New York City, New York (Kid friendly)
There is nothing like walking down the streets of New York, taking in all the sights, smells and taste of this magical city!
- More about your Oliver Guide: Cynthia Pillsbury
- Trip type: Family, City
- Activity level: moderate
- Ideal length of trip: 4 DAYS WITH KIDS
to & from
Fly direct to Newark (favorite NYC airport) if you are staying downtown or on the West Side.
Fly direct to La Guardia or JFK if staying uptown to avoid traffic.
Where to Stay
The Marlton: We prefer staying downtown, on the west side… while the rooms are VERY small, The Marlton is a perfect location.
TABLET website is a great resource to find well-vetted NYC hotels.
Where to Eat and Drink
The Polo Bar: Stuffy in the best kind of way. Go early or stay later for a drink upstairs. It’s a clubby scene with excellent food. I brought my kids, but wish I had not…
BG/Bergdorf’s Restaurant: Fun for a girls lunch (kids too). Bird’s Eye view of Central Park, try to sit on a booth by the window. Food is hit or miss, but setting is lovely and fun.
Café Cluny: Small, cozy West Village restaurant, great for lunch or dinner sans kids- cute ice cream stand in the summer.
Eataly: While slightly generic this is a very kid friendly spot to grab lunch after visiting the 9/11 Museum or anything in that area. Lots of Italian options for everyone and gelato too!
What to Do
Whitney Museum: Take advantage of their docent tour, especially of the touring exhibits. Check out the permanent collection of portraits (if on display). If time, have lunch on the roof top deck- food is great and views are awe-inspiring.
Highline: Walk along the highline and take in the views and the incredibly well designed/preserved features of the Highline. Start at 14th and walk at least to 23rd. If weather is warm, get a delicious Mexican popsicle and take in the art vendors.
We always take in a Broadway show– consider buying day of tickets to save on cast, and going to the Wednesday or Sunday Matinee if you have little ones.
9/11 Museum: Make reservations online before your visit day (usually a few weeks in advance is best if going during holidays or summer) and leave kids under 12 at home. This is a powerful, emotional and incredible tribute to the lives lost on 9/11 and the people who risked their lives to save people. Bring Kleenex.
Intrepid Sea & Air Space Museum: Cool museum on an air craft carrier on the west side highway- very worthwhile if you have a ship or plane buff in the family.
30 Hudson Yards is a new west side development that is home to the Edge, the highest (100 stories!) outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere!
Check out Strengthen Lengthen Tone (SLT)- best exercise class in NY. Reserve your class in advance!
Inside Scoop
Buy tickets online for all museums.
Consider getting day of tickets for plays if you have the flexibility- can be cheaper and just as good seats.
Always make 1 reservation for the day so you have an anchor of what you are doing.
Don’t go uptown or downtown twice in a day… traffic is brutal if you are not taking subways.
It’s more $$ to get to Newark and uber cannot pick you up, but worth if you are staying on downtown and on the west side.
More...
See fashion editor and NYC native, Elizabeth Mendoza’s, Oliver Guide here.
See Ginny Rothschild’s NYC Oliver Guide here. (Long list of locals restaurants.)
See Courtney Gerlich’s NYC Oliver Guide here. (A great place to start!)
And our “friend” Jessica Seinfeld has a great list of restaurants on her site, here.
New York City, New York (Elizabeth Lamont Mendoza)
Our agenda is always to recreate the weekends we had when we lived in the Tribeca and Nolita pre-kids: lots of shopping; meeting friends for cocktails and dinner at our favorite restaurants (or new spots we’ve been wanting to try); long, lazy brunches; and sleeping in!
- More about your Oliver Guide: Elizabeth Mendoza
- Trip type: Adult, City
- Activity level: easy
- Ideal length of trip: LONG WEEKEND (3-4 NIGHTS)
to & from
Fly nonstop on Virgin America from SFO to either Newark or JFK, depending on what neighborhood we’re staying in.
Where to Stay
Soho House in the Meatpacking District
Crosby Street Hotel in Nolita
The Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca
New York City, New York (Ginny Rothschild)
This is a list for downtowners....I lived at 12th and 6th and these are the places I go back on each of my visits.
- More about your Oliver Guide: Ginny Rothschild
- Trip type: Adult, City
- Activity level: easy
- Ideal length of trip: NYC IS GREAT FOR ANY LENGTH OF STAY - BUT I AM ALL ABOUT 3 NIGHTS IF POSSIBLE.
to & from
I prefer flying into JFK or Newark because you can take a train or subway into the city. Most of the time this will be a faster and a lot less of a headache than dealing with the traffic in a cab or uber.
Once in the city I walk or take the subway.
Where to Stay
My new favorite is Hotel Eventi– it is a Kimpton property and centrally located to walk or subway most places. They have excellent coffee and a free daily happy hour. The restaurants/bars within the hotel are great as well.
I am a huge fan of Hotel Tonight for NYC trips. Use the app and you can book a hotel 6 days before your trip. I have always found great deals at awesome hotels. (Soho Grande, Dream Hotel, The Standard)
New York City, New York (Courtney Gerlich)
Hands down our favorite hotel is the Crosby Street Hotel in Soho - We love the location right in the heart of Soho which is bustling with great restaurants, bars and boutiques right outside your doorstep.
- More about your Oliver Guide: Courtney Gerlich
- Trip type: Adult, City
- Activity level: easy
- Ideal length of trip: 4 DAYS IS GREAT
to & from
We fly non-stop on Alaska from Seattle to Newark and arrange for a car to pick us up outside baggage claim. There are tons of car companies to choose from so do a quick Google search and just pick one that suites you.
Where to Stay
Hands down our favorite hotel is the Crosby Street Hotel in Soho – We love the location right in the heart of Soho which is bustling with great restaurants, bars and boutiques right outside your doorstep. The rooms have really high ceilings and floor to ceiling windows giving you the feeling of lots of space which isn’t always the norm in New York. Each room also has a unique style of decor which makes each stay fun and new.
We’ve also stayed at The New York EDITION located in the Flatiron District. It’s the complete opposite in style and feel but very cool and modern – minimalism at it’s finest. Not to mention their signature scent is to die for. The location is convenient to a lot which is a big plus.
New York City, New York (Kid friendly) - Suggestions from the Oliver Community
If you have any interest in staying in the Upper West side, I recommend the Arthouse Hotel on W 77th at Broadway. A reasonably priced junior suite was quite spacious for New York hotels, and the room with a pull-out couch could be closed off from the bedroom. This was a great arrangement for traveling with kids. Lots of casual food options nearby and the subway (#1) is just 2 blocks away.
Chelsea Market offers a range of food vendors so everyone in the family can pick out what he or she likes to eat for lunch. Fun to know that Iron Chef and Chopped are filmed in the floors above the market.
Near the Highline is the Vessel, a sculpture comprised of staircases and landings at Hudson Yards. Recommend getting tickets in advance but shoot for a clear day. If there is thunder in the area, the exhibit closes due to concerns about copper attracting lightning.
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