December in New York City with 8 Year Old

How long are you in town for?
What is your budget?

A carriage ride in Central Park is roughly $150 for two people. Well worth it. Just be prepared. You CAN make reservations and it will be cheaper.
http://www.centralpark.com/guide/activities/horse-drawn-c...

Rockefeller center - ice skate!!

Good Morning America - see if you can get IN the studio!
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/part-times-square-audience/stor...

When I went to try out for Who Wants to be a Millionaire, we stayed at the Waldorf. It's an older hotel and a nice, short walk from a subway station. If you eat breakfast there? Be prepared - our oatmeal and eggs with juice was $80.

IF you can't afford that? Stay in New Jersey and take the subway in.

Ellis Island....
Word Trade Center

We met up with people who live in NYC and we ate at some hotel that was "off the beaten path" and AWESOME!!

We also ate at the diner on Broadway - where the waiters and waitresses sing to you!
http://www.ellensstardustdiner.com/ It's a '50's theme and the food was GREAT!!!

Enjoy!

There is an overwhelming amount of everything in NYC so your best bet is to figure out what you like to do and what you'd love to see. Museums? Sports? Theater? Going to the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island? Taking in the view from the Empire State building? Ice skating in Rockefeller center after looking at the tree and all the lights? Sit down with your 8 yr old and put together a list of things after doing a little internet surfing. You can see what sports teams are playing and what plays you might be interested in and get tickets ahead of time.

One thing I will tell you is don't rent a car. Public transportation and walking are the way to go. Parking is wicked expensive and driving around the city is a hassle.

Definitely a Broadway show. My cousin just took his 8 year old daughter to Cats and she absolutely loved it. There are tons to choose from, but that might be a great choice for a young girl.

I love Central Park. It'll be cold in December, but it's so nice to walk around even when it's freezing (I've been there in February in the snow, but still enjoyed it). You can look for the Alice in Wonderland statue, the zoo, the carousel, the playground and more.

Go see the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. There is a huge American Girl store there too if she's into that.

Go ice skating, either at Rockefeller or in Central Park.

Read the book Eloise before you go, then visit the Plaza Hotel. You can have tea and see some of the Eloise themed decorations. Check out theplaza.com/eloise

Window shop on 5th Avenue.

Go to Serendipity for dessert and Magnolia Bakery for cupcakes (I prefer the original in Greenwich Village but there are others now)

Zabar's is a famous market/deli on the upper west side. If you like meat, cheese, and bread, it's worth checking out.

Have fun! Should be a great trip for you. Just realized you didn't say if you have a boy or a girl...when I first read it, I thought you said daughter. Anyway, most of these are great for a boy or girl...just maybe not American Girl and tea at the Plaza (unless he's into that). :D

There is so much here! Check tripadvisor.com for many specific suggestions, that website is good for city information.

Two notes: (1) it is COLD here now...in the 30's today and I doubt it will be warmer in December. (2) moving around in midtown Manhattan is difficult these days because of Trump protests around his midtown building (5th Ave near 55th St).

Seeing a show on Broadway is our favorite thing to do. So many great restaurants and hotels but where to go will be dictated by your budget. Have fun!

Broadway show for certain! On our mom/daughter trip (springtime) we did yours by having the ticket for the double decker bus. Get off and on when you want for visiting sites.

Carriage ride through Central Park!

Loved a couple of hole in the wall restaurants.

We stayed at the Waldorf Astoria and that was a huge treat. Loved it!

It depends on your budget, likes/dislikes and time.

We love New York. You will have a great time. I agree with Central Park. If you don't want to do the carriage ride, just walking there is fun. Lots of play areas. The zoo is there as well. We took our kids to see the Christmas tree at Rockefeller square. The We love New York. You will have a great time. I agree with Central Park. If you don't want to do the carriage ride, just walking there is fun. Lots of play areas. The zoo is there as well. We took our kids to see the Christmas tree at Rockefeller square. The Metropolitan Museum is fantastic. The Empire State Building is a neat experience and the ferry ride around Lady Liberty. Times Square has FAO Schwartz and to me is a fun area because of the shops and atmosphere. We were there in October and I took my daughter to see the Lion King on Broadway. It was INCREDIBLE.

For places to stay, I would check trip advisor. We stayed at a holiday inn off Times Square. It was fine, smaller than normal. I would also check out vacation rentals. You may be able to rent an apartment for less. I use www.vacationrentals.com.

You're going to have a wonderful time. New Yorkers are kind, helpful people. It's an incredible place. Uber, taxi, subways are your friend. The traffic there is crazy and being unfamiliar with the area makes it hard. Parking is crazy high and hard to find.

Dylan's Candy Shop is a fun stop. The Highline in Chelsea is a nice walk. Central Park really is the best for kids, climb the rocks, trails, etc. We love to eat in Chinatown. Wo Hop is our favorite.

Native New Yorker here. I have a 6 year old and a nearly one year old. I take both to the museums and sights. Try the staten island ferry for a cheap easy way to see the Statue of Liberty. Go to the museum of natural history for the dinosaurs. Eat a hot dog from a stand, go the the Central Park zoo and take in a broadway matinee. Just be sure that you prep them for the subway and the walking and the crowds. Dress your kid in a conspicuous hat or t shirt over their coat so they are easy to spot. Do no more than two things a day. Breakfast then an adventure, lunch and an afternoon adventure, dinner and bed at 9 otherwise you'll soon have a cranky kid. Also use a bathroom at every opportunity as they are hard to come by.

Mommypoppins and ny for $9.99 are good for kid friendly or off the beaten path ideas.

As for eats, we hit ethnic restaurants- curry, Mexican, Thai, Tibetan, Ethiopian etc. any place that's got full tables and doesn't have an out of town crowd. Generally makes for better eating.

Enjoy NYC it's a great place to be.

My son is 8 too. There is a booth in Times Square that sells cheap tickets for Broadway shows. My son wants to see Aladdin. The Museum of Natural History is cool, especially since December in NY could be very cold! Chinatown and Little Italy are fun, lots of good places to eat. Mulberry street is famous. In December the area around Rockafeller center is decorated really nicely and FAO Schwartz is right there.

You've already received tons of help, but wanted to second Serendipity! It's a fun, quirky restaurant with the COOLEST atmosphere. Your 8 year old and you MUST get the frozen hot chocolate. Have fun!