Long Weekend in New York with Teenagers {Part 2}

If you read Part 1 of my trip to New York last month, you will know that the first two days were pretty action packed. We had four days to see as much as possible and I was on a mission. Taking teenagers was a risk (anyone who has ever parented teenagers will know that they are on a go-slow much of the time) but I was pleasantly surprised by their enthusiasm to get up and out in the morning.*

*I’m sure it had nothing to do with the amazing breakfast buffet including waffles and the crispiest bacon you ever did see.

Day 3 in New York with Teenagers

Having done most of the city’s major sights, we decided to spend our third day exploring Greenwich Village, with a plan to meet one of my sister’s old friends for lunch.

We took the subway to 14th street which promised loads of shopping options. At my younger teen’s request, we were on the hunt for Brandy Melville (a US version of New Look)  and my newly turned 18 year old was on a mission to spend her hard earned cash in Sephora. You’ll be pleased to hear that we managed to find both and in fact all came out with some goodies from Sephora.

Greenwich Village, with its trendy cafes and relaxed vibe, was just a few streets away. I would have liked to spend longer there, drinking in the atmosphere and people-watching (it really is the perfect place for that little pass-time) but as I said, we were on a shopping mission!

It wasn’t long before the exhaustion (and jet lag) kicked in, forcing us to hail one of the infamous yellow cabs to transport us back to our hotel. Boy was that money well spent.

IOB Tip: Cabs work on a meter system and are actually quite reasonably priced  – definitely a good way to get around if your feet are a bit tired.

After a quick rest and a change of clothes, we decided on a stroll in Central Park to chill out and take some photographs. It was busy and full of tourists but still felt relaxing and a nice way to end the day.

IOB Tip: Central Park is perfectly safe at dusk (don’t head there once it gets dark).

The short walk helped us work up an appetite for a slice of New York cheesecake that we had set our hearts on. According to Debra, our tour guide from the bike ride on day one, the best place to sample cheesecake in New York is Juniors which was conveniently located on Times Square.

IOB Tip: One piece of cheesecake at Juniors is more than enough for two people!

Day 4 in New York with Teenagers

After indulging in our last waffle at the breakfast buffet, we left our cases with the hotel concierge. Despite the fact that temperatures were already soaring towards 30 degrees, my sister and I had chosen to wear jeans, thinking that we wouldn’t want to be cold on our flight home. Big mistake!

Jean-clad (and sweating), we headed towards the famous high line – a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. It runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street, between 10th and 12th Avenues.

It takes about 45 minutes to stroll the whole length and is well worth a visit. We had fun watching the wannabe models posing in front of the cameras. There were some pretty spectacular New York apartments on display too.

Chelsea Market is about a 20 minute walk from the end of the high line and is well worth the trip. Full of unique jewellery stalls, independent cafes and gift shops, the atmosphere is really pleasant – we could have spent hours there to be honest.

IOB Tip: You’ll find a few smaller jewellery stalls at the end of the high line which are better value than the ones at Chelsea Market.

The area around Chelsea Market is worth exploring, with higher end fashion stores and lots of quirky cafes and restaurants. We had a great lunch and much-needed refreshing drink at the end of the high line, in a bar called Bubby’s. It was super busy but a good atmosphere and perfect for our needs.

We had wanted to do a museum whilst in New York but couldn’t decide which one to plump for – there are so many options! Due to time constraints and proximity, we ended heading to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) which was located 5 minutes walk from our hotel.

Not being connoisseurs of art, this was the perfect choice for our party of mixed ages. It was full of famous paintings that we all recognised and our Explorer Ticket allowed us access.

IOB Tip: Under 18s are free to enter MOMA. It’s worth investigating before buying an Explorer Pass for teenagers.

Then just like that, our trip of a lifetime was over and I don’t think that I would have done anything differently. The only activity that I had on my ‘extras’ list that we didn’t manage to squeeze in, was walking across Brooklyn Bridge. I’ll save that for my next visit ?.

You can read more about days 1 and 2 of our trip here.

Have you been to New York?

Which season would you recommend for my next visit?