Inspire Me

Our Family Adventure in New York City

30 years after my first visit and New York City continues to make my heart beat faster. Having been back many times in between the city still rocks and I really wanted our family to go and experience its thrilling buzz. So we packed our bags and headed for the Big Apple for the trip of a lifetime!

THE BEACON HOTEL – THE PERFECT FAMILY HOTEL IN NEW YORK CITY

Staying in the Upper West Side in The Beacon Hotel was a wise choice as there were 4 adults and 4 children ranging from 8 to 16 and the vibe up there is calmer and a little quieter than Midtown. The Beacon Hotel was a super place to relax in after a day on your feet, with a wonderful supermarket across the road to stock up on snacks, water, and necessities.

THINGS TO DO AS A FAMILY IN NEW YORK CITY

All of the kids were so excited to see what New York had to offer and experiencing the best of the city with them really was fantastic.

Central Park was on our doorstep as were cool diners for breakfast (Viand) and great restaurants for dinner (Bellini). Central Park is such an amazing place for families right in the middle of this wonderful city. Taking an early walk in the morning through the park certainly sets you up for a busy day shopping and sightseeing and it is hard to believe that the park is so calm in the midst of such a busy place.

The Empire State Building is definitely worth the visit even if you don’t go all the way to the top. The 86th floor gives you the perfect view of the whole city and it only takes 30 seconds in the lift. Go in the morning as the queues aren’t too bad and make sure you book your tickets in advance as it takes the sting out of needless hanging around.

Dinner in Soho is worth the trip downtown as the restaurants are buzzing and the district relaxed (Balthazar). The shopping down this end of town is very cool and you will be sure to pick up that piece that no one else will have back home. 5thAvenue on the other hand has all the labels and is definitely worth the time picking up some great pieces.

In between diner breakfasts and relaxing dinners the time was spent being entertained on Broadway with its renowned signage and endless shows. My son really enjoyed School of Rock! It was a brilliant show and perfect for families. Times Square is somewhere you should go after dark to get the real impact of the lights. The atmosphere around Times Square is electric and should not be missed.

South of Soho is where Wall Street lies along with the newly built One World Tower and it’s incredible water features to mark the victims of 911. This is a sad place but worth the trip. The One World Tower is now the tallest building in NYC and marks the lives of great people. Lunch in Eataly was a good way to end an emotional day as the buzz, and the way the New Yorkers lunch, reflects the NYC of today. The food there is awesome. We all enjoyed it.

There is always a mistake made on every trip and ours was getting on the Blue Line Bus Tour Uptown instead of the Red Line Bus Tour Downtown. We headed in the direction of Harlem, which was of course interesting, but it took an hour or so to get back on track to where I think is the more interesting end of Manhattan. The queue however for the Red Line was huge so if you can walk it that is what I would do. We did and it was worth it.

NYC is a place for everyone and it really is perfect for families. If you’d like more information on booking your own family adventure in New York City, you can call our travel experts on 01-8173535 or visit our New York webpage here: Las Vegas Holidays

Stephanie.