I was born and raised in New York. However, whenever we go back to visit family, it is to spend time with each other, and we never go sight-seeing. My kids have been to New York dozens of times, but had never seen the city. As a matter of fact, due to several restoration projects in my youth, I had never even been to the Statue of Liberty. My sister once gave me a set of Christmas ornaments comprised of 24 different world landmarks. The Statue of Liberty was the only one I hadn't actually been to. I remember once we were on our way to the Statue on a school field trip, when due to an emergency we had to turnaround. It had become my white whale.
Therefore, when my niece invited our family to her wedding last summer (which due to covid became this summer), we jumped at the chance to plan a whole sight-seeing trip out of it, and of course the Statue of Liberty was at the top of our itinerary.
Of course as this summer got closer, we started to rethink if we could actually still attend the wedding, bring the kids along, or execute on our plan to take a bite out of the Big Apple. As luck would have it, whether the Statue of Liberty would be open or not became questionable. We were certain of one thing, we would not be willing to use the subway system with my non-vaccinated eleven year old. How would be get around? How would we avoid crowds?
I hadn't been back to NYC in quite some time, so the idea of biking around seemed unimaginable to me. We bike around Chicago, sure, but we have the lakefront, green ways, and ample bike lanes. A quick online search and we discovered Citi Bike. We decided to move forward with our plan, and we quickly learned that not only was biking a great solution to the challenges covid presented, but it is now my opinion, that it is the only way to see NYC!
Arrival
We arrived at LaGuardia airport. Side note: LaGuardia used to be the ugly duckling of the NYC airports. It has been under construction, and continues to be, for as long as I can remember. No one ever wanted to fly in and out of LaGuardia, but you did so out of necessity. However, the years of renovations have finally paid off. It is an absolutely beautiful airport. My daughter and I had actually flown through LaGuardia in the spring, and she insisted we land there again. Despite more convenient options, I gave in to her request, because it really is impressive. I have traveled a lot, but I have never, EVER, flown through a particular airport out of aesthetic preference, but it is on par with international airports such as Hong Kong and Singapore. We dragged my husband and son over to watch the musical, water fountain, projection shows, before we grabbed an Uber. So here is the ironic thing, we took our Uber to JFK airport (which we could have more conveniently flown into), because we booked one night at the TWA Hotel.
Hotel
My son has a very specific obsession with airplanes. He loves commercial airliners. He has little interest in fighter jets or small, single-engine, aircraft, (though he did get to taxi one once, which was really cool.) The Blue Angels do nothing for him, but give him a glimpse of an Emirates A380, and he couldn't be happier.
We booked a runway view at the TWA Hotel. Funny that I had only heard of this place in a random Facebook post, in 2019, and never again, but I kept it on the radar and I knew it would be perfect for my son. For the airplane aficionado it is really cool. The careful restoration of Eero Saarinen's landmark 1962 former TWA terminal now serves as a 512-soundproof room hotel. You honestly feel like you are in a fully operating airport terminal, if only, airport terminals provided beds while you waited for your delayed flights, a roller rink, or a rooftop swimming pool and bar! As fun as the novelty of the hotel is, it would have meant nothing to my son if he didn't see major airplanes on the runway. We were happy to learn the hotel is situated right off an international runway. Therefore, we saw planes from all over the world take-off and land. There were even airlines we'd never heard of before. The elusive Emirates A380 parked right outside our window after landing and we watched it take-off the next morning as well. This was the cherry on top.
If you have someone who is crazy for airplanes, or you need somewhere to stay during a layover, etc. this is definitely a fun place to stay. Do note, that much of the decor is authentic vintage and thus not without noticeable wear and tear, though while we were there they were under-going a major project to polish the floors and replace the carpets.
 |  |
 |  |
We spent only one night at the TWA Hotel before taking another uber into downtown Manhattan. We arrived early at the Four Points by Sheraton New York Downtown. It was not the spectacle the TWA Hotel was, but it was very affordable, clean, in a great location, and the customer service was excellent. Though we arrived early they checked us into our room right away.
