NYC ideas for visit with 14 yo?
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Anonymous
| We're heading to NYC with our 14 year old daughter in a couple weeks a looking for fun restaurants, stores, and Broadway show ideas. I'd appreciate any recommendations! |
Anonymous
| &Juliet for Broadway (just took my 11 year old and it was a blast). Go down by Union Square/NYU for shopping and stop by the Strand. Serendipity for sugar overload... |
Anonymous
I'll tackle shows primarily. Seconding &Juliet. I was skeptical of it because it's a Jukebox musical but it ended up being ridiculously fun. I do think Gen X and Milennials are slightly more the target audience given the music choices. Maybe Happy Ending is a really gorgeous show. Two Strangers Carry a Cake is cute and unique and that's one you might be able to get cheap tickets to. Just in Time, Groff is leaving in 2 weeks so not sure of your timeline. I haven't seen it but a friend had a blast. Wicked for the big classic spectacle. Six for a short concert type musical. Hadestown really depends on its current cast. If they like history, the Metropolitan Museum and Morgan Library. |
Anonymous
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I travel to NYC for work regularly and my DD (14) also loves it. I put this together for friends going with their kids to NYC - many recs are from DCUM:
Restaurants - Veselka (Ukrainian, may see celebrities) Bubby's (Tribeca breakfast place where we had to wait in line but that's part of the vibe - was on the last episode of American Love Story so may be worse now) Urban Hawker (Singapore food mart) Chelsea Market (Great option - adaptive reuse of an old building now teeming with stores and restaurants - Miznon is great for Middle Eastern) Jellycat Cafe (This was this bizarre thing involving stuffed animals called Jellycats - if your kids are not into Jellycats skip. If they want to do this reserve now. It's in FAO Schwartz) Laser Wolf Brooklyn (my coworkers love this place) Joe's Pizza Greenwich village Ichiran ramen - Japanese ramen chain where you sit in an individual booth and they slide out a bowl of ramen that you custom ordered. Delicious and kind of a fun concept. Your booth will be next to your kid's Cool Sips - "Dirty Soda" trend which is big in Utah, weird soda combos - in Rockefeller Center basement, there is also this great lunch spot called Urban Provisions in there, not a ton of seating, more of a grab and go Bad Roman - Somewhat hilariously decorated, over the top Italian restaurant next to Central Park, really great food but think giant boar statue with a neon necklace when you walk in Musuems/Other things 9/11 Museum is outstanding and 14 is a great age for it if you haven't been Tenement Museum is also really cool, recreation of actual tenement apartments in their original location There is a recreation of the Anne Frank house (or her room) in NYC right now, not sure how long that is happening but I couldn't get tickets I haven't been but my high school best friend and her kids loved the Museum of Math...they said they name undersells it The Met and really enjoyed, it was huge and we spent half the day Rented bikes in Central Park The Cloisters Museum is supposed to be great - far north Ice skating in Bryant Park, Central Park or Rockefeller Center if open Highline! Broadway Loved & Juliet the feminist retelling of Romeo & Juliet set to pop hits, it is so joyful Chess - this was a musical I loved around 14 (and still love) - it's about the Cold War and chess so not sure how it will play but it stars Lea Michele and Aaron Tiveat (he won a Tony for Moulin Rouge) and Christopher Jackson (original Washington in Hamilton) - if you love Broadway go to this, it's one power banger after another Maybe Happy Ending looks great, won the Tony for Best Musical The Outsiders - Kid loved this, the fight scenes and sets are really cool - I would recommend highly The Bobby Darin musical Just in Time with Jonathan Groff Six is you haven't seen Hamilton if you have't seen Have fun! |
Anonymous
| Long PP - I cut and pasted my recs but update - I did see Chess, it's awesome |
Anonymous
| About Jellycat Cafe- you have to make reservations at least a month in advance, or stalk the website for cancellations. Just FYI. |
Anonymous
This is not a restaurant, no real food. Its where kids can "make" a jellycat in their pretend cafe for $60 per item. |
Anonymous
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I have boys, but they loved the museum part of the Nintendo store, serious tech nostalgia, and the Lego store has amazing creations to see.
Chelsea Market and walking the Highline were also hits. Hadestown is their favorite musical so far, and they also liked Lion King and Aladin when they were younger, Gatsby and Hamilton. Also the National Theater just announced its upcoming season, and it's packed, so you might want to choose something that isn't coming here: DIRTY DANCING: THE MUSICAL New Production Begins September 29, 2026 MAYBE HAPPY ENDING D.C. Premiere Begins October 6, 2026 Alicia Keys' HELL'S KITCHEN D.C. Premiere Begins November 24, 2026 HAMILTON National Theatre Premiere Begins December 16, 2026 THE BODYGUARD New Production Begins May 18, 2027 OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A NEW MUSICAL D.C. Premiere Begins June 8, 2027 JUST IN TIME D.C. Premiere Begins July 20, 2027 MAMMA MIA! October 27-November 15, 2026 THE HIP HOP NUTCRACKER November 17-22, 2026 WAITRESS December 8-13, 2026 OH, MARY! D.C. Premiere February 9-21, 2027 A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL March 2-7, 2027 THE WHO'S TOMMY April 20-25, 2027 JERSEY BOYS April 27-May 9, 2027 |
Anonymous
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Was just in NYC with my 11 year old.
We saw Great Gatsby and Bueno Vista Social Club. He liked both and both were good. The music and dancing is fantastic in BVSC |
Anonymous
I saw Chess recently. I love the show but didn't think this version was as good, even though I love Aaron Tveit. My husband, who knew nothing about it, hated it. I'm not sure a 14 year old would like it, but you may have more sophisticated children than my husband  Btw, it's Nicholas Christopher in it, not Christopher Jackson- just so no one is disappointed thinking it's the guy from Hamilton.
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Anonymous
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My kids liked Hadestown. Or see Aladdin if you just want pure fun.
The Met, including the Cloisters. The gardens are beautiful in spring, too. Statue of Liberty— see if you can get crown tickets (but it might be too late— they go quickly). Walk on the Brooklyn Bridge. Fun stores— Lego, M & M, Harry Potter, etc. My teen loved the natural history museum (it has waaaay more anthropological exhibits than the one in DC— it’s very different). Times Square. |
Anonymous
| I recommend Six. It’s a little raunchy, but poppy and witty and ripe with Tudor history. |
Anonymous
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&Juliet was
A huge hit for our daughter. We sat in rhe second or third row, which was cool. Wicked was a disappointment after that One thing no one mentioned that I learned about from DCUM is the hard hat tour at Ellis Island. It really is a that—both for a teen and for adults. Cant recommend enough. |
Anonymous
This is amazing! Wish you did London, Paris, other major spots! |
Anonymous
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NYC with tweens/kids is so much fun.
Great suggestions so far, might also add: - Ellen's Stardust Diner: complete tourist trap with amazingly fun singers during lunch, good food and right in Times Square. We love it. - Summit/OneVanderbilt is a lot of fun and a great way to "go up high" in a building, and also experience some interactive art exhibits. Loved it. -MoMA used to be my favorite museum in the world, but was SO crowded last time we were there. Hope you have a different experience. - 9/11 museum was really educational. My daughter could have spent all week there Have fun! |