10 Places To Visit In New York City

A couple of weeks ago, I shared 10 Tips For A New York City Family Vacation and today, I wanted to come back and share 10 Places To Visit In New York City for a family. When we were planning our trip to New York, I was trying to find some great articles about where we should make sure to stop and see while we were there. We were traveling with our two kids so we knew that the trip would be a little different than if it was just Matt and I going. 

{A little disclaimer before we get started. All of these photos were taken with my iPhone. I didn’t want to carry my bigger camera around the city with us.}

10 Places To Visit In New York City:

1. Empire State Building: 

I knew we wanted to visit the Empire State Building, but I didn’t know how much I was going to love it! Make sure to see it at night. The lights from the city are beautiful at night and you can see the entire city from the Empire State Building. If you have to see it during the day, make sure it is not foggy because you won’t be able to see a thing and it will be a waste of your money to go up. I also thought I was going to have a clostophobic problem in the elevator up all those levels, but it went so quick, I had no issues at all. We were there on a beautiful night. The weather was perfect and I really had a hard time leaving. Make sure to have quarters with you so you can use the view finders that are on the deck. 

2. 911 Tribute Museum:

This was another one I had to see while we were in New York City. I knew it would be amazing, but I didn’t know it would touch me to much. It was emotional and crazy to relive that horrible day. They did a tremendous job on the tribute side of this museum. You got to see and hear so much more than you even remembered happened. The artifacts were in abundance. You can not take pictures in the room where most of them are and I see why. I wish I would have stayed a little longer and soaked in more of every inch. It is a little bit overwhelming when you go in and see how much there is to see. If you go, spend the time. You won’t regret it. 

3. Central Park

Central Park is a must-see while in New York City. I was tied up for the day with Hometalk when Matt took the kids to Central Park. They loved it. There was so much to do within the park that you could spend an entire day there. Luckily, they had the perfect weather day to explore it. They did everything from the castle to the zoo. They ate in the park and got a bicycle tour which really taught them a lot about what was what in the city. Again, don’t rush through this one. If the weather is nice, you will be there all day. 

4. Times Square

Coming from little ol’ Iowa, I knew that Times Square alone would be fun to see. It was! When we first got to it, the kids stopped in their tracks to take it all in. The lights, the people, the constant movement was amazing and something so different from back home. A definite stop when you go. 

5. New York Pizza Place

If you are in New York City, make is your mission to find a pizza place to try New York style pizza. This was our first meal in the city and it did not disappoint! 

6. Statue of Liberty

Another iconic thing to see when in NYC. We talked to our friends who had been to the city before us and many of them told us not to pay the money to walk up the 300+ stairs inside the Statue of Liberty. That didn’t stop us from heading to see her from a distance. 

7. Staten Island Ferry/Wall Street

When we were at the Statue of Liberty, it is right by the Staten Island fairy area and Wall Street. We had to see the iconic bull and walk inside the Staten Island Ferry Building to check it out. This helped the kids understand New Jersey and New York a little better too and how you get from one to the other this way. 

8. Madison Square Garden

While we were in New York City, we were able to knock this one off our bucket list. Our family loves basketball and to be able to see a Knicks game in Madison Square Garden was so much fun for us. I would have liked to have more time to maybe take in a broadway show, but at least we got to see this show while we were there. 

9. Serendipity

One of my favorite movies, visiting Serendipity was high on our list. Everyone we talked to told us to visit it and have the frozen hot chocolate. It is a quaint place that had a lot of great food and sweet treats to try, but the frozen hot chocolate was what we went there for. We went, we visited, we conquered. 

10. Rockefeller Center

The Rockefeller Center had to make the list of 10 Places To Visit In New York City. You can rent skates if you want or just check out the place that you see so much of on TV and in the movies. 

I hope this list of 10 Places To Visit In New York City has helped you plan your trip. I wish I had more resources like this before we left on our trip. 

Have you ever been to NYC? What are your favorite places to visit in New York City?

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