New York with kids
One Day in New York City with Kids: an Easy Route
One day in New York with kids is enough for the big picture if you stay in one part of the city and walk it end to end. This route starts with the animals in Central Park and ends under the lights of Times Square, with nothing more than a 15-minute walk between stops.
It suits a layover, a cruise day or a day trip. If the weather turns, or you'd rather see Lady Liberty, there are two other versions below.
Central Park to Times Square
About 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) of walking, downhill in spirit: park, toys, library, view, lights.
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Breakfast · Breakfast
Bagels on the way
Grab bagels to eat in the park. It's the most New York breakfast there is, and it saves time.
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Morning
Central Park Zoo (opens Google Maps)
Sea lions, penguins and snow leopards, small enough for young legs. On the way out, the Delacorte Musical Clock's animals play on the hour and half hour.
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Late morning
The Carousel and Balto (opens Google Maps)
A ride on the park's grand old carousel, then pet the statue of Balto, the sled dog, near East 67th Street.
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Midday
Rockefeller Center (opens Google Maps)
Walk down Fifth Avenue to the plaza: the LEGO Store, the Nintendo store and FAO Schwarz are all here.
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Lunch · Lunch
Lunch in Bryant Park (opens Google Maps)
Tables, a carousel and some of Midtown's best public restrooms. Food stalls and delis are all around.
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Afternoon
Library lions and Grand Central (opens Google Maps)
Say hello to the stone lions at the New York Public Library, where the original Winnie-the-Pooh toys are on display inside. Then two blocks east to Grand Central: the star ceiling, and the whispering gallery on the lower level.
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Sunset
Top of the Rock (opens Google Maps)
The whole city at your feet, with the Empire State Building right in front. Book a timed ticket for just before sunset.
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Evening · Dinner
Dinner and Times Square lights (opens Google Maps)
Eat in the Theater District, then ten minutes on the red steps above the TKTS booth to take in the lights.
The downtown version
Prefer water and Lady Liberty? Ride the free Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty in the morning, see Charging Bull, take the subway to DUMBO for lunch and the carousel in Brooklyn Bridge Park, then walk the Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan in the afternoon light. Our free things to do guide has the details.
The rainy-day version
Spend the morning at the American Museum of Natural History (dinosaurs, the blue whale), lunch on Columbus Avenue, then the toy stores at Rockefeller Center and Grand Central in the afternoon. More ideas in rainy day NYC with kids.
Tips for a one-day visit
- Store your bags. Luggage storage services near Grand Central, Penn Station and Times Square let you walk the city hands-free.
- Book the one timed ticket (the view at sunset) as soon as you know your day.
- Leave a buffer before a flight or ship: getting back to the airports or the cruise terminals can take an hour or more at rush hour.
- Pace it to the youngest legs. Skip a stop rather than rush; the park and the lights are the parts kids remember.
Questions
Is one day enough to see New York with kids?
Enough for the highlights of one area. This route covers Central Park, Rockefeller Center, the library, Grand Central, a skyscraper view and Times Square, all on foot.
What should we do with one day in NYC on a layover?
Stay in Midtown: store your bags, follow this route, and keep a generous buffer for getting back to the airport.
What's the best free thing to do in NYC with kids in one day?
The Staten Island Ferry: it's free and passes the Statue of Liberty. Central Park, Grand Central and the Brooklyn Bridge are free too.