Activities in New York City

FAO Schwarz Toy Menu

FAO Schwarz - FAO Schwarz is an American toy brand and store that has provided excitement for more than 150 years. The company is known for its high-end toys, life-sized stuffed animals, interactive experiences, brand integrations, and games.

• Give your loved one the surprise and excitement this holiday season, our FAO Schwarz menu is available to all guests! Have a toy waiting in the room upon check-in or return from a day out and watch the magical reaction that one of FAO Schwarz signature toys can create. Make memories with us this holiday season. Click here to see the toy menu.

Things To Do With Children

• Times Square - Times square is big, brassy, noisy and bright. It’s the Big Apple’s beating heart and a must-visit for tourists. The entertainment is home to Broadway’s theatres, towering skyscrapers with illuminated billboards, restaurants, and crowds. Stores such as the M&M store, Disney store, and Hershey’s store are among highlights for kids when they visit the city!
  
  

• American Girl Store - The iconic upscale shop for specialty dolls & accessories. Be sure to stop by the salon to get “dolled up” with your doll or lounge in the American Girl Café for a meal or teatime with your favorite doll!
  
  

• The LEGO Store - The infamous retailer showcasing the brand's colorful building sets & bricks, as well as figurines & toys.

• Broadway Shows - This city is bursting with talent that even the youngest among us can appreciate, and at the best Broadway shows for kids, everyone in your crew will be captivated. The Lion King, with its dancing wildlife and catchy songs, is a perennial favorite, but Disney aficionados will also get a kick out of the magical tale of Aladdin. At Wicked, you can visit the land of Oz and its conflicted green-skinned protagonist; at Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, you can enter an entirely different world of witches and strange creatures.
  
  

• Museums - New York City doesn't lack for world-class museums, so when it comes to rooting out the best children's museums in NYC, there are plenty of options! The Museum of Modern Art and The Metropolitan Museum of Art are classic options but exhibits at The Children’s Museum of Manhattan, Museum of Natural History, and The New York Hall of Science are interactive and allow your kids to run around and play as well as learn.
  
  

• FDNY Zone - An educational center where kids can step in the shoes of actual firefighters! With the ability to get up close to actual firetrucks, try on gear, and meet real firefighters your kids are bound to leave feeling like they are the newest recruit of the NYFD.
  
  

• Candytopia - This interactive art installation celebrates the vibrant colors and flavors of your favorite sugarcoated delights from across a dozen environments from flying unicorn pigs to a marshmallow tsunami!

Things To Do With Teens

• Rockefeller Center - Known far and wide as one of NYC’s more iconic attractions – Rockefeller Center is where the famous Christmas tree is illuminated, where SNL and the Today Show are trapped and where skaters make the rounds on a rink surrounded by hundreds of international flags. Stretching from fifth to sixth avenues and from 48th to 51st – attractions such as a tour of 30 Rock, a multitude of dining options, Top of the Rocks, and more will keep your teen occupied for a while.
  
  

• Visit an Observation Deck - From Lower Manhattan's One World Observatory to the classic experience at Midtown's Empire State Building and the awesome inside-out immersion of SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, New Yorkers and tourists alike love a view, and when it comes to finding an observation deck in NYC to take in the sights.
  
  

• Roosevelt Island Tramway - The Roosevelt Island Tramway is an aerial tramway in New York City that spans the East River and connects Roosevelt Island to the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The tramway is the first commuter aerial tramway in North America, having opened in 1976. Since then, over 26 million passengers have ridden the tram to see some of the best views in the city.
  
  

• Madame Tussauds Wax Museum - Madame Tussauds New York is a tourist attraction located on 42nd Street in the Times Square neighborhood of Midtown. Madame Tussauds was founded by the wax sculptor, Marie Tussaud, and have created hundreds of celebrities spanning different sections for tourists to view. Singers, political figures, athletes, and television stars are some of the types of figures you can be excited to see when walking in.
  
  

• Museums - Teens will undoubtedly develop a positive attitude towards adventure an explore their fashion, arts, and sports interests. From the MET to the New York Transit Museum, The Guggenheim, The Cooper Hewitt, and more there are a multitude of museum options to explore as a family!
  
  

• Chelsea Market - Located in the heart of NYC’s meatpacking district, Chelsea Market’s collection of distinctive and diverse merchants adds up to more than just your average food hall but rather a lively marketplace where one can shop the regions finest fishmonger take home prime cuts of meat from one of the area’s best whole animal butchers load up on artisanal cheeses, fresh produce, and imported Italian dry goods!
  
  

• Central Park Electric Scooter Tour - Explore New York City’s famous Central Park atop 2 wheels on this electric scooter tour. Glide around the park with a local guide and see famous landmarks including Cleopatra's Needle, the Jackie Kennedy Reservoir, and more.
  
  

• Ellis Island - Ellis Island is a federally owned island in New York Harbor, situated within the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York, that was the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United States. Visitors can tour the Main Building of the former immigration complex, which is now home to the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. A world class experience, the Museum is home to an evocative series of exhibits and houses an amazing collection of artifacts from America's history.
  
