The Brood List: 40 things to do in New York with kids
Famous and lesser known, side by side: the New York family experiences we think every family should try, with the subway, the stroller and the restrooms sorted, and a tick list to keep score.
The short answer
The Brood List is 40 things to do in New York with kids, 20 famous and 20 lesser known, each with the subway, stroller, restroom and cost details checked. 11 are free and 13 work indoors. The first three: Ride the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty, Climb aboard vintage subway cars at the New York Transit Museum and Meet the dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History.
New York has more things to do with kids than any family could get through in a lifetime of school vacations, which is a lovely problem until you're standing on a corner at 9am with two children, a stroller and no plan. The Brood List is our answer: 40 New York experiences for families, 20 famous and 20 lesser known, side by side, each checked against its own official page.
It's a list to tick off, not a ranking to argue about (well, argue a little). Tick each one as you do it and the counter keeps score on your phone, with nothing sent anywhere. There's a printable version for the fridge, too, for families who like a pen.
The famous ones are here because they're famous for a reason, and every one comes with the practical bits: the subway stop and whether it has an elevator, where the restrooms are, what it costs and how long it takes with a five-year-old. The lesser-known ones are the places that don't make the usual lists, and each says why it's worth the detour. We'll keep adding until there are 100.
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All 40, on a map
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"Ages" keeps the all-ages ones in, because they suit everybody.
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1. Ride the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty
Lower Manhattan · All ages · about 1.5 hours for a round trip
The Staten Island Ferry is free, runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and takes about 25 minutes each way between Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan and St.
2. Climb aboard vintage subway cars at the New York Transit Museum
Downtown Brooklyn · All ages · 1.5 to 2 hours
The New York Transit Museum in Downtown Brooklyn is built for the child who has opinions about subway cars, and you probably know one.
3. Meet the dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History
Upper West Side · All ages · 3 to 4 hours
The American Museum of Natural History is open daily, 10am to 5:30pm, and the headline for most families is the dinosaurs.
4. Take the Roosevelt Island Tramway above the East River
Upper East Side · All ages · 30 to 60 minutes for the ride, longer if you explore the island
The Roosevelt Island Tramway is a cable car that glides over the East River from East 60th Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan to Tramway Plaza on Roosevelt Island, and it costs the same as a subway ride.
5. A Central Park day: Heckscher Playground, the carousel and the zoo
Central Park, Midtown to Upper West Side · All ages · a full day, or pick two
Central Park is large enough that one visit never covers it, but a three-stop plan works well with young children: Heckscher Playground first, the Carousel in the middle, the Central Park Zoo to finish.
6. Visit a real working farm in the city at Queens County Farm Museum
Floral Park · All ages · 2 to 3 hours
Queens County Farm Museum is a 47-acre working farm inside the city limits, farmed continuously for more than three centuries, according to the museum.
7. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
Civic Center, Manhattan to Brooklyn Heights · All ages · about 1 hour each way with children
The Brooklyn Bridge walkway is open at all times and free, according to the city's Department of Transportation, though portions of the walkway may be narrowed during rehabilitation work.
8. See all of New York in miniature at the Panorama, Queens Museum
Flushing Meadows Corona Park · All ages · 1 to 2 hours
The Panorama of the City of New York at the Queens Museum is a scale model of the whole city: 9,335 square feet at 1:1200 (one inch equals 100 feet), with about 895,000 miniature buildings built before 1992, every street, park and some 100 bridges across 273 sections.
9. Spend a day at the Bronx Zoo
Fordham Park, Bronx · All ages · a full day (4 to 6 hours)
The Bronx Zoo is the one to plan a whole day around.
10. Spend a seaside afternoon on City Island, the Bronx
City Island · All ages · half a day
City Island is a small island in the northeastern Bronx, in Long Island Sound, about 1.5 miles long and half a mile wide, connected to the mainland by a bridge (the new causeway bridge opened to traffic on October 29, 2017).
11. Coney Island: the boardwalk and Luna Park
Coney Island · All ages · 3 hours to a full day
Coney Island is the end of the line in the best sense.
12. Explore the woods at the Staten Island Greenbelt Nature Center
New Dorp · All ages · 1 to 3 hours
The Greenbelt Nature Center sits at 700 Rockland Avenue (at Brielle Avenue) and is free and open to the public year-round.
13. Visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island by the official ferry
Battery Park · All ages · most of a day
The official ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island leaves from Castle Clinton in Battery Park, and the National Park Service says Statue City Cruises is the only authorized ticket seller.
14. Wander the gardens and Hudson views at Wave Hill
Riverdale · All ages · 2 to 3 hours
Wave Hill is a public garden and cultural center in Riverdale, in the northwest Bronx, above the Hudson River.
