FAQs: New York City Region

What are the top five activities for your teen near/in New York City?

The city that never sleeps offers countless enriching activities for teens, combining entertainment, education, and skill-building experiences across the five boroughs and beyond. 

1. Battery Park/The Battery: Battery Park, affectionately called The Battery by locals, has impressive harbor views (including the Statue of Liberty), gardens, bike paths, large lawns, a unique SeaGlass carousel, and an urban farm. 
2. Hudson Yards: This “living neighborhood” includes Vessel, a 16-story, honeycomb-like climbable structure with 154 flights of stairs that serves as the Yards’ centerpiece. Check out Edge observation deck with a glass floor, the Shed, and the Public Square and Gardens. Shop, dine, and explore.
3. High Line & Little Island: High Line is an elevated linear park that transformed an unused railway viaduct into a park extending from Little Island to Hudson Yards. Little Island is an artificial park floating on the Hudson. This little oasis invites you to experience nature and art, whether you watch a live performance, meditate, or stroll through the gardens.
4. One World Observatory: Located at the top of One World Trade Center, the Observatory spans three floors, covers 125,000 square feet, and features a 360° view of NYC’s landmarks, waters, and skyline. 
5. World Trade Center: This vibrant hub includes several places to explore, including the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, One World Observatory, Liberty Park, The Oculus, PAC NYC, and more. 
   

What are the top cultural activities for teens in New York City?

NYC’s world-class cultural institutions offer teens transformative experiences that can shape worldviews, build empathy, and spark lifelong passions. From museums to experimental theater and beyond, these activities invite teens to engage with history, art, and global perspectives.

1. Empire State Building: This iconic building (NYC’s 4th tallest) has 103 floors, over 1,800 steps (and plenty of elevators). Voted the #1 attraction in the world in TripAdvisor’s 2024 Traveler’s Choice Awards, it includes interactive exhibits and year-round observation, where you can see as far as 80 miles away on a clear day.
2. 9/11 Memorial & Museum: This museum serves as a tribute to the victims of the 9/11/2001 terrorist attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. It includes two reflecting pools set in the footprints of the former Twin Towers and houses a collection of artifacts, photographs, videos, and personal stories documenting the effects of 9/11 and their aftermath.
3. The Met: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (aka The Met) showcases over 5,000 years of art from around the world. Lose yourself for hours at its Fifth Avenue location or travel up the Hudson to The Cloisters, which features European medieval art and architecture and houses the world-famous Unicorn Tapestries. 
4. The Gilder Center: A new addition to the American Museum of Natural History, The Gilder Center has an insectarium, butterfly vivarium, atrium, and more. The building is an architectural marvel, with an organic design inspired by nature.
5. MoMA: The Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA, has a collection of paintings, sculpture, photography, film, design, and performance art from the 19th century to the present. See “The Starry Night,” “Persistence of Memory,” and “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon,” among other famous works.
6. Salon 94: This contemporary art gallery showcases a diverse, dynamic range of established and emerging artists across various media and recently expanded its scope to include design, which focuses on furniture, design objects, and the exploration of objects as expressions of values and ideas.
7. Nuyorican Poets Cafe: Established in 1973, this cultural icon features groundbreaking works of literature, music, theater, performance art, poetry slam, hip-hop, and visual art from established and rising artists.
   

What are the best New York City outdoor activities for teens?

The city’s outdoor spaces offer plenty of opportunities to disconnect from screens and enjoy nature without leaving the urban landscape. It’s a perfect combination of adventures, fresh air, activity, and the city’s energy.

1. Central Park: An urban oasis in the heart of Manhattan, Central Park has a landscape with woodlands, lakes, meadows, and gardens. Explore the trails and paths, row on the lake, ice skate at the rink, or hit the sports fields. The park also has several cultural and historical landmarks like the Central Park Zoo, Belvedere Castle, and Strawberry Fields.
2. Bronx Zoo: One of the largest metropolitan zoos in the US, this 265-acre zoo houses over 6,000 animals representing more than 650 species. Opened in 1899, it has multiple exhibits like Himalayan Highlands, Baboon Reserve, and Jungle World.
3. Staten Island Ferry: One of New York’s remaining operating ferry systems, the Staten Island Ferry provides free ferry service to almost 22 million people annually. It’s the only non-vehicular mode of transport between Staten Island and Manhattan.
4. Kayaking at Pier 26: Hudson River Park is a 4-mile-long park and home to Pier 26, where you can rent a kayak from the Downtown Boathouse and explore the harbor. 
5. Cony Island and Luna Park: About 30 minutes north of the city is Coney Island, home to Luna Park. Cony Island was the birthplace of the modern amusement park. Eat at Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, walk the Coney Island Boardwalk, or ride the Cyclone.
   