  

• NYC Fashion Window Walking Tour - A 2-hour walking tour of world famous Fifth Avenue and experience the most famous fashion brands and department stores in an entertaining way. Learn how the most creative retailers design their windows and explore the latest collections on display. Gain unique design insights from some of the world's most beloved brands. Experience Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw's favorite store, learn where Audrey Hepburn became a fashion icon, locate the world's largest shoe floor, and explore where Marc Jacobs, Jimmy Choo, Michael Kors, and Tory Burch all got their start.
  
  

• Marvel & DC Superheroes of New York Tour - Check out iconic superhero movie sites as you explore the significance comics have had on the world. Stroll down publishers’ row and see where comic legends like Will Eisner, Bob Kane, jack Kirby, and Stan Lee worked to create your favorite characters. Learn the answer to the age-old questions: How was Kryptonite invented? What city is New York, Gotham, or Metropolis? Where is Avengers Tower located?
  
  

• The Color Factory - Within each Color Factory location, visitors are invited to experience the joy of color through interactive installations, immersive rooms, and carefully curated moments. Color Factory collaborates with artists, art institutions, nonprofits, and brand partners to tell compelling stories that make life just a little more joyful.

Activities For Solo Visitor

• St. Patrick’s Cathedral Tour - The only 50-minute tour inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral that features architect James Renwick Jr, The Bronze Doors, The Kennedys, Mother Elizabeth Seton, Michelangelo, Our Lady of Guadalupe, William Partridge’s Pieta, The Archbishops, Raphael, The Rose Window, Stained Glass by Tiffany and much more.
  
  

• Broadway Show - Broadway Shows are a huge attraction in NYC for locals and tourists alike. If it’s your first time, you can’t go wrong with classics like Wicked and Hamilton. There’s also a constant flow of great new musicals such as New York New York and Six revivals of older ones such as Funny Girl, it can be hard to decide on one. If they made it to Broadway, they are here for a reason.
  
  

• Central Park Bike Tour - With a bike tour of Central Park, you can cover over six miles (10 km) of it without being too worn out. And not only is an experienced tour guide a wealth of knowledge, but he or she will show you the safest and most efficient way to the most famous landmarks.
  
  

• Shopping - New York City’s most famous street is Fifth Avenue. While being the most expensive and best shopping street to the world’s best retail spaces spend time at stores like Saks, Gucci, Nike, and more to do a little retail therapy. Aside from Fifth Avenue, Sample 260 is a great brand that hosts weekly discount fashion, home, and beauty events. Working in direct partnership with your favorite brands to bring you authentic merchandise without the designer price tag!
  
  

• Museums - The best thing about New York is that you can find an exhibit on just about any interest you may have, from history to modern day art. Plus, thanks to NYC’s top-notch public transportation, you may be able to hit several museums in a single day. Museums like The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Whitney, The Frick, and The Morgan Library and Museum are only some of the amazing places to see the best exhibits.
  
  

• New York Public Library – Stephen Schwarzman Building - The New York Public Library’s flagship location, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, is one of the library’s premier research centers, renowned for its extraordinary historical collections and its commitment to providing free and equal access to its resources.
  
  

• Observation Deck - From Lower Manhattan's One World Observatory to the classic experience at Midtown's Empire State Building and the awesome inside-out immersion of SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, New Yorkers and tourists alike love a view, and when it comes to finding an observation deck in NYC to take in the sights.
  
  

• High Line - Built on a historic, elevated rail line, the High Line was always intended to be more than a park. You can walk through gardens, view art, experience a performance, savor delicious food, or connect with friends and neighbors-all while enjoying a unique perspective of New York City.
  
  

• The Strand Bookstore - The Strand is the largest non-commercialized bookstore in New York and is the sole survivor of Book Row and carries 18 miles – 2.5 million used, new and are books.
  
  

• Comedy Show - NYC continues to be an integral part of the comedy world and produces the most popular and best comedians for the last few decades. With an extensive list of top comedy clubs, you are bound to see some up and coming and well known talent.

Foodie's Guide

New York City is #2 in Best Foodie Cities in the U.S and a foodie’s traveler’s dream destination. Besides the countless fine dining establishments, the city is full of cuisine that is as culturally diverse as its people. In New York you are guaranteed great, tasty food 24 hours in a day year-round.

The Best Slice of Pizza

• Don Antonio - Naples natives and master pizza-makers Roberto Caporuscio and Antonio Starita originally opened Don Antonio’s in 2012, and today, it’s owned and operated by Roberto’s daughter Giorgia Caporuscio, who is a World Champion Pizzaiola. The menu has 45 Neapolitan pizzas, including montanara, a deep-fried pizza, alongside a solid list of antipasti and salads.
  