15. Explore the Intrepid Museum: aircraft carrier, submarine and Space Shuttle
Hell's Kitchen · 5 to 12 · 3 to 4 hours
The Intrepid Museum is built around the aircraft carrier Intrepid at Pier 86 on the Hudson, with the Space Shuttle Pavilion and the Growler submarine on the same ticket.
16. Climb the hills of Little Island on the Hudson
West Village, Hudson River Park · All ages · 1 to 2 hours
Little Island is a public park on Pier 55 in Hudson River Park, at West 13th Street, and entry is free.
17. Go up the Empire State Building (with the Family Ticket Bundle)
Midtown · All ages · 1.5 to 2 hours
I picked the Empire State Building over Top of the Rock for families for one reason: its official pages spell out the family deal.
18. Visit Lefferts Historic House and ride the Prospect Park Carousel
Prospect Park, Flatbush · Under 5s · 1 to 2 hours
Lefferts Historic House is inside Prospect Park, and the Carousel is in the park's Children's Corner, a short stroll away.
19. Play all day at the Brooklyn Children's Museum
Crown Heights · Under 5s · 2 to 3 hours
The Brooklyn Children's Museum in Crown Heights is built for the small, and says it serves ages 6 months to 10 years.
20. Snug Harbor and the Chinese Scholar's Garden
New Brighton, Staten Island · All ages · 2 to 3 hours
Snug Harbor Cultural Center is an 83-acre campus on Staten Island with museums, gardens, arts education and events.
21. Walk the High Line and finish at Chelsea Market
Chelsea · All ages · 1 to 2 hours, plus a snack stop
The High Line is a free park on a former raised freight railway on Manhattan's West Side, open daily from 7am to 10pm between April 1 and November 30 and from 7am to 8pm between December 1 and March 31.
22. Play all morning at the Children's Museum of Manhattan
Upper West Side · Under 5s · 2 to 3 hours
The Children's Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) is at 212 West 83rd Street on the Upper West Side and is designed for ages 0 to 6.
23. Press every button at NYSCI and play Rocket Park mini golf
Flushing Meadows Corona Park · All ages · 2 to 4 hours
NYSCI, the New York Hall of Science, sits in Flushing Meadows Corona Park at 47-01 111th Street in Queens.
24. Spend a day at the New York Botanical Garden (and see the trains)
Bedford Park · All ages · 3 to 5 hours
The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) is at 2900 Southern Boulevard in the Bronx, open 10am to 6pm Tuesday to Sunday and on select Monday holidays.
25. Brooklyn Bridge Park: Pier 6 playgrounds and Jane's Carousel
Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo · All ages · 2 to 3 hours
Brooklyn Bridge Park is free and open daily from 6am to 1am, with 85 acres and 1.3 miles of waterfront.
26. The Metropolitan Museum of Art with kids: three rooms, not three floors
Upper East Side · 5 to 12 · 2 to 3 hours
The Met at 1000 Fifth Avenue is open 10am to 5pm on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 10am to 9pm on Friday and Saturday, and closed on Wednesdays.
27. Take the ferry to Governors Island
Governors Island · All ages · a half day or more
Governors Island is a car-free island a short ferry ride from Lower Manhattan.
28. See the sharks at the New York Aquarium on Coney Island
Coney Island · All ages · 3 hours
The New York Aquarium is at 602 Surf Avenue on Coney Island, and the Aquarium's own page lists daily opening from 10am.
29. Skate at Rockefeller Center and see the tree
Midtown · 5 to 12 · 1 to 2 hours
The Rink at Rockefeller Center opens for the 2026 to 2027 season on October 10.
30. Whisper across the arch at Grand Central and watch the trains
Midtown East · All ages · 45 to 90 minutes
Grand Central Terminal, at 89 East 42nd Street, is open to the public daily from 5:15am to 2am, and walking in is free.
31. Explore the Discovery Garden at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Prospect Heights · 5 to 12 · 1 to 2 hours
The Discovery Garden is a one-acre garden for kids inside Brooklyn Botanic Garden, which is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm in October and 10am to 3:30pm in November (closed Mondays except October 12 and closed Thanksgiving Day).
32. Noguchi Museum and Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City
Long Island City · All ages · 2 to 3 hours for both
These two sit on the same stretch of the East River in Long Island City, close enough to walk between.
33. Fort Tryon Park and the Met Cloisters gardens
Washington Heights and Inwood · 5 to 12 · 2 to 3 hours
Fort Tryon Park runs from Riverside Drive to Broadway and from West 192nd Street to Dyckman Street in the far north of Manhattan.
