Author: local researcher

Forgotten New York Walking Tour

Forgotten NY is a loosely organized group of New Yorkers headed up by Kevin Walsh who revere the city’s forgotten past, and share their regional expertise with curious tour-takers. They tour relics of bygone eras like abandoned subway stations, long neglected secret passages, and give the story behind all those faded advertisements you’ll occasionally see painted on old brick buildings. Although the walking tours are irregularly scheduled, they’re unparalleled in their informative nostalgia. Any jaded children who’ve seen enough of Times Square and the Statue of Liberty will be enthralled by farmhouses in Queens, ill-fated submarine ruins in Brooklyn, and New England Fishing Villages that still exist in The Bronx. Tours are announced about a month before they take place, so check their website for periodic updates. Can’t wait for the tour? The book of the same name provides plans for your own historic sojourn.

Location: New York, NY

Learn more here.

Cycling in Central Park

Rent a bike from the Loeb Boathouse and see Central Park the way it was meant to be seen, from the seat of a bicycle. There is plenty of room in any of the park’s numerous lanes, so you and your children can stick together and ride at whatever pace you like. Remember though, the park is sort of like a giant roller rink in that you can only ride in a counter-clockwise direction. It makes navigation much easier, but if you miss a turn, you have to go all the way around again. There are also biking tours available for those of us who can’t be bothered with navigating.

Contact no: (212) 517-2233

Location: Between 74th and 75th streets, New York, NY 10021

Learn more here.

Bird Watching in Central Park

Yes, there are a lot of ordinary pigeons in New York, but Central Park is also a busy place for migratory birds. Over 200 different species of birds either live in or pass through the park during the year, making it one of the richest bird sanctuaries on the East Coast. Bring your children to the Henry Luce Nature Observatory at Belvedere Castle to pick up your free “Discovery Kit Backpacks.” The packs contain binoculars, a guidebook, maps, and sketching materials, so you’ll be fully prepared to see the warblers and songbirds at the best birding spots in the park like the Ramble, The North Woods, and The Great Hill. You might even catch a resident red-tailed hawk, which nests on Fifth Ave., flying between feeding spots.

Contact no: (212) 772-0210

Location: Central Park at 79th Street, New York, NY 10021

Learn more here.

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

Who would have thought there is a federally protected wildlife preserve within New York’s city limits? The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge has plenty of trails that allow hikers to spot snakes, turtles, butterflies and migratory birds including, most famously, the great blue heron and the ebony iris. A stroll through here would be ideal for a city kid who doesn’t get the chance to see actually living trees very often. Once you’re through with your nature walk, the surrounding area of Jamaica Bay hosts tons of different beach activities such as canoeing and sand castle contests in addition to more general sun-basking merriment. Any history buff should check out the surrounding military forts that were built during World War II, as well as the state’s first municipal airport.

Contact no: (718) 318-4340

Location: Gateway National Recreation Area, New York, NY 11414

Learn more here.

Central Park Zoo

If you can’t make it up to the Bronx Zoo, there is always the convenient Central Park Zoo, which houses plenty of monkeys, penguins, and polar bears for kids to see. children can even pet animals at the adjacent Children’s Zoo.

Contact no: (212) 439-6500

Location: 830 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10021

Learn more here.

Two Boots Restaurant

Yes, a hundred other places in the city serve pizza and they all claim to make the best in town, but Two Boots has an innovative Cajun angle, a fusion of Italy and Louisiana that its name connotes. The spicy tomato sauce will make you sweat, and the eclectic ingredients on pizzas named after pop-culture icons like, Mrs. Peel, Cleopatra Jones, and Mr. Pink, will have you and your childen spending more time deciding than actually eating. Since the neighborhood joint is adamantly “kid friendly,” there are milder dishes for their delicate palates. Any moody patrons will be given a “pizza face,” with toppings arranged in a not-so-flattering food portrait.

Contact no: (212) 505-2276

Location: 37 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009

Learn more here.

Tea Ceremony

 

After running hither and yon through the crowded streets of Chinatown, you might want a little quiet time. You can’t do better than a traditional Chinese tea ceremony at Ten Ren, the best-known shop for premium herbal tea. Have an elaborate tea ceremony with your children, or just relax and enjoy some green tea and conversation.

Contact no: (212) 349-2286

Location: 75 Mott Street, New York, NY 10013

Learn more here.

Sylvia’s

Shamefully, many American children grow to adulthood without tasting blackeye peas. For this problem Sylvia’s is the perfect solution. Tourists come from around the world in big buses just for a taste of Silvia’s delicious soul food, which if not the best in the world, is definitely the best in the city. The ribs are spicy, the chicken is expertly fried to crispy nirvana, the pork chops are smothered, and the potato pie is almost as sweet as your childrens’ satisfied smiles.

Contact no: (212) 996-0660

Location: 328 Lenox Avenue, New York, NY 10027

Learn more here.

Sugar Sweet Sunshine

Sugar Sweet Sunshine, in the heart of the revitalized Lower East Side, offers up a wide variety of handmade treats made with only the highest quality ingredients. Their cupcakes get the most attention, but we think their best items are the perfectly chewy oatmeal cookie, and their incomparable banana cream pudding. Kids don’t live on vegetables alone, so it’s up to you to provide a memorable alternative.

Contact no: (212) 995-1960

Location: 126 Rivington Street, New York, NY 10002

Learn more here.

Shake Shack

Kids usually aren’t that adventurous when trying new foods, and in this case, that’s okay. This outdoor eatery in Madison Park specializes in ultra high-quality versions of burgers, fries and shakes, and they make what have to be considered the Platonic ideals of all three. Since the Shake Shack is only open during warmer seasons, people come out in droves as soon as the metal shutters roll open. Although the lines can be long on the weekends, Madison Square Park offers enough distractions in the form of live bands and other public performances that make the queue time fly by, preventing any antsy whining from your children or your spouse.

Contact no: (212) 889-6600

Location: 23rd Street and Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010

Learn more here.