Corrine Stokoe
If you've been thinking about taking your tween to New York City, this is your sign to book it. Lyla and I just got back from the most magical mom-daughter trip, and I came home convinced that the tween years are the perfect age for NYC. They are old enough to actually appreciate Broadway, walk for miles, eat real food, and laugh at the absurdity of a giant piano on the floor. They are still young enough to pick the most delightful, slightly chaotic itinerary and gasp at every single thing.
For context, I’ve been to New York more than a dozen times over the last decade for New York Fashion Week, beauty events, brand meetings, and work trips in every season. So this isn’t a first‑timer guide as much as it is my ‘this really works with kids’ version, after a lot of trial and error.
I am breaking down our whole trip below: everywhere we ate, every stop we made, every outfit we wore, and all the mom-tips I wish someone had handed me before I went. (And yes, that includes the pedicab cautionary tale. Save yourself.) Almost everything we wore is from Nordstrom and linked throughout the post, with a Shop the Post roundup at the bottom.
Table of Contents
Where we stayed
The first two nights we stayed at the Waldorf Astoria, which had just reopened after its long renovation and was truly magical. Old-New-York glamour, gorgeous lobby moments, the kind of place where you feel a little dressed up just walking in. If you want an absolutely timeless experience in a New York gem that your kid can carry on as a tradition, this is a great spot.
The third night we stayed at another hotel a little further down in Midtown because of a business meeting I had to take that evening, and I wanted Lyla close by so she could watch a movie in the room while I stepped out. That one I would not necessarily recommend a second time, so I am not naming names.
A few other favorites I have stayed at on previous NYC trips that I would put on your shortlist: The Greenwich Hotel (probably my favorite NYC hotel I have ever stayed in), and if you are foodie-and-shopping focused, basing yourself in SoHo gives you the most direct access to the best food and the best shops. The Plaza is on my bucket list too! Thanks to Kevin McCallister.
Night zero: the arrival pizza tradition
We landed pretty late, and even after a five-and-a-half-hour flight, somehow not tired at all because of the time change, and hungry. We headed out for a little adventure (because that's the magic of New York right?!) and walked over to Joe's Pizza in Times Square. There's something about that first slice of New York pizza under the absurd lights of Times Square that resets your brain into “okay, we are on vacation” mode. We did not change. We did not dress up. We just walked, ate, looked at the lights, and went back to the hotel happy. If you arrive late, and your body is on an earlier time zone, this is the move.
Quick footwear note for that night: Lyla wore her hot pink Nike Dunks and I wore the same white New Balance 327 sneakers I talked about in my Italy travel outfit post. They have lived through so many trips at this point. Worth every penny.
Day one: brunch, SoHo, and Broadway
Bubby's for brunch
The next morning we got up and went straight to Bubby's, which is hands-down my favorite breakfast and brunch spot in New York City. Bubby's was originally a pie shop, and there is a really specific reason I love it so much that I have to tell you about.
My grandpa, who I had a super close relationship with and who died when I was six, owned a diner in the Seattle area. He used to sneak me out of the house early in the morning, just the two of us, and take me there for pie for breakfast. The whole memory of being that small and feeling that loved and eating pie before the rest of the world was awake is one of my most precious. So every single time I am in New York and I walk into Bubby's and they hand me a menu that has pie listed in the breakfast section, it makes my heart really happy.
Lyla ordered the berry compote Nutella pancakes, which were absolutely divine. I had the eggs Benedict (good) and a slice of the sour cherry pie (always, always the best thing on the menu). If you go to Bubby's with your tween, get pie for breakfast. They started out as a pie shop, after all.
Teach them how to travel
One of the most fun things you can do with your tween while you're in New York is teach them a few things about travel, specifically:
- public transportation
- following directions
- understanding neighborhoods
This is something that, if you have a child who has grown up in the suburbs and been driven around most of their lives, like my daughter, is really valuable education. When I went to London for study abroad when I was 19 years old, I had absolutely no idea how to navigate public transportation because I had never done it before. I never needed to! So, it's kind of fun to allow your tween to hail a cab and teach them to confidently put their arm out and look for a taxi that has the letters or numbers lit up on top. Or how to follow Google Map or Apple Map instructions to use the subway to get from one stop to another. They learn fast! And they'll be better prepared for future adventures.
