Exploring NYC with Kids, Even if You’re a Local

Even if you live nearby, it’s never easy to arrive in The City early in the morning. So, assuming you’ve gotten to your hotel by around 2 pm, I would suggest you have a light bite to eat and explore the local neighborhood for a little bit.

When you select a hotel in New York, you’re also selecting the location. For this itinerary, the location is “downtown” in Tribeca. The name Tribeca is an abbreviation of the "triangle below Canal Street." It has become one of the hippest places to hang out and is a great spot for touring lower Manhattan. Assuming you’re interested in checking out the neighborhood, you can find some pretty awesome boutiques and great architecture.

Find your way back to your hotel to freshen up for dinner and the evening. Opt for an incredible dinner at the Mexican restaurant Casa Carmen Tribeca. The food is authentic, the atmosphere is lively but warm and welcoming and the drinks are amazing. This is a reasonably priced meal among other restaurant giants also in the neighborhood that are more than deserving of a reservation.

Next, check out the very cozy, very private, Cinema at The Roxy Hotel. The subterranean theater, awash in rich red velvet, has only about 120 seats and features one show at a time — often pretty niche material, but it was a real highlight. You can even get free popcorn with your ticket!

Purchase advance tickets for the morning to see either the 9/11 Memorial & Museum or the One World Observatory. Each of these are in the same vicinity in lower Manhattan, but each is a very different experience.

The 9/11 Museum is incredible. As someone who lived in NYC during the 9/11 terrorist attack, I was anxious about going to this museum. However, I am so glad I went and that my kids went, too. The museum is beautifully done with a real sensitivity to all those affected. This is a true learning experience and one that is not to be missed.

The One World Observatory, the tallest tower in the USA, is a great time. The day we went, there was zero visibility due to the weather, but we went up anyway. There were fewer people up there as a result and we flew through security. You are supposed to have 360-degree views (we didn’t) as well as an amazing 45-second ride up to the 110th floor. There’s a café up there and, of course, a gift shop! We loved it and, despite the weather, we could still see things.

You could do both of these things in one day. If you opt for that, I would suggest you do the museum in the morning, as early as possible, and then head over to the observatory for an 11 or 11:30 am time slot. You could spend all day at the memorial if you wanted to, but for those with kids or who may not need to spend that much time there, you can enjoy the experience in about 90 minutes to two hours. The observatory only really requires about an hour to enjoy.

Now it’s time for lunch. How about a food tour in Greenwich Village? There are tour companies that provide these, or you could make one up yourself. We opted for a DIY version with two types of pizza, falafel, fries, rice balls and a cupcake.

Dinner was a very cool experience at the Django Jazz Club, back at The Roxy Hotel again. The underground club had a great speakeasy vibe, and our two-drink minimum was easily satisfied.

After breakfast at the hotel, go shopping in SoHo, checking out the small boutiques or the awesome teen-focused stores along Broadway, before heading home.