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.
Published May 2026. Editorial oversight by James Morgan. AI-assisted, human-edited. Our editorial standards
Cities in New York
Things to do by category in New York
Top attractions in New York
Parks Gardens
The High Line
Manhattan, New York
Stroll an elevated park built atop a disused Manhattan railway, wild plantings and all.
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
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.
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
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.
Science Museums
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
Manhattan, New York
An art-filled Midtown observation deck with transparent sky boxes hovering over Madison Avenue.
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.
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.
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.
Aquariums
New York Aquarium
Brooklyn, New York
Sharks, sea otters, and penguins headline this oceanfront aquarium on the Coney Island boardwalk.
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.
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.
Working out when you can actually go? Our New York school holiday calendar lists first day, last day and every break for the state's biggest districts.
Where to find family attractions in New York
Tap a pin or scroll the list to see top picks across the state.
More about days out in New York
New York has 50 family attractions we would happily take our own kids to. Alley Pond Park Adventure Course (seasonal) is the one most families start with. A seasonal outdoor adventure course tucked into one of Queens' largest green spaces, built for active families. American Museum of Natural History is the other name that comes up again and again. 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. Bartow‚ Pell Mansion Museum rounds out the pick of the bunch. Tour a 19th-century mansion and its gardens set within New York City's largest public park. Also worth your time: The High Line, Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island (via Statue City Cruises), Empire State Building Observatory and One World Observatory.
Published prices run from $8 at Bronx Children's Museum up to $87 at Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island (via Statue City Cruises). 15 of the 50 listed here quote a starting price. The others vary by season or by what you add on, so check before you travel. Age guidance is worth reading first at Bronx Children's Museum (ages 1-12) and SPYSCAPE (ages 8 and up).
Beyond family attractions, families in New York also head for parks & gardens (9), historic sites & landmarks (7), history museums (6) and science museums (5). The family attractions on this page are spread across Brooklyn (12), Manhattan (19), Queens (11) and The Bronx (8), so it is easy to pair two into one trip.