A quick word on footwear
This is a good moment to talk about shoes, because they are going to make or break a trip to New York. We walked something like 20,000 steps a day. If your shoes are not already broken in and supportive, you are going to be miserable before even the end of day 1.
Lyla wore her well-broken-in white Birkenstocks for most of the trip and they were perfect. I wore the same white strappy sandals that I wore all over Europe earlier this year. They are unbelievably comfortable for hot summer weather and have insane arch support, which matters a lot when you are on stone and concrete all day. Do not break in new shoes in New York. Do not collect $200, and go straight to jail. You know what I mean. (If you want my full breakdown of every shoe I trust at Nordstrom, I rounded up the best Nordstrom shoes for 2026 here, including the four pairs I took to Europe.)
SoHo for browsing, the Museum of Ice Cream, and C.O. Bigelow
After Bubby's, we headed down to SoHo, which is one of the most fun shopping neighborhoods in the world for tweens and teens. The mix of flagship stores, individual storefronts, and stuff you literally cannot get anywhere else makes it a perfect shopping morning. We just wandered and popped in and out of places.
We were dressed for the day in the outfit Lyla had been planning since we booked the trip: she had on her abercrombie kids NYC appliqué sweatshirt (so on-the-nose, so cute), the abercrombie kids denim drawstring shorts in Indigo Reef, and her white Birks, with the small MZ Wallace crossbody that I let her borrow for the trip. I was in the Free People Opal sweater tank in a muted red, my AGOLDE Ren high-waist wide-leg jeans, and my white FitFlop sandals.
Our next stop was on Lyla's must-do list from the moment we booked the trip: the Museum of Ice Cream. Reservation tickets only, but you do not need the skip-the-line option. Just book a regular timed entry and you will be fine. The good news: the museum itself is absolutely as fun as it looks. Photo ops around every corner, super engaging, perfect tween energy. The bad news, which I have to share because I am an ice cream connoisseur and cannot lie to you: the actual ice cream is pretty bad. Like I'd rather have something out of a gas station freezer by the checkout stand. Still worth going, just (ironically) do not go in expecting the dessert of your life.
From there we took a cab over to C.O. Bigelow, which started as one of the oldest apothecary pharmacies in the U.S. but is now also somehow the trendiest hair accessory shop for tweens and teens. The claw clips, the pearl pins, the little bows, the unique pieces you cannot find anywhere else. We left with a tiny bag of things that Lyla's still talking about.
Hamilton at the theater
Back to the hotel to change. This was the moment Lyla had been waiting for the entire trip.
When I took my older daughter Ani to NYC at this same age, she picked Harry Potter and she absolutely loved it. So I have made it a tradition to let the tween pick. Lyla picked Hamilton, and watching her watch that show was one of the best parts of being her mom this year. Let your tween pick the show. They are going to remember the one they chose for the rest of their lives.
She picked out her own theater outfit too. She wore the Walking on Sunshine floral puff-sleeve sundress in robin egg blue, a layered pink cardigan for the theater AC, and her Sam Edelman Darla buckle slide sandals (comfortable enough for a long night, dressed-up enough for Broadway). The best styling move of the trip: I lent her my small MZ Wallace crossbody and she had the brilliant idea of taking the crossbody strap off completely and just holding it as a little handheld clutch. Eleven years old and styling her own outfits better than I did at twenty.
Serendipity after the show
After Hamilton we walked over to Serendipity in Times Square (a short walk, perfect post-show energy). This place has been famous forever, and yes, it is fun. Bonus that we were staying in the hotel where they filmed the movie Serendipity, so going there during our stay was a must! Lyla ordered the famous frozen hot chocolate and we got the chicken-and-cheese fried dumplings because we were actually a little hungry, and those were unexpectedly delicious. My take though, after years of going there: the brownie ice cream sundae is the best thing on the menu.
