What to do in NYC on Boxing Day with kids?
December 11, 2022 4:42 PM Subscribe
We are planning to spend December 26 in Manhattan with kids - age 5, 6, 10 & 12 - and are looking for itinerary suggestions. We do celebrate Christmas and are going to see the Rockefeller tree, possibly ice skating. But not everything has to be holiday themed!
Best lunch restaurants with kids? Should we brave the line at the Stardust Diner? Weather variable activities? I'm assuming most things will be open aside from banks and government offices.
It is the little kids first visit to NYC - please help me fill our day!
Best lunch restaurants with kids? Should we brave the line at the Stardust Diner? Weather variable activities? I'm assuming most things will be open aside from banks and government offices.
It is the little kids first visit to NYC - please help me fill our day!
If you're going to be near Rockefeller Center anyway, Top of the Rock could be fun. I like the entire experience, including the view, more than the Empire State Building. If the little ones like video games, Nintendo NYC is also in that area.
Wish I could help with the restaurant suggestions, but it's been ages since I ate in Midtown on a regular basis and I have no idea what's good (or even what's around) anymore.
posted by May Kasahara at 5:57 PM on December 11, 2022
Wish I could help with the restaurant suggestions, but it's been ages since I ate in Midtown on a regular basis and I have no idea what's good (or even what's around) anymore.
posted by May Kasahara at 5:57 PM on December 11, 2022
Museum in the morning -- my go tos for younger folks are the Met and the Museum of Natural History, but obviously depends on what your kids enjoy. A little walk through Central Park afterward, probably to look at Belvedere Castle, depending on the weather. Then, take the train down to Chinatown and walk around on the narrow streets, pop into some fun shops, and go to one of the big dim sum spots if you are adventurous (or just get dumplings/noodles anywhere or head over to Little Italy for lunch). Then walk or take the train to Brooklyn to have treats and ride the carousel in DUMBO and look at the view. Depending on where you are staying, maybe you can take the ferry back to cap off the afternoon!
Snacks near museums: West Side -- Levain cookies on 77th/Amsterdam and Patsy's Pizzeria; East Side -- Levain on 84th/3rd, Serafina, Meatball Shop (but it's a walk)
Dim Sum: Golden Unicorn is a classic and sight to behold; Nom Wah is much more manageable and still great
Dumbo Treats: Jacques Torres, TimeOut Market, Almondine, Lassen and Hennigs
posted by luzdeluna at 6:17 PM on December 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
Snacks near museums: West Side -- Levain cookies on 77th/Amsterdam and Patsy's Pizzeria; East Side -- Levain on 84th/3rd, Serafina, Meatball Shop (but it's a walk)
Dim Sum: Golden Unicorn is a classic and sight to behold; Nom Wah is much more manageable and still great
Dumbo Treats: Jacques Torres, TimeOut Market, Almondine, Lassen and Hennigs
posted by luzdeluna at 6:17 PM on December 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
museum of the moving image is in queens but its *so cool* and has lots of kid friendly activities, and the epic jim henson exhibit. truly great for the whole range of ages.
18 mins by car from rockefeller center and 33 minutr subway ride. Worth it.
posted by wowenthusiast at 6:49 PM on December 11, 2022 [2 favorites]
18 mins by car from rockefeller center and 33 minutr subway ride. Worth it.
posted by wowenthusiast at 6:49 PM on December 11, 2022 [2 favorites]
All these suggestions! If you are willing to brave the crowds, it is always fun to look at the holiday windows by walking down 5th Avenue (Saks, Bergdorf Goodman, Macys, etc.). Saks has a lights and music display. I think they will still be up the day after. For interesting food, you can always check out KoreaTown on 32nd Street and pop by a Korean BBQ restaurant. If you want a quick non-healthy but oh so delicious lunch snack, my son and I love the Korean corndogs covered in potatoes and cheese and a dessert of a mochi donut. Both are on 32nd street.
If you are walking down from Rockefeller Center down 5th Ave to see the holiday windows and on to 32nd street, then the next stop would be to 23rd street area (Madison Park) which has the: Lego Store, Eataly, the Harry Potter Store and the Museum of Math (MoMath). If it is too much walking and crowds, definitely opt for subway but it should be fine for a nice brisk walk.
posted by ichimunki at 6:57 PM on December 11, 2022
If you are walking down from Rockefeller Center down 5th Ave to see the holiday windows and on to 32nd street, then the next stop would be to 23rd street area (Madison Park) which has the: Lego Store, Eataly, the Harry Potter Store and the Museum of Math (MoMath). If it is too much walking and crowds, definitely opt for subway but it should be fine for a nice brisk walk.
posted by ichimunki at 6:57 PM on December 11, 2022
If it's cold outside and you need some indoor activities, the Blue Man Group and Stomp are both shows that are probably suitable and hopefully entertaining for kids of all ages. But of course not cheap.
