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NYC Family Trip

March 23–28, 2026
Jason, Ashley, Emeline & Griffin

Confirmed Reservations

FAO Schwarz — Jellycat Diner
Midtown (5th Ave)
Tue 3/24 · 6 PM
Fordham University Tour
Lincoln Center Campus
Wed 3/25 · 11:30 AM
Hadestown
Walter Kerr Theatre · Row F
Wed 3/25 · 7:30 PM
Freemans
Lower East Side
Thu 3/26 · 6:30 PM

Day 1 — Monday

Arrival Day — Times Square at Night
Evening
Arrive Newark (EWR)
4:38 PM
Alaska 356 from Seattle
Transit to Manhattan
📍
NJ Transit to Penn Station (~$15/person, 55 min) or rideshare (~$60–80, 45–60 min)
Check in & freshen up
Dinner: Sugar Shack, Junior's, or Carmine's
Must-Do Pick one near Times Square. Sugar Shack · Junior's · Carmine's. All great first-night options.
Times Square night walk
📍
See the lights, soak it in. Best experienced at night.
Tip: You'll be tired from travel. Keep it light — a good dinner, the lights, and an early bedtime sets you up for a big Day 2.

Day 2 — Tuesday

Uptown + Midtown — Park, Museum, Summit & FAO Schwarz
Morning — Central Park & Uptown
Central Park
📍
Must-Do Bethesda Fountain, Bow Bridge, bike rental option
Ralph's Coffee
📍
Aesthetic coffee stop, great for photos
Museum Pick (choose one)
High The Met (arms & armor, Temple of Dendur) · MoMA (modern/contemporary, 53rd St) · Guggenheim (Frank Lloyd Wright spiral). Pick one, allow 1.5–2 hrs.
Afternoon — Midtown Sightseeing
Grand Central Terminal
📍
High Beaux-Arts hall, whispering gallery
New York Public Library
📍
42nd & 5th — one block from Grand Central. Rose Reading Room, Ghostbusters filming location. Free.
Summit One Vanderbilt
📍
Must-Do Immersive mirrored observation deck. Book timed tickets in advance!
Walk north on 5th Ave
📍
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Saks Fifth Avenue, Rockefeller Center
Evening — FAO Schwarz ⭐
FAO Schwarz — Jellycat Diner
📍
6:00 PM
Confirmed VIP Personal Shopper experience
Dinner near Midtown
📍
Angelo's Pizza or explore around Rockefeller Center
Tip: 9/11 Memorial is closed Tuesdays — saved for Thursday. Book Summit One Vanderbilt online in advance.

Day 3 — Wednesday

Ellen's Stardust, Fordham Tour, High Line, West Village & Hadestown
Morning — Brunch & Fordham Tour
Ellen's Stardust Diner
📍
Must-Do 1650 Broadway. Singing waitstaff performing Broadway numbers! No reservations — arrive by 9:30–10 AM.
Fordham University — Lincoln Center
📍
11:30 AM
Scheduled Griffin's college visit. W 60th St at Columbus Ave.
Afternoon — High Line + West Village + SoHo
Subway to 14th St (west side)
1 train from 59th St–Columbus Circle
The High Line (walk southbound)
📍
Must-Do Enter at 16th St, walk south to Gansevoort St exit. Art and city views. Exiting south drops you right into the Village.
Pizza pick: Joe's or John's of Bleecker
Must-Do Joe's Pizza — classic slice, Carmine St, cash only. John's of Bleecker St — coal-fired whole pies since 1929. Pick one (or split a slice at each).
West Village Brownstones stroll
📍
High Boutiques, cafés, picture-perfect streets
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
📍
High Black cherry chip!
Washington Square Park
📍
People watching, performers, the arch
SoHo Shopping
📍
Must-Do Glossier, streetwear, galleries. Take your time!
Evening — Chelsea Market Dinner + Hadestown ⭐
Chelsea Market for early dinner
📍
Must-Do 15th & 9th Ave. Food hall: tacos, lobster, doughnuts. ~1 mi from SoHo or one subway stop. Eat early-ish before the show.
Subway to Times Square
Quick ride up from Chelsea
Hadestown
📍
7:30 PM
Confirmed Walter Kerr Theatre, 219 W 48th St. Row F, Seats 111–114
Tip: Ellen's Stardust is first-come, first-served — arrive by 9:30–10 AM. After the Fordham tour, take the 1 train to 14th for the High Line. Walk southbound so you exit at Gansevoort, right next to the Village. Chelsea Market is about a mile north — walk back or subway one stop.

Day 4 — Thursday

Downtown Day — 9/11, Staten Island Ferry, Katz's & Freemans
Morning — 9/11 Memorial
Quick bagel breakfast
Ess-a-Bagel, hotel breakfast, or grab-and-go near the hotel
Subway downtown to Fulton St
Get there early to beat the crowds
9/11 Memorial & Museum
📍
Must-Do Allow 2–3 hours. Powerful and moving. Book timed-entry tickets in advance.
Early Afternoon — Katz's + Staten Island Ferry
Subway to Lower East Side
Katz's Delicatessen
📍
Must-Do Opens 8 AM, but best as lunch. Legendary pastrami since 1888. Keep your ticket stub!
Subway to Whitehall Terminal
From LES, take the subway south
Staten Island Ferry
📍
High FREE round trip. Statue of Liberty views. ~50 min round trip.
Afternoon — LES Exploring
Subway back to Lower East Side
Vintage thrifting on Orchard St
📍
High Re-Shop and other vintage stores
Tenement Museum (optional if time allows)
📍
Guided tours of immigrant life. Book timed tickets in advance if interested.
Explore LES / Chinatown stroll
📍
Canal Street browsing, Nom Wah Tea Parlor option
Evening — Freemans ⭐
Freemans
📍
6:30 PM
Confirmed Hidden alley entrance off Rivington St. Speakeasy vibe.
Evening stroll or dessert
Walk the Bowery or find a sweet spot nearby
Tip: Get to the 9/11 Museum early to beat crowds — book timed-entry tickets online. After the memorial, subway up to Katz's for lunch (hit it around 1–2 PM to skip the worst of the line). Then subway south to Whitehall for the ferry round trip. After the ferry, head back to the LES for thrifting and exploring before Freemans at 6:30.

Day 5 — Friday

Russ & Daughters, Brooklyn Bridge, DUMBO & Farewell Dinner
Morning — LES Brunch + Brooklyn
Russ & Daughters
📍
High Bagels, lox, smoked fish since 1914. The classic LES brunch.
Subway to City Hall
📍
~1.5 miles from Russ & Daughters — grab the subway to save your legs for the bridge
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
📍
Must-Do Start at City Hall, walk to DUMBO. ~30 min. Skyline views.
Afternoon — DUMBO & Brooklyn
DUMBO Waterfront
📍
High Manhattan Bridge photo spot, Jane's Carousel, street art
Grimaldi's (or Juliana's)
High Coal-oven pizza under the bridge. Grimaldi's or Juliana's next door if the line is long — same original owner, often shorter wait.
Brooklyn waterfront stroll
📍
Coffee, ice cream, browse the shops
Subway back to Manhattan
F train from York St to 14th St–Union Sq
Evening — Strand Books + Farewell Dinner
Strand Bookstore
📍
High Broadway & 12th St. "18 miles of books." Iconic NYC stop, right on the way to Eataly. Quick browse or go deep.
Eataly Flatiron
📍
High 23rd & 5th, ~10 min walk from Strand. Gelato, Nutella bar, Italian food hall. Great last dinner.
Last night free time
Hotel, packing, or one more neighborhood walk
Tip: Subway from Houston St to City Hall — save your legs for the bridge walk. In DUMBO, if Grimaldi's has a long line, Juliana's next door is the move. The F train from York St to 14th St–Union Sq puts you right near Strand, and Eataly is a short walk north.

Day 6 — Saturday

Departure Day — Top of the Rock & Head Home
Morning — Top of the Rock & Last Bites
Grab breakfast
📍
Ess-a-Bagel, Blank St Coffee, or hotel breakfast
Top of the Rock
📍
High Observation deck at Rockefeller Center. Opens 9 AM. Stunning views of Central Park + Empire State Building.
Last-chance shopping
📍
5th Ave, Times Square, or revisit a favorite spot
Afternoon — Departure
Head to hotel, grab bags
Transit to Newark (EWR)
📍
Allow 60–90 min via NJ Transit or car service
Depart EWR → SEA
6:14 PM
Alaska 462 — Arrive Seattle 9:28 PM
Tip: Top of the Rock opens at 9 AM and is steps from midtown. Don't cut Newark transit time short — traffic is unpredictable.

Essential Logistics

Transit: Use OMNY — tap any contactless card or Apple/Google Pay. $3/ride, capped at $36/week.

Safety: Front pockets or zipped bags for phones/wallets, especially on the subway.

Pacing: 3–4 activities per day max. Let teens sleep in occasionally.

Flights: AS 356 SEA→EWR Mon 3/23 @ 4:38 PM · AS 462 EWR→SEA Sat 3/28 @ 6:14 PM