days before we left for New York. Last time, I went at sunset, which is truly stunning and one of the most popular times. Those tickets could sell out during busier travel times.
From Rockefeller Center we walked up Fifth Avenue toward Central Park. We grabbed sandwiches along the way and picnicked in the park where the horse carriages line up (6th Ave and W 59th St). The carriage ride is a great way to see some of the park, especially with little ones. We chose the 45-minute ride, which makes a loop up to Bethesda Terrace. Along the way, the carriage driver points out the sights and history along the way. We got out at Bethesda Terrace, walked down to the fountain and water for photos and stopped at the bathroom (surprisingly, much cleaner than I feared). There are also options for 20- or 60-minute carriage rides.
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Back where we started, we walked to Times Square, where the kids wanted to spend some of their own money at M&M’s World. I think it’s too expensive, but they wanted to buy some of the unique flavors you wouldn’t find in stores.
After a short break back at our hotel in the Garment District, we walked to an early dinner because we had tickets to Aladdin that evening. It was so much fun and the perfect show for us with the mixed ages of our kids (14, 12 and 6).
Day 2 Itinerary
After taking the subway to lower Manhattan, we started the day at the 9/11 Memorial. The north and south tower pools are beautifully moving. We did not buy tickets to the museum, which is supposed to be very well done.
From the memorial, we walked over to the Brooklyn Bridge before heading to Battery Park. Depending on where you’re staying, it would make more sense to start your day here, but it was easiest for us to backtrack a bit because of the subway connections.
We had a 1 p.m. ferry ride to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. It’s all very well organized from going through security to getting on the ferry. For the statue, you can decide to visit the grounds, go inside the pedestal and go up into the crown. The crown tickets sell out well in advance, and we thought the pedestal worked best for us with the six-year-old. On the way back to NYC, we got out at Ellis Island. The kids loved reading about its history. The whole excursion took around three hours for us.
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We rode the subway back to the hotel, and the boys grabbed jackets and headed back to the subway for a Yankees game in the Bronx.
Day 3 Itinerary
The weather during our trip was perfect every day, which was great since most of our last day was outside. We started at Hudson Yards to walk the High Line, a public park built on an elevated historic rail line.
We stopped for snacks at Chelsea Market, a popular food hall in the Meatpacking District, and walked over to Little Island, one of the newer attractions in New York. It’s a lovely garden and amphitheater built in tulip-shaped concrete stilts in the Hudson River.
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Where to Stay
New York is expensive so budget may play a big role in where you stay. Midtown is a good base for exploring the city. One area I try to avoid is Times Square. The area has a lot of hotels, but I think it’s loud, dirty and very, very busy.
Where to Eat
New York is known for great food, but like many things in the city that never sleeps, deciding where to eat can be overwhelming. Some of my recommendations are below, several of them have locations around the city:
Bagel Market
Liberty Bagels
Joe’s Pizza (again, I would avoid the Times Square location)
Serafina (Italian)
Naya (Middle Eastern fast casual)
Magnolia Bakery (go for the banana pudding!)
General Tips
The easiest way to get around New York is walking and taking the subway. The traffic can be truly horrendous so my recommendation is to avoid taxis and ride shares if you can. If you’re not used to taking subways, it can seem daunting, but I promise it’s easier and cleaner than you might think. The train is also a great way to get to and from Manhattan. The beautiful new Moynihan Train Hall is next to the old Penn Station and lets you avoid the hassle of riding into the city from the airport.
Don’t forget to pack comfortable walking shoes!
