Getting around New York can be stressful at the best of times, but kids add an extra element of difficulty to the mix. If you’re planning to visit New York with your kids, it’s worth thinking in advance about how you’ll get around. Otherwise, you could find yourself struggling to hold onto small hands in dense crowds, or missing out on appointments at attractions as little legs get tired and train schedules don’t add up. If this sounds tricky, don’t worry. It’s not actually that difficult to get around New York in a stress-free way, even with kids in tow. It just takes a bit of forward thinking and a basic understanding of how the city works.
Transport Options
New York has a wide range of transport options, and a lot of the major attractions are situated quite close together, which means that if you plan your schedule well, you can quite easily walk around clusters of major tourist sites. However, it is a good idea to have backup transport options rather than relying solely on walking, the subway, cabs, etc. If you’ve got a lot of child-related stuff, like buggies, snacks, and so on, it might be a good idea to get your own vehicle. It’s easy to find cheap rental cars in New York – you can pick a hire car up for a day or even just a couple of hours, to help you get to further flung locations and transport heavy or bulky items like buggies.
It’s generally a good idea to get comfortable with the New York subway, as it’s extremely handy for getting from borough to borough without having to wrestle with the Midtown traffic. That said, it’s important to keep in mind that the subway can be very crowded during peak commuter hours. Hold your children’s hands so they don’t get lost in the crowds if you’re using the subway at these times.
Plan Your Days By Neighborhood
New York is a much less hectic and stressful experience if you treat each neighborhood as a separate entity, rather than zipping back and forth across the city from tourist site to tourist site. You’ll have much less logistical stress if you plan a borough a day with your kids rather than building your schedule around disparate attractions.
Use your hotel as an anchor point, and treat each borough as a full-day excursion. Bear in mind that some boroughs are more spread out than others. Queens and Brooklyn, for example, might need you to bring a car or get cabs in order to see everything you want, while The Bronx and Manhattan have closer clusters of attractions.
Prepare For Walking
Much of New York is more walkable than usual for US cities, and the grid system makes it relatively easy to navigate, but it’s still important to be realistic about what you and your kids can achieve on foot. Plot your walking routes in advance, bearing in mind that distances are often further than they may seem at a glance – New York blocks are often larger than they look! Plot in rest stops like playgrounds and parks along the way, and pick routes that take in public restrooms in case your kids need the toilet during your walk. Also, think about snacks and water. There are usually plenty of places to grab a snack in any New York borough, but bring some of your own if you’re heading into more residential neighborhoods.
Consider Routines
Most kids have a routine that they’re used to, centering on things like meals and naps. When you’re exploring a new place, that routine is likely to get disrupted – which could be disorienting for your kids. If you can, try to schedule around your kids’ routines as closely as possible. For example, pick more boisterous attractions or longer walks for times when they typically have more energy, have snacks and meals as close as possible to the usual times, and don’t undertake any complicated travel when kids are likely to be sleepy and fractious.
Strollers, Carriers, and Luggage
Kids don’t travel light! Depending on your kids’ ages, they’ll likely come with accouterments like strollers, buggies, carriers, and bags. So, when moving around the city, it’s important to think about how you’re going to transport your gear.
Hire cars are very useful in this respect, but do remember that you may take longer to get from place to place in heavy traffic. Similarly, you may struggle to get bulky strollers onto the subway during busy periods. As such, consider travel times when you’re transporting bulky or heavy items, and try to leave the heftier gear in the hotel on days that will require a lot of walking or transfers between subway stations.
Safety
New York is much safer than many people assume, but it’s still a good idea to take basic safety precautions with your kids. Make sure that everyone stays together, especially in crowds, which can be very unyielding in New York. It’s easy to get jostled apart, so hold your kids’ hands in busy places if you can. Make sure that they understand the street crossing system and don’t step out in front of traffic, and instruct them in basic public transport safety (don’t talk to strangers, sit or stand together, keep a close hold on belongings, etc.).
Have A Great Time!
Navigating New York with kids might seem like a hard task, but with a bit of planning and a reasonable understanding of how the city works, it needn’t be stressful. Remember, New York is a child-friendly city, with plenty for kids to enjoy – but planning your days around neighborhoods and being prepared for what the transport system can throw at you will make a world of difference to the ease and comfort of your days.
