When planning a trip to New York City with your kids, it can be a tad overwhelming. There are so many iconic structures, memorials, and cultural experiences to explore. How do you narrow it down?
For me, it was important that, first and foremost, my children understood the deep-rooted history of New York City, in terms of the United States and our ancestral lineage. This is why I devoted our entire first day to Ellis and Liberty Island; if it weren’t for the people, NYC would be a space void of evidence that the American dream can come true. It was important to me that the children understood that many came to this island with nothing but the clothing on their backs, a dream, and hope. Then, to explore NYC on Day 2 and witness what transpired through perseverance, faith, patience, persistence, and passion.
Day one at Ellis and Liberty islands was a heavy, emotional, thought-evoking experience. We left off Day one on a cliffhanger not knowing what would become of the many immigrants that passed through Ellis Island and Day Two we will be seeing some of those dreams come to fruition even during economic hardships and the Great Depression, iconical structures that are still modern marvels thanks to Hollywood, we will explore Naturally Occurring Cultural Districts (NOCD), we will visit one of the most icon bridges that was made possible by a woman, and experience the turn of the century modern transit call the New York City Subway System. But first, we pray, give homage, grace, and prayers of gratitude to God; if it weren’t for his sacrifice and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, this trip would not have been made possible. So without further ado, here is our itinerary for Day 2 in New York City, specifically Manhattan Island.
Day 2 NYC Summary Schedule
| Time | Activity |
| 10:30–11:10 | Drive into NYC via the Tunnel |
| 11:10–11:30 | Walk to St. Patrick’s Cathedral |
| 11:45–1:00 | Daily Mass at St. Patrick’s (Mass starts at noon) |
| 1:15–2:30 | Rockefeller Center & Top of the Rock |
| 3:00–4:30 5:00-6:00 | Empire State Building (timed entry 3:45) Glossier Shop |
| 6:30–7:45 | Chinatown exploring + meal |
| 8:15–9:00 | Brooklyn Bridge walk (at sunset) |
| 9:30–10:15 | Subway + Back to Parking Garage |
Driving into the city was intimidating at first. But once you realize no rules apply, cars come from any direction, stop at any point, and people will do the same, you eventually get the hang of it. My best advice: stay near the bumper in front of you, relinquish your Midwest charm, don’t let a single car in, your horn is your friend, and assign jobs to passengers, have one keep an eye out for parking, another for pedestrians, etc.
We located a parking garage two blocks from the Cathedral and booked it for Mass. We quickly went through security and sat in a pew just in time for the gospel before the liturgy of the Eucharist. After Mass, we toured the Cathedral. We had ancestors who came over from Ireland, and our Catholic faith provides a strong connection to our heritage, so this experience was noteworthy.
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History
For many Irish New Yorkers, it is a vivid symbol of their presence, accomplishments, and history in and around New York City. The Cathedral was constructed between the years 1858 and 1879 and was formally opened as a house of worship on the Feast of St. Gregory in 1879 by Archbishop John McCloskey. It was officially dedicated as a cathedral in 1910 when the building became debt-free and all construction loans were paid in full as required by church policy. Click here to read more…
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Our next stop, Day 2 exploring NYC, is Rockefeller Center, located across the block from the Cathedral. I should note that I told my teenagers to dress comfortably for the weather and a lot of walking. It was a red alert day in NYC on a steamy July day, but each teen had their backpack with water, snacks, and lunch packed. Though I don’t think they realized that morning that we would be walking over 12 miles from and throughout midtown Manhattan to Lower Manhattan. Why? Why not drive, take a LIFT, Uber, or subway? Because the best way to see Manhattan is on foot. We managed to see so much more of Manhattan. To experience true acculturation, one cannot be beneath the city or drive through it; only on foot and in the city can one truly witness the architecture, cultural influences from one block to the next, and the overall NYC experience!
