My NEW YORK Itinerary with Kids (Day 1: Arrival in New York)

My NEW YORK Itinerary with Kids: 
(Day 1: Arrival in New York)

This is our actual itinerary when we visited New York. We did everything and saw everything listed in this itinerary. So, this has been time tested and proven to be possible, even if you have kids travelling with you. 

Things to note about this itinerary

1. I have to let you know that my kids, who were with me, range from 13 years old to 18 years old. They are fit and capable of walking long distances. They were able to see all the sights listed in this itinerary. 

2. The choice of sights were made in consultation with my kids. So it's a blend of sights that both adults and kids will enjoy.

3. We traveled by public transportation (mainly by walking, riding the bus or the metro) so the itinerary includes directions from the New Yorker hotel to the sights and between sights. Being 6 in a group, we didn't see the taxi as an option.

4. The timing includes lining up for tickets and going through security checks. The only ticket I purchased ahead of time is the United Nations tour tickets, the Statue of Liberty tickets and the Lion King tickets.

Cost

The total cost of this itinerary can be computed as follows: 

Hotel accomodation for 4 nights: The New Yorker Hotel

Meals: see McDonalds New York prices

• Mcdonalds meal rate x 10 meals (breakfast is free with hotel) x 6 people 

•  Why use the McDonalds meal rate? I always use the McDonalds meal rate in   places I visit to estimate my meal budget because there's  McDonalds restaurant almost everywhere in the world, and a website that will show you the menu prices. 

Tip based Manhattan walking tour: see Free Tours by Foot: New York

UN tour: see UN website, Online guided tour tickets

Statue cruises to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: see Statue cruises website, Statue cruises tickets

Broadway tickets: see Ticketmaster website

Museums: see Metropolitan Museum website, Museum of Modern Art website

Empire State building: see Empire State building website, Empire State building tickets

Metro/bus tickets: see New York Metro ticket website

MY NEW YORK ITINERARY WITH KIDS

DAY 1. MONDAY: 

ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK

2:00 PM

Arrival in New York 

Directions from the JFK airport to the New Yorker hotel: We used the NYC airporter. After baggage claim, we went outside the airport arrival area and walked further to the left where the dispatcher of the NYC airporter is located. We purchased 6 tickets from the dispatcher. Instead of paying $12 each, we availed of the family rate for 4 people at $35, and the child rate for the 2 kids at $10 each, for at total of $55 for the 6 of us. 

It took very long for a NYC airporter shuttle bus to pick us up. Eventually, we were picked up by a Supershuttle van and brought to the Grand Central terminal, where we rode another airporter bus, that took us at the doorstep of the New Yorker hotel.

My tip: If you are in a hurry to arrive at your Manhattan hotel, do not take the NYC airporter. Better book Carmel Cars. The minivan will only cost $60 + $6.50 toll + 20% tip for 6 people, with 4 checked size luggage.

But if you are 6 in a group and have 6 checked size luggage, it will be cheaper to ride the NYC airporter because 1 person is entitled to 1 checked size luggage. But take note that it took us almost 2-3 hours to arrive at our hotel, because of the length of time it took for the van to pick us up at the airport, then to transfer to another bus that will take us to the hotel, and then to wait for your turn to be dropped off at your hotel. 

5:00 PM

Actual check-in at New Yorker hotel (Read more about the New Yorker hotel)

7:00 PM

Dinner options across the New Yorker hotel: McDonalds, Famiglia Pizza, Burger King. Since we were tired already, we chose to stay in and enjoy the view of the Empire State building from our hotel room window. Two of my kids chose McDonalds, the other two wanted Burger king and my husband and I bought pizza and lasagna at the Famiglia pizzeria.

DAY 2. TUESDAY: 

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN TOUR by FREE TOURS BY FOOT

TIFFANY'S STORE FEATURED IN "BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S"

FIFTH AVENUE
UNITED NATIONS TOUR

Read more of Day 2 of My New York Itinerary with Kids 

DAY 3. WEDNESDAY: 

STATUE OF LIBERTY, LIBERTY ISLAND, ELLIS ISLAND 

911 MEMORIAL 

BROADWAY SHOW: LION KING

TIMES SQUARE

Read more of Day 3 of New York Itinerary with Kids

DAY 4. THURSDAY: 

MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (MOMA)

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

PLAZA HOTEL

CENTRAL PARK

Read more of Day 4 of My New York Itinerary with Kids 

DAY 5. FRIDAY: 

EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

DEPARTURE FROM NEW YORK

Read more of Day 5 of My New York Itinerary with Kids

What to See at the MoMA if you only have TWO HOURS: Must See Paintings at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) New York

What to See at the MoMA if you only have TWO HOURS: 
Must-See Paintings at the Museum of Modern Art  (MoMA) New York 

