Before the blistering month of August is finally upon us, why
not plan some unique adventures that will make your summer unforgettable? We’ve
compiled an off-the-beaten-path list to guarantee you’ll make the most of the
summer you have left. — In some cases we’ve taken popular places and pointed out
hidden gems within. In others, we hope to be introducing you to new ideas you
would never think of! And we asked some of our favorite local writers and
bloggers to chime in with their ideas, too.
A Beer Hall…For Kids
Nestled in the heart of the bustling neighborhood of Astoria
is the 100-year-old Bohemian
Hall and Beer Garden. A longtime popular hangout for hip twenty-somethings
(who are now thirty-somethings with children!) this venue is known for its
hearty Czech food and weekend folk music. Its picturesque environment makes for
the perfect setting for a lounge-around-and-play-board-games type of day. And
it’s kid-friendly during daylight hours!—Renee
Sullivan of babybites
Hands-On At The
Museum
Amid all the grand dinosaur exhibits and an out-of-this-world
space show at the American Museum
of Natural History there is an incredible room off to the side for lucky 5
through 12-year-olds in search of a hands-on learning experience. Inside the Discovery Room,
little ones witness a special behind-the-scenes look at the science displayed
in the museum. The space offers puzzles, challenges, games, as well as a vast array
of artifacts and specimens. Tots can scour a replica of an African baobab tree
as they hunt for critters; bigger kids are welcome to march up to the second
floor where they can track earthquakes or assemble a life-sized cast skeleton
of Prestosuchus from the late Triassic Period. Storytime and “Meet the
Scientist” events are regularly scheduled for repeat visits!
Playdate In The Park
Every
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from May to October, the Battery Park City
Conservancy hosts a play date for babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers in Wagner
Park. Parents and kids are all
thrilled to have the opportunity to play and hang out with a perfect view of
the Statue of Liberty and the rest of New York
Harbor. Rangers from the
Conservancy bring toys, balls, books, gym mats, water tables, etc. to provide a
safe, and fun environment. This is the kind of experience that makes parents
thank their lucky stars that they get to live in New York City.—Matt Schneider and Lance Somerfeld of NYC Dads Group
Coney
Island’s Hidden Slice
Everyone knows about the beach, the rides, and the aquarium at
the infamous Coney Island. But a stop
at the legendary Totonno’s
Pizzeria is a must for any Island
visitor. Hailed as one of the earliest giants of NYC coal-oven pizza (since
1924!), the unique eatery keeps its doors open until it runs out of ingredients
each day. So dedicate a summer weekend to frolicking at the beach, delighting
in the classic rides, and then finish the trip Italian style with Totonno’s.
Let The Music Move
You
Music in Motion, a free
family-friendly Saturday series at Bargemusic, is an incredible
and wonderful introduction to the world of classical music. Housed on a barge
at Fulton Pier, the summer concerts are one of the city’s hidden treasures. But
don’t be surprised if you arrive back home with a little maestro. The
kid-friendly Q&A after the performance is sure to inspire.—Alison Lowenstein of Brooklyn Baby, author of City Kid New York and City Weekends
Queen Of The Street
One great summer pastime the whole family can enjoy is scouring
flea markets for great deals. So before the fall chill starts to sweep in,
check out the mother of all fairs, the Hester Street Fair. Every
Saturday, this Lower East Side flea houses a scrumptious
collection of food vendors. Enjoy favorites such as Intoxicating
Confections–serving up cocktail inspired desserts (with kid-friendly
flavors!)–and the Dumpling Diva.
Before you go, load up on vintage gear from hotspots like Happy
Cuties Vintage and Stinky & Minky
kids threads.
City Life Is A Beach
Though it’s hard to believe, frenzied NYC is home to a
beach. At Water Taxi Beach there’s
more than just sand at your toes and fingertips. It features a boardwalk, table
games, and even a flat screen TV. With convenient locations in Governor’s Island
and at South Street Seaport, there’s simply no excuse not to visit the beach
this summer. But if you’re itching for a bigger stretch of sand and the crowds
at Coney Island and Brighton are
too much, then consider Manhattan Beach Park,
next in line on the BK coast. Accessible by car; less so by public transportation.
And for more of the great beaches and pools the city has to offer, click here
for our special summer guide.
Ice Cream Crawl
If you’re the kind of family that will go out of their way
for great ice cream, Queens Mamas has created a crawl that will have you eating
cones and sundaes morning, noon and
night, with stops like Maggie
Moo’s on Bell Boulevard, Piu Bello’s in
Forest Hills, Eddie’s
Sweet Shop on Metropolitan Avenue, and Max
and Mina’s Homemade Ice Cream in Flushing.—Jesseca Stenson of Queens Mamas
A Haunting We Will Go
Summer fun means beaches, water parks, pools and…graveyards?
Hear us out. Woodlawn
Cemetery in the Bronx is one of the most unusual destinations
in NYC. Bring your kids to see famous gravestones of people like Miles Davis,
Irving Berlin and Duke Ellington. They’re bound to be curious about the history
and customs of the place. Plus, it’s a beautiful spot that hosts outdoor
concerts, lectures, and walking tours. And if you’re in Brooklyn,
Green-Wood offers a calendar chockfull
of spooky walking and trolley tours.
