48hrs in New York City with young kids

New York City is on every tourist bucket list. When it comes to places to visit in a limited time frame, can be extremely overwhelming. But the timeframe of my visit and size of the group I was with narrowed down my choices for me. We visited NYC with two young kids and our parents. So anything involving long walks, hikes, public transportation, stairs, and booze is out of my list. I see various posts on Pinterest listing about 10-15 places to cover in 48hrs with kids. I cant imagine how efficient they must be if they were able to visit so many places in 48hrs with young kids.

Day1 Statue Cruises: Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Statue Cruises is a must-do attraction in NYC.  The cruise tours Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty. Always reserve tickets online and be prepared for extended wait times based on the time and day of the year. Cruise is reasonably priced around 18$ per adult. Kids enjoyed the cruise, views, and snack bar on the cruise ship. This tour kept us busy the whole day.

Day1 Broadway & Times Square: Even though the morning view of NYC is amazing, nothing can top off night time view of NYC. Time Square is one of the busiest streets in NYC and is known for its LED screens. Feel the warmth of Time square's neon screens at night. The best part is munching on roasted nuts on a cold day. No other city is quite as vibrant as the Big Apple at night. Kids loved meeting their favorite Disney character at the Time Square. Be sure to tip them.

Broadway- The best place for theater in the world. If you can add a play or a musical to your itinerary, go for it. Time Square would be a good spot for visiting once. I wouldn't do it more than once since it is crowded, expensive to park and there is nothing more to see. I would spend my time elsewhere next time.

Day2 9/11 Memorial: The 9/11 Memorial is free of cost but the visit to the museum is around 25$ per person. the visit takes around 4 hrs. Admission to the museum is free on Tuesday from 5pm till closing. Reserve tickets online before your visit. Free admission needs ticket reservations too.

Day2 One World Observatory: If you can do one observatory, this has to be it. Located right next to the 9/11 memorial, One world observatory has the best views of NYC.

Standard tickets are around 35$. Do not miss the introduction video at the auditorium. We did the priority reserved at 56$ a ticket, it skips a lot of lines and waits times. The views are amazing even though tickets are pricy.

One World Observatory, New York City, NY

Located right next to 9/11 Memorial, One World Observatory has the best views of New York compared to other sky scrapers. If you want to do one skyscraper during your next visit, this should be the one. Ticket price is steep but the views are absolutely worth it.

Visitors have to go through TSA like security process. Elevator takes you all the way to 102 floor. Introduction video in the auditorium was amazing. It walks you through the construction of Freedom tower and reveals New York sky line at the end.

Views are amazing and the best.

No doubt it is a concrete jungle out there. But, still love the Big Apple.

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, New York & New Jersey, USA

New York!!! A trip to New York city is never complete without a visit to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Best time of the year to visit is around late April- early or early September right after schools start. Crowd is comparatively light on a week day. Statue cruises start from either Battery park on the NY side or Liberty state park on the NJ side. Both cruises stop at Ellis Island and Liberty statue. The cruise ships are pretty good with enough seating and refreshments on board. If you wish to get a good picture of Manhattan sky line or Statue of Liberty, head to the top deck of the ship.

Before boarding the cruise, expect a TSA level security check and very long lines. Visitors have three levels of access at Statue of Liberty. Regular access, Pedestal and Crown access. it is always a good idea to reserve tickets from StatueCruises before visiting. Regular access and Pedestal access have almost same prices. I would strongly recommend Pedestal access as it gives a better vantage point, lesser crowds and beautiful pictures.

Pedestal access has elevator access for most of it. Strollers/ wheel chairs are not allowed. How ever, there are a flight of stairs at the start and end of elevator. Views from the top of pedestal are amazing. you would be amazed by the construction of huge granite pedestal. From pedestal starts the Crown access.

Crown access is whole another story.  It is very hard to come across an open reservation to Crown Access. There is no elevator access to the top. Spiral stairs are the only way to reach Crown and boy they look exhausting. Climbing that stairs with two young kids at this point seems like a circus feet. Hence, I am saving it for later date. May be some day in next 10 years !!!!!!Visit to Ellis Island was pleasant. Museum with audio tour and exhibits was a very nice addition to the cruise.

9/11 Memorial, New York City, New York

9/11 memorial is built in the place the former World Trade Center twin towers. This is one place in New York City that brings out mixed emotions and reminds us of the horrendous times of 9/11 nightmare. 

The names of all people died on 9/11 are inscribed on the bronze parapets encompassing the memorial, allowing visitors to etch their loved one's names on a paper. The memorial also has a museum that houses artifacts of 9/11 and admission to this museum is extra. 

Make sure you visit the museum. It is a bitter reminder of brutal truth. The museum is well organized and wheelchair accessible. It has artifacts of 9/11 and in-depth information about the attack.          

Save on the admission ticket with New York City Pass. Evenings and nights are the best time to visit the memorial when pools are illuminated.

The Maid of The Mist, Niagara Falls, New York

Niagara Falls is one of the world famous attractions of New York State which, millions of tourists visit each year. The falls is located in the America's oldest state park, Niagara Falls State Park. Over years, Niagara state park added several attractions like Aquarium of Niagara, Discovery Center  to promote tourism and keep its visitors engaged. Amongst all the attractions, The Maid of The Mist is the most beautiful attraction.

The one hour boat tour takes visitors up close to the falls. Feeling the mist and hear the splash as you take a ride. This attraction is definitely need to be in any traveller's bucket list. The experience is amazing and there are no words to explain it. On a summer day, if all things fall in place, you can see a rainbow or two during the ride. Strollers are not normally allowed in the boat ride but feel free to take them along with you in case of young children. The cold splash of the mist can be annoying for the little ones. 

I visited this place twice and I find it equally amazing every time I see the falls. Take time to watch an amazing display of colourful fireworks over the falls. In summer months, almost every year, fire works over the falls is open on Wednesday, Friday, Sunday and few Holidays. If you miss the fireworks, check out the illumination of the falls which is equally amazing and open mostly every day.

The Maid of The Mist ride is operational from April till early November. Be sure to check the dates before you plan a trip. If you are planning to do more than one activity at the falls, Niagara Falls USA discovery pass might be economical. It covers multiple attractions at a discounted price. Check the website for operational days and prices.
A short walk from the state park leads to shopping center, restaurants, souvenir stores and street food.