Is it crazy to go to New York with a four-year-old for just a few days? You’re about to find out the unvarnished truth…

Sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind if you want to squeeze a holiday in, especially if you have a child. So that’s why myself, my husband and our four-year-old decided to go Stateside to visit one of my very best friends.

Day one: Our trip takes off

On board the A321 Neo

With just hand luggage in tow, we breezed through Dublin Airport and hopped on a 11:15am flight to JFK.

The flight was great. My little boy loved watching the in-flight entertainment and really enjoyed the special child’s meal I pre-ordered for him. It was mac and cheese (his favourite), fruit salad, a bread roll, chocolate mousse and a Freddo. Ideal four-year-old fuel.

Between the cartoons, food and chats with the cabin crew (shout out to Mary Frances in particular), the journey flew by (pun intended).

When we landed, we hopped straight on public transport (AirTrain and subway) to my friend’s apartment in Queens.

We toyed with the idea of a taxi too, but it turns out all children under the age of 8 in New York have to have a car seat or booster and taxis usually don’t provide them. There are specific child-friendly car services, where you can request the exact type of seat you need, but they’re pretty pricey. There’s also the option to order a car with a child seat on Lyft and similar apps, but availability can be limited.

So transport is definitely something to consider if you’re going to New York with a four-year-old, but for us, the subway was absolutely grand.

After settling in at my friend’s house, we went out for a walk and a quick slice in local pizzeria Gia’s for dinner. Then we all had a (very) early night.

Day two: Sightseeing-a-rama

For our first full day in New York, we wanted to get the lay of the land. With that in mind, we headed for the Astoria Ferry Terminal. Thanks to two very distracting (but fun) playgrounds nearby, we missed our first ferry but hopped on the next one about 30 minutes later.

The Astoria ferry route starts on East 90th Street on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and ping-pongs between stops in Queens, Roosevelt Island, Manhattan and Brooklyn before finally ending up at Wall Street.

The whole journey cost $4.50 each (my little boy was free) and took us about 50 minutes. We loved looking out at the impressive skylines from the water, although by the end we were a little hangry because we forgot to pack snacks. But, all in all, I would highly recommend it. Take a look at the other routes to see if another one would work for you on your trip.

When we arrived at Wall Street, we grabbed a few snacks on the go (hot dog and pretzel from outdoors vendors, plus coffee and doughnuts thanks to Dunkin’) and headed for an open-top sightseeing bus.

Chelsea Market, New York City

We opted for the Big Bus Red Loop, taking in downtown sights like the World Trade Center, Chelsea and Times Square. The highlight of our bus trip was our hop off at Little Island, a park created on Pier 54 with winding paths, striking prairie-style planting and quirky interactive elements like the Dance Chimes my boy loved jumping on.

After our run around, we hopped back on the bus until we got to M&M World in Times Square. A high-sugar rite of passage if you’re in New York with a four-year-old. We all got out alive, but be prepared to cough up for some of the sweet stuff if you go in with your offspring!

Due to general exhaustion, we only did about half the bus tour loop. So in our case, it might’ve been smarter to stick with public transport instead.

Then we went out for an early dinner in the delicious Bareburger. Colouring for kids? Check. Margaritas for adults? Also check.

And we rounded off the day with a trip to Ample Hills Creamery for some outrageously delicious scoops. We tried Oatmeal Lace and Chocolate Fudge – both were big hits.

Day three: Dinosaurs, gems and Liam Neeson

Of course, as we were in New York with a four-year-old, the American Museum of Natural History was the big-ticket item on our must-see list. We bought tickets online, got up bright and early (who am I kidding, with a jet-lagged child every day starts at 5am) and went there just after it opened.

Apart from a break for lunch at a nearby Tacombi (also a great kids’ menu, FYI), we were there all day. Highlights included the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs, the Halls of Gems and Minerals and the Hall of Ocean Life.

My little boy’s standout moment was seeing a cast of a Rapa Nui (Easter Island) moai statue, and was so taken by it he also got it pressed onto a penny and has been carrying it around ever since.

The Hayden Big Bang Theatre is also perfect if you’re feeling a little homesick, as here you can listen to Liam Neeson tell the story of the birth of the universe.

Skyline of Lower Manhattan

When we were all museumed-out, we went for a quick play in Central Park’s Diana Ross playground before heading back to our New York home for a takeaway dinner.

