Five years had gone by since we’d visited New York. Cayla was about 4 then and Maia wasn’t even around. So it was about time. But Nana’s – my mom’s – house on Long Island, where I grew up, is in no shape to host curious kids. So we decided to show the kids the big city at the same time, turning a simple visit with relatives into a whirlwind vacation.
And a whirlwind it was: The first day alone included a plane ride, some visiting in the car with Nana, a visit with other relatives, lunch at an honest-to-goodness diner, dinner at an honest-to-goodness pizza parlor, and a walk around a New York City neighborhood, all before bedtime. This was a harbinger of what the next six days would bring, both in “ City” and out at the beach. But, with some planning and a take-it-as-it-comes attitude, we managed to relax and enjoy ourselves even on the busiest days.
We also kept in mind something I had learned from my parents growing up: Vacations are about what everyone, parents included, will enjoy. Why limit yourself to Disney and McDonald’s when museums and ethnic food can be just as accessible?
Our first stop was Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, an upscale spit of land just east of Brighton Beach, with big houses on tiny plots of land. The tree-lined Belt Parkway which connects it to the airport is almost a microcosm of the metro area: beautiful bays juxtaposed with garbage-strewn inlets, run-down storefronts with new shopping malls, single-family dwellings with high-rise housing projects, riding stables with go-cart tracks.
We took the footbridge over Sheepshead Bay to get some lunch. Though blotched with litter and oil slicks, the inlet teemed with jumping fish, barnacles and crabs, cormorants, swans, and gulls (and dead horseshoe crabs floating on their sides), not to mention fishing boats, all of which fascinated the usually land-locked kids. Diners like the El Greco Diner – with built-in counter stools and plenty of tables, gilded dcor, baskets full of breadsticks, crackers, and rolls, bowls of half-sour pickles and coleslaw, and oversized portions – are my nostalgia, and I was glad to see that the kids took to it as well.
The Big Apple
After lunch, we headed over the Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan. Our first hotel, the Affinia Dumont was an ideal home base, but it might have spoiled us for anything that came after. The kids hit it off with the staff of this small hotel, and we all fell in love with the midtown location (just a few blocks from the Empire State Building, overlooking rooftop gardens, the Chrysler Building, Central Park, and all of upper Manhattan), and the accommodations (plenty of room, tasteful, modern dcor, mattresses and pillows made exclusively for the hotel, a welcome bag with crayons, snacks, and a disposable camera). A call to the front desk would have brought up a collection of kids’ videos, but the cushy couch and large-screen TV made it hard enough to get out as it was.
Before we left Minnesota, we decided not to try to see and do everything: There would be time on future visits. The idea was to acquaint them with what the city was all about – the people, the food, the energy, the excitement. We didn’t even try to hit the familiar tourist highlights, although we did manage to see the 86th floor observation deck of the Empire State Building, Times Square and Broadway, Park and 5th avenues, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, and, of course, a few pizza parlors.
The next day, we caught the Jazz for Kids program (held Sunday afternoons, September-July) at The Jazz Standard, a club just a few blocks from the hotel. It’s one thing for kids to see professional adults play – that’s like showing a Rembrandt to a kid who likes to draw. But when the band is made up mostly of superbly talented high schoolers from around the region, it can really make an impression on a budding young musician like Cayla.
Afterward, we took in a festival hosted by the area’s large Indian population. Booths lining the blocked-off Madison Avenue offered both a literal and figurative taste of the culture, yet the most enticing thing for the three kids there was the adjacent Madison Square Park. Forget the image of dirty fenced-in asphalt with a netless basketball hoop, rife with graffiti. This park – not atypical – was two square blocks of grass, gardens, sculptures, and a colorful fenced-in playground complete with fountains, slides, climbing gyms, and protective padding.
Alas, at least one New York stereotype still holds: the lack of public rest rooms. With the port-a-potties supplied for the festival padlocked, we ended up making trips to McDonald’s, a hotel, and a distant restaurant, in search of relief.
At least food, even with a vegetarian among us, was easy to find. In most areas, there is a range to choose from, from pushcarts to fine dining, often open late. One night, we ate at the Lemongrass Grill, a moderately priced Thai place next to the hotel. The next, we went down a few blocks to Curry in a Hurry, a cafeteria-style Indian restaurant, which (we found out later) has been receiving rave write-ups for years. Our third and fourth city dinners (while we were downtown) were at the Vegetarian Dim Sum House in Chinatown, and at Katz’s Deli, a Lower East Side landmark that has been selling massive hot pastrami sandwiches since 1888. (My vegetarian wife, Liz, had to settle for a meatless Reuben.)
Breakfasts and lunches were even more casual: cereal, fruit, and milk in the room, followed by a coffee here, a pastry there, pizza or a sandwich and a salad somewhere else. That freed us up to take in the real sights: a fire station displaying plaques to fallen 9/11 comrades, New York’s historic architecture, lights, street vendors, storefronts, and people.
We wanted to show the kids Central Park. But rather than trying to experience the whole 850-acre, 159-square-block urban oasis, we settled for climbing the hills and rocks, watching the horse-drawn carriages, playing on the playground, gazing at the ponds, and petting the dogs at its lower end. We surprised the kids by emerging at the Plaza Hotel. When the concierge told Cayla that she had just missed Eloise (and produced a pair of shoes to prove it), their faces alone were enough to justify the trip. We left a note for Eloise, and walked on down 5th Avenue.
