I’ve had a love affair with New York City ever since movies like Miracle on 34th Street, Ghostbusters, An Affair to Remember, You’ve Got Mail (seriously….Nora Ephron is my fave), Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Home Alone 2….all with NYC as a major character in their movies. When the opportunity to travel to NYC came up for us, it was a no-brainer that we MUST go!!!

The sights, sounds, people, hustle and bustle….it just seems so alive and I’ve always wanted to visit.

Last year, I met Kevin there for a business trip and we had an amazing time! It was all I thought it would be and more! After the first day, we both knew we had to bring our girls back as soon as possible.

And that we did. As I began to plan out our trip, I tried to choose several touristy things to see and do so that we were guaranteed the girls would learn something about the city. However, I also tried to leave large windows of time open for us to explore on a whim. Maybe they’d like a certain part of the city better than others. It might rain (of course it did). We tend to get a little grumpy when we are rushed…so the “unplanned” time was great for built in flexibility.

I’ll never forget heading into the airport when we lived in Hawaii as we  were about to head home to the east coast for a visit. Grace breathed in a very deep breath and said, “I LOVE the smell of airports! It smells like ADVENTURE!!” Her little eyes were all lit up and her traveling status was elevated to pro in that very moment! Flights were booked, itinerary was confirmed…next, the dreaded task of packing….with teenagers. Ugh.

Now traveling with three teenage girls is not for the faint of heart. Think about the hair tools alone!*!^! I decided we were traveling light. Whatever they could fit in their Vera Bradley duffel bags and a backpack were all that were going. You take it, you carry it. This cut down on excessive overpacking. Whew!

The travel went off without a hitch and the girls even “earned” some wings…thanks Delta!!  🙂

NYC captured the girls hearts, as I knew it would.  We did some AMAZING things and I’m so thankful we had some unplanned time for exploring without a schedule. Here are a few of the highlights:

• We took a tour from On-Location tours. It was a TV and Movie sightseeing tour. Our tour guide Scott was amazing!! Definitely worth the money because it gave tons of info about sites in the city that we would never know or be able to find.
• Wicked and School of Rock were AMMAAAZZIINNGGGGG!!! I think anything on Broadway is probably fabulous….but seeing a Broadway play is truly a must-do when visiting NYC
• Lunch at the Plaza was so fun! There is a food court downstairs that anyone can eat at even if you aren’t guests at the hotel. Imagine a fancy schmancy food court…like crazy pretty and amazing food! We had savory crepes, sushi, thai noodle bowls and overpriced waters. But so fun to walk through the famous Plaza hotel and be able to eat there.
• If it rains, the Natural History is a MUST! The kids loved it, we loved it, and we were dry. Great artifacts, beautiful displays, and tons of dinosaurs!!
• Dylan’s Candy Store and Serendipity’s Frozen Hot Chocolate are to die for!! We actually had dinner at Serendipity and of course the FHC dessert….then continued the sugar rush a few doors down by grabbing a few treats at Dylan’s. I’d suggest making a reservation at Serendipity’s. Super easy!
• We visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. It was heart wrenching, but we felt it was so important for the girls to see. Being a military family, so much of the world as we know it has been shaped by this national tragedy. Grace was almost 3 when the towers fell and they’ve heard the stories of how we were living overseas at the time. To be at ground zero and to see the heroes and how our nation rose from the ashes….it was important. We often times want to shield our children from sadness and heartache, but they are inheriting this world and they need to know the realities of the world around them so they can help make it a better place.
• If there is a festival in town try to stop by. Little Italy was having a large festival and we had a blast seeing the sights and eating great food!!! Our lunch was a true feast! After lunch, we grabbed cannolis from a street vendor. So fun!
• On our last morning in the city, we did a mini photo shoot for the girls. It was a great way to capture a little bit of the city for each of the girls. Even if you aren’t a professional photographer, it’s great to take your phone or camera out and have the kids get dressed up and do a little mini shoot, especially if you can get some iconic places in your background…like Radio City!!! Sweet!!!

Other quick tips:
• teach your kiddos how to ride the subway and navigate a large city, it’s an important life skill, especially if your little coastal town only has four stoplights.
• don’t eat at chain restaurants. Ask the locals for great spots….you’ll never go wrong!
• be flexible when traveling with children. The kids were tired and it was rainy on the day that we were going to see the Statue of Liberty. The girls said they saw it when we were flying in and we’d put it on our list for next time. Instead of arguing with teenagers about why we SHOULD go, I chalked it up to valuing their opinions and learning to not always having to be the boss.

NYC once again stole my heart!! I think the girls fell in love too because I heard Emma say to Madelyn “I miss New York”. We are so thankful we had the opportunity to visit the “city that never sleeps” and I have a feeling we’ll be back again soon!

Blessings,
Corry
Ready for takeoff!
There she is….NYC is all it’s glory!



Dinner our first night.  A great Japanese restaurant right around the corner from our hotel.
The Stardust is a must-see!  The waitstaff all sing….SO FUN!!
The Plaza Hotel
There was a bombing the night we arrived.  Many streets were shut down throughout the city that week.  It was a little scary, but we weren’t going to let it stop our fun.  We were just extra cautious while out and about.
Washington Square
Us at the Washington Square Arch with the Empire State Building in the background
The building with the black netting will be the home of the American Wizarding School in the new Harry Potter movie coming out next year.
Ghostbusters fire station
Lots of celebrities live in the Chelsea neighborhoods.
The Friends building
We had a yummy lunch at a gourmet burger joint….YUMMO!!
Getting ready for Wicked

There are no words!! It was soooooo AWESOME!!!!
Loved walking back from Broadway….the city is so beautiful at night!
St.Patrick’s Cathedral
On our rainy day we headed to the Museum


Strolled back through Central Park….it’s gorgeous

Lunch at the Plaza

Dinner at Serendipity….lived up to all expectations!
Stopped in for sweets at Dylan’s Candy Store!
Hit an awesome record store and of course Emma found a great new makeup pallette!
Learning to ride the subway
There are no words to describe the 9/11 Memorial……


Kevin trying to explain the Why’s


Another awesome show!!!!  School of Rock….FABULOUS!!!!


So blessed to squeeze in a photo shoot before we headed home!!  Love our girlies!!!