34. Staten Island Children's Museum at Snug Harbor
New Brighton · All ages · 2 to 3 hours
The Staten Island Children's Museum is at 1000 Richmond Terrace, Building M, on the grounds of Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden.
35. Walk the West Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Broad Channel · 5 to 12 · 1 to 2 hours
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is part of Gateway National Recreation Area, with more than 12,600 acres of water, salt marsh, freshwater and brackish ponds, plus upland fields and woods, and it is one of the largest bird habitats in the northeastern US.
36. Eat your way around Arthur Avenue, the Bronx's Little Italy
Belmont · All ages · 1 to 2 hours
Arthur Avenue is the main street of Belmont in the Bronx, often called the real Little Italy, and its covered Retail Market at 2344 Arthur Avenue opened in October 1940 with 117 stalls.
37. Take the ferry to Rockaway Beach
Rockaway Beach · All ages · a full day
Rockaway Beach runs from Beach 3rd Street to Beach 153rd Street, with a boardwalk and playgrounds, and NYC Parks says it comes alive each summer from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
38. Green-Wood Cemetery: the trolley tour and the parakeets
Greenwood Heights · 5 to 12 · 1 to 2 hours (a trolley tour is 2 hours)
Green-Wood is a working cemetery and a National Historic Landmark in Brooklyn, with the Main Entrance at Fifth Avenue and 25th Street open every day from 7am to 7pm.
39. Museum of the Moving Image, Astoria
Astoria · 5 to 12 · 2 to 3 hours
The Museum of the Moving Image sits in Astoria at 36-01 35th Avenue.
40. Climb aboard the Wavertree at South Street Seaport
Seaport, Lower Manhattan · 5 to 12 · 1.5 to 2 hours
The South Street Seaport Museum is at 12 Fulton Street and is open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 5pm, with last entry at 4:30pm.
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Questions people ask
How many things are on the Brood List?
40 right now, 20 famous and 20 lesser known. We're adding more until there are 100.
Which Brood List experiences are free?
11 are free: Free 25-minute harbor ride, Statue of Liberty included, Free working farm with animals, hayrides and a corn maze, A free 1.1-mile walk over the East River, A fishing-village island with seafood and a tiny museum, Free nature center and woodland trails, Staten Island, Free hilltop park on a Hudson River pier, A free park on old rail tracks, with a market at the end, Free waterfront playgrounds and a 1920s carousel, A free stop: the whispering gallery and the concourse, Marsh, birds and a flat trail, reachable by the A train and A huge, quiet cemetery; best for children who can stay calm.
What can we do indoors on a rainy day?
The indoor ones on the list: Old subway cars you can walk through, in Brooklyn, Dinosaur halls, the blue whale and the new Insectarium, A 9,335 sq ft model of the whole city, 895,000 buildings, Free nature center and woodland trails, Staten Island, The 86th Floor view, with kids under 6 free, Three floors of hands-on play for ages 6 months to 10, Four floors of hands-on play for ages 0 to 6, Hands-on science museum in Queens, with rocket mini golf, Temple of Dendur, armor and a smart plan, A free stop: the whispering gallery and the concourse, A hands-on museum on the Snug Harbor grounds and A covered Italian market and a real neighborhood street, and more.
What's on the list for toddlers and under 5s?
Picked especially for little ones: A historic house and a $3 carousel in Prospect Park, Three floors of hands-on play for ages 6 months to 10 and Four floors of hands-on play for ages 0 to 6. The all-ages entries work too.
What's best in winter?
The ones at their best in winter: The rink opens October 10; the tree is lit December 2.
Does the tick list save my progress?
Yes, on this device, in your browser. Nothing is sent to us or anyone else. Clearing your browser data clears the ticks, so print the list if you want a copy.
