The Big Apple, with all its hustle and bustle, is the perfect place for grown-ups. It boasts a vast corporate world where professionals can climb their way to the top. The city appreciates and embraces art, making it a haven for creatives and performers alike. And with millions in its population, it provides the perfect dating scene for anyone single looking for love. With all this in mind, is
New York City a good place for families too? The answer is yes, of course it is. There are still places like Central Park, the Children's Museum of Manhattan, the New York Public Library, and the American Museum of Natural History, after all.
Central Park
It's no surprise that
Central Park starts this list off. Perhaps the most famous city park in the world, there's a lot a family can do in just these 840 acres. There's the usual picnic and playtime, sure, but there's also the open-air theater, waterside fun by the lake, and even going to the Central Park Zoo. At times, the park also hosts concerts, music festivals, fun fairs, and more. Who wouldn't want to hang out at such an exciting park?
New York Public Library
Spending the day with your family in New York City can mean something other than games and running around. It could mean some peace and quiet too. If you and the rest of your brood are bonafide bibliophiles, look no further than the iconic New York City Public Library. The place's Beaux-Arts architectural style is worth the visit alone, hence, it's often jam-packed with tourists during the day. But if you get lucky enough to catch it with very few visitors, you can enjoy an entire day of reading with the whole family.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Now, let's talk about the
museums in New York City. The Big Apple is a treasure trove of impressive galleries, but only a handful specifically target the whole family. Or more specifically, the little ones. One such is the Brooklyn Children’s Museum in Crown Heights. Founded in 1899, it was the first museum built specifically for children. The places boasts colorful displays and cool exhibits that stimulate and educate kids. They can play on the interactive ones, such as the play stores where they can pretend to be bakers, waiters, shopkeepers, and more.
Staten Island Children's Museum
The Staten Island Children's Museum is also worth a mention. Since it's in the often-overlooked Staten Island, you can expect less of the hassle and hustle you'd normally encounter in the other
New York boroughs. But is it worth taking the trip with your entire family in New York City? You bet it is! Learning through playing is the name of the game at the Staten Island Children's Museum. Here, the little ones can play house, have fun with giant versions of board games, and more.
Children's Museum of Manhattan
Let's go back to Manhattan for this next one. The Children's Museum of Manhattan is another gem for your family in New York City. Like the other kid-centric museums on this list, the place encourages learning through playtime too. Located in the Upper West Side, one of the finer
neighborhoods of New York, the museum is jam-packed with interactive exhibits, educational games, and more. It's particularly popular for its arts and crafts section, wherein your little ones are encouraged to let their creative juices flow and discover their inner Picassos or Van Goghs.
National Museum of Mathematics
The National Museum of Mathematics on E 26th Street is another great family-friendly museum in New York City but it'll take your kids a lot of convincing. They probably think that it's a place full of numbers, fractions, textbooks, and more, right? Well, they'll be pleasantly surprised to know that this museum is more exciting than all that. Amidst the standard displays and whatnots, there are interactive exhibits and games they can play to learn math at the same time. They might even prefer learning here to their
school in New York.
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History is a must-see for any family in New York City! Anyone who has watched the beloved “Night at the Museum” movie franchise knows that there are tons to see and explore in this exciting museum. Though you can't stay there late to see if the exhibits come to life after dark, you can still learn a lot as you peruse its fascinating galleries of dioramas, replicas, antiques, and more.
Hershey's Chocolate World
Anyone who has
moved to New York City knows that Times Square is only for tourists. Once you've seen it, there's no reason to go there again. Especially after dark when it tends to get rather sketchy. Even with all the city lights, the place still attracts all sorts of characters, and they're not all safe! So why should you take your family to this part of town? Three words: Hershey's Chocolate World! This is more than just your regular old chocolate shop. It's the closest thing to a modern-day Willy Wonka Factory!
Chelsea Piers
Okay, that's enough about museums! Let's go back to fun places that'll let you spend a more exciting time with your family in New York City, like the Chelsea Piers, for example. This port playground is all about getting you excited and exhausted. You can go bowling, rock-climbing, golding, jumping on trampolines, try parkour, and more. It's the perfect place for the whole family to exercise, especially if you want to encourage the little ones to live out more active lifestyles.
Coney Island
New York City isn't exactly known for its theme and amusement parks, especially since Los Angeles and Orlando have beaten it in the game. If you want to go on thrill rides and fun attractions, these are the cities you'll want to visit. Nevertheless, there's still Coney Island, a quaint peninsular neighborhood off the Brooklyn borough. The entire area is known for its various amusement parks, some of which are the very first in the entire country. Don't worry! They've seen tons of renovations over the years and are as fun as ever!
There are lots of great places for you to spend quality time with your family in New York City. The Big Apple isn't just for big dreamers and grownups! The whole family can have a lot of fun here too.
