Things to do in New York with kids
50 attractions • Updated May 2026
Looking for things to do in New York with kids? You are spoiled for choice. From The High Line to family days out in Manhattan and the best theme parks in New York, New York packs more family days out into one trip than almost any other state. We have pulled together 50 of the best places to visit in New York, each with addresses, opening times and what to expect with kids in tow. Filter by category or browse by city below.
Last reviewed May 2026 by James Morgan. AI-assisted, human-edited. Our editorial standards
Family attractions in New York
50 of 50 attractions
Nature Outdoor
Alley Pond Park Adventure Course (seasonal)
Queens, New York
A seasonal outdoor adventure course tucked into one of Queens' largest green spaces, built for active families.
History Museums
American Museum of Natural History
Manhattan, New York
Forty-five exhibition halls of dinosaurs, a blue whale and the cosmos, right beside Central Park, one of the world's great natural-history museums.
Historic Sites
Bartow‚ Pell Mansion Museum
The Bronx, New York
Tour a 19th-century mansion and its gardens set within New York City's largest public park.
Childrens Museums
Bronx Children's Museum
The Bronx, New York
Hands-on exhibits celebrate the Bronx's culture and heritage while sparking young imaginations.
Zoos Wildlife
Bronx Zoo
The Bronx, New York
At 265 acres, one of America's largest urban zoos, home to gorillas, tigers and sea lions, a seasonal dinosaur safari, and a monorail that glides over free-ranging Asian wildlife.
Parks Gardens
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Brooklyn, New York
Wander 52 acres of themed gardens, from a Japanese Hill-and-Pond to a fragrant Rose Garden, in the heart of Brooklyn.
Parks Gardens
Brooklyn Bridge Park (Piers 1‚ 6)
Brooklyn, New York
Kayak, play ball, or picnic on a reclaimed waterfront with the Manhattan skyline and Brooklyn Bridge as your backdrop.
Childrens Museums
Brooklyn Children's Museum
Brooklyn, New York
Step into the world's first children's museum, where hands-on exhibits turn Brooklyn's diversity into discovery.
Art Museums
Brooklyn Museum
Brooklyn, New York
From ancient Egyptian masterpieces to Judy Chicago's "The Dinner Party," this Brooklyn collection spans the globe and the centuries.
Family Entertainment
Bryant Park Winter Village (seasonal)
Manhattan, New York
Lace up for free-admission skating and browse holiday boutiques when Bryant Park turns into a winter wonderland.
Zoos Wildlife
Central Park Zoo
Manhattan, New York
Get nose-to-glass with wildlife in naturalistic habitats right in the heart of Manhattan.
Family Entertainment
Chelsea Piers, Pier 62 Carousel & Sports
Manhattan, New York
Ride the Hudson River carousel and play at the riverside sports complex on Manhattan's Pier 62.
Childrens Museums
Children's Museum of Manhattan
Manhattan, New York
Hands-on arts, science, and culture made for the under-sixes, with deep commitments to accessibility.
Nature Outdoor
Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
Manhattan, New York
Glide past the Statue of Liberty and 150 NYC landmarks with live narration from a real New Yorker.
History Museums
City Island Nautical Museum & Seaside Day
The Bronx, New York
Discover City Island's seafaring past, from oyster boomtown to a century of boat building, in a small weekend museum.
Art Museums
Color Factory New York
Manhattan, New York
An immersive color-themed art experience famous for its confetti rooms and ball pits, though the New York location now appears permanently closed.
Theme Parks
Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park
Brooklyn, New York
The Coney Island park behind the landmark Wonder Wheel, with free entry and rides for everyone from toddlers to thrill-seekers.
Parks Gardens
Domino Park
Brooklyn, New York
A reimagined Brooklyn waterfront park where a sugar-refinery-themed playground meets East River views of the Manhattan skyline.
Historic Sites
Empire State Building Observatory
Manhattan, New York
Step onto an open-air deck 86 floors up for 360-degree views stretching as far as 80 miles.
Historic Sites
Flushing Meadows‚ Corona Park & Unisphere
Queens, New York
Picnic in the shadow of the Unisphere, the giant steel globe left behind by two World's Fairs in Queens.
Parks Gardens
Gantry Plaza State Park
Queens, New York
A waterfront East River park with open lawns and skyline views over Long Island City.
