Hit the Streets
"A priority is to see
the Statue of Liberty because it's such a memorable experience even for
young kids," says Ogintz. Liberty Island, home of the New York icon,
reopens July 4 after being closed for nine months because of damage from
Hurricane Sandy. Book a ferry ticket ($17 for 13 and up, $9 for kids
ages 4 to 12, free for younger kids) and make a reservation if you want
to climb the 393 steps to the crown (permitted for kids over 4 feet
tall). Back in Manhattan, put the American Museum of Natural History and
MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art (read the children's book Seen Art?
before you go) on your schedule ($19 for 13 and up, $10.50 for kids 2
to 12, free for younger kids for AMNH; $25 for adults, free for kids 16
and under at MoMA). Spend at least a half day in Central Park, where
there's a zoo, a carousel, and climbing structures to explore. Also
consider tickets to a Broadway show. The Lion King, Matilda The Musical,
Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, Newsies, Annie, and Wicked are
all great picks for kids 6 and up; you may be able to snag last-minute
discounted seats at the TKTS booth in Times Square. Young kids will be
thrilled with a $5 Ferris-wheel ride at the largest Toys "R" Us in the
country. Any time left? Squeeze in a trip to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
($10 for 12 and up, free for younger kids); it's a short subway ride.Hit the Sheets Many tourists stay in the Times Square area, but it's crowded and pricey. The Hotel Beacon, on the upper West Side near Central Park, offers more spacious rooms with a mini kitchen, including a fridge and a microwave. (Rooms with two double beds start at $260 per night. Use the code PARENTS to get Jacques Torres chocolates at check-in; beaconhotel.com.) Another option if you're planning to visit the Statue of Liberty or World Trade Center memorial: The new Conrad New York, located in lower Manhattan, is an all-suite hotel with a closed-off living room so you can hang out after the kids go to bed. (A suite with two double beds starts at $259 per night; conradnewyork.com.)