What are the best New York City indoor activities for teens?

Teens can explore their interests, try new things, and hang with their friends at one of NYC’s indoor activities, whether an escape room, mini golf, a movie, a cool class, or one of the fun options below.

1. Area53 Adventure Park: This indoor adventure park has many activities, including ropes courses, rock climbing walls, zip lines, Ninja warrior courses, roller skating, axe throwing, trampolines, and more. It’s perfect for all ages.
2. Spyscape: Channel your inner 007 during an immersive experience at this interactive spy museum, where you can train like a spy. You can also try spy games, where you try lie detection, code making and breaking, and lasers. At the end, you’ll receive a personalized profile of your skills and attributes.
3. Comedy Cellar: Greenwich Village’s comedy club was founded in 1982 and has established itself as the “Harvard of comedy clubs” because many top NY comedians perform there — and many comedians started their careers there.
4. Skattered Kind: This interactive theater company creates immersive experiences by blurring the lines between audience and performer, inviting attendees to participate actively in their stories.
5. Chelsea Piers: A 28-acre world-class sports and entertainment center that started as a passenger ship terminal in the early 1900s, Chelsea Piers has a little bit of everything for the sports-minded, active person.
   

What are the best New York City restaurants for teens?

Foodies rejoice! There are plenty of places to tempt your palate. Besides the restaurants below, you might try food halls like Hudson Eats, Gotham West Market, or Grand Central Terminal’s Dining Concourse, or the flavors of Hell’s Kitchen and Little Italy.

1. Chelsea Market: This food hall originally opened in the 1890s as the National Bisuit Company (Nabisco) factory complex, where the Oreo cookie was invented and produced. Now, you can explore an entire city block of restaurants and shops.
2. Jongro: Cook your own meat at grills built into the tables at this popular Korean BBQ restaurant. 
3. Serendipty 3: A legendary restaurant decorated with a quirky, eclectic mix of antiques Tiffany lamps, and other whimsical items, Serendipity 3 is famous for its extravagant desserts, like the “Frrrozen Hot Chocolate.” It’s also popular among celebrities, so who knows what famous person you might see!
4. Lombardi’s: Established in 1905, Lombardi’s is considered America’s first pizzeria. It still serves its signature coal oven-baked pizza today, with a smokey crust and fresh whole-milk mozzarella and basil.
5. Ellen’s Stardust Diner: Enjoy a tasty pre- or post-show meal in this 1950s-themed diner in the heart of Times Square. It’s famous for its singing waitstaff, who are aspiring Broadway performers. Expect lots of singing, dancing, and audience participation while you eat.
   

What are the best New York City museums for families?

These recommendations highlight exhibits and programs that teens will love but also thoughtfully design their spaces and programming to engage visitors of all ages.

1. American Museum of Natural History (AMNH): AMNH houses over 34 million specimens and artifacts covering disciplines like anthropology, paelontology, zoology, and astronomy. Check out the dinosaur halls, the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life, the Hall of African Mammals, and the Hall of Biodiversity. 
2. Madame Tussauds NY: The World’s Greatest Wax Museum has five floors of interactive experiences with wax figures of celebrities and other notable personalities. You can take a behind-the-scenes tour or check out one of the exhibition areas like Seasons of NYC, MARVEL Hall of Heros, Icons of Horror, and more.
3. Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: The Statue of Liberty symbolizes freedom, democracy, and opportunity, representing the ideals the U.S. was founded on. Ellis Island was the primary immigration station in the U.S. from 1892 to 1954, where millions of immigrants passed on their journey to a new life in America. Together, they represent the promise of America and the immigrant experience. Both islands offer a Junior Ranger Program for kids ages 7-12, walking tours, and films.
4. Museum of Ice Cream: Enjoy unlimited ice cream treats crafted to celebrate local culture. Explore immersive rooms and interactive playscapes (like the sprinkle pool) and try one-of-a-kind desserts (like the ice cream hotdog). 
5. National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath): MoMath is the only U.S. museum dedicated to mathematics. It invites visitors to explore mathematical concepts with hands-on, interactive exhibits and offers workshops, lectures, and events.