People spend lifetimes in The Big Apple and can’t experience all there is to see and do, so don’t feel pressured to do too much! Especially if it’s just for one day, you’ll want to be intentional about how you want to experience New York.
We flew into to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) for our trip to New Jersey and NYC. You can read more about our flight here. If you’re just doing a NYC trip, there may be better options with nearby airports such as Newark (EWR), LaGuardia (LGA) and JFK airport.
Free Night at the Hyatt Regency Jersey City
One of our benefits of the Hyatt Chase Credit Card is an annual free night valid for certain hotels with the annual $95 fee. The cash rates for a Thursday night stay was $230 so we used the free night certificate at the Hyatt Regency Jersey City and received a great value! The best thing about this hotel was its location right across the river from Manhattan. We were a quick ferry ride or train stop away from the action and didn’t have to stay in a small cramped room as we may have if we had looked for a hotel in the city.
As a benefit of our hotel status, we received an upgraded room with a couch and a view of the city and enjoyed a great buffet for free at the hotel. Another perk of our status was free parking right at the entrance! We left our car here when we arrived and didn’t use it in the city where we took ferries and subways around town.
Our original plan was to take the subway to the South Terminal and take the free Staten Island ferry to and from Manhattan. This would give us a great view of the Statue of Liberty (2 hours). However, we slept in, and it was already 10am by the time we finished breakfast so we decided to save it for a different trip.
After breakfast, we started our morning instead by taking a ferry to Manhattan. Tickets were purchased at the dock from NJ waterways and cost $23 for the 4 of us. This dropped us off right next to the One World Trade Center
One World Trade Center
At the 9/11 Memorial, two pools make up the footprints of the original Twin Towers. It’s a beautiful area that honors the victims of the September 11th attacks with their names surrounding the borders of the pools. We talked briefly with our kids about how people remember those who died. We thought this visit to the Reflecting Pools was a better option than some of the graphic visuals that may be found at the museum. If your kids are older or you, yourself, are interested, I’ve heard the museum is well done and an important part of our shared history.
Take the Subway!
From the World Trade Center, we walked a few blocks to the subway station to take the red line towards Times Square. Google Maps is very useful in guiding you to the stops and informing you of which lines to take. The cost for MTA Subway is $2.75 per person and Ellie (3) was free. When taking the subway, pay attention to which train to take. Often, the subway will list the last stop on their route, but that may include several stops on each side or intersecting routes. Also, the most important thing to remember with kids is to hold on tight when getting on and off trains. If your kids are older, have a plan for what to do if someone gets left behind or pushed ahead. (I.e. if left behind, stay put and someone will come back, if on a train by yourself, get off at the next stop and wait)
Keep in mind that just in Manhattan, transportation between areas can add time.
Times Square
At Times Square, we loved seeing all the giant screens on buildings and the costumed superheroes wandering around offering pictures for tips. We also enjoyed stopping in to browse the Disney Store and M&M store. At one point, we saw a really long line while we there and were curious about what cool thing everyone in NYC was excited about. Turns out it was a visiting Bonjangles chicken truck! Silly New Yorkers!
Activities Near 30 Rock
Walking towards Rockefeller Plaza, we came across a fun activity that wasn’t part of our plans. The Fire Zone is a free activity area offering information to kids about fire safety. We got to enjoy exploring a fire truck and a retired officer gave an educational tour about how to prevent fires. Also in this area was the Lego Store and the Nintendo Store.
The kid’s favorite store was the famous FAO Shwartz. This store is the oldest toy store in the United States. Carter loved the magic show demonstrations and Ellie loved the giant stuffed animals. And, of course, they loved the dance-on piano seen in the movie Big.
Central Park
We made a brief visit to the Southeast corner of Central Park. The kids enjoyed climbing some rocks near Central Park Zoo and watching the horses go by. We found some popsicles from a street vendor to enjoy in Sheep Meadow, a wide open space with sunbathing residents and tourists. Finally, we walked over some bridges to the Bethesda Fountain, a filming location of one of my favorite movies, Enchanted. There are multiple areas we didn’t explore in the park including the zoo, multiple playgrounds, statues, and hiking trails.
After our fun day in NYC, we took the subway back to our car at the hotel in New Jersey. The last stop before NJ was the Oculus, a shopping area near the World Trade Center famed for its interior design.
Other Ideas
We had a fun and busy day in NYC. We would love to go again and experience more fun activities! Maybe a Christmas trip to NYC or a Broadway Disney Show when they reopen.
For our next visit, other kid-friendly adventures we would like to add to our itinerary include:
