Things to do with kids in NYC: I took my six-year-old to New York for a long weekend – here’s everything we did

Since our first daughter was born six years ago, it has been my husband’s dream to take her to New York one day. A wish inspired by his own memories of discovering the Big Apple as a kid and being completely dazzled by the city.

Our last trip to New York was back in 2021, but she was still too young to tag along. Now that she’d turned six and could walk longer distances without complaining too much (but yes, we do still bribe her with snacks to keep her going), we thought it was the right time. And since we travel from Hong Kong back to France every summer, being based in Europe made the trip considerably easier, with shorter flight times and less of a time difference to deal with. So when he asked me if I wanted to spend a long July weekend in New York, of course I said yes.

But after the excitement came the questions. Was she going to love it as much as we hope she would? Growing up in France, both of our first trips to the City That Never Sleeps were nothing short of extraordinary. We still remember discovering the skyline, the skyscrapers, the incredible energy and sheer scale of the city. But our little one is growing up in Hong Kong – and there’s a reason why the city is often dubbed “the New York of the East”. The two cities share plenty of similarities, and we wondered whether New York would feel quite as impressive to her as it had to us.

Then there were our own little habits in the city, especially when it comes to food. There’s something truly unique about going out for dinner in New York, and there are certain places we simply like to revisit every time we’re there. Of course, we were willing to compromise to make the trip fun for our daughter, but not to the point of swapping a Michelin-starred restaurant for a McDonald’s meal. And yes, I was happy to plan visits to FAO Schwarz and the M&M’s store, but I also wanted to shop at Alo.

So we built our three-day itinerary around the idea that there should be a little something for everyone. This itinerary might not work for everybody – it’s especially heavy on food because, well, what can we say… we love to eat. It’s also missing plenty of New York must-dos because, as much as we’d have liked to, you simply can’t do it all in three days. But it worked very well for us.

Things to do with kids in New York

Where we stayed in New York as a family

Disclaimer: we are creatures of habit. When we find a place that works particularly well for us – and that we genuinely love – we also love returning to it.

And because New York is a city that demands exploration rather than lingering around a hotel, we were more interested in a prime location than the kind of kid-friendly amenities we would typically look for in a beachside resort in Asia, for example.

Which is why we decided to check in, once again, at The Mercer Hotel in SoHo. If you’re into glitz and glam, you might want to check out this list of the best heritage hotels in New York instead.

As for us, we love The Mercer’s more homey, understated feel. Walking into its lobby feels more like entering someone’s particularly stylish living room, while its rooms (designed to resemble typical SoHo lofts) almost make you feel like you actually live in the city. 
From the outside, the building looks like a typical low-rise SoHo address, complete with those quintessential New York fire escapes.

If you’re into amenities and facilities, this probably isn’t the right stay for you. But if, like us, you want to have the impression that you’re a resident for the weekend, then honey, you’re home.

And what a home. You’ll find yourself in the heart of one of the city’s most desirable neighbourhoods, with some of New York’s best shopping and dining right on your doorstep. We particularly love strolling around Bleecker Street, while Greenwich Village, NoHo, Chinatown and Little Italy are all within easy walking distance.

You can see our full list of New York’s best boutique hotels here.

Day 1: SoHo, skyscrapers, and an early bedtime

Landing around lunchtime, our little one wasn’t exactly impressed by the extra-long immigration line at JFK. Welcome to New York, kid.

After checking in at The Mercer Hotel and dropping off our luggage, we headed straight to one of our favourite SoHo addresses: Cipriani.

Why did this work so well for us? We wanted to soak up the SoHo vibes and make the most of New York in July, aka summertime in the city, so we booked a table on Cipriani’s iconic terrace. We knew we’d get to enjoy a long, leisurely lunch outdoors, while our daughter would be more than happy with a plate of their signature pasta.

From there, we walked all the way down to the World Trade Center, watching the city slowly transform along the way. SoHo’s low-rise buildings and cobblestone streets gave way to the towering skyscrapers and unmistakable energy of the Financial District.

We also spotted plenty of the classic New York sights our daughter had been looking forward to: yellow cabs, steam rising from a manhole and hot dog and pretzel carts on street corners. Things we probably wouldn’t have given a second glance to, but which were enough to delight her after she’d read all about them in New York, Baby! by Ward Jenkins

We skipped the 9/11 Memorial this time. At six, we felt she was still a little too young to fully understand, or be explained, the tragedy of 9/11. One thing she was particularly keen to see, however, was the Statue of Liberty. But with just three days in the city, squeezing in a trip to Ellis Island and Liberty Island felt difficult. So we compromised.

Instead, we headed to Rockefeller Park, along the Hudson River. It meant skipping the half-day tour to Liberty Island, but she still got to spot the Statue of Liberty from afar – and, perhaps just as importantly, enjoy an hour at the playground.

This was our first playground stop of the weekend. As you will soon discover, it wouldn’t be our last.

We then slowly made our way back up to SoHo for a little shopping on Broadway Street and Lafayette Street. Sephora was on my list so I could stock up on Rhode products – although, unfortunately, almost everything I wanted was sold out. We also stopped by New York or Nowhere for New York souvenir T-shirts that actually look good, and the Sloomoo Institute, where our daughter picked out some slime.

We didn’t do much more that day. By 6pm, it was already midnight in Paris, and after waking up early to catch our morning flight, jet lag hit her hard. That’s when a prime hotel location also made sense because we didn’t have to go far to grab a quick bite.

Not going to lie, I was also pretty happy to call it a night.

Day 2: Broadway show tunes, dinosaurs, and 25,000 steps

Rise and shine, Upper East Siders! Well, SoHo-ers in our case. Gossip Girl here, and we had a pretty packed day ahead of us.

Jet lag worked its magic (or sorcery, depending on how you see it), and we were out bright and early, hailing a cab uptown for breakfast.

Okay, you’ll have to excuse me here because I did say earlier that we take our food very seriously, and the place we’d picked for our first breakfast actually serves terrible food. So why did we choose it, you may ask?

Well, while Ellen’s Stardust Diner serves terrible filter coffee and quite possibly the worst scrambled eggs and bagel I’ve ever eaten in my life (and I’m not exaggerating, I genuinely had no idea scrambled eggs could be that bad), it’s also one of New York’s most popular breakfast spots. The reason? Its Stardusters, aka the singing waiting staff, who belt out Broadway show tunes and pop hits while serving your food. So yes, the food is terrible. But the retro 1950s diner design has its charm, and there’s something undeniably fun about being served coffee by someone singing Sinatra’s New York, New York while throwing confetti around the room.

A word of warning: the place is popular, and the queue to get in can stretch around the block. It’s walk-in only, so I’d recommend going for an early breakfast. We arrived just before 7.30am and while the diner wasn’t exactly buzzing yet, there were enough people to create some energy in the room. The singing performances also start from opening time, so you’re not missing out by arriving early.

While we were in the neighbourhood, we decided to give her a quick look at Times Square. At this time of the morning, it was surprisingly empty and made for some great photo opportunities. She immediately spotted the giant M&M’s sign, and we promised we’d be back later that day once the store had opened.

We then jumped in another cab and headed to the first cultural stop of the day, just a few blocks away: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. A ticketed attraction located at the top of the One Vanderbilt skyscraper, SUMMIT combines striking views over the city with fun, interactive art installations. A win for the entire family, really. We were all impressed by the views, while our six-year-old had a lot of fun with the immersive artworks and particularly loved Affinity, the famous room filled with silver balloons.

Again, we were there early as our slot was at 8.30am. And booking one of the first entries of the day turned out to be a good idea. Firstly, the light was beautiful. Secondly, it was already pretty busy, so I can’t imagine how crowded it gets later in the day.

The whole experience takes around an hour, which meant we made it just in time for the American Museum of Natural History, a 10-minute cab ride away, for its 10am opening. Yep, I told you it was going to be a packed day.

We bought our tickets on the way there in just a few clicks, which I definitely recommend if you want to join the fastest queue. This stop had actually been requested by the little one herself after watching the Night at the Museum movies. And she loved it.

It was my second time visiting, but experiencing it alongside a child fascinated by all things dinosaur made the museum feel fresh and new again. She was particularly impressed by the Fossil and Dinosaur Halls, although slightly less enthusiastic about the more traditional galleries dedicated to mammals.

Another hour and a half later, hanger struck. And our daughter conveniently remembered that she’d spotted a pretzel cart right outside the museum. She’s obsessed with pretzels.

We happily bought her one, knowing she needed some fuel before our next walk: through Central Park and back towards Times Square. Squirrel spotting, a carousel ride, and watching a few wedding photoshoots helped keep the walk entertaining for her. As for me, I always love walking through Central Park. And knowing that the M&M’s store was our final destination probably helped ensure she didn’t complain once.

Of course, a big box of M&M’s was purchased to thank her for being such a trooper. We let her loose at the “fill your own container” stations – although I did make sure to sneak in a few peanut butter ones because they are, quite simply, the best.

She was obviously overjoyed. And very, very high on sugar. Being a little high is actually something you might need before our next stop: the American Girl flagship store, located right next to Rockefeller Center.

For anyone unfamiliar with the brand, American Girl is a Mattel-owned doll company founded in the 1980s. The dolls represent girls from different backgrounds, historical periods and walks of life, with accompanying books telling their stories. (Real) American girls are obsessed with them, and the New York store is something else. Of course, you can buy dolls and accessories. But you can also have afternoon tea with your doll or book a hair appointment for both your daughter and her doll.

I hadn’t booked anything in advance but eventually managed to get a walk-in appointment for our doll, which we had brought all the way from Hong Kong to France and then from France to New York.

So yes, I’m that mum. The kind who once confidently said, “When I have kids, there will be no plastic toys in my house. Only beautiful, aesthetic things.” And who eventually ended up paying US$35 for a hair appointment for a doll. Am I proud of it? Not really. Was my daughter over the moon? Absolutely. What can I say? I’m just a mum, with all the joy, struggles and ambivalences that come with it.

Oh, and in case you haven’t broken the bank yet, the oldest toy store in the US (and rather fabulous retail experience) FAO Schwarz is right next door. Thank God the queue was long enough to demotivate my little one.

By then, 2-ish pm hunger had become a very real thing, and fatigue was starting to kick in. We decided to head back to SoHo for a light, late brunch at one of our favourites: Jack’s Wife Freda on Lafayette Street, where we grabbed a table on its beautiful terrace.

By mid-afternoon, after dropping our shopping bags back at the hotel, we headed out again. This time, we walked through Little Italy and Chinatown and all the way to Seward Park Playground to meet up with friends. The kids had a go on the playground before we headed to Canal Street, just a few metres away, for Friday drinks at Tolo. Part of the street is closed to vehicles from 3pm until 10.30pm from Thursday through Sunday, which means adults can enjoy a cold beer in the afternoon summer sunshine while kids run around freely. A win for everybody.

And before we knew it, it was already time for our dinner reservation at Pasquale Jones. We chose it because we love it, but also because we knew our daughter would happily order one of their pizzas.

Instead, she fell asleep on the bench seat before we could even order. Poor thing had walked 25,000 steps with barely a complaint. And honestly? It had been a pretty perfect day for both her and us. She got Broadway songs, dinosaurs, silver balloons, pretzels, M&M’s, a doll hairdresser and a playground. We got Central Park, great food (after that terrible breakfast), shopping, afternoon drinks with friends and a long dinner over wine.
Sometimes, compromise really does work.

Day 3: Israeli breakfast, playgrounds, and an iconic New York steakhouse

Having managed to pack so much into Day 2, we woke up with a much more relaxed schedule ahead of us. Well, relatively relaxed. Jet lag was still doing its thing, so we woke up early again. While my husband decided to hit the gym, I was very much in the mood for breakfast instead.

My daughter and I headed 10 minutes from our hotel through a deliciously quiet Saturday morning SoHo to 12 Chairs Café. A favourite of my in-laws, this Israeli restaurant serves a beautiful Israeli breakfast, available daily until 4pm, featuring challah, two eggs cooked any style, Israeli salads and dips. In other words: exactly the kind of breakfast I like. Colourful, generous and packed with flavour.

At 8.15am on a Saturday morning, my daughter and I basically had the café to ourselves, making for the perfect quiet (yet delicious) start to another New York day. Set in a typical SoHo café space, it’s exactly the kind of place I could imagine myself returning to again and again if I actually lived in the neighbourhood (which is never gonna happen given the cost of living in New York, and the SoHo rents particularly). We loved it so much that we ended up spending close to an hour and a half there. To be fair, we also needed some time to make our way through the gigantic spread.