The Rockefeller Center was built from 1930 to 1939. It is a modern Art Deco building designed by architect Raymond Hood. A complex of 19 commercial buildings, 22 acres between 48th Street and 51st Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. What makes it famous? During the Great Depression, construction commenced and provided jobs to thousands of workers. The infamous photograph Lunch atop a skyscraper, which depicts steelworkers having lunch on a construction beam 850 feet up, was taken in 1932 by Charles Ebbets, Tom Kelley, and William Leftwich for a campaign to promote the skyscraper.
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At the “Top of the Rock,” you have the opportunity to be buckled into a beam, hoisted into the air, turned 108 degrees out onto the Manhattan skyline to take in the view, and then back toward the observation deck to recreate that epic photograph from 1932. I managed to get three out of four of my teenagers on board for the experience!
The Rockefeller, “Top of the Rock,” is an experience. Of the three skyscrapers we toured, this one, though it wasn’t the tallest, provided a cinematic, informative, and personal experience from the moment you enter the theater space to watch a brief movie on the history of The Rockefeller Center. Thus, if you only have time for one, recommend it be the Rockefeller!
Next stop, the Empire State Building! The Empire State Building is a 102-story, Art Deco-style supertall skyscraper built from 1930 to 1931. designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, and also included the architects Yasuo Matsui and Gregory Johnson. Its name is derived from “Empire State”, the nickname of New York State. It was the tallest building in the world for 40 years and has been a pop culture icon in Hollywood, making cameos in classic films such as An Affair to Remember, Sleepless in Seattle, King Kong, and more!
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I’ll be honest, this hopeless romantic is a huge Cary Grant fan, and I couldn’t wait to stand where he played the character Nicki Ferrante waiting in a storm until midnight on top of the Empire State building’s observation deck for Terry McKay, played by Deborah Kerr, in the Hollywood classic, An Affair to Remember. And then when he finds out why she wasn’t there, “Oh, it’s nobody’s fault but my own! I was looking up… it was the nearest thing to heaven! You were there…” Swoon!!!
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Our next stop was Glossier, but on the way, we had the pleasure of stopping at Madison Square Garden to rest, sip water, and have a quick snack while taking in the views.
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We also experienced the transition into SoHo, which stands for South of Houston Street (pronounced HOW-ston, not like the city in Texas), and it’s one of Manhattan’s most iconic neighborhoods. SoHo has the largest collection of cast-iron buildings in the world, with over 250 structures. The design styles include Greek Revival, Second Empire, Italianate, and more; it is beautiful.
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Glossier is a skincare, makeup, and fragrance company that emphasizes the importance of proper skincare first, then makeup. My eldest shopped while the rest of us found the “dad bench”, lol!
After Glossier, we headed to Chinatown for a much-deserved rest, relaxation, and dinner! Oh, and I forgot to add, I finally met my daughter’s best friend’s mom. I kid you not, there is something special about us Ohioans, even when we traveled to Australia, we could still yell “O-H” and it’s met with an “I-O”, lol! It turned out that she was planning their family’s trip to NYC for the same dates I was planning our trip. What a trip, lol, am I right?!
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We arrived at Joe’s Shanghai, famous for its soup dumplings! They were so good we ordered a second serving for the table! It was all delicious: the shrimp lo mein, eel, and pork. We highly recommend Joe’s Shanghai when you visit NYC. After our bellies were full, our feet rested, and we enjoyed the reprieve from the heat, we ventured off to our last stop, the Brooklyn Bridge.
First, we crossed the street from where we had dinner to see the Manhattan Bridge Triumphal Arch, built in 1910 by Carrere and Hastings, the same firm that constructed the Midtown New York Public Library in 1898, which we passed earlier in the day. It’s beautiful and highly detailed with various nautical and historical American themes.
Once upon a time, people in horse-driven carriages used the arch and marveled at its grandeur. Today, it sits tragically relegated as an exit ramp.
