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| GE Building at Rockefeller Center |
A visit to MoMa - the Museum of Modern Art - best places to eat, things to do & see nearby. Visit MoMA, eat lunch there, explore a mega Lego Store or American Girl Place, step into Saint Patrick's Cathedral, cross the 5th Ave and look up at the Rockefeller Centre - whizz up to its roof & find a playground in Central Park or visit the Fire Department of New York Fire Zone - explore a firetruck, meet real firemen and learn about fire-safety, play games at the Apple Store and finish off in Central Park, enjoy afternoon tea or caviar and champagne and head off to the world's biggest diamond trading arena.
Best time to visit: All year - views best on clear days in summer.
Length of trip: Minimum 2 hours
Distance: Short
Suitable for: All age groups and especially FDNY Fire Zone for kids
Other Comment: Keep the museum visit short with kids
Nearby eating: Suggestions throughout blog & marked on map
Miscellaneous: Make sure to purchase the great leaflet in the gift shop at the top of Rockefeller Center that locates famous buildings within your view. Sunset is a great time to visit.
Events: Click for Calendar of events in Central Park or check my blog on Central Park. Skip Wollman Rink & Central Park Zoo on this outing, both would involve a great deal more walking - best to keep these for a Central Park focused trip. The park hosts free summer outdoor movies, concerts and opera. Shakespeare in the Park is a series of free summer performances held at the Delacorte Theater there. Attending requires forward planning.
Book Rockefeller Center tour in advance –you will receive tickets by e-mail - www.topoftherocknyc.com
https://www.rockefellercenter.com/attractions/flippers-roller-skating-rink/#shop-&-events for ice skating or roller skating
Breakfast With Santa and Holidays at Rockefeller Center - lots to explore on this link
Nintendo Store
FDNY Fire Zone check out their website and call to ask when the best time to visit is.
www.moma.org MoMa website for hours and location. Free for under 16s! Open Mondays when most museums closed.
Nintendo Store
FDNY Fire Zone check out their website and call to ask when the best time to visit is.
www.moma.org MoMa website for hours and location. Free for under 16s! Open Mondays when most museums closed.
https://www.moma.org/visit/discounts Check out parking, discounts and restaurants offering discounts by showing a MoMA ticket - they are all good. More listed at the end of the blog- including a dim sum happy hour on weekdays!
Afternoon tea spots: all require booking in advance - click on each for link for contact details.
Plaza Hotel Palm Court 5th Avenue and Central Park South. Better to reserve for afternoon tea
Russian Tea Room
American Girl Place also lunch and afternoon tea - reserve way in advance for this and bring dolls
Best Burgers: Burger Joint at Thompson Central Park -119 West 56th Street between 6th and 7th voted best burgers in New York. Go early if you want to avoid the line
Playgrounds: Download the Map of Central Park Playgrounds
Russian Tea Room
American Girl Place also lunch and afternoon tea - reserve way in advance for this and bring dolls
Best Burgers: Burger Joint at Thompson Central Park -119 West 56th Street between 6th and 7th voted best burgers in New York. Go early if you want to avoid the line
Playgrounds: Download the Map of Central Park Playgrounds
Indoor shopping: Stores & restaurants at the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle- new toy store called Camp !
START: The Museum of Modern Art at 11 west 53rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues, for hours check www.moma.org . Not only is the building beautiful – but so are the street views framed by the windows. To avoid crowds go early. There is always something of interest here for all age groups.
Good for short visit, avoid the recorded tour and find the shiny green helicopter suspended from the ceiling. It can be seen from every floor. The third floor is home to architecture and design department and displays everything from a flight arrival and departure board to sports cars, a motor cycle, cool chairs and appliances. The MoMa art collection is wonderful and very appealing to children. The museum has a great store and two good, kid friendly cafes/restaurants. Or in summer sample what has been voted the best ice cream in New York City from Il Laboratorio del Gelato in Sculpture Garden. For and expensive but gourmet experience, try a quick lunch sitting at the bar at the Modern – pricey, well rated for its food, a bit more up-market but kid friendly. Or exit and head to a restaurant on the the MoMa list of restaurants that offer discounts if you show your ticket. Discount lunch with ticket or continue on your walk. More suggestions at the end of the blog.