Lyla hailed our cab back to the hotel and said that was one of the most fun days of her whole life.
Day two: bagels, bird's-eye views, and a grizzly bear
Black Seed Bagels at Rockefeller Center
We woke up and walked over to Rockefeller Center, then down to Black Seed Bagels. Eating a legit New York bagel with cream cheese and watching the morning crowd in Midtown is, in my opinion, one of the absolute best ways to start a day in this city. Lyla loved it.
We were wearing what is now my favorite mom-daughter outfit of the entire trip. I had on the ASTR Corinne embroidered button-up (the white-and-blue embroidery is so good), my Paige Anessa high-waist wide-leg jeans, and my white FitFlop sandals. Lyla wore the Treasure & Bond floral embroidered cotton camisole with little blue ruffle shorts and her white Birks. Coordinated without being matchy. Polished without trying.
Top of the Rock + the beam picture
After bagels we went up to Top of the Rock, which is, in my opinion, the best viewpoint in the entire city. The Empire State view from there is the one you want. They make the experience really fun for kids too, with a brief history lesson on the way up.
A real mom tip: I booked skip-the-line tickets and totally did not need them. We went mid-week in the middle of summer and the line was nothing. If you are going at Christmas, when New York is packed wall to wall, sure, splurge for skip-the-line. Otherwise save the money.
If you want to splurge on something fun, you can also book The Beam experience as a separate add-on. They seat you on a replica steel beam on the 69th floor and lift you twelve feet into the air to recreate that iconic 1932 “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” photo. It is so cool, totally NOT AI, and my stomach drops just looking at the original. Worth considering if your tween loves a photo moment! But a pro tip: wear shoes that have backs, otherwise they make you wear the booties you see in this photo.
A quick note for older tweens: if you are looking for something a little more reflective and emotional, One World Observatory at One World Trade Center is also incredible. You ride a SkyPod elevator to the top and see the entire city, and the experience is centered around 9/11. Top of the Rock is light and fun. One World Observatory is heavier and meaningful. Both have their place.
FAO Schwarz, lunch with a friend, and the Central Park Zoo
Right downstairs from Top of the Rock is the iconic toy store at the base of Rockefeller Center, which any tween may or may not think they're too old for, but will most likely be totally enthralled by upon entering. Lyla had two missions: play the giant floor piano (yes, like the movie) and customize a bracelet. I am a former piano performance major and I will tell you the giant floor piano is, technically, a little wonky. But hopping on the keys with your tween is non-negotiable. PRO TIP: be smarter than I was and bring socks, so you don't have to buy them there. They won't let you play on the piano with shoes, OR bare feet.
After that, we met up with one of my dearest friends for lunch, then headed to the Central Park Zoo, which I had somehow never been to despite at least a dozen trips to New York. It is a small zoo, which is actually perfect with a tween. You get the experience without burning a whole day. The grizzly bears are wild. We were literally inches from the glass from a full-grown grizzly. It was one of those moments as a parent where I was thinking, “I'm not sure you even realize how wild this is!” but maybe she will when she's older.
The pedicab story (please learn from me)
This is the part where I save you $200.
We were running late getting from FAO to the zoo because Lyla was customizing that bracelet, so I had the bright idea to hop in one of those bicycle pedicabs you see all over Midtown. It seemed so charming. “What a fun way to see the city!” I thought.
I did not ask the price. I did not see a posted rate. I just got in.
When we got out, five minutes later, on a route that would have been a 15-minute walk, the driver pulled out a pricing card and said it was $200.
Reader, that was the price for what should have been a $50 ride at most.
Here is what I should have done, and what I want you to do: NYC law says pedicab drivers have to post their per-minute rate in big visible type on the cab itself. Legal walk-up rates run about $3 to $5 per minute. Always ask the per-minute rate before you get in. If they will not give you a clear answer, do not get in. And if you really want a pedicab ride, book a tour online in advance with a fixed price. Lesson learned, lesson passed on to you.
Milk Bar (and the truth about which flavor)
We finished the day at Milk Bar. Everyone goes for the famous viral cereal milk ice cream, which I will say was just okay. My friend Drew told us the must-order is the birthday cake (the actual slice of cake, with the crumbles and the frosting), and he was completely right. Both Lyla and I obsessed. If you go to Milk Bar with your tween, get the birthday cake. End of story.
The business event that night
Back to the hotel for a quick change because I had a business meeting that evening that I needed to attend (actually the whole reason we threw together this last minute trip!). She stayed at the hotel and watched a movie, and I wore the Eliza J embroidered cotton shirtdress in white and ivy green, which was perfectly dressy enough but not too much.
Day three: bagels in bed, SoHo souvenirs, fresh pasta
We wanted to maximize our morning, so instead of navigating to multiple locations in the city, I ordered from Postmates. Specifically: Liberty Bagels. They make this red, white, and blue swirled bagel with birthday cake cream cheese, and it is over-the-top fun and so unbelievably delicious. Lyla got a blueberry bagel with strawberry cream cheese. Why don't they make em like that anywhere else??
Speaking of pajamas: we always do matching mom-daughter pajamas on these girls' trips, because of course we do. This trip's were Petite Plume's gorgeous Olivia wide-leg pajamas. If you want to do this with your own tween, and you should, Nordstrom has a darling matching set: the women's Petite Plume Olivia wide-leg pajamas and the kids' version, and they ship together like a dream.
Then we hopped on the subway back to SoHo to do the rest of our souvenir shopping.
A tween-mom moment: a shop called 2025 Card Vault by Tom Brady is in SoHo and has wild sports memorabilia. I grabbed a few really fun baseball cards to bring home for my son Harry. Highly recommend if you have a sports kid you need to bring something home for.
I also tried to swing by the New York or Nowhere shop, which has become one of the hottest stops in the city for collab-drop streetwear. The line was a hundred-plus people down the block. Found out later it was because the Knicks were in the finals and NY or Nowhere had just dropped a Knicks collab piece. The city was absolutely buzzing all week. Best biggest comeback ever the week before, energy everywhere we went. Even the cabbies were cheering. After everything New York went through with COVID, watching the city be that happy was one of the best parts of the trip. I did not get my NY or Nowhere shirt that day, but the business meeting I had attended the night before had a NY-or-Nowhere shirt as a parting gift, which was a fun little surprise.
We grabbed a Stussy shirt for my husband Neil at the Stussy flagship (line for that one was also wrapped around the block, but luckily was just for one of the drops in the store so we could shop the rest without waiting). And we finished the trip with fresh pasta in Little Italy, which is just one of those quintessential New York things. If you love handmade pasta and a little outdoor table moment, go.
What to pack for NYC with a tween
If I were handing a packing list to a friend taking her tween to NYC, it would be this. (And if you need a great travel bag to fit all of it in, my full BÉIS travel bag review is the rundown of every piece I trust for trips like this.)
- One nicer dress for the theater night. Something easy to pack and easy to wear. Both Lyla's Walking on Sunshine sundress and my Eliza J shirtdress earned their suitcase space ten times over.
- A lightweight cardigan or layer for theater air conditioning and chilly evenings. The Polo Ralph Lauren cable-knit cardigan in cream is the kind of layer that goes with everything.
- Multiple white tops for mom and tween. White photographs beautifully in NYC. The ASTR button-up and the kids cotton camisole are easy mix-and-match heroes.
- A great pair of wide-leg jeans that go with everything. I packed my AGOLDE Ren jeans and Paige Anessa jeans and rotated.
- One pair of really comfortable, already-broken-in walking shoes per person. Birks for the tween, my FitFlop Gracie sandals for me. Do not pack brand new shoes.
- A small crossbody that can convert to a handheld. Lyla's MZ Wallace small crossbody was the MVP. The fact that she could pop the strap off and use it as a clutch for the theater was such a smart move.