A Prescription Feast
Brooklyn Farmacy in Carroll
Gardens is an old-fashioned soda
fountain that opened just last summer. It’s actually located where an old
pharmacy used to be, so it has a lot of old relics and antiques to look
at—great for curious young things. You can sit at the counter and order
delicious ice cream sodas or sundaes, old-school style, or cozy up at one of
the small tables. There’s even live, kid-friendly music sometimes.—Leah Black of Born & Bred
Free Rider
The first Wednesday of every month offers a taste of Bronx
culture—for FREE. It all happens on the whimsical Bronx Culture Trolley.
Participants enjoy an hour of wining and dining and then it’s all aboard the
trolley tour. Where you stop on this cultural loop is up to you; the trolley
allows visitors to sample any of the cultural hotspots of the Bronx.
From poetry readings to film screenings to live performances, plus stops at
venues such as The Bronx Museum of the
Arts, the ride has diverse families in mind.
Outdoor Adventure
Home to over 300 species of wildlife and housing over 635
acres of forest, meadows, ponds, and water marshes, Alley Pond Park is the ideal nature
escape. In Summer
Nature Kids, wee ones sharpen their exploring skills as they learn to care
for Mother Nature. At Wet and
Wild, children get to play sea shell and fish games and handle sand and
water dwelling animals. And for action-packed fun at the park, check out the
impressive Adventure
Course, which includes a climbing wall, a zip-line, a trust fall station, ropes
courses and balance platforms. Family team building anyone?
Accomplish It All
It’s a dose of weird, a spectacle of genius, and one of the
most unique experiences that NYC has to offer. Accomplice is “part game,
part theater, part tour” and one of the best kept secrets in the city. And it’s
a serious secret—participants don’t even know their starting point until the
day before show time! With bits of information gained along the way, a group of
accomplices set out on a mission throughout the city to solve a mystery with
the help of disguised cast members. Think you’re up for the challenge? Children
10-15 should be accompanied by parents. Children under 10 are free to join, but
don’t say we didn’t warn you. As Accomplice cautions: Just don’t be upset at the innocence lost.
A Bit Further Afield
The The
Moxie Spot in Brooklyn Heights is a family-friendly eatery and play space featuring family movie nights, disco parties and bingo.
In Long Island City,
the Noguchi Museum
is an often overlooked gem. Explore the peaceful sculpture garden, or
participate in some of the museum’s programming, including Arts for Tots and
Arts for Families.—Sarah Chang of The Stroller Ballet
T.R. Comes To Life
Did you know Theodore Roosevelt was the only president born
in New York City? While most of us
have visited his famed Sagamore Hill
home on Long Island, his NYC roots are lesser known. Teach your tot a
summertime history lesson and take her to the Theodore
Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site in the Flatiron District. Check
out five period rooms, two museum galleries and a small bookstore. (And don’t
forget to speak softly and carry a big stick.)
Staten Island Summer Fun
The Every Thing Goes (ETG)
Book Cafe and Neighborhood Stage–which is a member of the ETG family of
recycle/reuse/reduce-our-ecological-footprint stores that have been part of the
downtown Staten Island landscape for over 20 years–is a funky, used bookstore
where you can browse through classic fairy tales. It’s also a place where kids
can get up on a stage at its open mic and share their songs, jokes, special
stories, costumed scenes and artwork. But whether you live on Staten
Island, or if you’re simply visiting for the day, you must make a
bee-line for the Alice Austen
House. The view alone is simply breathtaking! Their outdoor reading series
Flipping Pages takes place the first and last Thursday of each month and is a
story telling event perfect for ages 4-8 years old.—Melissa
Chapman of The Staten
Island Family blog
Water For Everyone
We
absolutely love Pier 6 in Brooklyn
Bridge Park
where there’s a free Water Lab (one of the best water play spaces in the city!). It’s a real crowd-pleaser with entertainment for both adults and kids alike. The
little ones love splashing around in the sprinklers, playing in the sand box,
climbing the mountain and going down the super slide. The adults love capturing great memories on camera. The occasional cold splashes from the sprinklers doesn’t hurt on a
hot NYC day either.—Alicia Harper of Mommy Delicious
A Sweet Secret
Apparently Willy Wonka has a tiny retail spot in DUMBO, Brooklyn.
Dewey’s Candy focuses on classic candies
and boasts quaint charm in a small space. Decorated with candy-colored swirls
of ribbon, this spot is a dream come true for any kid (or parent) with a sweet
tooth.
A Little Park Paradise
Once overgrown and overlooked, the Peter
Jay Sharp Children’s Glade in Central Park is now a
haven for imaginative kids. With stone and tree trunk seating and a shade
canopy, it’s the perfect spot for wannabe forest elves and fairies. The park
hosts “A Clearing in the Forest,” an eco-education and
arts program that takes place on alternating Sundays. Check the calendar
for events with puppets, wildlife and more.
