NYC gets many tourists during the holiday season.
Some kid-friendly ideas for free inexpensive options:
– Belvedere Castle in Central Park is a fun destination for kids.
– Do a walking tour of holiday windows
– Check out the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center
– Walk up the Highline from the Meatpacking district to Hudson Yards. The entrance is at Washington St and Gansevoort St.
– Go out to Queens and eat at the many inexpensive ethnic restaurants such as in Jackson Heights.
– Check out the view from the waterfront of Long Island City. It’s only one stop from Grand Central Terminal on the 7 train. There are some cool playgrounds in Gantry State Park also. Have a hot chocolate at Coffeed and then take the ferry back to Manhattan for the cost of a subway ride.
– Visit the Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum of Art which grants admittance with a suggested donation (you could pay what you want) or visit the Natural History Museum.
– There’s an indoor carousal in Battery Park City called SeaGlass Carousel
– Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge