I’m currently beginning planning for a NY trip with my 11 year old son in late June. I’d appreciate any feedback, suggestions, restaurant tips, criticism, etc. on our itinerary.
Optional back-story:
My wife and daughter are headed to London for two weeks in June with the Girl Scouts. She’s earned her trip by selling 3000+ boxes of cookies over the past two years. My son is either too old/too young to hang out with a bunch of women for two weeks, so he was going to be left behind with dad. That’s really not fair to him, so rather than let the grass grow under our feet, we’ve decided to take a guy’s trip to New York.
Considerations:
Because of the unexpected nature of our vacation and the fact our travel budget is tied up in London and the ￡/$ exchange rate, we’re trying to do this on the cheap. We’re using frequent flier miles and have booked a bunk room at the Pod Hotel. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous this ain’t.
We’re going to try to stay with attractions that we wouldn’t revisit if/when we go back with the wife and daughter.
I’m trying to find things that would be cool for an 11 year old who’s interested in history and uninterested in shopping
Tentative plan:
Travel Day (Thursday):
Travel from SFO to JFK. Earlier flights were blacked out for frequent flier redemption so we get in late. Planning to catch a cab to the hotel, grab a bite and (hopefully) sleep.
Day 1 (Friday): Weather and jetlag permitting.
Take subway from E 51st to NY Transit Museum in Brooklyn.
Afterwards, walk along Montague Street, grab a bite to eat and return to Manhattan via the Brooklyn Promenade and Bridge.
Visit NYPD Museum
Depending on the time and how we’re feeling, either backtrack to South Street Seaport, head up to Ground Zero/St. Paul’s, or head back to the hotel.
After dinner, who knows? Maybe TOTR or Times Square
Day 2 (Saturday):
Head uptown to the Met. I know it’s huge so we’ll mainly focus on the armor and Egyptian sections. But you never know what you’ll find exploring a great museum.
Continue West through the park, maybe rent a bike
At night, I think he might enjoy an improv show at the National Comedy Theatre.
Day 3 (Sunday):
Take the long subway ride to Coney Island. Neil is a huge fan of the movie “The Warriors” and we’d like to see Coney Island before it’s redeveloped. Eat a dog at Nathan’s, dip a toe in the Atlantic, ride the Cyclone and maybe shoot the freak.
Have a pizza at Totonno’s before heading to Keyspan Park for a Brooklyn Cyclones baseball game. We had hoped to catch a Yankees game but in a twist of fate, they’re in SF the weekend we’re there. Shea doesn’t have the same appeal.
Day 4 (Monday):
Itinerary starts getting fuzzy here. I want to leave room for things that we’d planned but just didn’t have time to get to during the first three days. We haven’t gotten on a boat yet—that’s a possibility. Maybe we’ll just wander around the Village or Chelsea. I suppose we’ll have to hit the Nintendo Store at some point during our vacation.
Getaway Day (Tuesday):
It’s a partial day so we’ll want to stay relatively close to the hotel. The Sony Wonder Technology Lab isn’t too far away and seems targeted at kids. The UN is another possibility but I haven’t been able to find much information about the tour. Maybe we’ll just head back to Times Square for some tchoskies to take back. The subway/AirTrain combo looks like the best way back to JFK depending on how much stuff we have.
One %26amp; A Half Men NYC Itinerary for June - version 1.0My daughter really wants to work at the UN, and she found the tour a bit boring at 13. Just FYI, and it may have been the guide.
How about the Museum of Natural History and the planetarium? A ride on the Staten Island Ferry is always fun, especially if it%26#39;s a warm day.
The baseball game sounds like the highlight of the trip to me!
Mary
One %26amp; A Half Men NYC Itinerary for June - version 1.0You are awesome! Hey, are there cookies left? I like the chocolate mints and the shortbread cookies. It could help defray some of your expenses.
Your plan sounds perfect. Just one comment: I find most comedians rely too much on profanity. You should check with the venue first to see if the humor might be too adult for your son.
As you%26#39;re planning, check the Central Park web site (www.centralparknyc.org) for free music events. They also have loads of free stuff for kids, from puppet making to kite flying, even fishing at Harlem Meer.
Have fun planning!
Yeah, the Cyclones baseball sounds incredible. Much better than MLB. But don%26#39;t overlook our Mets! Shea can be pretty special, too.
This sounds great, if you go to Coney Island check out the aquarium if you have time, small but nice.
Glad you are heading to The Transit Museum, I think you will enjoy it.
Like Bettina said lots to do in Central Park, including the zoo, rowboating, bike rental, remote controlled sailboats, lots of parks, so keep this in mind.
I would definately go to Top of the Rock.
On day 4 you could combine a boat and your son%26#39;s interest in history with a ferry ride to Ellis Island. Or maybe include the Lower East Side Tenement Museum on one of the days. Just a thought.
You should also fit one meal in at a Papaya King!
Thanks for all the suggestions. Ellis Island seems like a great fit for day 4 because it would involve both a boat and some US history. After lunch, we could still work our way back uptown via Greenwich Village.
I didn%26#39;t realize the aquarium was that close to the other Coney Island attractions. It%26#39;s definitely something for us to consider, especially if the weather is bad on Sunday.
I think we%26#39;ll have to choose between the Met and Natural History Museums. They%26#39;re pretty close to one another so it%26#39;s not a major logistical issue.
The UN is slipping off the list.
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