054 NYC New York City Travel Tips

NYC is a classic family travel trip. This week we talk about our top tips for visiting New York City with kids with travel expert Carol Cain from Girl Gone Travel, including where to stay, what to do and how to plan your trip. ON THE PODCAST 00:34 - Tamara and Kim talking about NYC 05:40 - Tamara’s tips on visiting NYC 10:10 - Talking with Carol about NYC 14:40 - Favorite neighborhoods to visit 17:30 - Airports to fly into New York 18:44 - More of Carol’s favorite neighborhoods 22:15 - Hotels Carol recommends 25:05 - Getting around the city 31:32 - Must dos for first time NYC visitors 34:37 - Food tours 36:50 - Favorite restaurants 42:57 - Money saving tips 45:43 - Best place to take a family photo 48:38 - Final tips for visiting NYC 49:50 - Favorite travel gear 54:11 - Favorite apps ABOUT CAROL CAIN Carol Cain is the writer and photographer behind the travel site GirlGoneTravel.com. She left a career in public relations before venturing into the world of travel blogging in 2008 and is often speaking on ways to improve brand and blogger relationships as well as raising awareness for increased diversity in media. Follow Carol on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. TIPS FOR VISITING NYC WITH KIDS Using the subway is a great way to get around the city while saving money. New York City uses a Metro Card system which has a bunch of different packages that you can use. For families it would be a good idea to get a card with 10 rides on it, which you can use for multiple people by swiping the card at the turnstile and passing it back to your next family member! You can also get a subway map for free at one of the main kiosks. They are also starting to add in digital maps in the subway stops, that show the tracks and stops. For first time visitors that want to see the iconic parts of New York, you should visit Midtown Manhattan. You will see Central Park, Hell's kitchen, the Theater District, and more that are all in walking distance. A great way to start your first time in NYC would be to take a walking tour or just any type of tour. You will get a sense of where you are while learning some historic facts about the city. Right next to Penn Station is a new high end food court. This is a great idea if you have a family that like different things, the kids can get a sandwich or burger while you have say Japanese cuisine. If you are flexible with your time and the show  you can go to the TKTS booth in Times Square to get discounted Broadway show tickets. BEST PLACE TO TAKE FAMILY PHOTO There is a park on Riverside Drive on the west side of Manhattan along the Hudson River that is a great spot. The sun sets there and the boat docks are really pretty. Another great spot is Top of the Rock, which offers a great view of the Empire State Building. You can also go online a schedule a time to go and just go right up without waiting. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR Carol is very much a Skechers girl. She also loves her Lands End cargo pants. APP(s) OF THE WEEK Best Parking and Icon Parking are both a good way to save on parking. You can check and reserve spots in parking garages. Having a NYC Subway app is really helpful. History Here is an app by the History Channel that uses your location and give you a lot of historic insight into where you are. Eat St. Is an app that helps you find food trucks! MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST Local Fun in NYC on Girl Gone Travel Don Peppe restaurant near JFK airport S’mac Discount Ticket Booth NYC Tourist Apps - We3Travel FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD! If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening!