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Statue of Liberty |
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People think of the Big Apple as an adult place but it also rocks for kids. For three years TV news journalist Carolyn Rogalsky edited the Calendar of Events for New York Families. Here she picks five great day trips for kids Click to view Top 5 New York Outings for Kids.
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Best Boat Trip (Statue of Liberty) |
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 In many respects, the best way to see Manhattan is from a distance and a boat ride out into New York Harbor can be divine. There are lots of boating choices, but for a year-round option that provides surefire fun for kids and parents alike, board the Statue of Liberty Ferry, and get two “wows” for one ticket price. |
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| Head to Castle Clinton (a former defence post dating back to 1811) located in Battery Park, at the southern tip of Manhattan. There you can buy tickets for the ferry ($11.50 adults; $4.50 ages 4 to 12; free for under age 4)which is the only Manhattan approach to Lady Liberty (the other departure is from Liberty State Park in New Jersey). |
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 Ferries operate daily between the hours of 9:30am to 5:00pm. The line can be long, and there’s a second line for boarding. But remember, this is the “Big Apple” and New Yorkers will capitalise on any captive audience. Most days, there’s an entertaining assortment of street performers who can make your wait seem relatively speedy.
Once aboard, the ride is short (15 minutes going; 30 minutes returning, as the ferry makes a stop at Ellis Island), and dramatic. Enjoy the visual orientation to New York City, and take in the glorious skyline view. Disembarkation is smooth, and there you are – at the feet of the magnificent towering 305-foot Statue of Liberty.
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Leisurely Picnics |
| Since September 11, 2001, access to the interior of the Statue has been limited. Currently, visitors must obtain free, timed-passes to tour the lobby, museum, promenade and pedestal observation deck. |
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 A limited number of passes are available at the ferry ticket offices on a first-come, first-served basis. Otherwise, passes can also be reserved in advance online at www.statuereservations.com.
But don’t despair if you missed this step; there are 12 acres of well-kept grounds to tour. You can picnic on a grassy field, or relax under the shade of a tree, and enjoy the abundance of friendly fellow tourists, because everyone here is a tourist.
Everyone is free to visit the souvenir tent and pricey fast-food restaurant. Refreshments and souvenirs are also available for sale on the ferry.
If you have older kids, and want to make more of the immigrant experience, include a tour of Ellis Island. Originally the immigration station that processed over 12 million passengers, the Ellis Island Museum is now a three-floor building devoted to the history of immigration and the role this island played during the mass immigration of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
But if your kids are like mine and do best with one leisurely destination, I recommend saving this for its own designated trip, and just enjoying a relaxed return to the island of Manhattan.
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TYPICAL PRICES -
$11.50 for adults, £4.50 for 4-12s, under-4s free. |
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