More public art awaits along the High Line, a 1.45-mile-long elevated park that runs south from Hudson Yards to the Meatpacking District along a disused rail route. Its USP is its height, which allows curious kids to peer into heritage buildings and gives a new perspective on Manhattan\u2019s broad avenues. Get off just before its end to browse the warren-like Chelsea Market<\/a>. Little Island park, held up by sculptural root-like stilts, isn\u2019t far from here, on the banks of the Hudson River. Even further south, the Brooklyn Bridge walk is another highlight: get the subway to Dumbo, grab a slice of Brooklyn pizza from Fornino<\/a> inside the buzzy Time Out Market<\/a>, and walk over the bridge back to Manhattan for the best \u2018wow\u2019 views.\u00a0<\/p>\n Which museums are worth it?<\/p>\n Two that stand out are the American Museum of Natural History<\/a> \u2014 which the Night at the Museum film franchise was based on \u2014 and Intrepid Museum<\/a>. At the former, kids can go in search of the giant Moai \u2018dumb dumb\u2019 statue and chase stars in the high-tech planetarium. The latter is a maritime and military museum inhabiting the USS Intrepid, a Second World War aircraft carrier on the Hudson River. Top Gun-worthy fighter jets sit on the upper deck, while aircraft hangars house VR experiences and space shuttles.<\/p>\n New York’s American Museum of Natural History, in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, was founded in 1869.<\/p>\n Photography by Alamy<\/p>\n Which viewing deck should we try?<\/p>\n Rockefeller Center has revamped its Top of the Rock experience, making it arguably the best observation deck in Manhattan. The rotating Skylift elevates you above the main rooftop for 360-degree views, while The Beam recreates the famous 1930s construction workers\u2019 image and feels like a theme park ride: great fun for kids (height minimum 107cm).<\/p>\n The art deco Empire State<\/a>, meanwhile, is perhaps best appreciated from the outside. Try Moxy Hotel\u2019s Magic Hour Rooftop Bar and Lounge<\/a> for up-close views. Kids are welcome for its weekend brunches: order the family-sized Super Stack Pancakes with cotton candy.<\/p>\n Should we book a Broadway show?<\/p>\n Tickets for a family of four could cost as much as $1,000 (\u00a3750), but Ellen\u2019s Stardust Diner<\/a> on the edge of the theatre district is a brilliant budget alternative \u2014 and worth the queue. Its waiting staff are all starlets-in-training and will belt out pro-level renditions of Broadway hit songs in between whisking Reubens and indulgent super-shakes to diners at retro booths.<\/p>\n The diner\u2019s in Midtown, which is entertainment itself: honking yellow taxis, steaming manholes, neck-craning glimpses of the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings, and the glow of Times Square all make this area exciting and even magical for kids.<\/p>\n What’s the best way to see the Statue of Liberty?<\/p>\n Skip an island landing in favour of a Circle Line<\/a> boat tour. The Liberty Midtown Cruise option is a winner. It departs centrally from Pier 83, has fun guide commentary and gets close enough to the Statue of Liberty for selfies \u2014 all as part of a one-hour trip that will hold kids\u2019 interest. Circle Line tours and several other big attractions are included in the NYC City Pass<\/a>, which allows easy ticket booking through an app.<\/p>\n What’s worth the splurge?<\/p>\n The Mercer Labs<\/a> digital art museum near the 9\/11 Memorial is brilliant, with robots that play music, ball pits beneath screens and a giant hall where digital art dances to music. Adults $58 (\u00a343)\/kids $53 (\u00a339).<\/p>\n The Museum of Ice Cream<\/a> in Soho is another family crowd-pleaser \u2014 think unlimited scoops and a kitsch \u2018swimming pool\u2019 filled with hundreds of thousands instead of water.<\/p>\n How about the practicalities?<\/p>\n Midtown, amid the skyscrapers, is most inspiring for kids but it\u2019s also chaotic and choked with traffic. Further south in the Meatpacking District, the Gansevoort<\/a> has Hudson views and a rooftop pool. From $470 (\u00a3350) a night. Aer Lingus<\/a> flies direct to New York from Manchester and via Dublin from London.<\/p>\n This story was created with the support of NYC Tourism.<\/p>\n Published in the December 2025 issue of\u00a0National Geographic Traveller\u00a0(UK).<\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/newyork1.png\")
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