NYC in April

[Colleen27]

My 13yo and I are headed to NYC in mid-April, and since the DIS is an unfailing treasure trove of travel advice no matter where I'm headed, I figured the trip needed a thread asking the usual questions. Restaurant recommendations, must-see places, spots to avoid, whatever helpful info you have. I was DD's age the last time I was in NYC on a band trip, so I'm basically as much a first-timer as she is. We'll only be there 4 nights/5 days so I know we won't have time to see it all, but I'd like to hit a few of the tourist highlights and do some shopping (books and thrift/vintage clothes), and we adore good food. Especially good creative and/or ethnic food that we can't get at home. DD is into theatre, history, and art, in roughly that order of priority.

The main point of the trip is Broadway, though I haven't decided what we'll be seeing yet... or rather, I had but am rethinking it because both the shows I had in mind are going to be here in Detroit in the upcoming season and I'd like to see something we wouldn't otherwise have a chance to catch. We have seen Hairspray and Hamilton already this year, and will be seeing Ain't Too Proud, Mean Girls, Dear Evan Hansen and Come From Away over the remainder of DD13's season subscription. Beetlejuice and Jagged Little Pill are the two I'd thought to see that we could see locally next winter instead if we decide to catch something else in NYC.

 

[mjkacmom]

My daughters love NYC. High line park is a must (and the vessel), stopping for a bite at chelsea market. For history, book tickets for the tenement museum and the SOL/Ellis island (get at least a pedestal ticket). I loved the 911 museum/memorial and the observatory. Central Park (cute zoo) and museum of natural history could be a day. Then you have the Bronx zoo/botanical gardens are great too.

 

[ashley0139]

My 13yo and I are headed to NYC in mid-April, and since the DIS is an unfailing treasure trove of travel advice no matter where I'm headed, I figured the trip needed a thread asking the usual questions. Restaurant recommendations, must-see places, spots to avoid, whatever helpful info you have. I was DD's age the last time I was in NYC on a band trip, so I'm basically as much a first-timer as she is. We'll only be there 4 nights/5 days so I know we won't have time to see it all, but I'd like to hit a few of the tourist highlights and do some shopping (books and thrift/vintage clothes), and we adore good food. Especially good creative and/or ethnic food that we can't get at home. DD is into theatre, history, and art, in roughly that order of priority.

The main point of the trip is Broadway, though I haven't decided what we'll be seeing yet... or rather, I had but am rethinking it because both the shows I had in mind are going to be here in Detroit in the upcoming season and I'd like to see something we wouldn't otherwise have a chance to catch. We have seen Hairspray and Hamilton already this year, and will be seeing Ain't Too Proud, Mean Girls, Dear Evan Hansen and Come From Away over the remainder of DD13's season subscription. Beetlejuice and Jagged Little Pill are the two I'd thought to see that we could see locally next winter instead if we decide to catch something else in NYC.

Jagged Little Pill closed on Broadway. I would recommend Hadestown and Company for a theatre lover. Hadestown is much better in an intimate space than on tour, and Company won't tour and has a must-see cast and the production is incredible.

 

[lowlight]

I don't live in NYC, but have probably been 30+ times in my life. We haven't been in 2 years, so some of this info may be outdated due to restaurant closures. Must do's for us:

Food:
Totto Ramen
Keens Steakhouse
Doughnut Plant
Eataly
Ess-a-bagel
Katz Deli
Economy Candy
Gray's Papaya
Xi'an famous foods
Russ and Daughters
Momofuku Milk Bar

Sights:
Tenement Museum
Top of the Rock (Empire is nowhere near as good IMO)
Hell's Kitchen
Chinatown
Central Park Zoo
Highline

Favorite hotel:
Westin Grand Central

 

[Colleen27]

Jagged Little Pill closed on Broadway. I would recommend Hadestown and Company for a theatre lover. Hadestown is much better in an intimate space than on tour, and Company won't tour and has a must-see cast and the production is incredible.

Well I guess it is a very good thing JLP will be in Detroit, then, because I really do want to see that one. Hadestown was on my radar as a likely show to catch in NYC because I was disappointed to miss it when it was in Detroit in the fall, but I'm not familiar with Company at all so I'll have to check that one out.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Museum of National History is great, as is the Met/Met Cloisters. The NY public library is cool too. If you want any sports, I would suggest a NYCFC match/Yankees game. It’s a great thing to do for a bucket list.

 

[Colleen27]

Museum of National History is great, as is the Met/Met Cloisters. The NY public library is cool too. If you want any sports, I would suggest a NYCFC match/Yankees game. It’s a great thing to do for a bucket list.

As much as I would love to catch a game at Yankee Stadium, this is definitely a "no sports" trip. DD13 isn't into it and would be bored, and DH is and would feel left out if I got tickets to a game while traveling without him.

 

[KristiMc]

I am going to NYC in April with my son. We are going to see The Music Man with Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster. My son was in the show with our community theater when he was younger and we are excited to see it on Broadway. Haven't decided what else we are doing so this thread will help me out also.

 

[martikus]

I cannot recommend Beetlejuice on Broadway enough. Alex brighman as beetlejuice is not to be missed. My
Son’s favorite show by far. He also really loved Play That Goes Wrong off Broadway if that is playing.

have fun. We have loved our long weekends in NYC. One day we wandered Central Park.

 

[Colleen27]

I am going to NYC in April with my son. We are going to see The Music Man with Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster. My son was in the show with our community theater when he was younger and we are excited to see it on Broadway. Haven't decided what else we are doing so this thread will help me out also.

That one interested me but not DD13. We saw it locally a couple years ago and she enjoyed it but not so much that she wants to see it again, and Hugh Jackman isn't quite the draw for her that he is for me.

I think we've settled on Hadestown and Moulin Rouge for this trip. We're Paris-bound this summer and have tickets for the dinner show at the Moulin Rouge, which led to my girls having a long-distance watch party of the movie, and now DD13 is interested in seeing it on stage. Wicked is the other one still in the running, but that and Mamma Mia are the front runners for catching a show in London on our European adventure so it is the one with the most potential to see elsewhere in the near future.

 

[johnsontrio]

You will not be disappointed with Moulin Rouge! It was fabulous and so much better than the movie. The set is breathtaking and we loved it!
We also saw Waitress during our last trip but sadly, it has closed.

 

[Colleen27]

We also saw Waitress during our last trip but sadly, it has closed.

I'm hoping that one will be in one of the cities near us next season, since it tends to work that way pretty often - shows that are in Detroit this season seem to end up on next season's schedule in Grand Rapids or Lansing and vice-versa. It is going to be in Detroit later this month but unfortunately only for a 5-day run that perfectly overlaps our spring break trip to Death Valley. My girls both love Sara Bareilles so I'm sure they'd love to see it.