Yesterday I took the kids to NYC to get some more "city" under their belts, something I don't do as often as I would like to. Our first stop was the Intrepid museum, which the kids loved exploring. The size of the ship is amazing, two of the four propellers are on display and they each weigh about as much as ten cars. There were many hands on exhibits and my daughter even learned some Morse code. There is a submarine in the water that you can go into if you are not claustrophobic, and on the flight deck there are many planes and helicopters on display including a Concorde jet.
After about two hours we hopped on a water taxi to visit the 9-11 Memorial, which is a half hour ride away. The taxi first stops at the Village, then at Battery Park where we got off for the Memorial which was a short walk away. After getting Hot Pretzels we walked over to get in line for the Memorial. Security is very tight, more so than the airports, but it moved quickly. You need a ticket to gain entry into the Memorial. The tickets are free, but are only good for a set time. The Memorial was what I really wanted to visit, as a New Yorker I just had a calling to go there. The park like area is serene except for the sound of falling water emanating from the two pools of water. You can look right up at Towers 1 & 4 now being constructed. It was an experience that I will not forget and it was an opportunity to talk to my kids about what happened on 9-11 and answer their questions. The 9-11 museum is not yet open, so I will have to return to see and remember.
We then hopped back on to the water taxi and went for an early dinner at South Street Seaport. Then back on the water taxi to ride past the Brooklyn Bridge and stop in Brooklyn where there is a Carousel. You can get off there and walk over the Brooklyn Bridge back into Manhattan, but the kids were running out of energy. We stayed on the Taxi and travelled past Governors Island, Lady Liberty (taxi stops for photos), Ellis Island and then back to the Intrepid. My kids couldn't believe how many things they were able to see in only one day, it really was amazing. We booked our entire trip through the Intrepid Museum on line. The Intrepid, water taxi, and 9-11 Memorial tickets all come in a package for about $40 a person. The water taxi runs most of the day and stops at about six different locations every 45 minutes, it was a great way to see the city.
I am now planning our next trip to the city, so if anyone has had a great NYC experience with their kids, let me know so I can add it to our list.
Mark T. Freeley, Esq. - www.NorthShoreInjuryLawyer.com
