Pre-Trip Fun for New York City, New York

"An American Tail" -- Even the youngest kids will glean bits of Manhattan history, thanks to the animated adventures of Fievel the mouse. (Toddlers to School Age)

"A Miracle on 34th Street" -- The remake of the black-and-white classic includes scenes of the famous Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. (School Age and Up)

"Ghostbusters" -- There's a reason the movie franchise was made into a cartoon: Kids can't get enough of the ghosts or the slapstick. (Pre-Teens and Up)

"Annie" -- The little orphaned red-head finds the city is hers for the taking -- including a private screening at the world-famous Radio City Music Hall. (School Age and Up)

"You've Got Mail" or "When Harry Met Sally" -- Both of Meg Ryan's romantic comedies are virtual love songs to the sights, sounds, and streets of New York City. (Teens)

"Moonstruck" -- Older teens will revel in the insider's look at the opera at Lincoln Center, as well as the quaint Cobble Hill neighborhood in Brooklyn. (Teens)

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry -- Order in, or try a homemade version of the Chinatown classic.

Pizza Pinwheels -- A quick-and-easy, bite-sized version of the city's most famous food

Mall Pretzels -- Warm and salty, just like the street vendors hawk

"Eloise" by Kay Thompson -- Move over, Zack and Cody! The precocious 6-year-old shacked up at the Plaza years before the Disney duo hit the small screen. She still rules. (Ages 4 to 8)

"New York, New York! The Big Apple from A to Z" by Laura Krauss Melmed -- Roam through the alphabet while exploring poems, factoids, and landmarks that kids can discover on their trip. (Ages 4 to 8)

"The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge" by Hildegarde H. Smith -- Even in a tech-happy city like Manhattan, an old-school lighthouse still finds he has worth. (Ages 4 to 8)

"The Cricket in Times Square" by George Selden -- The neighborhood may have changed, but kids' love of the misplaced Connecticut cricket and his metropolitan friends never wanes. (Ages 9 to 12)

"Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City" by Janet Schulman -- The real-life tale of one of Manhattan's unexpected residents brings bird-watching to the Big Apple. (Ages 9 to 12)

"Stuart Little" by E.B. White -- They loved the film, now let the kids devour E.B. White's classic book of the larger-than-life mouse and his adoptive human family. (Ages 9 to 12)

"From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E.L. Konigsburg -- Read this book and you'll find yourself looking for the main characters in every corner of The Met. (Ages 9 to 12)

"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith -- The timeless coming-of-age tale still resonates with teens -- and their parents. (Age 10 and Up)

Liberty Crown and Torch -- Stand in your kiddie pool and you'll feel like Lady Liberty herself.