Is it possible to have a weekend trip or a summer vacation in New York City this year with your entire family in tow without sacrificing style and luxury? Are there actually things to do and places to stay that will satisfy the glittering Manhattan dreams of all the generations, including yours? Why yes, dear reader, there are. After years of experience and lots of research, our crack team of correspondents have developed a guide for how to tackle a summer weekend (or week) in the Big Apple – including everything you need to know about where to stay and our top 5 picks what to do – all without compromising sophistication, style or fun. Let’s go!
Where to Stay:
Located a stone’s throw away from Central Park on the tony Upper East Side you’ll find The Mark Hotel, our top recommendation for families traveling with kids and teenagers. This chic luxury property in the heart of the quietest and most genteel part of Manhattan offers guests an unprecedented level of personal service and old world comforts, mixed with modern avant-garde design. There are fabulous restaurants in the hotel and in the immediate neighborhood, and a great gym and a Fredric Fekkai salon onsite. As perfect as it is for grown-up travelers, it might surprise you to learn is that the hotel is also extremely family friendly, offering a range of amenities perfectly suited for its younger guests.
For the littlest ones, the Mark offers guests a fleet of custom-designed strollers by Maclaren that are perfect for a walk through Central Park or shopping along Madison Avenue. Tiny guests also receive a selection of cheerful amenities to enjoy from neighborhood toy emporium Zittles.
For slightly older kids, The Mark offers families a Slumber Party Suite Special which includes a customized children’s tent, an in-room family movie with chocolate milk and cookies and daily breakfasts.
And for the pre-teen set, The Mark offers tours of The Metropolitan Museum of Art especially curated for guests between the ages of 10 to 13.
Other family-friendly offerings include The Mark Hot Dog Stand, where you can grab a delicious bite, and a custom fleet of Mark Bicycles that you can use for a visit to Central Park. Once there, you can enjoy one of the hotel’s ‘lunch-to-go’ baskets created by celebrated chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. This gourmet picnic basket includes all the essentials – blanket, cutlery and condiments. If that’s not enough to make your family trip feel special, you can take a Mark Pedicab for a ride to Bergdorf Goodman or take a sail around New York Harbor on The Mark’s very own sailboat with drinks and food catered by Vongerichten and his crew.
The Mark Hotel in summer, New York City
Now that you know where to stay, here’s what you should do:
1. If your child is a fan of The Plaza’s most famous fictional resident, don’t miss the resplendent Eloise Rawther Fancy Tea in the iconic Palm Court, where you and your little one can sip Eloise-approved pink lemonade and nibble on cotton candy. After your tea, take a little bit of Eloise home with you by visiting her very own shop at The Plaza for outfits, accessories and books. The hotel also offers an ongoing calendar of events inspired by Kay Thompson’s classic book, including cupcake decorating and jewelry box designing classes. Be sure to also follow @ThePlazaEloise on Instagram to stay up to date on her daily mischief at the hotel and more.
Eloise’s Rawther Fancy Tea at the Plaza Hotel, New York
2. While you’re in New York, how about an unforgettable trip to the ballpark? There’s no better time to visit the House that Ruth Built, as the Yankees are on a roll this year. The Yankees Inside Experience offers visitors a chance to a meet with a current team member, get an up-close and personal view of the pregame batting practice, and premium seating options. It’s an amazing experience for sports fans young and old.
The Inside Experience at Yankee Stadium
3. Did we mention that summer in Manhattan can be really hot? There’s no better way to cool down in the concrete jungle than to head to the ultimate ice cream sundae bar in Midtown. During the summer months, the iconic ice skating rink at Rockefeller Plaza is replaced by the Summer Garden & Bar. Here you can choose from scrumptious homemade ice creams churned on the premises, and indulge in an endless array of unusual toppings like chocolate-covered bananas, vintage sugar-swirl lollipops, birthday cake on a stick and red velvet cupcakes. According to Rock Center, the options add up to over 58 million customizable sundaes – and luckily for all, you don’t need to be 12 or under to enjoy.
The Summer Garden at Rockefeller Center
4. If you need to slow down a little from the hustle and bustle of the city, you can take to the water and see the city with an Architecture Tour by the Classic Harbor Line. Guided by members of the American Institute of Architects, kids will love watching the history of New York come alive before their eyes. You can choose from five distinct tours on meticulously designed 1920’s-style yachts including: Around Manhattan Architecture, Lower Manhattan Architecture, Bridge & Infrastructure Tour, the Historic Architecture Tour and Industrial Waterfront Tour to Freshkills Park. Bonus, there’s complimentary champagne for parents (because you are on vacation, after all).
5. Travelling with kids can be a dramatic experience in any city, but especially in New York. Your best shot to keep the drama on the stage is a visit to the Disney on Broadway Behind the Magic Experience. First up is a guided tour on the history and characters of Broadway, with stops at hotspots like Shubert Alley and Sardi’s. Next is a tour of the New Amsterdam Theatre, home to Disney’s Aladdin the Musical, where you can get up close and personal with original props and set pieces and even try on original costumes from the Little Mermaid, Aladdin, the Lion King and more. And you can complete your evening by catching one of these fun shows in person.
There are so many things to do in the summer in the city that it’s hard to catch them all on trip. So next time, we also suggest a visit to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum; a trip to Battery Park to see the Harbor, the Oculus and the One World Trade Center Observatory; a stroll through the Brooklyn Botanic Garden; a visit to the Central Park Zoo; a stop for some cold beverages and free people-watching at Bryant Park; and a visit to the American Museum of Natural History.
Summer’s here, and New York’s waiting – are you ready? Game on.
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