We immediately went to get some bikes.
Biking
There are a few different bike rental companies in NYC where you can rent by the hour or day, and they offer all sorts of bike types, including kids bikes or trailers. We didn't want to be limited to an area or specific time frame, so we decided to go with Citi Bike. Citi Bike is a bike share system similar to Divvy. You can purchase a pass for either a single ride, a full day, multiple days, or even monthly/annual passes. You check in at a docking station with either the app or a credit card and check out your bike. Note, while seats are easily adjustable, all bikes are the same size, so these are not for young kids. They are easy to operate, with shifting gears, lights, reflectors, bells, and baskets. They even offer electric bikes. If you want to check-out a bike for a single ride, you can only use one bike per credit card. Therefore, I recommend families get day passes, so one person can check-out up to four bikes at a time. Once you check-out a bike, you have 30 minutes to ride until you return it to the next docking station. If you have not reached your destination in 30 minutes, still stop at a docking station and either switch bikes or just check-in and check-out the same bike again. It is very simple.
We purchased day passes (24 hours) for $15/day (fyi - there are discounts for Citibank members, SNAP recipients, YMCA members etc.) Things to think about when biking NYC:
- There are no helmets, so you might want to bring your own. Though NYC does not require helmets under the age of 12, it is recommended.
- Not all bikes are equal. Some bikes are easier to ride than others, so feel free to switch your bike at the next docking station.
- PLAN OUT YOUR TRIP! Though Citi Bike has been in NYC since 2013, the docking stations don't seem to be as abundant as Divvy is in Chicago. Know where your docking stations are, and how long it will take to get between them. Between the app and google maps, this is easy to do.
- If you get to a docking station to make a return and it is full, check-in, and you will get another 15 minutes to find the next dock.
- People do not yell out "On your left" when passing in NYC. Since I tend to be the caboose of our family biking train, I would yell it out for the kids who are so used to hearing that on Chicago paths.
- We wiped down all the bikes with sanitizer as we docked and un-docked.
- While NYC bike paths seemed to be even flatter than Chicago, Central Park is full of steep hills, and no docking stations within the park, so plan accordingly.
- Hot days are a little cooler on bicycle.
We had an absolute blast biking around NYC, day and night! In the last decade, NYC has developed over 1,200 miles of bike lanes. The Empire State Trail was completed in December 2020. It includes 750 miles of multi-use trail from NYC to Canada. It starts with the Hudson River Greenway, which became the main artery of our entire trip. The Hudson River Greenway is an incredibly flat, smooth, and relatively spacious path running parallel to the Hudson River. We rode this path up and down from Battery Park through Midtown, passing by Chelsea Pier, The Intrepid, and marveling at all the amazing architecture, that may have taken all my years in Chicago to learn to appreciate. Off the trail, we had to navigate our way through the interior of the island via numerous protected bike lanes. Sixth Avenue was a favorite, which we even rode at night back down the island through Greenwich Village.
 |  |
New York City Sights
So what did we see via all this bike riding? On our first day, we visited Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, FAO Schwartz, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and Central Park all the way up to Harlem. We saw all the iconic buildings along the way including, the building from Ghostbusters, The Dakota, and the building from Disney's Jessie, which was a real highlight for the kids.
On our second day, we walked over to Battery Park and got on our reserved ferry to Liberty and Ellis Islands. On a hot summer day, the cool breezes on the ferry and the islands were so refreshing! Though, due to covid, we would not be allowed in the crown of the Statue of Liberty, we were able to book a pedestal tour, and after climbing the 200+ steps into the pedestal, I was quite satisfied to not climb further. We spent half a day on our tour and it was worth the wait. The story of the statue's construction was so intriguing. In all this time, I never realized the statue was hollow, nor how thin its copper shell is. An audio tour is provided to take you around both islands. The views of Manhattan from these vantage points are not to be missed!
 |
When we returned to Battery Park we walked around the Financial District/Wall Street.
On our third day, we were back on bikes! This time we started off with a visit to Little Island. Little Island is a park built on stilts just off the shore of the Hudson River. It was built on top of the remains of old piers after Hurricane Sandy. It is so unique and very pretty. It is a genuine oasis in the city. There is an amphitheater that opens up to the Hudson River. There are events daily, ranging from dance performances to concerts, artist series, and storytimes. Most programming is free and family friendly. *Note, you do need to reserve your time to visit unless you visit before noon on a weekday, in which case no reservation is required.
After a little morning picnic on Little Island, we biked over to The Empire State Building for our scheduled entry. We debated on which of the various observation decks in the city we would go to. We considered The Edge at Hudson Yards as it is the highest, outdoor, skydeck in the Western Hemisphere and was less expensive that The Empire State Building. We also considered One World Observatory, on top of the Freedom Tower, which is now the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and also less expensive than The Empire State Building. Ultimately we chose the iconic Empire State Building. We found slightly discounted tickets on Groupon, and decided to only go to the outdoor, observation deck on the 86th floor, and not pay an additional $30 to go to the higher, but indoor observation deck, on the 102nd floor. All-in-all, we were very happy with our choices! The Empire State Building now includes a really fun, interactive, museum prior to boarding the elevators to the observation decks. The Willis Tower now has something similar, by the way. We also enjoyed using the free viewfinders on the observation deck. And again, on a hot summer day, the cross breezes on the deck were a nice relief.
 |
After The Empire State Building, we walked to Herald Square to check-out new bikes. Then, we biked up to Bryant Park (which btw hosts weekly, movies in the park), and picked up family picnic materials. We continued biking up to Central Park, but docked our bikes and continued on foot to explore the park more thoroughly. We decided to have our picnic lunch at the Bethesda Fountain. Here we were entertained by film-makers, a group making a music video, and brides trying to get their wedding photos taken in between takes. After eating, we explored the Bethesda Terrace, and the beautiful, Bethesda Terrace Arcade, before swinging by the Bow Bridge, and exiting the park.
 |
We picked up bikes again and rode to, the last item on my daughter's bucket list, Lincoln Center. To add even more to the beautiful performance center, this summer, The GREEN, Mimi Lien's participatory public art installation was featured. A great place to lounge, read, a book, or let the kids run around and play. On the outdoor stage, we were lucky enough to catch an Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Rehearsal. They were offering free dance workshops to kids throughout the week as well.
 |
As we biked back for dinner in Greenwich Village, we stopped to walk the length of The High Line. "The High Line is a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. Saved from demolition by neighborhood residents and the City of New York, the High Line opened in 2009 as a hybrid public space where visitors experience nature, art, and design." The High Line is similar to Chicago's 606, however it is narrower and you cannot bike on it. It is 1.54 miles long and stretched from midtown to the cobble-stoned streets of the meat packing district. There are food and drink vendors including an open air wine bar and beer garden. Currently, there is open access on weekdays, however, you do need to reserve a timed entry on the weekends.
On our final day in the city, we visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. To be honest, we didn't want to end our trip on such a sad note, but the museum isn't open on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. What can I say about the memorial and museum? It is an emotional experience. It is also super strange to notice that you are among other adults who weren't actually alive when it happened. Lastly, it took us nearly four hours to get through it. My son was very insistent on reading everything.
 |
After the museum, we had a small lunch and went back to our hotel to decompress. After our break, we walked over The Brooklyn Bridge, contemplated its design and took in yet more unique views of the city skyline. Afterwards, we walked to The South Street Seaport for cocktails at, a luxurious outdoor lounge, at Cobble & Co. "Much like the Financial District after 9/11, the South Street Seaport has made a triumphant return and restored itself in a spectacular way following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. There is new life and a fresh energy in the area as it grows to be even greater than it was in the past." Pier 17 boasts a rooftop that is home to concerts, free outdoor movies, and The Greens - a mini lawn dining experience (reservations required for all.)
 |
After dinner at a small noodle shop, we walked over to Trinity Church, to visit the graves of Alexander Hamilton, Elizabeth and Angelica Schuyler, and Philip Hamilton, and to reenact scenes from National Treasure. The next morning, we rode the Long Island Railroad to attend my niece's wedding.
Food
I chose not to mention where we ate along the way, as it deserves it's own section. As you may have guessed, eating out in NYC is expensive! However, there are also some cheaper options that are also "must dos" on the NYC visit list.
We started each day with bagels. New York bagels can't be beat and the kids were quickly indoctrinated. To avoid being overcharged, try finding a place that isn't dedicated to bagels. For instance, we got bagels at a pizza shop, and they were just as good, but half the price of the "bagel shop" near the hotel.
Personal preference: "Not toasted with butter."
Hot dogs carts can be found at almost every corner. Try and steer away from those near tourist attractions.
Personal preference: "Nathan's", and while you may not make it to Coney Island, you can find Nathan's hot dog carts throughout the city.
A hot pretzel must be had at some point, and of course, pizza by the slice can stand in for any meal.
Personal preference: "Cheese, no toppings", and for the love of God - fold your slice! Joe's Pizza is tried and true.
Eating in Little Italy is also a must. Plenty of restaurants to chose from, so take your time walking around. We reserved outdoor seating at Rubirosa Ristorante, because indoor wasn't an option for us. The menu was relatively affordable and the food was delicious! We walked around the neighborhood some more after dinner and landed at Ferrara's for gelato and cannoli for dessert.
 |
One night we had dinner at Max Brenner's. We first discovered Max Brenner's, in Tel Aviv, a decade ago. It is a chocolate company, and thus the restaurant's menu reflects that. Beyond the standard menu of pizzas & pastas, burgers & sandwiches, etc., it has ridiculous, decadent, desserts! Smore Pizza is a family favorite, as is the Chocolate Mess. They have great cocktails, including, of course, a chocolate martini, large portion sizes (for sharing), and a kids menu.
On another night we were craving noodles, so we went to an inexpensive noodle shop, in the Financial District, called Old Xian. They do not have outdoor seating, but the bar next door lets Old Xian's customers sit in their beer garden even though there is a sign that says, "no outside food allowed."
Thanks to the pandemic, many restaurants have created innovative outdoor dining spaces. Because of this we were able to eat at The White House Tavern, the second oldest pub in NYC. The outdoor space was so charming, we did not mind ordering over-priced burgers. *But note you aren't able to share plates either.
After dinner, we biked down to Washington Square Park in search of a final gelato. We stumbled upon Amorino. Amorino presents exotic gelato flavors shaped into artful roses. How could we resist? I even had an aperol spritz cone containing a slight amount of alcohol.
 |  |  |
Our whole trip couldn't have gone better. We had great people interactions, and saw all that we wanted to see, and everything in between. Perhaps, its because we traveled on bikes, perhaps its because we haven't traveled anywhere in so long, or perhaps it was just because it was NYC, but it felt like an adventure overseas. If you think a trip to NYC is not doable, either with a family, or during covid, think again. In fact, now is a great time to go to avoid crowds, and I highly recommend biking.
Final tips/things to know:
- Book all tourist attractions for the earliest time possible. Crowds are smaller at opening.
- Current covid restrictions require that all persons eating indoors show proof of vaccination. Non-vaccinated, including those under 12 must eat outdoors.
- While, NYC restaurants were allowed to add a surcharge due to covid restrictions and limited capacity, the surcharge allowance was lifted on August 17th, so make sure no one tries to charge you.