Once joined by hubby, it was time to walk some of those calories off. We headed uptown towards Union Square and its weekend farmers’ market, stopping to admire the Flatiron Building and tick another New York landmark off our list before continuing along Broadway for some shopping. Alo for me, naturally, followed by the Harry Potter store for the little one. Well, a little bit for us too.

We then made our way west towards Hudson Yards, where we caught the High Line and followed it down to Chelsea Market for a playground playdate followed by lunch with friends. Beers and lobster rolls were ordered, and a minor miracle happened when we managed to score a table for six adults and two kids inside the ever-busy market.

We used dessert as another excuse to walk just a little bit more, heading back towards our hotel the long way via Bleecker Street. The route included a Magnolia Bakery cupcake for the little one, a few Sex and the City filming locations for me and, of course, some shopping in the street’s independent boutiques.

I just love the atmosphere of the West Village. The tree-lined streets, the brownstones, the independent shops, and the fact that you can easily turn a simple walk home into a full afternoon activity.

Despite not having done quite as much as the day before, by late afternoon our little trio was feeling rather run down. A combination of jet lag, heavy eating and a lot of walking over the past few days had finally caught up with us. We all settled down for what was supposed to be a quick 5.30pm nap. We woke up at 7.30pm.

Cue a slightly frantic rush to get dressed and catch a taxi for our 8.15pm dinner reservation. For our final evening in town, we chose a true New York institution: Gallaghers Steakhouse. Opened in 1927, Gallaghers started life as a Prohibition-era speakeasy before becoming one of Broadway’s original steakhouses. And nearly a century later, walking through its doors still feels a little like stepping into another era.

The dark wood interiors, walls covered with photographs and memorabilia, white tablecloths and old-school service all contribute to that unmistakably classic New York atmosphere. This isn’t the place for minimalist interiors or experimental cuisine. Gallaghers knows exactly what it is and has been doing it for almost 100 years.

Of course, steak is the main event. The restaurant is famous for its dry-aged USDA Prime beef, displayed in its iconic windowed meat locker and cooked over hickory logs. And honestly? Sometimes, after three days of walking, sightseeing and eating your way around New York, a proper steakhouse dinner is exactly what you need.

Three very happy stomachs left the restaurant that night, our bellies full of delicious food and our heads full of memories. And just like that, our long weekend in New York was almost over.

Day 4: A playground dip and Brooklyn views

A much shorter day, as we needed to catch our flight back to Paris in the afternoon, but one that still left us with enough time to eat (obviously) and finally make it across the river to Brooklyn.

We started with breakfast at Citizens of SoHo before heading to Vesuvio Playground, on the corner of Thompson and Spring Streets. This ended up being one of our favourite playground discoveries of the weekend. Alongside the usual slides and climbing frames, it features a water play area and a seasonal mini pool designed for children and teenagers up to 16. Adults must be accompanying a child to enter. Who knew you could take a free dip in the middle of SoHo?

From there, we jumped in a taxi and crossed the Manhattan Bridge to meet friends in Brooklyn Heights for a late Sunday morning coffee and a stroll around the neighbourhood. It was my first time visiting Brooklyn Heights, and I absolutely loved it. The neighbourhood feels charming, peaceful and almost surprisingly residential after a few days in the intensity of Manhattan.

From there, it’s easy to join the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, which offers beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline and plenty of kid-friendly stops along the way. Cue playgrounds, a roller rink, kayaking and more.

And if you keep walking all the way towards DUMBO, you’ll eventually reach the famous Jane’s Carousel. Which we did. We had made a lunch reservation at a place we always return to: Cecconi’s, where we decided to end our New York weekend with iconic views, spritzes, and pizzas. Yes, another Italian restaurant. But that should give you a pretty good idea of our little one’s favourite food.

And honestly, it felt like the perfect way to wrap up the trip: one last long lunch with friends, Manhattan sparkling across the river and three very happy – if slightly exhausted – travellers ready to head back to Paris.

Frequently asked questions: things to do in New York with kids