When you live in the U.S. for a while, you kind of have to visit New York, right? At least, that’s what we thought. Before we moved here, we told ourselves we’d see as much as possible — because honestly… how big is the chance you’ll ever do this again?
So this time: New York. With the whole family. This trip to New York with kids turned out to be something completely different than we expected.
We dropped our little dog off with friends (who took amazing care of him — and let’s be honest, he probably enjoyed a little break from us too ;-)), packed our bags, and off we went. It’s a ten-hour drive, but thanks to some leftover Delta credits, we flew. Easy decision. The husband — of course — had everything planned. Or so we thought.
Step one: arrive at the airport, find the iconic yellow cabs. Except… there were no yellow cabs. Only white ones. Close enough. We jumped in because we wanted to make the most of the day, and the driver clearly picked up on that — driving like he was in a Fast & Furious audition, while having a full-on conversation in what sounded like French. We were all very happy to arrive at the hotel alive. Fifteen percent tip… dude, be happy we survived.
Bags dropped, straight back out.
We knew we had to play this smart. You know… kids. You don’t want a full meltdown in the middle of Manhattan (although, let’s be honest, that would make a pretty iconic photo). So we kept it simple: quick breakfast at Paris Baguette around the corner — BIG tip by the way — and then straight into kid heaven. LEGO store, M&M’s, FAO Schwarz, Nike Innovation House. Short distances, lots to see, high excitement levels. Perfect start.
Little rookie mistake though… our daughter really wanted to go to the Jellycat Diner — you know, the one all over Instagram. What I didn’t realize? You need to book that in advance. So there we were, inside FAO Schwarz, but not allowed into the actual diner section. “Sorry sweetheart… but we can take a picture?” Parenting at its finest.
That first day was big. Big city, a lot of people, and yes… and a lot of weed smell.
Honestly, I’m pretty sure that helped with the 100,000 steps we somehow managed to walk in four days — if you’re into that kind of thing..
But also: energy. Everywhere. The kind that keeps you going even when your legs are already done. We saw so much. Roosevelt Island was a favorite, especially the tram — basically like a gondola that takes you over the city and traffic. Not your average commute. And the “haunted hospital” on the island — I mean, I don’t actually know if it’s haunted, but sometimes you just say things to keep your kids interested.
The husband had planned Summit One Vanderbilt and the Empire State Building like a pro. Summit at sunset was unreal — the views, the mirrored rooms, the floating silver balls, and standing on a glass floor at that height… that’s a whole different level. The Empire State Building in the dark had a completely different vibe. A bit more museum-like, but not the boring kind. Our son, who’s slightly afraid of heights, did both. Well… kind of. Not too close to the glass, unless there was money involved. Let’s just say it cost us 15 dollars for one photo — but he did it, and we were very proud.
Times Square is something else. The lights, the crowds, the chaos, the people in costumes — it’s a lot, but in a good way. We grabbed hotdogs from a street cart and sat on the red steps, just watching everything happen around us. One of those moments where you don’t really do anything… but it still feels like everything.
And then there was Central Park.
We rented bikes and just rode through it — which, after all the crowds and noise, felt like a completely different world. Quieter, slower… almost like the city took a breath for a second.
Somewhere near the Bethesda Fountain, there was a man playing music. Nothing big or staged, just him, his music, and people slowly gathering around. The kids stopped, we stopped… and for a moment, everything just felt still.
One of those unexpected little moments you don’t plan — but end up remembering anyway.
The 9/11 memorial was something else entirely. Heavy, real, quiet in a way that hits you. We spoke to a security officer who told us he was “lucky” — he had the day off back then, otherwise he wouldn’t be here now. He lost colleagues, friends. It’s one of those moments where everything becomes very real. Most of us remember exactly where we were when it happened. I remember being at my parents’ house, watching the second plane hit on TV. Standing there now… it’s hard to explain. We wanted our kids to understand what happened, why it matters, why you show respect there. Because some places are just… part of history.
There’s honestly too much to tell about New York. Too many places, too many moments. We packed a lot into four days — and somehow, it actually worked. We saw everything we wanted to see. High Line Park, Hudson Yards, Brooklyn Bridge… we made it happen. The kids still needed a couple of days to recover afterward, and our youngest spent quite some time on dad’s shoulders — thank God the man is a strong Marine — but it was worth it.
According to our daughter, the highlights were pretty clear: diners (big, cute, obviously essential), Paris Baguette (she clearly takes after her mother ;-)), and the Natural History Museum — especially the African mammals. The way they’re displayed almost feels like giant paintings, but real.
And somewhere in between all of that — the planning, the walking, the chaos, the little moments — you realize why you do this. Not because it’s easy, and definitely not because everything goes perfectly, but because these are the moments that stay with you.
Because honestly… New York with kids? It is amazing. Maybe not always in the relaxed, easy way — but in the kind of way that sticks. The kind that makes you want to see more, do more, experience more together.
It actually makes me want to travel even more with them. To show them more of the world, to collect more of these moments — even if they come with tired legs, chaos, and carrying kids through crowded streets.
So… is New York a must? Yes. 100%.
Would I go back? Maybe. But next time… just me and my husband.
The kids? I’m pretty sure they’re still recovering from those 100,000 steps. And honestly… I think I’ve used up all my “let’s walk everywhere” credits with them.
Next trip will be a bit more relaxed for them.
Costa Rica is already booked — balance restored 😉