My tip on MoMA entrance fees:
Be sure to check out the following links to see if you qualify for free entrance or discounts:  Free Admission at the MoMA and Corporate Membership benefits at the MoMA. In my case, I paid only $10 entrance free for all 6 of us to be admitted to the MoMA. This is broken down as follows:

My husband = FREE (his employer is a corporate member of MoMA so employees are free upon presentation of corporate ID)

Myself =  $5 (my husband is entitled to bring 5 guests at $5 each as part of his corporate membership benefits)

My 18 year old daughter =  $5 ( same reason as myself)

My three kids 16 years old and below = FREE  (MoMA admission ticket rules) 

Tickets for the discounts mentioned above can only be claimed at the counter. You don't really need to purchase online because lines are not long at the ticket counter. The advantages of purchasing tickets at the ticket counter are as follows:

1. You can claim discounts if you qualify for discounts not reflected in the online purchase form.

2. You are not limited by the date on the ticket purchased online. You can just drop by the MoMA when convenient with your schedule and get your ticket. 

My tip on the MoMA highlights handbook:
If you only have 2 hours, you don't need to purchase the MoMA highlights handbook worth $20. You don't have time to see everything shown in the MoMA highlights handbook. The best thing to do is choose the most important paintings of the museum and spend time viewing it. If you need information while viewing the painting, bring a wifi enabled device and log on to the free wifi of the museum and browse the information on your device.


What to See at the MoMA if you only have TWO HOURS
My kids love paintings so it's not really a problem bringing them to a museum that features a lot of paintings. But if you have limited time, these four paintings are the ones you shouldn't miss. It's so famous that my kids are even familiar with it or at least have encountered it in one of their classes in school.

These paintings are all located on the 5th floor of the MoMa.

VINCENT VAN GOGH'S STARRY NIGHT

SALVADOR DALI'S PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY

We almost missed seeing this painting because it's so small.
It's almost as big as a long bond paper at 9.5in x 13in.
Make sure to ask the guard or any museum personnnel where it is.
One clue may be that a lot of people than usual gather around this painting.

Note: As of this writing, the Persistence of Memory is not currently on view. It will return September 2013. 

CLAUDE MONET'S WATER LILIES

Location of the MoMa

11 West 53rd Street  New York, NY 10019, United States

(212) 708-9400

Hours and Admissions

CLOSED: Tuesdays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day

Open  Sat-Mon, Wed-Thurs (10:30 AM to 5:30 PM); Fri (10:30 AM to 8:00 PM)

View Larger Map

Free Walking Tour of Midtown Manhattan by Free Tours by Foot: A Traveler's Review

Free Walking Tour of Midtown Manhattan
by Free Tours by Foot: 
A Traveler's Review

On our first day in New York, the first thing we did was join the Midtown Manhattan Walking Tour by Free Tours by Foot. It was the first day my kids will see New York and a walking tour with a guide was the best way to explore New York for the first time. I chose Midtown Manhattan because the kids are familiar with most of the sights included in the tour and would most probably have seen them in the movies already. This makes it more interesting for them even if it involves a great deal of walking. 

Why I Love this Tour:

1. The tour is free.

This tour is actually tip-based. If you like this tour, you give the guide a tip based on how much you liked his tour. This is a great option for a big group on a budget. You can still take this wonderful tour and give the guide a tip based on what you can afford.

2. The tour starts at 10am.

When I'm on vacation, I don't like starting out early if I can avoid it.  Being on vacation with kids makes it even more difficult to start early. So the late starting time of this tour is perfect for those who want a slow start to their mornings when on vacation, for couples with kids, and for a big group traveling together. 

3. The guide is experienced and very informative.

4. The tour covers a significant distance.

Not everyone may like the fact that the tour covers a significant distance because of the amount of walking they will do. But in my case, I like the idea that in a short span of time (around 2-3 hours), we were able to see and visit a significant number of places. The advantage of doing a walking tour compared to doing a bus tour, you're able to see the sights up close even if you do a quick walk and just pass by it. 

Distance covered by the tour: 2.1 miles in 3 hours, with stops.

My tip: Wear good walking shoes. You will travel a great distance during the tour itself, not including the walking you will do going to the meeting place and returning to your hotel.

5. It continues despite the weather
Weather conditions in May: Ranging from slight drizzle to heavy rain. John Gallegher, our tour guide, didn't cancel the tour and just made sure we stayed indoors when the rains start to pour.

My tip: Bring a plastic poncho so you'll be well-protected just in case it rains. The tour continues even during the rain. A plastic poncho is convenient to bring because it's light, folds into a small square and can easily be stored in a handbag.

6. Reliable booking system
Their booking system is "painless" so to speak. You just email them, they reply, then you  go to the meeting place and take the tour.

Below is the map of the route we took:

This gives you an idea of the area where we walked, what we saw and the distance we traveled, so you can gauge if you're capable of doing this tour.