  

• Mama’s Too! - Mama’s Too! caused a sensation when it opened on Broadway on the far-north Upper West Side in late 2017, even attracting the attention of New York Times critic Pete Wells. In an impossibly small space, the luscious square slices are on full display, each of them thicker, greasier, and more lushly topped than the one before. The crusts are crunchy, too, and the tomato sauce is slightly sweet.
  
  

• Johns of Bleecker Street - John’s is one of the city’s oldest pizza operations, and it has retained much of its original New York character. Founded in 1929 by John Sasso, an alum of Lombardi’s, the restaurant churns out very thin, coal-oven-fired pizzas judiciously topped with a modest amount of sauce and cheese.
  
  

• Joe’s Pizza - Joe’s is home to the quintessential New York neighborhood slice: a crust that’s thin and crisp accompanied by even layers of cheese and tomato sauce, the latter intentionally on the bland side. The slice shop has been around since 1975, but only in recent years has it expanded in Manhattan and to Brooklyn. The line moves fast, and service is quick. This is one of the city’s must-try slices since it represents an old-fashioned norm for neighborhood pizza.

• 99 Cent Fresh Pizza - It's no secret that New York is home to the best “Dollar Slices” in the world. 99 Cent Fresh Pizza opened in 2001 and it’s been a wild ride ever since with that ubiquitous chain and its competing chain 2 Bros. The lure is a cheese slice once priced at a dollar, but now usually $1.25 or $1.50.
  
  
  

A Classic New York Deli Bagel

• Ess-a-Bagel - Serving up fluffy and delicious bagels, this fan favorite was first established in 1976. Since then, the chain has multiple locations across Manhattan so if you haven’t tried it, go check them out!
  
  

• Tal Bagels - From ooey-gooey cheese to piled high lox, Tal Bagels has been a common NY name since ’88.
  
  

• Russ & Daughters LES - Renowned throughout New York as an iconic city staple, this family-run Jewish deli is known for its incredible bagels and lox.
  
  

• H&H Bagels - For nearly 50 years H & H Bagels has been using the same methods consisting of proofing, kettle-boiling, a cold-water bath, and baking on a burlap covered wood board on vintage revolving trays ovens. Hey, if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it! You might even recognize it from Seinfeld, The Office, Sex and the City, How I Met Your Mother, Entourage, Boy Meets Girl, or many others.

• Liberty Bagels - Liberty Bagels is a great Midtown spot for a tasty, hand-rolled, kettle-boiled bagel. While they are famous for their rainbow bagel (featuring bright and beautiful colors and the plain bagel flavor everyone knows and loves), every bagel here is clearly homemade and baked to perfection. The cream cheese selections are off the charts and there is something for everyone.

Restaurants

• Le Bernardin - A French seafood restaurant that holds several records in New York – it received its 4-star review from The New York Times only 3 months after its opening and is the only New York 4-star restaurant that has maintained its status of excellence for more than 3.
  
  

• Gallaghers Steakhouse - With its trademark combination of classic cocktails, a wait staff that never forgets a name and – the best USDA prime dry-aged beef, fired over its signature grill.
  
  

• 53 - This “contemporary Asian” spot from the Marea team is right next door to the MoMA, so it’s only fitting that it raises the bar for restaurant design in NYC. The main dining room features sweeping curved, rainbow-colored blades across the ceiling that will make you think of strings on a giant harp.
  
  

• Monkey Bar - Hearty and unpretentious, the food includes everything from pasta and fried chicken to steakhouse staples like a dry-aged porterhouse. Notably, they serve the same cheese-smothered burger that you’ll find at Au Cheval, and you should eat one in the walk-in-only tavern area.
  
  

• Lodi - A place you can visit any time of day whether for a quick morning espresso or leisurely late afternoon cocktail on the plaza. Breakfast may feature a cornetto and a cappuccino while lunch might call for a Vitello tonnato and a limonata before the evening gives way to spritzes and plates of antipasti.
  
  
  

Desserts

• Levain Bakery - Consistently ranking among the best desserts in New York City, their gooey chocolate chip walnut cookies have amassed a cult-like following and known as Oprah’s favorite NYC Chocolate Chip Cookie.
  
  

• Dominique Ansel bakery - This bakery-cafe headed by pastry chef Dominique Ansel serves up creative & beautiful French treats and is where the Cronut was created.
  
  

• Supermoon Bakehouse - Renowned for its creativity and innovation, the baked goods have folks waiting in line for 1+ hours. The star of the show is the Nutella Cruffin, a mixture between a muffin and croissant which tastes as good as it sounds.

• Magnolia Bakery - The bakery is known for its desserts, especially its cupcakes and banana pudding.
  
  

• Van Leeuwen Ice Cream - In addition to exciting monthly flavors, Van Leeuwen stocks unique flavors like brown sugar cookie dough, Sicilian pistachio, and earl gray tea (my favorite!). But the best part about this beloved New York City ice cream shop is their adamant refusal to use artificial flavors, keeping the ice cream as natural as possible.