Luxury New York City Bucket List for Kids
Are you looking to upgrade to the best luxury experiences in New York City with kids?
No one says New York City is cheap.
Of course, there are ways to budget your time in NYC, but sometimes you just want to splurge.
We found the best of the best for kids in New York City who want a uniquely luxurious experience.
For those of you (like me) who are just dreaming of these luxury experiences for kids in New York City, I added smaller splurges and budget items for each event when possible.
Keep reading to find the best one-of-a-kind luxury experiences in New York City for kids as well as budget options for those experiences when you just can’t splurge.
Planning a Trip? Use Our Favorite Resources!
Accommodation- Booking.com
Travel Insurance- Cover-More
Tours and Excursions-Get Your Guide and Viator
Rental Car– Discover Cars
Arrive in NYC in style with a private limosine transfer from JFK.
Eloise at the Plaza
I couldn’t wait to take my little Eloise to high tea at the Plaza Hotel.
The tea itself was a splurge for me, but I am hoping that one day we can stay in the Eloise-themed hotel room.
Compared to many other luxury hotels with activities for kids in New York City, this is almost budget-worthy.
SPLURGE: Stay in the Eloise Suite at the Plaza Hotel
MINI SPLURGE: Eloise-themed high tea at Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel
BUDGET OPTION: Enjoy a drink at the Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel and visit the Eloise shop
FREE OPTION: Visit the lobby of the Plaza Hotel and take a picture with the Eloise portrait
Find more places to enjoy high tea in New York City.
American Girl Doll Hotel Stays
There are currently 4 hotels offering special American Girl Doll packages.
SPLURGE: Book the Pajama Sleepover Package at The Benjamin. It includes gifts for both children and their dolls, as well as milk-and-cookie turndown service and use of their Kidzzz Club amenities.
SPLURGE: Book the Family Getaway at The Langham. Their package includes a teepee with kids’ welcome amenities, a family movie with treats, and room service.
MINI SPLURGE: Book your child and their doll in for a spa day at the American Girl Store.
MINI SPLURGE/BUDGET: Enjoy a meal or just dessert at the American Girl Store.
Additional Luxury Hotels with Family Stay Packages
SPLURGE: The Peninsula offers both year-round family stay packages and holiday-specific stays.
SPLURGE: Check with The Carlyle for their current family stay package. Family packages are for their suites only.
SPLURGE: Mandarin Oriental has a family package that includes welcome gifts, a carriage ride, and a cookie decorating kit. If you are visiting during the holidays, they will transform your room with a decorated tree, wreaths, and stockings.
SPLURGE: Kids even have their own check-in area at the Ritz-Carlton. They receive welcome gifts and treats. Plenty of kid-friendly activities can be booked through the concierge.
MINI SPLURGE: Book a hotel room through Booking or TripAdvisor.
Another option with rates that vary is to spend a night at the TWA Hotel at JFK. You can even take a helicopter there from Manhattan and skip the traffic.
Surprise your kids with a billboard in Times Square! Your ad can show up every hour for 24 hours.
Sleep Over at a Museum or Zoo
Why get a hotel room when you can camp out in a museum?
Check sites for dates and age restrictions. Most of these experiences are for kids 5-6+
SPLURGE: Spend the night at the Museum of Natural History, on the Intrepid, or at the Bronx Zoo.
FREE: Join the lottery and try to win a spot to go camping with Urban Park Rangers.
Would you prefer a private tour of a musuem? Take a private 2-hour family tour at Metropolitan Museum of Art.
View the City From Above
SPLURGE: Take a helicopter ride. There are a bunch to choose from, like the Manhattan Sky Tour, Manhattan Highlights, and The Ultimate NYC Helicopter Tour
MINI SPLURGE: Visit the Top of the Rock, Empire State Building, One World Observatory, The Edge, or SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
BUDGET: For the price of a subway ride, take the tram to Roosevelt Island
FREE: Walk the Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn into Manhattan for beautiful city views, or enjoy the view from the High Line
Find out what to expect at Summit One Vanderbilt.
