From seeing an amazing view to having ice cream, there are a lot of great things to do with kids in the Financial District NYC.
What’s great is that there’s a large variety of activities to choose from, including doing a cruise, going to the movies, and attending a family event. Because of the activities, it can be very fun for families to explore the neighborhood.
It may be hard to decide what to do if you’re in the neighborhood with children. To help you out, I made this list of the most fun things to do in the Financial District with kids!
Things To Do With Kids in the Financial District
Go to the Top of the One World Observatory and See the City from Above
The One World Observatory is an observation deck that you can find at the One World Trade Center at 117 West Street.
The observation deck is the highest point in the city. From the top of the building, you can enjoy an incredible panoramic view of the city which is a lot of fun for kids. From there, you can see the skyscrapers of the city, as well as the city’s landmarks, such as the Statue of Liberty.
The One World Observatory is open daily and is a family-friendly place to visit. Strollers are also allowed within the observation deck, but you need to fold your stroller up to access the elevators.
When you go here with 4 or more people, you can get the “Family Pack”, and save 20% on the price of the tickets.
Address: 117 West St, New York, NY 10007
Get Ice Cream at Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
Van Leeuwen is one of the best ice cream shops in NYC. This ice cream store was founded in 2008 and started out as a yellow ice cream truck. It now has many locations throughout the city, and one of these locations is in the Financial District, at 224 Front Street.
You can get delicious ice cream with your kids at this shop that is made with high-quality ingredients. There are many flavors to choose from, including unique and classic ones.
Some of the best classic flavors to get here are the “Strawberry”, “Chocolate”, and “Vanilla Bean” flavors.
One of the most unique, and most delicious, flavors to get at Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is the “Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake”.
Besides scoops of ice cream, you can also get ice cream bars that are wrapped in a layer of chocolate, and ice cream sandwiches at Van Leeuwen.
Address: 224 Front St, New York, NY 10038
Go to the Movies at IPIC Theaters
IPIC Theaters is a chain of movie theaters that you can find in many cities throughout America. One of the locations of IPIC is located at 11 Fulton Street.
You can see the latest family-friendly movies at this theater, including animated movies, which is one of the most fun things to do with kids in the Financial District.
While seeing a movie at this movie theater, you can enjoy delicious food. There is a chef-driven menu with many great food and drink options.
You can get all kinds of dishes, including snacks, pizzas, handhelds, fish and chips, quesadillas, and much more.
There’s also a kids menu that includes options like a cheeseburger, chicken fingers, a cheese pizza, and several other delicious items.
Address: 11 Fulton St, New York, NY 10038
See the Statue of Liberty During a 50-Minute Cruise
When you are in the Financial District, you can take a guided Circle Line cruise and see the Statue of Liberty.
This is a cruise that takes 50 minutes in total, making it an ideal activity for families.
During the tour, which departs from Pier 16 at the South Street Seaport, you’ll see the Statue of Liberty from up close. From the water, you can get the best view of the statue.
When doing this tour, you can decide to sit on the outer deck or indoors. At both places of the boat, you can get an incredible view of the landmark.
In addition to that, during the tour, you can listen to interesting facts and information about the history of Lady Liberty, Ellis Island, and other landmarks that you can see during the cruise.
You can buy tickets in advance, or you can buy tickets at the ticket booth of Pier 16. The cruises depart every 60 minutes from 11 AM.
Go to a Family Event at the South Street Seaport Museum
The South Street Seaport Museum is a museum that was founded in 1967 and it’s one of the best museums for kids in New York City. You can find this museum in the historic Seaport District and it is about preserving and interpreting the history of New York as a port city.
The museum has a large collection of all kinds of artifacts and art related to the beginning of New York City.
Lots of events also take place at the South Street Seaport Museum, including fun events for families.
For example, on Saturdays and Sundays, there are lots of hands-on family activities that are free with general admission to the museum.
When you are at the South Street Seaport Museum, you can also check out the Pier 16 Outdoor Gallery.
At this place, you can see interesting displays with information about history, as well as historic ships.
You can find the 1885 Tall Ship Wavertree here, which can be visited for free on Saturday and Sunday. This ship is a cargo sailing ship from the 19th century, and you can explore the different areas of the ship. For example, you can see the cargo hold, the saloon, the main deck, and the quarterdeck.
Address: 12 Fulton St, New York, NY 10038
Enjoy Pancakes at Squires Diner
Squires Diner is a diner that makes for a fun family-friendly activity in the Financial District. It’s open 7 days a week and you can find this place at 80 Beekman Street.
At the diner, you can get all kinds of delicious food and drink options with your kid, including tasty pancakes.
There are many flavors of pancakes to try at the diner.
Some of the best ones are the “Mixed Berry Nutella Pancakes”. These are three pancakes that are topped with blueberries, strawberries, and Nutella.
You can also get the “Chocolate Chip Pancakes”, which are served with butter and syrup, or the “Oreo Pancakes”, which are pancakes that are topped with crushed Oreos, chocolate syrup, powdered sugar, and whipped cream.
In addition to pancakes, you can get many other food items, including muffins, bagels, Belgian waffles, French toast, omelets, and much more.
Address: 80 Beekman St, New York, NY 10038
Go to a Family Event at the New Amsterdam Library
The New York Public Library is the public library system of New York City, and it has several locations throughout the city. One of the locations can be found in the Financial District at 9 Murray Street. You can find the New Amsterdam Library here.
This is a small branch that is located in an office building.
Lots of events take place at this branch of the library system, including many events that are great for the whole family.
You can use the calendar of the New Amsterdam Library to search for events for children.
From storytime events to hands-on science activities to workshops, there are many events to choose from at the library.
See the Charging Bull and Take Photos With It
All throughout the Financial District you can find interesting sculptures.
One of the sculptures that you can find in the neighborhood is the Charging Bull, which is one of the best sculptures in New York City. This is a large bronze sculpture of a bull that you can find very close to Bowling Green, on Broadway.
It’s fun for children to see this sculpture as it’s very large and to take some photos with the bull.
The bronze bull has a length of 16 feet and a height of 11 feet. The sculpture has a total weight of about 7,100 pounds.
The Charging Bull represents Wall Street and is a symbol of financial prosperity. It is a very popular sight in the city.
Interesting to know about the sculpture is that when it was made in 1989, it was placed on Wall Street without permission.
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What To Do With Kids in the Financial District Tips
When choosing to do any of the things to do in the Financial District with kids that I mentioned in this list for which you can buy a ticket, I recommend buying a ticket in advance. This will save you time, as you then don’t have to wait in line to buy a ticket, which is especially convenient when you are doing an activity with children. For example, when you do a cruise to see the Statue of Liberty, I recommend buying a ticket in advance.
Things To Do in the Financial District With Kids Map
As you see, there are many fun things to do with kids in the Financial District. I hope you liked the activities!