5 Great Places to Visit with Kids in NYC
Traveling to NYC right now may not seem like the most popular travel idea but it could be a great option if you family is willing to go right now. The crowds are low and many of the popular attractions are open. Dina Sullivan joins Lisa to share her experiences of multiple visits with her kids to New York City in the past few months. She shares what to expect with pandemic precautions plus five great places you will want to visit with your kids.
iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | Podbean
“Plan ahead and make reservations for any experience you want to do in NYC.”
Changes in Traveling to NYC Due to the Pandemic
You need to plan ahead and make reservations for all of the places you want to visit.
Most places have very flexible cancellation policies
Fewer people
Shorter lines
The city feels cleaner.
People keep their distance.
Some restaurants are closed.
Restaurants that are open have limited seating but reservations were not needed at many places. If you have a place where you know you want to eat, call ahead to see if they will let you make reservations.
You should bring along your own snacks in case your favorite food places are not open.
Venues have a temperature check that you have to do before you can enter.
Masks are required everywhere.
Hand sanitizer is readily available. Bring along your own sanitizer so that you always have it when you need it.
5 Great Places to Visit with Kids in NYC (During or after the pandemic)
Empire State Building. If you have already visited the Empire State Building on a previous trip, it’s worth a return visit. They did a big remodel and there are some great updates. The elevator ride is now a cool experience. They have also added a King Kong interactive area that is so fun for kids.
SpyScape. This place is a great hands-on experience. See a James Bond Car, do a special ops mission, and do message decoding. Fun for kids and adults. Ages 7+ will enjoy this more than younger children.
Color Factory. Color specific rooms (red room, blue room, pink room, etc.) where you play and pose for pictures. You collect souvenirs in each room to take home. On your way out of the experience, you get some blue ice cream. This is a great experience for all ages.
The Edge at Hudson Yards. This is the highest observatory in the western hemisphere. Walls are made out of floor-to-ceiling glass so it’s easy for kids of all ages to see. (Unlike visiting the observation decks at other buildings where half of the walls are made of cement and kids need to be held up.) Remember to make a reservation ahead of time.
Sloomoo Institute. A unique experience with lots of hands-on and sensory fun. You get to make your own slime! They were very generous with the amount of slime that each person was given. It’s sure to please kids of all ages in your group!
At Spyscape. Photo courtesy of Dina Sullivan.
A huge thank you to Dina Sullivan for being my guest on the podcast this week. If you’d like to follow along on Dina’s adventures or reach out to her, you can check our her Instagram account @the_traveliing_sullivans.