Have you thought about having a photo shoot while you are in New York City? Check out NYC Photo Journeys to get matched with a professional photographer. You can book a photo shoot or even a private tour + photo shoot throughout the day.
Use code MAKEMOREADVENTURES for $10 off.
Enjoy a Spa Day
Teenagers can join in at a regular spa, but New York City has luxury salons specifically for kids.
MINI SPLURGE: Allure Day Spa for manicures, pedicures, and even facials specifically for children. You can also host a kids’ party at Allure.
MINI SPLURGE: Dashing Diva has multiple locations throughout the city. Some of their locations, such as 72 West, have a “Little Diva” child-specific nail menu.
BUDGET: Find a nail salon with a midweek deal and take the kids. There are so many nail salons in NYC, which means one for every budget.
Enjoy a Zoo Encounter
SPLURGE: Go behind the scenes at the Bronx Zoo with a private tour
MINI SPLURGE: Meet one of your favorite animals at the Bronx Zoo
BUDGET: Get discount tickets to the Bronx Zoo on Wednesdays
Go On a Scavenger Hunt
SPLURGE: Book a private family art hunt at The MET
MINI SPLURGE: Join Watson Adventures for a family scavenger hunt
MINI SPLURGE: Go on a Mystery Picnic
FREE: Make your own scavenger hunt for the kids based on what you plan to see each day.
See a Show on Broadway
SPLURGE: Book a 2-night stay at Mandarin Oriental for their Broadway VIP experience. You get tickets to a show, a meet-and-greet with the cast, and merchandise.
MINI SPLURGE: See a show on Broadway. There is usually a wide variety of price points available.
MINI SPLURGE: Take a Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Broadway and Times Square.
BUDGET: See if the show that you want to see offers a lottery for cheap seats.
Lanie’s Tip: It is often cheaper to get tickets through the theater’s box office than tickets through the TKTS Booth, as they are discounted seats on more expensive tickets.
Watch a Ball Game
SPLURGE: Rent out a Luxury Suite or get courtside seats for the kids at Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, Madison Square Garden, or Barclays Center.
MINI SPLURGE: Find seats to any ball game that suits your budget, or take a behind-the-scenes tour.
MINI SPLURGE: Order Luxury Suite seats at a Brooklyn Cyclones minor league baseball game.
BUDGET: Get tickets to a Brooklyn Cyclones baseball game.
Go on a Picnic
SPLURGE: Luxury picnics are a new rage, and there are plenty of companies that will set up your picnic and provide the food. Perfect Picnic, Al Fresco Picnics, and Picnic & Peonies all provide luxury picnics for kids and families in New York City.
MINI SPLURGE: Go on a Mystery Picnic in Brooklyn, Queens, the East Village, Chelsea, Greenwich Village, or the Upper East Side. Solve clues to find out where to pick up your picnic supplies.
BUDGET: Find your own picnic supplies to meet your budget and head to a park for a picnic.
View The Dyker Heights Christmas Lights
SPLURGE: Take a private limousine tour. Get picked up from your hotel and driven to Dyker Heights in Brooklyn.
MINI SPLURGE: Take a bus tour of Dyker Heights to see the Christmas light displays. The bus picks up passengers in Manhattan and drives them to Dyker Heights for a 1-hour walking tour.
BUDGET: Take the subway to Dyker Heights and walk around on your own.
Find the best walking tours of the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights and Christmas Lights Tours in NYC. There are plenty of bucket-list option in New York City in December.
You May Also Like
- 100+ Things to Do in New York City with Kids
- Park Slope and Prospect Park with Kids
- Unique Off-the-Beaten-Path Tours in New York City
- Unique Things to Do in Brooklyn
- Family-Friendly Hotels in New York City
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