View Larger Map

 A  Walgreens Store meeting place

 B  Times Square Theater District

Our guide, John Gallegher

 C  Bryant Park

 D  New York Public Library

The Lion of the New York Public Library.
At the back is the HSBC building

 E  Chrysler Building

Inside the Chrysler Building

 F  Grand Central Terminal

Outside the Grand Central Terminal

Inside the Grand Central Terminal

 G  Waldorf-Astoria Hotel

 H  St. Patrick's Cathedral

  I  Saks 5th Avenue

 J  The Rink at Rockefeller Center

How to book:


1. If you're at least 6, you need to email them at groups@nycbyfoot.com.

• If you're 5 or less in a group, you can book directly here 

2. They reply immediately. We received two emails from them. Below are the emails we received from them.

First email:

Thank you for your interest in Free Tours by Foot.  If you are inquiring about our private tours, we will get back to you as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you haven't already done so, please visit our private tour page athttp://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/new-york-tours/private-new-york-tour.asp for information about tour options and pricing.  

Due to factors such as street sizes, city regulations and general customer satisfaction, we limit the size of our groups.  Our tours are very popular and we often have stand-by lists and often we must turn away interested guests.  Our experiences have shown that groups of 6 or more have a high rate of late cancellations or simply do not show up for the tours.  To be fair to other guests and to our guides, who rely on tips for a living, groups of 6 or more will be placed on stand-by and permitted to take our tours if space is available. We will do our best to notify standby groups with 48 hours whether they will be permitted to take their tour. 

We recommend that groups of 6 or more consider a private tour option.  Private tour options offer groups privacy, flexibility as well as affordability.  Private tour information can be found at http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/new-york-tours/private-new-york-tour.asp.  If you are flexible with your start times, we may be flexible with our prices. 

We thank you in advance for your understanding.  If you would like to book a private tour, or if you have any further questions, please let us know.

Regards,
Canden
Free Tours by Foot


Second email:

Hello,

I just booked the tour for you and you should be receiving the email confirmation.  Please let us know if you are not able to attend this tour 48 hours prior to your tour.

Regards,

Maggie.

3. A week before the tour, they emailed us to reconfirm our tour. Below is the email we received from them

Booking Invoice Reserved Free Tours by Foot http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com Contact Number Below Booking ID: YXRT-040412 Created: April 4, 2012 Booking Date: May 15, 2012 Item Rate Midtown Manhattan 10am (6) Tue May 15, 2012 People: 6 Dear Guest, Thank you for your reservation for the Midtown Manhattan 10am on Tue May 15, 2012.  This is a reminder that your tour takes place in 6 days.  I've relisted the tour information below.   Our experience has shown that many guests who reserve with us with more than 6 days notice often do not show up to the tours and unfortunately do not notify us.  Our tours are very popular and we often have people waiting on stand-by to take these tours.  Please kindly confirm your reservation and the number of people by replying to this email or calling us at least 48 hours before your tour start time.  If we do not hear from you, we may give your spot(s) on the tour to stand-by guests.  We thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation and we look forward to showing you this great city.   Regards, Canden www.freetoursbyfoot.com  Be sure to check out our FREE tours in New Orleans, Philadelphia, New York City, Washington, DC and Boston.  For a Midtown fact sheet, please visit http://nycbyfoot.com/docs/midtown.pdf Tour begins from the northeast corner of 42nd and Broadway, by the Walgreens store. Look for your guide with the Free Tours by Foot logo. Tour ends at 30 Rockefeller Plaza Get directions to and from the tour with our Google map located at http://nycbyfoot.com/midtown.asp. Tour lasts approx 2 hours Total Distance is approx 1 mile NYC contact # - 646.450.6831 Like us and follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/NYC-by-Foot/442409770524 Q: Do the tours ever get cancelled for weather? A: The show must go on! Dress appropriately for the conditions. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. However, extreme weather may cancel or postpone the tour. Please see our Facebook page for updates. Q: What is an appropriate tip/gratuity? A: Another good question. People always ask why we offer a tour for free that our competitors offer for $20/person. Well, we feel that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy a tour at a price he or she thinks the tour was worth - so just think of our tours as "name your own price". You let us know what you think. Don't like the tour? Don't waste your money! Love it? Then we appreciate whatever you feel is fair. We are that confident in the quality of our tours. How can you beat that?

4. The day before the tour, they email us with the contact information of the guide.

Hi Everyone, 

Just a friendly reminder for tomorrow's Midtown Manhattan walking tour.  Thanks again for choosing Free Tours by Foot - New York.  JOHN will be your guide tomorrow and I can be reached atjohnjgallaghernyc@gmail.com or 917.691.4055.  Please remember that we are meeting at 9:50am in front of the Wallgreens Store on Broadway just north of 42nd Street (map).  He will have a Free Tours by Foot logo.  If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.  

