Posted by Last June we embarked on a two-week family vacation to NYC, Italy, and Greece. We have always talked about doing a family trip abroad and in some ways dreamed of the possibilities of the trip. Taking the kids overseas was not as intimidating as it could have been. Maddox is pretty laid back and a solid traveler (besides a bout with air sickness) and Kennedy did well with the only concern being would she eat.
We had a strategy though. We would start the trip with a two days’ stint in NYC, this way there was not a super long flight to start, we got to go to our favorite city, and we wanted the kids to experience some fun NYC stuff too.
We took the first flight out of Orlando and got to NY, dropped our bags off and headed to CITI Field for a Mets game. Maddox and I have always tried to visit new ballparks every summer and we track them on a list. Just a father/son thing that we both think is cool and we get to eat some amazing stadium food. J The Mets experience is top notch with great stadium food, fun ambiance, & a game we enjoyed thoroughly. Baseball games can be long and with the kids make sure you have a plan to teach them the game but explore the stadium. The kids had a lot of fun and may have had a quick nap during the 4 hour game.
We have been to New York several times but never had made it out to see Lady Liberty. The Stature of Liberty, a world-renowned art piece and a national monument is not a landmark that you want to miss. We wanted to take the kids and have this American experience on this trip before we embarked on the overseas part of our trip. Over the summer months, the tours and tickets sell out fast. Be sure you book your tickets early.
We booked our tickets online (which included the audio tour) and headed to Battery Park in Manhattan and boarded the ferry for Lady Liberty with both kids, their grandma, and their great aunt. I was slightly worried that the historical part of the adventure would bore the kids and our time would have to be cut short. They were not the case! The ferry ride alone was exciting and set the tone for our time on the island.
We arrived to the island, picked up our audio tour devices, and began to walk around exploring. Learning that in 1886 the Statue of Liberty was a gift from the people of France and is the American icon of freedom and democracy. Lady Liberty has been the site that represents hope for millions of immigrants as they came to America for a better life. With this history, I was surprised to see our 8-year-old completely engaged in the backstory. Our youngest was not that into it and enjoyed the sites but not much more.
We walked around the entire island taking several photos from different angles and could photograph the city as well. We grabbed a cup of coffee and some pastries and sat on the partisan style chairs scattered about. All in all it was a great family experience that we were able to cross off our bucket list.
Tips for when you visit:
- Tickets: the park has many different levels of tickets and different price points. You need to book in advance as the crown tickets sell out fast. Prices range from $12-$50. There are plenty of operations and specialty tour sites you can find to book your experience.
- There is plenty of security, you need to have photo IDs and you will go through security like at the airport. Plan accordingly.
- Wear comfortable shoes. There is a lot of walking even if you’re not hiking to the crown.
- We took a ferry from Battery Park. Which is super easy to take a train from Times Square to the park and hop on.
- Enjoy the Audio tour and talk to the park rangers. It was a lot of fun and we all gained more knowledge by just asking questions.
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