It’s MOCA Time
Chinatown is a fun neighborhood to
explore, but you can learn about its history too at the Museum of Chinese in America. Follow the
history of immigration and discrimination in the neighborhood and teach tots
about tolerance. On a lighter note, kids will especially love the exhibit on
Chinese puzzles, where you can solve tangrams with big foam pieces or wrack
your brain over linked rings and sliding bar puzzles.
Free And Fabulous
Public Art
As part of the great art
in the parks program around the city, City Hall Park is now an outdoor
museum featuring one of the world’s greatest modern artists, the late Sol
LeWitt. 27 of LeWitt’s most famous pieces of art are on display. So grab your
stroller and check
out the free exhibit. The sculptures display both Minimalism and
Conceptualism. Kids will respond to the bold pyramids and cubes. Plus, the
Public Art Fund has a free App that explains the pieces and their meanings.—Nicole Feliciano of Momtrends
Island Flicks
There are lots of cool places to see outdoor movies in the
summer. One that may take a little more work to get to, but is well worth it
for the views and the feeling of getting away from it all, is the Roosevelt
Island Outdoor
Summer Movie Series. Bring your own blanket or chair and sit under the
stars at one of the less crowded public screens.
Secret Gardens
The (unsprayed) secret garden behind St. Luke’s in the West Village is
a total oasis. It’s all about finding silence and space where others might
not be in this hectic and too hot city. But when was the last time you spent
the entire day at the Met?
And not just for an exhibit or the mummies. There’s a Chinese Garden Court
that’s amazingly peaceful. Kids will love the rare rock formations and the
pond.—Alexandra Zissu, author of Planet
Home and The Conscious Kitchen
Dive Right In
Of
all the free city pools, we particularly like the John Jay
Pool on 77th Street and
Cherokee Place for families
because you not only get a well-run water spot but you also get a
recently-renovated playground. And for something completely different, check
out the Neptune Foundation Floating Pool
in Barretto Point
Park in the Bronx.
A seven-lane swimmer on a barge, the freshwater pool is open for its fifth
summer–and a hot one at that!
Wild Walks
From discovering the secrets to Manhattan‘s oldest living forest to learning
about the native flowers and plants the blossom throughout the city, the nature
walks and hikes hosted by the NYCWildflowerWeek.org have proven to be a lot of
fun for everyone from serious botanists to those who love the outdoors. You
wouldn’t know it, but our concrete jungle has a lot more interesting and fun
nature facts that we give it credit for.—Carol
Cain of NYCityMama
Washington Heights Wonders
There are three great spots right off of West 181st Street
in Washington Heights: 1. The little
red lighthouse and the Hudson
River Park area have wonderful breezes and picnicking, not to mention good
bathrooms! For Open hopefuls, there are also great tennis courts. 2. Wiggles and Giggles Playhouse is
a wonderful drop-in play space with programming for parent and child, newborn
to five. 3. 181 Cabrini, a
family-friendly café with a ridiculously affordable kids menu.—Jessica Shapley of momsupport.org
Take Me To The River
One of the most gorgeous and serene places on Riverdale is Wave Hill—a popular spot for families.
But what some people don’t know is that they have free family art
projects every Saturday. And just south of Wave Hill is Seton Park—with great tennis
courts, sprinklers, basketball courts and a children’s playground.—Tiffany Casanova, Executive Producer of Tristin and Tyler’s Tales from the City!
History Mystery on Eldridge St.
The Eldridge Street
Museum on the LES features family walking tours every Sunday. With monthly
themes like Heroes and Villains and Revealing Glass, the Preservation
Detectives series encourages groups to hunt for history using a magnifying
glass, binoculars and a notepad, along with spectacular imagination. Families
must sleuth their way through the landmark museum and discover the mysteries of
architecture, history, and Jewish culture through interactive activities and
art making.
Just A Bit North
For a great summer adventure take the family to explore Fort Tryon Park.
Located at the Northern end of Manhattan,
the park offers lots of great hiking trails and many grassy areas for picnicking
all with stunning views high above the Hudson River. The
park also has several gardens and offers concerts and other events. Once you’ve
hiked a bit and worked up an appetite, stop for brunch at the excellent New Leaf Restaurant. The cafe
offers live jazz music and a large patio for outdoor dining.—Lara Serebrier Paul of iKidNY
And Don’t Forget…
Manhattan
living. It is so easy to forget that we have a place to go at the end of the
day to walk by the water, take a hike, watch the sunset and eat a burger and
forget the hustle and bustle of city life. Pier I at
Riverside Park (a 7-acre section running from 72nd to 68th Streets) offers
outdoor relaxation that will make you feel miles away. Further south, stop by 50th
Street between 8th and 9th Avenues to take in Worldwide Plaza. There
are about 4 casual kid-friendly restaurants outside—burgers, pizza, Mexican…
A great place to sit right near the theaters that feels like you’re in the ‘burbs.—Melissa Gerstein of Moms and The City
Bonus Book
And for other great ideas on how to plan a unique adventure
for your city clan, check out Off
the Beaten (Subway) Track: New York City’s Best Unusual Attractions by Suzanne Reisman. You’ll never let
a free weekend pass you by again!