 

Thanks again for booking with us.  I am looking forward to showing you a great time and a great neighborhood!

Regards,

Stephen

www.freetoursbyfoot.com 

My tip: Since they email you only the day before the tour with information about your guide, you need to be able to check your email.

Making Sense of New York City Hotel Rates

Photo courtesy of the New Yorker hotel website

Making Sense of Your New York City Hotel Rates

Update as of March 22, 2019!!!: I booked the New Yorker hotel and the same tax rates still apply. But now, in addition to the taxes and fees mentioned below, hotels now charge a facility or resort fee, which is a fee for the use of the gym, wifi and other facilities of the hotel. This facility or resort fee is charged whether or not the guest uses the facilities mentioned.

Below is the post I wrote in August 2012:

When booking your New York City hotel, be aware that in addition to the room rate that the hotel will quote you, multiple taxes will still be charged to you in addition to the room rate. Make sure to clarify that whatever rate the hotel will give you should include all the taxes already. To help you understand how it's computed, see the sample below:

The taxes and charges per room per night as of 2012 is $3.50 + 14.75% of the room rate  per night broken down as follows:

• NYC Hotel Unit Fee: $1.50 per day
• Occupancy Tax: $2.00 per day
• New York Sales Tax: 8.875% of the room rate broken down as:

• 4% New York State Sales Tax

• 4.5% New York City Sales Tax

• 0.375% Transportation District Surcharge

• New York City Hotel Tax: 5.875%

So if your room rate per night is $300, your tax is $47.75 ($3.50 + $44.25, which is 14.75% of $300). Total room cost is now $347.75 per night. Almost 1/8 of your total room cost is tax so it's important to know beforehand if the rate you're booking includes the tax or not.

Check out this site for an easy Hotel Rate Calculator

Carmel Cars and Limo: Best Budget New York Airport Transportation for 6

Carmel Cars and Limo: 
Best Budget New York Airport Transportation for 6

When we visited New York in May 2012, I discovered that the cheapest airport transportation  for a family of 6 is Carmel Limo. We used Carmel Limo from Yonkers, NY (New York Westchester area) to JFK. 

Check out the New York Rates

Why use Carmel Cars:

1. It's the cheapest airport transportation for a family of 6

I normally use Supershuttle for my Los Angeles airport transportation, but in New York, Supershuttle is more expensive than Carmel Limo. 

For a family of 6, the total cost from Yonkers, New York to JFK (one-way) is $102 + tip for a total of $120, broken down as follows:

Mini Van good for 6 people is 89 usd, plus

Roundtrip toll to JFK ($6.50 per way) is 13 usd, plus

Tip (20%) is $18.

Take Note: For 6 people, you have a choice of a MINI VAN or an SUV. What's the difference between a minivan and an SUV? Why is the mini van fare $89 while an SUV fare is $168?

The answer is LUGGAGE!!! 

A mini van's trunk can only accommodate six (6) people and four (4) checked  luggage. In our case, we had six (6) carry on luggage and one (1) checked luggage. Two (2) carry-on luggage is more or less equivalent to one (1) checked luggage. So the dimensions of all the luggage we had were equivalent to four (4) checked luggage. 

Do not make the mistake of indicating less luggage than you actually have so you can order the cheaper mini van instead of an SUV. It will be more expensive and will cause delays to call for another ride in case your luggage s do not fit. 

This photo is from Carmel Car website.
Our minivan was color white.
This is just to give you an idea about luggage space at the back 

2. Carmel Cars has a wider area of coverage than other car service

Here is a list of covered areas: 

Airports 

JFK 

Laguardia 

Newark 

Other airports: Teterboro, Long Island/Mac Arthur, Westchester County 

New York City 

New York (Manhattan)

New York (Hotels)

Queens 

Brooklyn

Bronx

Staten Island 

Out of Town

New York State 

New York Westchester 

Long Island

New Jersey State

Pennsylvania 

Connecticut 

3. Carmel cars is easy and reliable to book online. 

The confirmation number you get is easy to remember since it's the phone number you provided. And the cars arrive on time so it's reliable to book online. 

4. Carmel cars do not require prepayment of the fare when reserving and booking their cars online.

My review: 

The car we ordered came on time. In fact, several hours before our pick up time, the driver called us to find out the exact time of our flight to make sure that the pick up time we indicated in the online form is enough time to travel from Yonkers to the airport. He encountered horrible traffic in the morning because it was Memorial Day weekend so he was concerned that we may not have known that detail when we indicated the pick-up time. So more than arriving on time to pick us up, he made sure we arrived at the airport on time.

The drive lasted an hour and the driver was very friendly and conversed with my husband the whole trip.

In conclusion: I will definitely use Carmel Car again when we visit New York and will recommend it to friends and relatives for its value and good service.