Family Entertainment
Industry City, Family Activities (seasonal)
Brooklyn, New York
A reborn Brooklyn factory complex where 35-plus eateries, design outlets, and pop-up activities like climbing and petanque share one waterfront campus.
Science Museums
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Manhattan, New York
Board a real WWII aircraft carrier, then stand beneath the world's first space shuttle, all docked on the Hudson in Manhattan.
Theme Parks
Jane's Carousel
Brooklyn, New York
Ride a hand-painted 1922 carousel inside a glass jewel-box pavilion, framed by two bridges and the Manhattan skyline.
Parks Gardens
Little Island at Pier 55
Manhattan, New York
An artificial island on concrete "tulips" over the Hudson, part park and part stage.
Theme Parks
Luna Park in Coney Island
Brooklyn, New York
Ride coasters and a 50-foot ropes course on a boardwalk with 130 years of seaside history.
History Museums
Madame Tussauds New York
Manhattan, New York
Pose with 200-plus lifelike wax stars, from Taylor Swift to the Ghostbusters, in Times Square.
History Museums
Museum of the Moving Image
Queens, New York
Go behind the scenes of film and TV, from script to screen, in Astoria.
Science Museums
National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath)
Manhattan, New York
The only museum in North America devoted entirely to making math hands-on and joyful.
Aquariums
New York Aquarium
Brooklyn, New York
Sharks, sea otters, and penguins headline this oceanfront aquarium on the Coney Island boardwalk.
Parks Gardens
New York Botanical Garden
The Bronx, New York
A 250-acre living museum of plants in the Bronx, crowned by a historic glasshouse conservatory.
Science Museums
New York Hall of Science (NYSCI)
Queens, New York
More than 450 hands-on exhibits built on a simple idea: design, make, play.
History Museums
New York Transit Museum
Brooklyn, New York
Climb aboard vintage subway cars inside a real decommissioned 1936 station in Brooklyn.
Historic Sites
One World Observatory
Manhattan, New York
Ride a Sky Pod elevator to the top of One World Trade Center for sweeping views of the city.
Beaches
Pelham Bay Park, Orchard Beach
The Bronx, New York
The Bronx's only public beach, a 1930s "Riviera of New York" with a sweeping promenade.
Zoos Wildlife
Prospect Park Zoo
Brooklyn, New York
A compact Brooklyn zoo where daily sea lion sessions steal the show.
Parks Gardens
Queens Botanical Garden
Queens, New York
A peaceful Queens garden made for slow strolls through the seasons.
History Museums
Queens County Farm Museum
Queens, New York
Working farmland dating to 1697, the city's longest continually farmed site.
Art Museums
Queens Museum
Queens, New York
Home to the Panorama, a hand-built scale model of all five New York City boroughs.
Zoos Wildlife
Queens Zoo
Queens, New York
A manageable Queens zoo where a soaring aviary dome and sea lion feedings anchor the visit.
Beaches
Rockaway Beach & Boardwalk
Queens, New York
Miles of Atlantic shoreline that hold New York City's only legal surfing beaches.
Theme Parks
SeaGlass Carousel at The Battery
Manhattan, New York
Ride iridescent fiberglass fish through a glowing underwater fantasy at the tip of Manhattan.
Science Museums
SPYSCAPE
Manhattan, New York
Test your spy skills through interactive challenges and discover your secret-agent profile.
Historic Sites
Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island (via Statue City Cruises)
Manhattan, New York
Ferry across New York Harbor to two monuments that define American freedom and immigration.
Science Museums
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
Manhattan, New York
An art-filled Midtown observation deck with transparent sky boxes hovering over Madison Avenue.
Parks Gardens
The High Line
Manhattan, New York
Stroll an elevated park built atop a disused Manhattan railway, wild plantings and all.
Art Museums
The Noguchi Museum
Queens, New York
Experience Isamu Noguchi's sculpture in the Queens museum he designed himself.
Historic Sites
Top of the Rock Observation Deck
Manhattan, New York
Three levels of Rockefeller Center decks frame the Empire State Building and Central Park.
Historic Sites
Van Cortlandt Park & Museum
The Bronx, New York
Step inside the oldest house in the Bronx and the layered history of an 18th-century estate.
Parks Gardens
Wave Hill
The Bronx, New York
A Bronx public garden where cultivated beds frame sweeping Hudson River views.
Where to find family attractions in New York
Tap a pin or scroll the list to see top picks across the state.