VISITING New York City · The Big Apple

Visiting New York City with toddlers and little kids: the plan.

Stay on the Upper West Side for CMOM, Central Park and its zoo, or in Brooklyn for the children’s museum and Prospect Park. The subway gets you anywhere, but plan on carrying the stroller down the stairs. Here’s a plan with nap time built in.

Top 2 can’t-miss spots

#1Upper West Side, 212 W. 83rd St.
Children’s Museum of Manhattan
Closed Mondays.
$18 ($17 online) eachunder 12 monthsIndoor
See it in the guide
#2Central Park, 64th Street & 5th Avenue
Central Park Zoo
Last entry an hour before closing.
Adults $22.95
See it in the guide
Nap breaks built in

One day or two in NYC

A couple of big stops, a real lunch and a nap in the middle. Tap a stop for the full listing.

If you have one day
MORNINGChildren’s Museum of ManhattanClosed Mondays · Upper West Side, 212 W. 83rd St. · $18 ($17 online) per person
NAPBack to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.
AFTER NAPCentral Park ZooLast entry an hour before closing · Central Park, 64th Street & 5th Avenue · $22.95 adults
If you have two days

Day 1 is the one-day plan above. Day 2:

MORNINGBronx ZooOpens at 10am · Bronx Park, 2300 Southern Boulevard · $20.95+ kids, $28.95+ adults
NAPBack to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.
AFTER NAPBrooklyn Children’s MuseumClosed Mon–Tue · Crown Heights, 145 Brooklyn Avenue · $15 per person
Where to stay

Kid-friendly areas near the big attractions

Pick the area by the stops you’ll make most, then plan around nap.

UPPER WEST SIDEUpper West SideCMOM and Central Park are a short walk apart.Near Children’s Museum of Manhattan and Central Park Zoo
Eat

Easy restaurants near the big stops

Kids’ menus, quick service and a short drive from the attractions. Prices come from each restaurant’s own menu.

Food hall · ChelseaChelsea MarketNear Children’s Museum of Manhattan
Before you go

Practical tips

Parking, strollers, changing tables and the best times to go.

Strollers
Many subway stations have stairs only. Check for elevators before you go.
Visiting in November or December?

Santa and Christmas lights in NYC

If your trip lands in the holiday season, these two pages have the dates, prices and booking links.

Santa in NYCBreakfast with Santa, Santa photos and Santa trains, with 2026 pricesChristmas lights in NYCDrive-thru and walk-through displays, start times and 2026 prices
This week

Happening while you’re here

This week’s top events in New York City. The full list, with hours and the forecast, is on the this-week page.

#1Sat & Sun, hours vary
Boo at the Zoo at the Bronx Zoo
The last weekend of the zoo’s daytime Halloween festival, made for toddlers through grade-schoolers. Costumed performers lead parades through Astor Court, and the Children’s Zoo and Wild Asia Monorail run through Nov 1. Tickets must be reserved ahead.
Bronx Zoo · Bronx
Included with zoo admission
Hours, food & parking
#2Sat 10am–6:30pm
Celebrate Halloween at Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Halloween meets anime this year: trick-or-treating around the museum in three time blocks, a costume runway, an animal show and short manga storytimes with cosplayers.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum · Brooklyn
TicketedIndoor
Hours, food & parking
#3Sat 10am–5pm
Halloween on the Farm at Queens County Farm Museum
Trick-or-treat at nine candy stations across 47 acres of farmland, hear ghost stories in the old Adriance Farmhouse, then get lost in the three-acre corn maze and take a hayride. Rain or shine, with free parking.
Queens County Farm Museum · Floral Park
Ticketed
Hours, food & parking
#4Sat 3:30–5:30pm
Hippo Playground Halloween Parade
Costumed kids gather at the monument at 89th Street and parade up to Hippo Playground, with music from Ramblin’ Dan.
Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, Riverside Park · New York
Free
Hours, food & parking
#5Sat 11am–4pm
Ascarium at the New York Aquarium
The last day of the aquarium’s fall festival on Coney Island: magic shows, Halloween crafts, face painting, bubble play and pumpkin sculptures, plus the usual penguin and sea lion chats.
New York Aquarium · Brooklyn
Included with aquarium admissionIndoor
Hours, food & parking
See everything this week →
Good questions

Visiting New York City with toddlers: the FAQ

Is New York City kid-friendly?

For a family with kids under 6, yes. Our New York City guide lists 13 places we checked for little kids, plus 4 free places and 4 picks for babies and toddlers. This page adds 1 easy restaurant near the big stops and free storytimes at 3 library systems. This week’s list has 25 dated outings for ages 0–6. See free things to do in New York City and this weekend’s list.

Where should we stay with a toddler?

The Upper West Side puts CMOM, Central Park and the zoo close together.

What if it rains?

CMOM, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, the New York Hall of Science and the aquarium’s indoor halls all work.

Get the list every Thursday.

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