New York – Things to do with teenagers!

4 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

5/5

Review type

Holiday, Things to do

Location

Date of travel

April, 2022

Product name

Holiday

Product country

USA

Product city

New York

Travelled with

Family

Reasons for trip

Culture/Sightseeing

We travelled during Easter school holidays to New York, the first transatlantic trip for a while due to the pandemic and the big difference with this trip to the Big Apple was we would need to keep our (nearly) 17 year old daughter occupied – no mean feat!

Firstly it should be said that we built in shopping time around much of what we did, as the idea of shopping in NYC held huge appeal to our daughter based probably on the fact that it offered Instagram value, but as someone who doesn’t like shopping myself (unless it’s in the fabulous Chatuchak market in Bangkok) we tried to balance to keep everyone happy! Here’s a rundown of what worked and what didn’t – hopefully someone finds it helpful!

Top of the Rock: I had thought that this would be a hit, but it was a bit of a miss – however, huge bonus that close to lots of shops that were on the list. We had a clear day and very little queuing however…

The Edge at Hudson Yards was a big hit and pipped the Top of The Rock. The Edge is the highest outdoor sky deck in the western hemisphere. We had purchased the C3 citypass in advance and saved one of our 3 allowed attractions specifically for The Edge. Having the C3 pass enabled us to bypass any queues and turn up without booking. It was also better value than buying individual tickets (which were $38 per person). The attraction is open from 10am to 10pm; we visited on a Saturday afternoon having had brunch first at Pastise in the Meatpacking district – 52 Gansevoort Street – (which was superb), at just steps away from the beginning of the High Line.

The High Line: the former elevated train line now a public part offered lots of photo opportunities, and and the end of the High Line you’ll find Hudson Yards itself which offered plenty of shopping opportunities.

The Harbour Lights Circle Cruise was excellent and gave us a different perspective of Manhattan. My husband and I have done this a number of times, but our daughter really enjoyed it. The trip was narrated by an entertaining gentleman and our 2 hours onboard went very quickly. Again, plenty of photo opportunities of iconic landmarks: not least the One World Trade Center, the Statue of Liberty and sailing under Brooklyn Bridge. We happened upon a clear sky and the sunset made it very special. The cruise departed at 7pm from Pier 83. We had an early dinner at a lively Mexican restaurant, ‘Cantina Rooftop’ (West 48th Street), which was around about 15-20 minutes walk away from Pier 83 and very close to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. Cantina Rooftop worked well, food was tasty, we were served quickly and loud music made it atmospheric – I could image getting raucous later in the day/night but for a 5pm dinner it was great.

We walked Central Park, visited a few photo spots including the Imagine memorial but it was probably lost on our daughter forgetting that it’s 42 years since John Lennon died so she’s not overly familiar or interested in The Beatles. But from there we got the subway to City Hall and walked the Brooklyn Bridge which held much more appeal. Walking across to Dumbo we found Brooklyn’s most Instagrammed spot – located at the intersection of Washington Street and Water Street, you get a picture perfect view of Manhattan framed between two tall red-brick buildings, and look closely you can also fit in the Empire State Building. Whilst it was busy it wasn’t overwhelming with tourists when we visited (Sunday afternoon), but that may have been more luck than judgement. We spent a couple of hours wandering Brooklyn Bridge Park and ate at Time Out which was incredibly busy but we managed to get seat and loved it.

We love sporting events and were fortunate to see The Knicks and The NY Rangers at Madison Square Gardens (MSG) on consecutive evenings – we bought tickets in advance for the ice hockey and bought the basketball tickets whilst we were there, both via Ticketmaster. There was a great little $1 pizza spot opposite the venue packed full of New Yorkers and fans alike, we felt like locals by night 2! The atmosphere at both of the events was superb, incredibly exciting and would definitely recommend MSG if you can secure tickets. We also went to the NY Arena to watch the New York Red Bulls football team, not a huge crowd so little by way of atmosphere but a very easy and inexpensive 20-minute train journey from World Trade Centre metro station and again added something different to the holiday.

We stayed at The Moxy Hotel Chelsea (click to read review)

Lisa McAuley

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.