For kids' museums, there are the Brooklyn Children's Museum and the Children's Museum of Manhattan.
The space show at the planetarium at the Natural History museum is good.
The M&M's store in Times Square is fun for kids.
If it's not too cold outside, the High Line is a fun walk, although I'm not sure whether younger children would be too into it.
posted by Dansaman at 8:30 PM on December 11, 2022
For kids' museums, there are the Brooklyn Children's Museum and the Children's Museum of Manhattan.
The space show at the planetarium at the Natural History museum is good.
The M&M's store in Times Square is fun for kids.
If it's not too cold outside, the High Line is a fun walk, although I'm not sure whether younger children would be too into it.
posted by Dansaman at 8:30 PM on December 11, 2022
Another couple options for lunch, and all of these are in Midtown:
* Serendipity. It's a New York institution, it's got fun food and eye-popping decor - it's like if Willy Wonka opened a diner. Reservations STRONGLY, STRONGLY encouraged - and you may find it wisest to all four of you split one dessert. (The last time I was there I brought a dear friend visiting from Ireland; we each got a burger, and so when dessert rolled around we each got a chocolate mousse, since the waiter said it was the "smallest" thing they had. Each mousse was still the size of your head and we could barely eat any.)
* If you're uneasy about the idea of reservations for whatever reason and can't get into Ellen's Stardust - Juniors has two locations in Midtown. Same kid-friendly food, probably a bit more accessible, reservations probably not needed, and it's still a New York institution.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:33 AM on December 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
* Serendipity. It's a New York institution, it's got fun food and eye-popping decor - it's like if Willy Wonka opened a diner. Reservations STRONGLY, STRONGLY encouraged - and you may find it wisest to all four of you split one dessert. (The last time I was there I brought a dear friend visiting from Ireland; we each got a burger, and so when dessert rolled around we each got a chocolate mousse, since the waiter said it was the "smallest" thing they had. Each mousse was still the size of your head and we could barely eat any.)
* If you're uneasy about the idea of reservations for whatever reason and can't get into Ellen's Stardust - Juniors has two locations in Midtown. Same kid-friendly food, probably a bit more accessible, reservations probably not needed, and it's still a New York institution.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:33 AM on December 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
FYI, Rockefeller Center will be wall-to-wall people, literally. It can feel unsafe, like a stampede is about to happen. It takes hours to traverse the tree because of the packed space. I would not do this on Dec 26. The littlest ones will not even be able to see.
The skating rinks in Central Park and Bryant Park will be less crowded. (But still very crowded.)
posted by xo at 5:14 AM on December 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
The skating rinks in Central Park and Bryant Park will be less crowded. (But still very crowded.)
posted by xo at 5:14 AM on December 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
Seconding the Museum of the Moving Image, for the reasons stated above. It also won't be wall-to-wall people, unlike the big name places. Between the Jim Henson exhibit and the interactive How To Make Movies booths, kids are totally covered.
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:21 AM on December 12, 2022
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:21 AM on December 12, 2022
Guys, I know Museum of the Moving Image is cool. I love it. But for kids coming to NYC for the first time and probably staying in Manhattan or Brooklyn, trekking it out to Queens/Astoria with 4 kids will easily take the full day. They sound like they are only spending one day in NYC. It would be a shame to waste it on one attraction at their first time in NYC.
Granted the other stuff mentioned including what I mentioned is CROWDED but there are some smaller places that won't be so bad (i.e. Museum of Ice Cream, Color Factory) with timed tickets that are in Manhattan and reachable by subway if you are going down not the beaten path route.
posted by ichimunki at 3:21 PM on December 14, 2022
Granted the other stuff mentioned including what I mentioned is CROWDED but there are some smaller places that won't be so bad (i.e. Museum of Ice Cream, Color Factory) with timed tickets that are in Manhattan and reachable by subway if you are going down not the beaten path route.
posted by ichimunki at 3:21 PM on December 14, 2022
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posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:47 PM on December 11, 2022 [3 favorites]