2 Days In NYC With Kids: Here's the Itinerary
Planning a trip to NYC with kids and wondering where to go and what to do? Well, I’ve got you covered! I surprised my daughter Cassidy with a trip to NYC for her 9th birthday, and we both had the best time. It was a mommy and me weekend that was one to remember. There is so much to do in NYC, and we only had 32 hours, so I broke our 2 days into 2 themes. Day 1 was all about Fun & Food, and Day 2 was all about Shopping & Site Seeing. Here’s a round up of all the things we did, helpful tips for planning, and things we saved for our next trip:
nyc itinerary: Day 1
Moxy NYC Downtown — Since it was just 2 of us, it was important for me to stay at a hotel that had both food and fun on-site. Well, the Moxy NYC Downtown checked both boxes. This downtown gem had fun activities such as skee ball, shuffle board, board games, ping pong, basketball courts and more. When we arrived on day 1, it was several hours before check-in, so while our room was being prepped, we enjoyed a bite to eat at the on-site restaurant, Recreation. The food was delicious and affordable. From there, we enjoyed all the fun the hotel had to offer. The staff treated us like VIPs and were able to accommodate an early check-in, which gave us time to freshen up before hitting the NYC streets. We stayed in one of their King City View rooms, which had spectacular views of the Brooklyn Bridge and cityscape. Although the room was on the smaller side, the view made up for it. I would definitely stay again for a solocation or another trip with Cassidy.
Sloomoo Institute — Our next stop once we left the hotel was to the Sloomoo Institute. This was a surprise that went over so well. Cassidy’s eyes lit up when she saw all that slime. If she had it her way, we would’ve stayed there all day. She had the best time, and I give it a 10/10! The staff had things rolling like a well oiled machine, and it was a super fun and unique experience for the birthday girl. Here’s a few things to note when planning your trip to this slime museum:
There is slime everywhere! So if your kids love slime, they will absolutely love this place.
You also get to make your own slime. There are 4 stations/steps to create your slime. This part was the most fun for Cass. She got to choose a base, scent, color, and charms.
The history of slime is on the walls, which was really cool to read.
There were cool photo op spots, a play area, and a store that had endless slimey goodness.
Tickets can be purchased online, by time blocks or anytime entry. There are general admission tickets that give you access to everything in the museum. There are also enhanced tickets if you want to get slimed (protective coverings are provided).
In my opinion, this is ideal for ages 4 and up. It was perfect for Cass (age 9).
Plan for at least 60 - 90 minutes to enjoy the full experience.
Most importantly, for those traveling by plane, it is approved for your carry on! We did have to take a little out of the container, but that was no biggie.
Museum of Ice Cream — Our next stop was to the Museum of Ice Cream, which was just a short walk away from the Sloomoo Institute. This was also a 10/10. Cassidy loves ice cream, so she was in heaven. The museum is so much more than ice cream though. The aesthetics, the play areas, the cool installations and activities…all of it was so nice! The yummy ice cream and treats throughout were the cherry on top! This interactive museum lived up to the hype and is well worth a visit. Here’s a few things to note when planning your trip here:
For all those who are lactose intolerant, you’re in luck because they have vegan options!
Tickets can be purchased online by time blocks or anytime entry. Tickets are also 30% off if you go before 12:30pm.
Exploring the museum is a self guided tour, but you’re in a group with those who share the same time entry as you. There will be staff throughout who are there to assist as you move through the experience. The first room is an ice cream bar. Like a literal bar, and it’s a perfect place for your first photo op. Each room has a different theme and activities, which made the experience so engaging and fun throughout. There is a huge slide and a plastic sprinkles pit for both kids and adults.
As I said before, there are so many cool installations, so have your camera ready to capture it all.
There is a gift shop inside, as well.
Time entry tickets are for an hour, and it will definitely be an hour well spent!
Dining in Little Italy — After a day of fun in the city, we ended our evening with dinner in Little Italy. Pizza and Pasta is always a win win, and our dinner at Zia Maria was mmh mmh good!
nyc itinerary: Day 2
Battery Park — You can’t visit New York without seeing the Statue of Liberty. We didn’t have time to do the ferry and walk up those 162 steps to view the crown. So the next best thing was to walk to Battery Park (we stopped at Zara on the way for shopping). When you’re at Battery Park, you have a good view of the Statue of Liberty, so this is a great alternative if you don’t have time to venture out to get up close.
Rockefeller Center — Our next site seeing stop was to Rockefeller Center. My daughter loves Home Alone 2, so seeing some of the iconic sites like this one from the movie made her day. Due to time, we didn’t do the ice skating or go to the Top of the Rock, but it’s on our list for the next visit.
Fao Schwarz — Right beside Rockefeller Center is THEE must visit toy store, Fao Schwarz. It’s the toy store of toy stores. Cassidy got to play with some toys on display inside, and of course she got to buy some. They have every kind of toy you can think of inside, and some nice Barbie displays, which Cassidy loved.
Magnolia Bakery — Around the corner from Fao Schwarz, we stopped in Magnolia Bakery for sweet treats — hot chocolate, brownies and cupcakes. We even got some treats to bring back to the family. Everything was yummy!
Central Park — The last stop on our NYC tour was to Central Park. It’s another must visit. Cassidy had fun just running around and climbing. It’s a nice size park, so have the kids wear their walking/climbing shoes. It’s a nice scenic place to take in great views of the city while the kids play.
Planning and Travel Tips
For those in the DMV who prefer not to drive, believe it or not, flying to New York was actually cheaper than taking the train. I only paid $300 total roundtrip for our tickets via Priceline. We flew United out of Dulles and into Newark International Airport (1 hour flight). This was only 30 minutes from our hotel, along with LaGuardia Airport, so I opted for Newark since it was cheaper. And let me tell you, Newark has done these amazing renovations to their terminals, so it’s a really nice airport.
On day 1 of our trip, I surprised Cassidy with all of our activities, which she loved. However, on day 2, I gave her options to choose from to ensure her last day in the city met her expectations. I’m so glad I did this because a few things I thought she would choose, she didn’t. With that said, I would suggest letting your kids in on at least some of the planning/choosing.
And speaking of planning, I highly recommend coming up with at least a loose itinerary ahead of your trip, instead of winging it while you’re there. NYC is a big city with soooo much to do, so at least having some ideas in place is the way to go. Feel free to use my itinerary graphic below if you like how we spent our 2 days.
Wear walking shoes! Again, NYC is a big city and riding Ubers and taxis adds up, although it’s necessary for locations that are too far away for walking. To the extent that you can, walk when your activities are near one another, and then Uber or taxi when they aren’t. We spent a lot of money on Ubers/taxis, and although we could’ve done the bus or train for less, I didn’t want to waste time trying to figure out which bus/train to catch.
And speaking of taxis, make sure every time you’re about to exit the vehicle, you have your phone. I left my phone in the taxi that took us to the airport on our last day. Talk about being devastated! Luckily, our driver was so kind and was able to reach me and returned my phone. This could’ve went the other way though, so I’m so grateful for a happy ending.
Places We’ll Visit Next Time
Let me know what you think about our 2 day itinerary. What other ideas would you add to this list? Are you thinking of going to NYC with your kids? Let me know in the comments.
Have a glowing day!