- Matching pajamas. Mom version and tween version of the gingham set. Non-negotiable on a girls' trip in my house.
- Pink Nike Dunks or sneakers for the tween, and your most comfortable women's sneakers for you. Lyla's Dunks and my white New Balance 327s got us through every airport and travel day.
Mom tips I wish someone had told me
- Always ask the per-minute rate before getting in a pedicab. I will say this again as many times as it takes.
- Book Top of the Rock, Hamilton, and the Museum of Ice Cream in advance. Not skip-the-line, just timed-entry. Skip the line is usually overkill outside of holiday season.
- Let your tween pick the experience. Their show, their museum, their candy shop. Their memory is the whole point.
- Build in pajama mornings. Liberty Bagels via Postmates was one of the highlights of the trip. You do not have to go out every meal.
- Pack lighter than you think. You really can re-wear shoes and jeans and just swap out your tops. Your pictures will still turn out super cute!
- The grizzly bears at Central Park Zoo are not a joke. Worth the small zoo entry, especially with kids who love animals.
FAQ: NYC with a tween
What is the best age to take a tween to New York?
Anywhere from 10 to 14 is the sweet spot. They are old enough to walk for miles, sit through Broadway, eat real food, and appreciate the city. They are still young enough to absolutely light up at FAO Schwarz, the Museum of Ice Cream, and the Central Park Zoo.
How many days do you need in NYC with a tween?
Three full days is the magic number. Two feels rushed. Four is great if your tween has the stamina. We did 2.5 and felt like we packed in a lot without burning out.
What should I wear in NYC in the summer?
Lightweight cottons and linens, broken-in walking shoes (no new shoes), one nicer dress for theater night, and a layer for restaurant air conditioning. Avoid heels unless they're super reliable and you're not walking long distances. White photographs beautifully. A small crossbody bag goes with everything.
Where should we eat in NYC with a tween?
My favorites with Lyla this trip: Bubby's for brunch, Joe's Pizza in Times Square, Black Seed Bagels at Rockefeller Center, Serendipity for dessert after the theater, Liberty Bagels via Postmates, Milk Bar (get the birthday cake), and Little Italy for fresh pasta.
Is Top of the Rock or One World Observatory better for tweens?
Top of the Rock for fun, photos, and a tween-friendly experience. One World Observatory for something more reflective and historical. If your tween is old enough to handle the weight, do both.
Are pedicabs in NYC worth it?
Only if you book in advance with a fixed price. Walk-up pedicabs run $3 to $5 per minute by law, and tourist-area cabs often charge much more. Always ask the rate before you get in. I learned this the $200 way.
What show should my tween see on Broadway?
Let them pick. My older daughter chose Harry Potter at this age and loved it. Lyla chose Hamilton and was absolutely captivated. The show they pick is the one they will remember forever.
Shop the post
- abercrombie Kids' NYC Appliqué Graphic Sweatshirt
- abercrombie Kids' Relax Denim Drawstring Shorts
- Free People Opal Sweater Tank
- Walking on Sunshine Floral Puff Sleeve Sundress
- ASTR the Label Corinne Embroidered Button-Up
- Treasure & Bond Kids Floral Embroidered Cotton Camisole
- Treasure & Bond Kids Crop Cotton T-Shirt in Pink Orchid
- Eliza J Embroidered Cotton Shirtdress
- Birkenstock Arizona Soft Footbed Slide Sandal
- MZ Wallace Small Metro Smile Shoulder Bag
- Nike Kids' Dunk Low Basketball Sneaker
- New Balance 327 Sneaker (women's white)
- Polo Ralph Lauren Mini Cable Knit Sweater (cream)
- Sweet Wink Gingham Trellis Women's Lounge Set
- Sweet Wink Gingham Trellis Kids Lounge Set
- AGOLDE Ren High Waist Wide Leg Jeans
- Paige Anessa High Waist Wide Leg Jeans
- FitFlop Gracie Strappy Sandals (the Flops)
📌 Pin this for your next trip to NYC with your tween!
xo, Corrine