Next up, a short walk from Chinatown, the Brooklyn Bridge! I’ll be entirely transparent, after walking almost 12 miles that day, we slowly had teenagers dropping by the wayside. By the time we finally reached the first Anchorage, it was just my son and me. It was a breathtaking view at sunset. Having the opportunity to walk the bridge has always been on my bucket list, and having it come to fruition meant a lot. Fun fact about the Brooklyn Bridge: it was made possible by, and the first person to cross it was a woman.
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Brief history…
The Brooklyn Bridge designer was John A. Roebling, and in 1869, he died of tetanus after an accident at the bridge site. His son, Washington Roebling, then became the chief engineer of the bridge construction. He became bedridden after developing decompression sickness due to going to underwater depths and not taking precautions when coming back to the surface. So it was Washington’s wife, Emily Roebling, who took over the chief engineering duties, project management, and supervision. She would then report back to her husband the happenings of each day, and she was the only one able to see and communicate with her husband, who would be bedridden for the remainder of his life. She handled everything, including the competing engineers and politicians. At one point, Washington was almost removed as the chief engineer of the bridge. Emily lobbied for him, and after the bridge was completed in 1883, she was the first to cross it in a carriage carrying a rooster as a sign of victory. At the opening ceremony, Abram Stevens Hewitt stated that the bridge was…
“…an everlasting monument to the sacrificing devotion of a woman and of her capacity for that higher education from which she has been too long disbarred” -Abram Stevens Hewitt-
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My son and I made our way back to the rest of our party waiting at the entrance to the bridge. We grabbed fruit from street vendors, sat a moment, took in the epic multicultural experience, among the people, the aroma from the food vendors, and music; it was as if we were wrapped in a vibrant woven tapestry of ethnicities, races, and cultures.
While we sat, we planned our much-anticipated first trip and experience on the NYC subway system. Oh, and my youngest had a small allergic reaction to something we ate. Parents, if you don’t already, always pack Benadryl in case of an allergic reaction. After taking two Benadryls, drinking water, and slowing down her heart rate, she was fine, and we had a game plan for our first time on the subway. Mostly, we all agreed that we would dig down to our pinky toes and muster whatever patience we had left and be okay with enjoying the experience should we happen to get on the wrong line.
Transit Planning
Three Applications that are helpful:
Citymapper– just type in where you are and where you want to go, and it will provide the lines you need to use to get there. Provides real-time updates.
Moovit– similar to Citymapper, it provides transit planning
Transit– provides car-free routing via bus, rail, bike, and walking
Parking Tips
Additionally, here are a few helpful tips when parking at a parking garage in NYC:
Avoid prime time entry. Get early bird rates if you enter before 9/10 a.m. and stay until 6 pm. Always double-check signage and confirm prices with the attendant. Also, confirm the size of your vehicle. Use parking apps that have real-time information. Some parking apps even let you book in advance. Here are a few suggestions:
SpotHero -you can reserve parking at discounted rates (20–60% off typical garage prices).
BestParking -offers a map view of garages + prices + hours (helps find nearby cheaper options).
Icon -sometimes has exclusive coupons for its garages.
I am happy to say we successfully arrived at our destination and did not have to backtrack. I will once again be entirely transparent. We asked. We located the subway station. Two attendants were on the other side. We asked all our tourist questions, and they were extremely helpful in assisting us. Oh, one last tip: when entering the subway, you tap your CC, debit, or phone wallet, and you can only tap that card so many times. We were able to tap each card twice, so I was able to get in, and my youngest could enter. Thankfully, the older teens have their jobs, own cards, and phone wallets, so they could each use those to enter.
Day 2 in NYC was full of grace, gratitude, history, education, awe-inspiring moments, first-time experiences, epic views, and growth. We each left the city that night as someone different than who we were when we entered it. Thank you, Manhattan, and thank you to my awesome travelers for your patience and for making the experience an enjoyable, memorable one. It was very hot. We walked a significant amount. At times, I know we were all a bit hangry. I appreciate the respect you exuded for others and how you put the experience above any selfish pursuits or complaints.
Stay tuned for Day 3 in NYC!
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 