No trip to New York City is complete without visiting Central Park, one of the most celebrated urban parks in the world. Covering 843 acres, Central Park offers running and cycling paths, lakes and ponds, fountains and gardens. The Great Lawn has been home to performances by some of greatest artists in the world, including Simon and Garfunkel, Elton John and Bruce Springsteen. There are a myriad of ways to explore the park as well. Take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage, rent a bicycle, rollerblade, or simply stroll along the park's winding paths.
Central Park also boasts a number of family friendly activities. At the Central Park Zoo, you can see sea lions, snow leopards and polar bears. There are two ice skating rinks in the winter, one of which turns into a public swimming pool during the summer, and numerous playgrounds.
If you are visiting during the summer, be sure to check out Central Park's Summerstage Festival, which features free concerts, dance performances and readings by renowned international artists.
Located between 48th Street and 51st Street and comprised of 19 buildings, Rockefeller Center is one of New York's most beloved and celebrated landmarks. Visitors to Rockefeller Center have numerous activities from which to choose.
The "Top of the Rock," the observation deck on the 70th floor, offers panoramic views of the city, while the NBC Studio Tour gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the history and studios of NBC. During the winter, rent skates and try out the picturesque Rockefeller Center ice rink, or admire the world famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree on display from mid-November until January.
Tour Radio City Music Hall. Famous for its Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes, Radio City is home to the largest indoor theater in the world. The "Stage Door" tour at Radio City offers visitors a chance to go behind the scenes of one of the world's most famous theaters. Learn the history of the theater, see the private apartment of Samuel Lionel "Roxy" Rothafel, the founder of Radio City Music Hall and even meet a Rockette. Tours operate daily.
There are also over 120 shops and restaurants within the Rockefeller Center complex, making it one of midtown's prime destinations for shopping and eating.
One of the most interesting museums in Manhattan is the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, which is located at 97 Orchard St., in Manhattan's hip Lower East Side neighborhood. This six-story tenement building housed an estimated 7,000 people between 1863 and 1935 and allows visitors to see what living in a tenement was really like. See actual restored apartments, and learn about daily life in a tenement and the rich history of immigrants to New York.
After learning about the old, step outside to embrace the new. Have a drink or meal in one of the many surrounding restaurants and cafes, or window shop at the hip clothing boutiques that have made the Lower East Side one of downtown's trendiest shopping districts.
Children love the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum on 46th Street and 12th Avenue. Visitors explore two famous naval vessels, the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid and the submarine USS Growler. The museum also features 30 aircraft, including two of the fastest in the world. Its interactive exhibits include an A-6 cockpit simulator, and many of the exhibits are aimed at educating children while entertaining them at the same time.
Afterward, head back east to FAO Schwarz, the oldest toy store on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue. At this larger-than-life toy paradise, activities for children include creating Barbies, designing Muppets, eating giant ice cream sundaes and hugging stuffed animals twice their size.
