New York City Off the Beaten Path
The Empire State Building. The Statue of Liberty. Times Square. New York City's best-known attractions are so consistently mobbed that city parents tend to avoid them, trading the crankiness and exhaustion brought on by long lines for the pleasures of these less-trafficked, child-friendly destinations. And don't be intimidated by an outer-borough address. Not only are these locations easily reached by subway, your kid might list that brief jaunt on the F train as the highlight of the trip!
The Museum of the Moving Image
35th Avenue at 36th Street, Queens
(718) 784-0077
Aspiring movie stars can read lines from "The Wizard of Oz," project their heads above iconic costumes, and escape green-screen disasters, while future artists can create Monty Python-style animations. Make sure to purchase a $3 printout of your video flip book for some animated memories.
The Lower East Side Tenement Museum
108 Orchard St.
(212) 982-8420
Before Orchard Street tenements became red-hot real estate, they housed generations of New York City's immigrants. A costumed interpreter welcomes kids as young as five into a reconstruction of the Confino family's apartment, where they're sure to start appreciating the modern conveniences they take for granted.
The Donnell Library
20 W. 53rd St.
(212) 621-0636
This comfortable, book-filled oasis (otherwise known as the permanent residence of Winnie the Pooh) offers a welcome break from the city's intensity. It could be just the ticket for a child whose parents have spent the better part of the day marching him or her around MOMA, which is just across the street.
Chinatown and
Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
Eschew the tacky trinket shops lining Mulberry and Mott in favor of the stationery stores, fish markets, bakeries, and dim sum parlors below Canal. Fortify the troops with a coconut bun from Nice One Bakery, 47 Bayard St., or a green tea cone from the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, one block to the west, before plunging down those interesting side streets.
Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company
372 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn
(718) 499-9884
Junior crime fighters can stock up on capes, canned antimatter, and grappling hooks while adult sidekicks peruse a plethora of inventive signage. All proceeds benefit 826 NYC, a kids' writing center founded by Dave Eggers. Be forewarned that anyone making a purchase will be required to recite the posted Superhero Oath.
New York Transit Museum
Corner of Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn
(718) 694-1600
What three-year-old doesn't dream of driving the bus? Three out-of-commission transit authority vehicles, aided by a station's worth of vintage subway cars, make those dreams a reality.
Empire-Fulton Ferry Park
Along the East River in Brooklyn
Entrances at Main Street and Water Street
Situated between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, this grassy reprieve offers incomparable views of lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. A pirate ship anchors the northern entrance and elaborately dressed Chinese bridal parties colonize the southern Fulton Ferry Landing for weekend photo ops.
Grand Central's Whispering Wall
Grand Central Station, 42nd Street at Park Avenue
Position yourself in a corner diagonally across from your kid in the passageway just outside the lower-level Oyster Bar, then whisper a secret message that will come through loud and clear. Do a little scientific research before leaving home if you want to be able to answer curious onlookers' questions as to how this works. A simple "Beats me, but it's a blast!" will also suffice.
New York Cake and Baking Distributors
56 W. 22nd St.
(212) 675-2253
Dedicated young bakers and those with birthdays coming up may find that holiday-themed sprinkles, fluorescent icings, sugared flowers, and novelty cake pans and candy molds make the best souvenirs.
About the Author:
Ayun Halliday is the Chief Primatologist of the award-winning zine The East Village Inky, and the author of four self-mocking autobiographies, including "The Big Rumpus" and "Dirty Sugar Cookies: Culinary Observations, Questionable Taste."
Member Comments On...
New York City Off the Beaten Path
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I grew up in Brooklyn, but now live on the West Coast. Each summer, I take my kids back to NY to visit family. After 9-11, I really regretted walking past the WTC but never going up inside. Since then, we try to see one or two of the famous "landmarks" when we visit. This June, we went to Central Park, Times Square, and the Museum of Natural History. A great way to see the Statue of Liberty is to take the Staten Island Ferry, a free ride that runs right in front of the statue. You can get great photos that way!
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These sound great. We'll definitely save them for our next trip into the city. Thanks!
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For sure these are some great choices, but of course if you are visiting NYC there are some areas "on the beaten path" that are worth checking out, and not as much as a hassle as other tourist traps. If you have a child into the "Wizard of Oz," they may enjoy the musical "Wicked," about the Witches of Oz pre-Dorthy. To save money, show up a couple of hours before showtime at the Gershwin Theatre and drop your name in the lottery ticket drawing. If your name is drawn can purchase two front orchestra seats for 25 dollars each (cash only.) My daughter also enjoyed playing on the large floor piano in FAO Schwartz, having her dolls hair done at the American Girl Café, playing at the parks in Battery City, as well as lunch at PB&J (all peanut butter sandwich concoctions, and of course a frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity3. Yumm...
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