Day four: Queens and cream pies

After a few days running around Manhattan, it’s time to get to know Queens a little better.

We kicked off our day getting brunch at Mom’s Kitchen & Bar. I know everyone always says this about food in the States, but the portions were ENORMOUS. One dish split between two would’ve been plenty. And I still regret being too full to try their over-the-top cake and lollipop laden milkshakes…

Next up, a bit of culture with the Museum of the Moving Image. Located right beside Sesame Street’s Kaufman Astoria Studios, this is a wonderland for Jim Henson fans of all ages. There are so many fun, interactive exhibits that it’s easy to spend hours here. And bonus, it wasn’t too busy when we went so we could explore at a leisurely pace.

Afterwards, we hit up a local playground and then went shopping. No holiday is complete without picking up a souvenir or two, so we let our little boy pick out something from Toys & Variety, a local shop with shelves stacked high and deep with toys and bags.

When we’d finally recovered from our ginormous brunch, we headed to HinoMaru Ramen. The soup noodles were delicious, but the vegetable buns filled with glazed aubergine was my standout dish.

Lastly, we went to the Martha’s Country Bakery for dessert. Stepping in from the rain, a dizzying array of cakes greeted us. Pretty much every type of pie, cake, pastry and cookie you could dream of was on offer.

We went for an Oreo-stuffed M&M cookie, a sour cream apple pie, a cannoli, a chocolate cream pie, lots of coffee and a frozen hot chocolate. Due to generous portions, we took most of it home in takeaway boxes.

If you’re near a Martha’s, I’d highly recommend popping in. And not just if you’re in New York with a four-year-old.

Pancakes & Coffee!

Day five: Goodbye, New York

Our last day started in New York City Bagel & Coffee House. With almost two dozen bagels and even more cream cheeses, it took a while to make a selection. We went classic in the end, but I still regret not surprising my little boy the spectacular rainbow bagel.

We then hot-footed it over to the Pier 26 Science Playground, which was easily the best playground we went to on our trip. My little boy had a whale of a time exploring two giant wooden sturgeon fish adorned with slides, nets and climbing grips.

From there, we walked past Firehouse, Hook & Ladder Company 8 – better known as the Ghostbusters Headquarters. Made famous by the film franchise, this building is still a working fire station. But there are a few signs outside that allude to its cinematic past…

Chinatown, New York City

After we’d worked up an appetite we walked over to Chinatown’s Nom Wah Tea Parlor. At over 100 years old, it’s an institution. It’s also definitely on the tourist map, but we got there for an early lunch on a Monday, so easily got a table. Scallion pancakes were a particularly big hit with us all.

Afterwards, we got a subway to the Rockefeller Center and hit up FAO Schwartz. We had to queue up to get in (yes, even on a Monday afternoon). Once inside, this gigantic toyshop is stuffed full of everything you can imagine, plus there are a few displays to interact with too, like the Brio train set and the famous Dance on Piano.

However, we actually had an even better time holed up across the road in McNally Jackson. A dream for lovers of books and stationery, this is a great little spot to pick up a present or just have a browse.

We went back for a rest in my friend’s apartment before heading to JFK for a 9:10pm flight to Dublin. Although a little daunted about making the trip through New York at rush hour, public transport to the airport was grand in the end.

When we got settled onto the plane, my exhausted little boy ate a single bite of his meal (pasta with tomato and beef sauce) before declaring he was full and falling asleep on our laps. A cosy end to a big trip to New York with a four-year-old.

How was the jetlag?

Honestly, better than I expected. But the first night in New York was rough. My little boy was awake at 2am for an hour, then up for the day at 4:30am.

Every day after that, wake ups were between 5am and 6am. Not the best, but could’ve been worse.

The day we got home to Dublin, we all slept for two or three hours in the morning and then went to bed that evening at our normal times. We had a couple of groggy mornings for about a week after the trip, but again, nothing to write home about.

We probably dodged it in part because our trip was so short!

Would I do a trip like this again?

Absolutely. Our big trip to New York with a four-year-old was so much fun. It really meant a lot to me to experience a city I love with my little boy by my side. Having said that, if your child isn’t used to walking or doesn’t like busy environments, it might be better to wait a couple of years.