Location: Just off the Main Concourse in the Shuttle Passage, accessible by stroller from Lexington and 42nd Street. Not accessible from Vanderbilt Avenue.
Cost: FREE
Times: Open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Avoid commuter hours at Grand Central as the Terminal get very crowded especially if you have a stroller.
Why we love it: Trains!Small exhibit. The beauty of Grand Central Terminal. Fresh food in Grand Central Market also Food Court choices. It’s free!
A new real estate development with public parks, shopping, dining. and kid-friendly activities all in one location. There are interactive installations in Snark Park (timed-tickets required, book online). The Vessel, awesome to look at but with 2,500 steps to climb it’s just for older kids and brave adults (free timed-tickets, book online, some available day of on-site). Check website for free weekend kid activities.
This pop-up 20,000-square-feet interactive exhibit with 16 installations is a salute to color and designed to invite curiosity, discovery, and play. Only foldable strollers allowed.
A 1.45-mile elevated linear park that twists and turns and has some fun seating. Take snacks, water and maybe a small picnic, or visit Chelsea Market at 15th and 16th Streets for a fun, casual meal. Download the High Line app for restroom locations.
Partnering with Native people and home to artifacts that date back 12,000 years, the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is committed to the advancement and knowledge of Native American Cultures.
Location:One Bowling Green, New York, NY 10004. Closest trains are 4, 5 (Bowling Green), 1 (South Ferry), R (Whitehall Street), J, Z (Broad Street), and 2, 3 (Wall Street). Closest buses are the M5, M15, and M20.
Why we love it: On the first and third Saturday of each month NMAI invites kids 9 years-old and above to come explore, tinker, and create with their interactive indigenous innovations workshop in the new imagiNATIONS Activity Center!
Located in the south east corner of the city’s favorite green spaces, Central Park, the Central Park Zoo is home to animals like Sea Lions, Snow Leopard, Grizzly Bears, and more!
Location: 64th Street and Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 1002. Closest trains are N, R, W (5th Avenue/59th Street), or 6 (68th Street/Hunter College). Closest Buses are the M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M66, Q32.
Cost: General Admission Tickets range from $8.95 for kids and $13.95 for adults. Children 2 and under are admitted for free.
Why we love it: Easy to get to and full of amazing animals to meet, the Central Park Zoo’s Tisch Children’s Zoo is a fun interactive part of the zoo that lets kids, young and old, feed the animals from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.!
One of the largest zoos in the United States, the Bronx Zoo is sprawled out over 265 acres of land. Home to naturalistic exhibits, parklands, and over 4,000 different animals, families can come spend a day at the zoo. Pack a lunch, snacks, and a curious mind for a day with some of the world’s most exotic and rare animals!
Location: 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York 10460. Closest train is the 2. Closest buses are the express BxM11 or local buses Bx9, Bx19, Bx12, Bx22, Q44.
Cost: Free on Wednesdays, General Admission Tickets range from $14.95 for kids and $22.95 for adults. Children 2 and under are admitted for free.
Times: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Weekdays, 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. on Weekends and Holidays.
Why we love it: The Bronx Zoo’s Dinosaur Safari is back in town! On Free Admission Wednesdays, for only $6 per person, you and your kids can buckle up for a trip back to the Mesozoic era where you will learn about the dinos in the past and animals in the present, spend time digging for fossils, and even meet a roaring dinosaur!
With so much to see and educational programs for adults and children alike, the New York Botanical Garden is proud to operate the world’s largest research and conservation program.
Location: 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10458-5126. Closest trains are B, D, 4 (Bedford Park Blvd.) and the Bx26 bus east (Garden’s Mosholu Entrance), or 2 (Allerton Avenue).
Cost: General Admission Tickets range from $10 for kids and $23 for adults on weekdays, and $12 for kids and $28 for adults on the weekend. Children 2 and under are admitted for free.
Times: Daily open Tuesday – Sunday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Why we love it: With the Botanical Garden’s plethora of events there’s always something for you and the kids to do and this weekend, the garden is hosting a variety of Earth Day events! Come out for a lively, music-filled parade or get a behind the scenes look at plant research and conservation, or check out their other Earth Day activities April 20 – 22!
Known for its iconic entrance, expansive research section, and circulating children’s collection, the New York Public Library is a favorite for locals and tourists alike!
Location: 476 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018. Closest Trains are 4, 5, 6 (Grand Central Station), B, D (42nd Street – Bryant Park), A, C, E (42nd Street – Port Authority Bus Terminal.
Why we love it: Though there’s countless rooms to visit and books to read, our favorite characters to visit are Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends! At home in the New York Public Library, kids of all ages can come to the Children’s Center to meet their favorite childhood friends!
One of the largest history museum’s in the world, the American Museum of Natural History has 33 million specimens on display and several stunning exhibits!
Location: Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024-5192. Closest trains are B, C (81st Street – Museum of Natural History), 1 (79th Street). Closest buses are M7, M10, M11, and M79.
Cost: Donate what you like.
Times: Daily 10 a.m. – 5:45 p.m.
Why we love it: The museum’s latest exhibit delves into the life and evolution of what once was the world’s ultimate predator, the T Rex! For only a minor additional exhibition payment, you and your kids can stand in front of a scientifically accurate replica of a T Rex, explore the dinosaur’s ancestry, and immerse yourselves in a virtual reality experience you won’t soon forget!
It’s spring break! Already! Can you believe it?! For those of us not packing our bags and jetting off to some ski resort in the mountains or some beach to sunbathe on, we get to appreciate the city. However, with so many things to do and only a week to do them, it can be hard to choose. Don’t worry though, we’ve done some sleuthing for you. Check out 10 fun things to do with your family this week!
