If you have noticed even more people walking with their heads buried in their phones over the past few weeks, it’s not just your imagination. There is a new craze that is sweeping the nation. Pokémon, the Nintendo smash hit from the 1990s, has finally reached smartphones with the Pokémon GO mobile app–perhaps you’ve noticed your kids have a new fixation during their allotted screen time hours. The game allows trainers to catch all their favorite Pokémon by exploring the streets, parks and roads around them in real time. Over 30 million people have downloaded Pokémon GO worldwide and more are doing so every day. Whether your kids are Pokémon Masters, or they’ve just started filling up their PokéDex, here are some ways to have even more fun while the whole family is out trying to catch ‘em all
First of all, there are many tips and tricks to becoming the best trainer. Some people are already mapping out which Pokémon are located in the city, especially rarer types. Everyone knows where to find a Rattata or Zubat; but it’s unusual to find places that spawn Scythers or Tauros. There are also ways to learn more about where you are, using the game. PokéStops (places that give out items) are usually located at historic and important sites: Not just the Empire State Building, but lesser known places of significance. Accessing the PokéStop gives you a small snippet of information, though you will have to search for more details on your own. Because of this, New York City is a fantastic place to play, since it has everything from landmarks, like Teddy Roosevelt’s birthplace on 20th Street, to interesting architecture like the engraved lions on the face of the building on 390 5th Avenue. Additionally, parks–like Union Square, Madison Square Park, Central Park, and Prospect (to name a few) tend to be full of PokéStops and abundant with Pokémon of all levels to catch.
If your kiddos are fans of art and Articuno, check out this fantastic event at Metropolitan Museum of Art. Thanks to Museum Hacks, you can go on a tour of the world-famous art museum while you catch some Pokémon. There will be Pokémon hunting challenges, prizes given out to the best trainers, and more! Kids (and parents) will have a blast looking for the rarest Pokémon, while also learning about beautiful artwork.
Catching Pikachus and Charmanders can be exhausting. Get your energy back by stopping at a Doughnut Plant location near you. To celebrate the Poké-mania, they have unveiled their newest treat: The Pecha Berry doughseed, also known as a Pokéseed. Named after an item from the game and made to look like a classic PokéBall, the Pokéseed is covered in raspberry and white chocolate glaze and is full of delicious peach and strawberry cream inside. For an added bonus, their locations in Chelsea, Brooklyn, and Queens are PokéStops, and the Lower East Side location is a gym, ripe for the taking!
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If your family is looking to capitalize on the social aspect of the game, people are organizing meetups all over the city so people can walk around together. One group has a weekly meetup in Union Square on Wednesday evenings. The organizers provide lures so there will be an abundance of Pokémon. Another meetup, hosted by the group Pokémon GO Elite NYC, takes place this Saturday, at 1pm. They will meet by the Plaza Hotel and walk north along Central Park. Look up what events are happening in your area so your family can meet up with fellow trainers to find that elusive Eevee or Squirtle.
Restaurants throughout the city are taking advantage of people looking to catch the rarest Pokémon they can by offering special deals. For businesses that are lucky enough to have PokéStops on their grounds, it can be as simple as placing a lure and waiting for trainers to come in. Even though lures cost a little bit of money, people coming in to catch Pokémon buy food while they wait. Other places offer special discounts for people who prove they caught Pokémon there. If there is a gym located in a restaurant, they will often post which team (Mystic, Instinct, or Valor) controls the gym. Savvy business owners are using PokéMon GO to catch more customers!
So download the app, set up your trainer information and get started on your quest to catch all 150 Pokémon (the app allows you to hold up to 250 of the 150 different Pokémon)! You can even tweet snapshots of your family’s coolest catches to @newyorkfamily.