Downtown
We picked up our luggage and hailed a cab down to the Embassy Suites in lower Manhattan. The next morning, we watched out the window as ferries delivered commuters to their Wall Street jobs. But on the other side of the hotel was the truly monumental sight – perhaps more so because of what wasn’t there – a large fenced-off hole in the ground where the Twin Towers once stood.
Just offshore from those fallen symbols stand the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, among the few things we scheduled ourselves to see. A walk along the peaceful Battery Park Esplanade led to the ferry dock, where we boarded a boat to the Grand Lady of New York Harbor. We didn’t actually get to go inside (visitors have to get a free “ pass” ahead of time) but we enjoyed walking around Liberty Island and taking pictures of the statue and the city.
On the way back to Manhattan, the ferry stops at Ellis Island, where the kids enjoyed interactive exhibits showing what it was like for those starting a new life in the United States a century ago.
The rest of the day was lighter. We walked through Chinatown, where the decidedly non-Minnesota sounds, smells, and sights – even the street signs – fascinated the kids.
From Canal Street – the border of Chinatown and Little Italy – we hopped a subway uptown to see a quirky Off-Broadway show, which we hoped would make a more lasting impression than a slick Broadway production of The Lion King the kids could see at the Ordway (not to mention spare us the price tag). And they’re still talking about it, so I think we were right.
The next day, we went to the American Museum of Natural History only to spend what seemed to be an eternity exploring the caf and bathrooms. So much for the draw of culture! Once the kids had full stomachs and empty bladders, we managed to see the dinosaur halls, native peoples exhibits, and a few other offerings, including a temporary exhibit of more than 200 amphibians croaking and chirping away in their vivariums: not how I remember this venerable old institution, but definitely a kid favorite!
Long Island
We met Nana for dinner, picked up our luggage, and drove to The Hamptons, a collection of tony hamlets 2-3 hours east of the city. We got to the Southampton Inn late, and we all went right to bed. The weather was a bit dreary when we awoke – perfect for walking around, checking out boutiques, and generally getting a feel for the town. Lucky for us, the kids are pretty used to this kind of thing. They know how to make the most of it and how to let us know when they’ve had enough.
Despite the ghoulish, smoke-spewing, talking-head greeting visitors at the well-reputed Parrish Art Museum, I knew the kids wouldn’t last too long inside. But a gallery specializing in limited edition reproductions of Dr. Seuss, Peanuts, and Sponge Bob Square Pants paintings and drawings let them feel that we were there for them. Several pop art galleries held their interest, too (maybe too well – it was hard to keep Maia from climbing on a giant crab sculpture).
After a forgettable dinner, we hit the beach. Maia had neither seen nor smelled an ocean, and Cayla couldn’t remember doing so, so we got to experience the wonder afresh through their eyes. It was only by pointing to the blackening sky and promising to return the next morning that we managed to get the kids away from the crashing surf.
We fulfilled our promise the next morning, then began our transition back to normality by spending our last night with relatives. After tearful hugs and promises not to wait so long next time, we headed back to the place I now call home.
Long Island native Josh P. Roberts is the author of A Parent’s Guide to the Twin Cities and Minnesota.
If you go
-Don’t try to do too much. Choose a few must-see destinations and allow plenty of time for spontaneity.
-Pick a home base or two rather than switching hotels every night.
-Check web sites like Priceline.com, Hotwire.com, Hotels.com, and others for bargains on hotels and airfare. Sometimes a suite at a 5-star hotel costs about the same as adjoining rooms in a motel.
-Look for bargains like CityPass, which offers a prepaid selection of attractions at about half price. If you’re willing to wait in line, check out the TKTS booths for deep discounts on day-of-performance Broadway and Off-Broadway tickets. (Duffy Square: 47th St. and Broadway; South Street Seaport: 199 Water St.)
-Remember: 3-year-olds, 9-year-olds, and adults all have different needs. You know your family best.
-Fall is high tourist season in New York City, with premium rates and long lines at popular attractions. But fall on Long Island is beautiful and a bargain to boot.
Lodging, meals, and sights
The Jazz Standard, 116 E 27th St., New York 212-576-2232
Lemongrass Grill, 138 E 34th St., New York 212-213-3317
Curry in a Hurry, 119 Lexington Ave., New York 212-683-0900
Vegetarian Dim Sum House, 24 Pell S., New York 212-577-7176
Katz’s Deli, 205 E Houston St., New York 212-254-2246
Plaza Hotel, 768 5th Ave., New York 212-759-3000
Embassy Suites, 102 N End Ave., New York 212-945-0100
American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St., New York 212-769-5000
Affinia Dumont Hotel 150 E 34th St., New York 212-481-7600
Southampton Inn, 91 Hill St., Southampton 631-283-6500
Parrish Art Museum, 25 Jobs Lane, Southampton 631-283-2118
El Greco Diner, 1821 Emmons Ave., Brooklyn 718-934-1288
Tourist information
NYC & Company, http://www.NYCvisit.com 212-484-1200
Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau, http://www.FunOnLI.com 877-FUN-ON-LI
I Love New York, http://www.ILoveNY.state.ny.us 800-CALL-NYS