Good for short visit, avoid the recorded tour and find the shiny green helicopter suspended from the ceiling. It can be seen from every floor. The third floor is home to architecture and design department and displays everything from a flight arrival and departure board to sports cars, a motor cycle, cool chairs and appliances. The MoMa art collection is wonderful and very appealing to children. The museum has a great store and two good, kid friendly cafes/restaurants. Or in summer sample what has been voted the best ice cream in New York City from Il Laboratorio del Gelato in Sculpture Garden. For and expensive but gourmet experience, try a quick lunch sitting at the bar at the Modern – pricey, well rated for its food, a bit more up-market but kid friendly. Or exit and head to a restaurant on the the MoMa list of restaurants that offer discounts if you show your ticket. Discount lunch with ticket or continue on your walk. More suggestions at the end of the blog.
/https://public-media.smithsonianmag.com/filer/Lunch-atop-a-skyscraper-631.jpg "Builder lunch break") |
| Rockefeller Center:Builders lunch break |
Click on the attached Smithsonian Magazine story that verifies the authenticity of the photograph link - they really did eat their lunch way above Manhattan!
The entrance to the Rockefeller Center is at 30 West 50th Street between 5th and 6th. The elevator ride is super fast. The building was completed in 1933, took 3 years and cost $100 million. Following the Wall Street Crash of 1929 was privately funded by John D. Rockefeller. Views are spectacular especially the ones of Central Park.
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| Rockefeller Center Make sure to purchase the leaflet that names the buildings within view. The NBC studio tour is always a giant hit with kids especially since it ends in a fairly large sweet shop. |
OR Visit the FDNY Fire Zone at 34 West 51st Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. click on the following link FDNY Fire Zone for hours- in summer it might be worth calling ahead because of visiting summer groups or make a point of holding off your visit until 3pm. Also book the fire simulation presentation in advance - recommended for 5 years olds and up. It's an educational adventure. Meet real firemen and try on their gear and protective clothing. The Fire Zone opens at 9am every day except Sunday when it opens at 11am.
To burn off energy try the playground in Central Park at 59th and 6th. On rainy days look for the mega Lego Store at 5th & 51st or explore the stores in the basement. American Girl Place is around the corner on 51st between 5th & 6th. Afternoon Tea here needs to be booked way in advance. Nintendo New York is on 48th between 5th & 6th.
For nearby shopping - the MoMa store, or walking up 6th to the Time Warner Building at Columbus Circle at 59th and Broadway– Williams Sonomo (great kitchen stuff), J Crew and various bag, designer and a new toy store called Art Camp Stores at Time Warner
Or walk in the opposite direction - south to 47th between 5th and 6th Avenue will bring you to the New York City Diamond district. 90% of the diamonds that enter the United States pass through New York City and there are over 2,600 businesses in the district (see http://diamonddistrict.org/) - the short film below provides a nice background before visiting.
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| Lego Store at Rockefeller |
Best dining options nearby:
Otherwise walk east towards 5th Avenue to 58th Street for afternoon tea at the Plaza Hotel in the spectacular Palm Court (click for hours and reservations) and here for Menus across the street is the Apple Store. A little further down 5th are Bergdorf Goodman and New York classic expensive but interesting department store. A very cool place for a drink is The Four Seasons designed by I.M. Pei on 57th between Park and Madison. Tiffany’s is on the corner of 57th and 5th. Or continue on down 5th to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Sacks 5th Avenue and the American Girl Place (51st between 5th & 6th). Or if you are feeling like a rest take an expensive but traditional and unforgettable (for kids) carriage ride through Central Park.
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| Russian Tea Room |
Petrossian (expensive) for coffee and caviar gifts at 182 West 58th between 6th and 7th
Dim Sum Palace click for happy hour and menus (family friendly, 50% off at happy hour, weekdays) at 28 West 56th Street.
Ippudo - (mid range & casual) Some of the best ramen noodles in NYC at 321 West 51st between 8th and 9th - no reservations arrive at 11:45 am and you won't have to wait -great food
Marea - (expensive & not too casual) considered the best Italian restaurant in NYC at 240 Central Park South between 7th and 8th - lunch is a less expensive option to sample the menu and without reservations you may be luck to get a seat at the bar is always fun.
Fast food: see the google map below for nearest Chipotle, Shake Shack
Ippudo - (mid range & casual) Some of the best ramen noodles in NYC at 321 West 51st between 8th and 9th - no reservations arrive at 11:45 am and you won't have to wait -great food
Marea - (expensive & not too casual) considered the best Italian restaurant in NYC at 240 Central Park South between 7th and 8th - lunch is a less expensive option to sample the menu and without reservations you may be luck to get a seat at the bar is always fun.
Fast food: see the google map below for nearest Chipotle, Shake Shack
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