Traveling to New York with children

[mummytait]

The week before christmas and we only have 2 days- very grateful for practical ideas. Also if anyone knows what the weather might be like..................that would help me prepare. Is MOMA suitable for kids? Can I get lion king tickets even though the web site says they havn't been released yet?

[jno]

MOMA is modern art, so much the same as Tate Modern - if you'd take your kids to one, take them to the other. My guess is they might enjoy the Metropolitan museum more. When I went to NY one Xmas it was 30 below including wind chill factor - that's unusual, but it can be cold, it can blizzard, it can be mild, so really hard to tell. Take them up the Empire State building or the Rockefeller Centre, go on a horse and buggy ride round Central Park, maybe a Circle Line cruise round Manhattan or helicopter flight above (not cheap). Depends on their ages and what their interests are.

[mummytait]

Thanks a lot. the helicopter sounds amazing but am now slightly worried bout the weather!!!! I believe it was much milder this year?

[jno]

I think so, but it changes so much from year to year these days, and NYC is liable to very much more extreme weather than Britain (if that's where you are). The good news is if it's below freezing you rush into Macy's or somewhere and buy good, cheap, warm clothes, so you don't necessarily have to pack for the very worst.

[spudqueen]

Pick up a copy of the guide book - A Brits Guide to New York, it has a whole section on New York with children. Weather wise - expect it to be cold, but you can no more predict what the weather will be like in New York on a given date 9 or 10 months away than you can for London!

[dannydingbat]

I was there last December and it was very mild, most unusual. You must go to Macy's and look at the superbly dressed windows, better than any grotto. You can also eat very well and cheaply in the basement of that store

[JonnoGenie]

Go ice skating at the Wollman Ring in Central Park, or at the Rockerfeller Centre... both are great.

The weather in NYC is always changeable. It could be 20c, or -20C at that time!

[mummytait]

Great answers guys. I'm VERY excited. Will definately be going ice skating although eldest son resembles bambi on ice!!! More advice very welcome

[jno]

I actually had Xmas dinner at the restaurant around the Rockefeller Centre ice rink - didn't even book. Good food and lovely view of the skaters. You might not be there on Dec 25 but the place should still be open. The queues may have got longer in the 20 years since then, of course. Yes, the shop window displays are great at that time of year; stroll down 5th Avenue.

You might also like a peek at the World Trade Centre site - you should be able to see it either from the street or from the World Financial Centre next door. Wwouldn't bother unless your kids are aware of what happened on 9/11, though, otherwise it will just be a hole in the ground to them.

[JonnoGenie]

I've been to 'Ground Zero' a couple of times since 9/11. I'd just like to point out that recently the perimeter of the area, from which you can view the area has been increasingly occupied by 'portacabins' and fencing and other stuff. If you are in the area, stroll past, some of the memorials which are worth seeing. You'll sense the above ground void, but the 14 acre, 5 storey deep hole which was mind-blowing, is to all intents and purposes no longer visible.

You won't be able to get up into the WFC unless you know someone who works there...