I am taking my daughter to th City for her 10th birthday next weekend. We have all day Saturday and we are seeing The Lion King Sunday afternoon.
We are staying near Broadway. What things do you think a 10 year old girl would like to see? My NYC experience is limited and geared towards grownup tastes.
Thanks in advance!
I was thinking of starting a very similar thread! I’ll be watching this myself, as my not-quite-13 daughter may be going there (with me) as her 13th birthday present (in lieu of a party). Dweezil got to go to Boston for a similar birthday, so it’s Moon Unit’s turn.
For a 10 year old, a trip to the American Girl shop might be fun - at least at the one in Chicago, you can do a “high tea” with your AG doll. This assumes your daughter has one and is still into this. I think Moon Unit was 9 when we went to the one in Chicago.
Oooh - it looks like Wicked is still playing on Broadway. Ditto Lion King. Either of those would be appropriate (I think - I haven’t seen Wicked, perhaps it’s better for a slightly older kid?).
Empire State Building.- It may be $30 to go up. but there’s a gift shop at the top & its only windy on one side. (But don’t expect Meg Ryan at the top)
6th Ave- MACYS- Not sure what’s in the windows now, but there’s always inside. (Buy her a pair of black suede gloves)
Holman Rink- Ice skating in central park. (Kudos if you toss to her one of the gloves. She’ll get the reference.) Afterwards, you can walk over to ‘The Castle’ & point out where Cary Grant skated in ‘The Bishops Wife’, and then to The Dakota where John Lennon was shot. (bonus points if you can pick out that the building next to it is from ‘Ghostbusters’.)
Rockefeller Center- More skating, see people waiting to see the Rockettes, tour NBC, go to the top of the rock, and then shop at The Nintendo Store.
Then, cab it to South Street Seaport- Fairly generic, but within walking distance of both 1 Police Plaza & the Merrill Lynch Brass Bull for pictures.
Please don’t ask for a restaurant recommendation. I’d probably tell you to walk to Little Italy & let your noses be your guide.
Well, that’s one day.
If you have two, and if you walk fast, I suppose there’s The Museum of Natural History…
(Run run, dum-dum…)
Museum of Natural History
Circle Line (tour boat that circles around Manhattan)
Madam Toussaud’s Wax Museum
Central Park Zoo
Serendipity (for lunch w/ huge ice cream sundaes for dessert)
Rockefeller Center (skating rink, adjacent restaurant to watch skaters while you have lunch if you don’t skate; take the tour of the studios at 30 Rock–the address, not the TV show)
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Museum of Modern Art
Empire State Building (go to the top if it’s a nice, clear day)
FAO Schwarz (toy store)
Oh, and clearly I’m failing reading for comprehension, I see that the OP mentioned Lion King. D’oh! :smack:
In Times Square there’s the Hershey and M&M’s stores, which are probably neat for a kid to go into. Hell, I’m close to 30 and I still think they’re neat. Just be careful- they get crowded with tourists.
I’ll second Serendipity and the zoo. They’re both a lot of fun. (And enjoyable for a grown up, IMO!) Serendipity is especially great if you love ice cream. They give you some seriously huge sundaes.
Will also second the Museum of Modern Art. It’s having a great exhibit on Tim Burton for a while–not sure when it’s ending exactly. I haven’t been but I’ve heard good things about it.
Also seconding Natural History Museum and Mme Tussaud’s.
Another vote for the Empire State Building and Central Park Zoo. I also really enjoyed seeing the Statue of Liberty.
NBC tour was also really cool and for shopping I loved Dylan’s Candy Store. FAO Schwarz also has the “Big” Piano and Little Miss Matched - awesome sock shopping for any female.
I took my daughter when they were 11 & 13. What they remember now, 3 years later, are: the Hershey’s store and the giant Toys R Us in Times Square, and the wax museum. They liked seeing the hotel Kevin stayed at in Home Alone 2, the window outside of where they tape the Today show, and now want to go see 30 Rockefeller Plaza because of the TV show. If by some chance you could find out where one of the Law & Orders (or another local production) is filming, that would be cool to see.
Tussaud’s is a good idea. Also it would be neat to be there Monday morning to be in the crowd for the NBC (but that strikes me as very early and very cold).
Also I think we will do the Empire State Building if it is clear. Boat tours again make me think COLD!.
We will walk around Time Square and see the shops. I’ll check out Serendipity. Where is it? I am a diabetic so I will have to watch her eat her Sunday.
Think she would enjoy walking around China Town and seeing all the little shops?
Also - how about some more eating suggestions?
The Circle Line boat is enclosed. http://www.circleline42.com/site/default.aspx
Serendipity has sandwiches, soups, salads, burgers, fruit, fancy coffees, tea, etc.; you’ll find something that you can eat while she has ice cream. Check this link for location and menu: http://www.serendipity3.com/location.htm It’s near Bloomingdale’s.
Go to ABC (Times Square) instead of NBC and see Good Morning America. Their “audience” gets to be inside.
March 1. Go go go! Go immediately, if not sooner.
I saw it yesterday. It was so much fun! I was with my mom, who’s not into movies, and certainly not into Tim Burton-esque stuff, and she absolutely loved it.
I happen to be watching NBC’s a.m. show. They’re telecasting from Vancouver. Meredith, Matt & Al are all there. So maybe you don’t want to bother trying to see in their NYC window…
Museum of Natural History!!! My favorite!!
Every one of you sounds like a tourist 
How about a stroll through China Town? Lunch on soome dim sum, buy her a cheap sword. Most of the shops have pos Katanas for <$30. The blades ain’t quality, but they do make great wall hangers. They make great gifts.
If she’s never been to the MET before, that’s a must.
You’ll be near Times Square for the show, so, before or after, you should definitely take the short walk to Bryant Park Bryant park for some ice skating
And if your sensibilities run towards coarse, rather than tender, a comedy club might be a fun way thing to do on Saturday night.
FAO Schwartz is a classic kid’s stop, but they have a small Ferris Wheel in the Times Square Toys R Us, so you might want to hit up that toy store instead.
Whether or not that’s any help, I hope you have a lovely time.
If they still have the butterfly exhibit where you can walk amongst the butterflies (did this about a month ago), you should do that, OP. The hall of ocean life is a must see, too. Love the model of the squid fighting the whale–my favorite in all of the museum. Love the whole ambiance, too, of that part of it.
Alice’s Teacup (various locations)
Peanut Butter & Co.
Blue Smoke
Shake Shack
http://www.shakeshack.com/
Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
Otto Enoteca
http://www.mariobatali.com/restaurants_otto.cfm
Balthazar
I feel like all I do is second other people’s awesome suggestions, but Alice’s Teacup is great–I think both a kid and adult would appreciate it.
Shake Shack is great, too. If you do decide on the Natural History museum, there’s one not too far from it, with indoor seating (not a huge amount, but some!).