This was a wonderful trip. It was the first time the kids had been to New York, so we played tourist. It was fun to see the sights through the eyes of a first visitor and a child.
We did a Grayline tour from a double-decker bus, which was fun and a great vantage point of the city. You see the city at a height you miss in the backseat of a taxicab. We ate in Little Italy, the Meatpacking District and had a great French dinner on Restaurant Row before the theater. We also had a great meal at Katz's Deli. I can eat my way through New York!
We toured Ellis Island, which gave me goose bumps knowing my great-grandparents walked those steps when they arrived to this country for the first time. You could feel the souls of all those who passed through these doors to make a new life in this great country.
Our hotel was a super find. It was the Avalon and was well located and our room had plenty of space for four bodies.
We saw WICKED on Broadway and fell in love with the story and the music. We took part in the Puerto Rican Pride parade and had a ball meeting the thousands of Puerto Ricans who have such pride in their island. We took a handsome cab and played in Central Park. We spent some time at ground zero, remembering the day so many Americans lost their lives for no reason.
The whole week was magic and made me fall in love with New York all over again. The weather was great and even with being very crowded we had a blast. The kids now understand why everyone LOVES NEW YORK!!!
Quick Tips:
We did enjoy the Grayline Tour bus as it allows you to hop on and off whenever you wish. It's a great view to see the city from the top of a double-decker bus. The crowds were pretty bad and we did have to wait at some popular stops for a few buses to run by.
The tour also includes admission into the Empire State Building, Ellis Island and Liberty Island.
It was our first time being in town for the Puerto Rican Pride Parade. What fun! Even if you are not from the islands, you can't help but feel the pride. The music, the food and the smiles all make this one of the best national pride events in the country.
Best Way To Get Around:
We took a limo in from the airport. The limo driver got very lost coming into the city and it took us an extra half hour for him to find our hotel. This was not fun at 1:00am with two kids under ten years old! Normally the limos from JFK are pretty good and worth the price over a cab. However our luck was not with us this night!
We mostly used cabs, but on Puerto Rican Pride Day they were hard to hail. Usually this is not the case and cabs can be found within seconds.
We also used the subway, which is safe clean and quick and the kids loved riding it! It's the fastest way to get anywhere in the city, but you do miss the sights traveling underground.