Sources
- Ride the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty: NYC DOT: Staten Island Ferry, NYC DOT: Staten Island Ferry schedule, NYC DOT: Staten Island Ferry facts
- Climb aboard vintage subway cars at the New York Transit Museum: New York Transit Museum: home, New York Transit Museum: visit information
- Meet the dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History: AMNH: plan your visit, AMNH: permanent exhibitions
- Take the Roosevelt Island Tramway above the East River: Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation: Tramway
- A Central Park day: Heckscher Playground, the carousel and the zoo: Central Park Conservancy: Heckscher Playground, Central Park Conservancy: Carousel, Carousel in Central Park: tickets, Central Park Zoo: tickets, Central Park Zoo: home
- Visit a real working farm in the city at Queens County Farm Museum: Queens County Farm Museum: home, Queens County Farm Museum: visit
- Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge: NYC DOT: Brooklyn Bridge, Wikipedia: Brooklyn Bridge
- See all of New York in miniature at the Panorama, Queens Museum: Queens Museum: visit, Queens Museum: Panorama of the City of New York
- Spend a day at the Bronx Zoo: Bronx Zoo: home, Bronx Zoo: tickets
- Spend a seaside afternoon on City Island, the Bronx: City Island Nautical Museum, Wikipedia: City Island, Bronx
- Coney Island: the boardwalk and Luna Park: Luna Park Coney Island, Luna Park: park hours, NYC Parks: Coney Island Beach and Boardwalk
- Explore the woods at the Staten Island Greenbelt Nature Center: NYC Parks: Greenbelt Nature Center, NYC Tourism: Greenbelt Nature Center
- Visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island by the official ferry: NPS: Statue of Liberty plan your visit, NPS: Statue of Liberty fees, Statue City Cruises: tickets
- Wander the gardens and Hudson views at Wave Hill: Wave Hill: visit, Wave Hill: getting here
- Explore the Intrepid Museum: aircraft carrier, submarine and Space Shuttle: Intrepid Museum: plan your visit, Intrepid Museum: ticket information, Intrepid Museum: visitor information
- Climb the hills of Little Island on the Hudson: Little Island: home, Little Island: rules and FAQ
- Go up the Empire State Building (with the Family Ticket Bundle): Empire State Building: home, Empire State Building: Family Ticket Bundle, Empire State Building: FAQs, Empire State Building: ticket policies, Top of the Rock: home, Rockefeller Center: spring family and kids offers
- Visit Lefferts Historic House and ride the Prospect Park Carousel: Prospect Park Alliance: Lefferts Historic House, Prospect Park Alliance: home, Prospect Park Alliance: Carousel hours and rates
- Play all day at the Brooklyn Children's Museum: Brooklyn Children's Museum: visit, Brooklyn Children's Museum: FAQ
- Snug Harbor and the Chinese Scholar's Garden: Snug Harbor: visit, Snug Harbor: Chinese Scholar's Garden, Snug Harbor: home
- Walk the High Line and finish at Chelsea Market: The High Line, visit information, Chelsea Market, visit
- Play all morning at the Children's Museum of Manhattan: Children's Museum of Manhattan, plan your visit
- Press every button at NYSCI and play Rocket Park mini golf: NYSCI, plan your visit
- Spend a day at the New York Botanical Garden (and see the trains): NYBG, tickets and admission, NYBG, visit, NYBG, Holiday Train Show 2025 tickets announcement
- Brooklyn Bridge Park: Pier 6 playgrounds and Jane's Carousel: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 6, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Water Lab, Jane's Carousel, Time Out, Jane's Carousel
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art with kids: three rooms, not three floors: The Met, plan your visit, The Met, admission, metmuseum.org
- Take the ferry to Governors Island: Governors Island, plan your visit, Governors Island, ferry, Governors Island, things to do
- See the sharks at the New York Aquarium on Coney Island: New York Aquarium, plan your visit, New York Aquarium
- Skate at Rockefeller Center and see the tree: The Rink at Rockefeller Center, Time Out, 2026 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting
- Whisper across the arch at Grand Central and watch the trains: Grand Central Terminal, visit, Grand Central Terminal
- Explore the Discovery Garden at Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Discovery Garden, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, hours and admission, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, visit with kids, bbg.org
- Noguchi Museum and Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City: The Noguchi Museum, visit, Socrates Sculpture Park, plan your visit
- Fort Tryon Park and the Met Cloisters gardens: The Met Cloisters, plan your visit, NYC Parks, Fort Tryon Park
- Staten Island Children's Museum at Snug Harbor: Staten Island Children's Museum, visit, Snug Harbor, visit
- Walk the West Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge: NPS, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, NPS, Gateway hours, New York Metro Parents, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Reserve with kids
- Eat your way around Arthur Avenue, the Bronx's Little Italy: Arthur Avenue Bronx, directions, Arthur Avenue Bronx, Bronx Little Italy, Arthur Avenue Retail Market, City Lore, Arthur Avenue Retail Market, Help New York, shops on Arthur Avenue
- Take the ferry to Rockaway Beach: NYC Parks, Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk, NYC Ferry
- Green-Wood Cemetery: the trolley tour and the parakeets: Green-Wood, visit, Green-Wood, rules, Green-Wood, tours
- Museum of the Moving Image, Astoria: Museum of the Moving Image, visit, Mommy Poppins, Museum of the Moving Image family programs
- Climb aboard the Wavertree at South Street Seaport: South Street Seaport Museum, admission, South Street Seaport Museum, admission FAQ, South Street Seaport Museum, visit