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The Best Family Vacation: Take a Bite Out of the Big Apple with Baby

By January 12, 2015November 24th, 20154 Comments

best famil vacations, best family vacation, New York City skyline

New York City is one of the best family vacation spots in the world with its culture, food and iconic architecture. New York is also an excellent walking city—perfect for visiting with baby. So pack the diaper bag, stock up on binkies and break out the stroller! With a little research you can find stellar accommodations in town which will be a perfect starting point for all of your mini-adventures.

Statue of Liberty, New York City

Explore nature outside and on the ceiling

Located in the heart of the city lies Central Park where you and your little one will enjoy meandering through the lush park, over and under bridges, past street performers and artists, all while surrounded by skyscrapers. If you walk south on Lexington you will find Grand Central Station with its beautiful architecture and ceiling covered by a painting of the stars and constellations which will have you and your little one shamelessly staring at the ceiling—you might want to find a good “out of the way” spot to sit!

Central Park, New York City

Take your baby to the top of the world in New York City

Rockefeller Center is an attraction that both adults and little ones will thoroughly enjoy, and it is best to visit if you are still wearing your infant which will make walking around the observation deck among the other visitors much easier. You may have to wait in line a bit, but I’m sure that you won’t mind making goofy faces at your little person—which will get some smiles—while you wait. The elevator ride to the top is pretty cool—the ceilings are transparent and there is a little light show to watch while you ascend to the 70th floor. The views from the Top of the Rock are stunning, and you will never forget viewing New York City from up in the clouds. Walk out onto the observation deck and you can safely indulge in the view from behind the thick Plexiglas. All the pieces are separated by about 3 inches, and my husband decided to stick his arm out to feel the wind which completely freaked me out. So if you’re petrified of heights like me, stay indoors and watch the world go by from the floor to ceiling windows which still offer amazing views—just without the breeze.

A boat ride is perfect for naptime

A trip to New York City would be wasted if you didn’t take the time to at least SEE the Statue of Liberty. The NYC Water Taxi is a Hop On/Hop Off boat ride which takes visitors out on the Hudson making stops at Pier 84 which is directly next to the Intrepid Air and Space Museum, Christopher Street and Pier 45 which is right in New York’s Greenwich Village, Battery Park, South Street Seaport, and the Brooklyn Bridge. On this trip you will see Lady Liberty as well as the magnificent New York City skyline while your infant is comforted by the movement of the boat.

Skyscrapers, New York City

Don’t forget to eat

Although New York has some stellar nightlife, it probably isn’t best to partake with an infant around. What you can do once the sun goes down, however, is enjoy the cuisine. There are many upscale restaurants in NYC, but you may want to hold off on those until an adults-only trip. However, some of the best eats in the city are at small local pubs or pizzerias—so explore. Places like Alice’s Tea Cup and Barking Dog are ideal for families as they offer great food and a child-friendly atmosphere. For desert, be sure to stop at Lindy’s, a native New Yorker approved restaurant in Manhattan, for a slice of cheesecake that you will never forget before saying goodbye to the Big Apple and heading back home. Are you convinced that New York City is the best place for your family vacation this year?

For more information visit:
Grand Central Station
Central Park 
Rockefeller Center
Water Taxi
Alice’s Tea Cup
Barking Dog

Shauna Armitage

Author Shauna Armitage

Shauna Armitage is a military spouse, mother of four, lover of Coca-Cola, and host of the Startup Renegades podcast, a raw conversation with powerhouse founders building amazing businesses. While Shauna is a marketer by trade, she is a traveler by choice and loves to explore the world with her family in tow. Connect with her on Instagram @shaunajarmitage

More posts by Shauna Armitage

Join the discussion 4 Comments

  • Sarah Ebner says:

    Love this post, especially as New York is one of my favourite places in the world, but I don’t really associate it with babies! I would love to take my kids now they’re a bit older. Think they’re ready for it (they’re 13 and 9). We just have to save up a bit…

    • Shauna Armitage says:

      The beauty of NYC is that it truly is a place for kids of all ages! I like it for visiting with babies because it’s a great walking city. Ages 9 and 13 are also great because that’s a wonderful age to start discovering and appreciating the culture New York has to offer.

  • Celine says:

    Great post! We took our 10 month old daughter there in 2014. It really is one of those wonderful places where you can walk forever! We loved relaxing in Central Park while our daughter had a nap in the stroller.

    I also recommend seeing the view from Rockefeller Center! You’ll spend way less time in line compared to the Empire State Building!

  • Shauna Armitage says:

    Thanks Celine! I totally agree with you, Rockafellar Center is actually where we went. (Not the Empire State Building.) Although we couldn’t complain about a visit there either!

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