New York City Attractions

American Girl Place is probably an obligatory stop if you have a daughter who has been lured by the cult of the American Girl Doll. There the much obsessed-over dolls (and their many outfits and accessories) can be bought, and dolls can be coiffed at a special salon ($5 for boy-doll haircuts to $20 for braids or curls), or sent off to the American Girl "hospital" if they are in need of some sort of rehab. Dolls can also sit tableside in special doll-sized chairs (available for loan or purchase) at the store's Cafe, where the decor is as pink and fluffy as a cupcake.

The American Museum of Natural History is a must-do. Starting with the tallest baryonyx skeleton in the world at the main entrance, AMNH presents extensive compendium of artifacts and exhibits from the natural world -- the famous dioramas, Mammal halls, Ocean life, Rose Planetarium, Gems and Minerals, the Butterfly Conservatory, Hall of Human Origins. Word to the wise: It's best to focus your visit at rather than attempting to take it all in. Pick a few exhibits of particular interest, spend real time in them, and save other sections for your next trip. Families who try to see it all will almost surely overwhelmed, dazed, and exhausted, able to recall little other than feeling overwhelmed, dazed, and exhausted! By limiting your focus, your kids will have a more meaningful and more memorable experience.

Toddlers or younger children may implore you to take them to the Build a Bear Workshop. Here your kid can choose a bear (or other animal) and watch as it gets stuffed, sewn, and fluffed. They can give it a shampoo and a brushing, choose from any number of outfits to buy for it, and, if they're already using computers (and let's face it, they are), they can create a personality for it online. What this means for parents is that you'll end up shelling out a premium price for a stuffed animal that without all the fuss would probably go for much less. But you will not get away with a trip to New York City without a dose of full-on commercialism.

Stroll in Central Park. Most agree that Central Park’s vastness surpasses expectations, even when one goes in knowing it extends from 59th Street to 110th Street (843 acres in total). There are many miles of tree-lined pathways and grassy lawns, 20 playgrounds for the kids, and 9000 benches for their parents. Plus a charming zoo, a carousel, an ice rink (in winter), the fabled horse-drawn carriages, boat pond, and many, many fountains, monuments, and sculptures, and landmarks -- including spots like Strawberry Fields for parents who are old enough to remember John Lennon. Hang out with your kids in Central Park a mild-weathered weekday and you'll experience a veritable "Nanny Diaries" scene.

Teens will love getting their own Metro Card and using it to head downtown -- maybe to hangout in the West Village/Union Square area. The area is dominated by NYU and thus is a zone for youth cool. Near the famed Washington Square Park (more full of strollers than junkies these days), it's an easy walk to the skateboard shop Blades (659 Broadway between Bleeker & 3rd Street Streets, 212-477-7350); or the year-round costume and prop shop Halloween Adventure (104 4th Ave between 11th and 12th Streets, 212-673-4546), or Forbidden Planet (840 Broadway, 212-473-1576, www.fpnyc.com), with its extensive collection of garish superheros, collectible toys, and weirdly cute big-eyed Japanese anime. Then have a bite at Max Brenner's Chocolates (841 Broadway near 13th Street, 212-388-0030, and head up to Union Square for more people-watching.

Stop in at Dylan's Candy Bar, where candy becomes pop art - a mind-blowing assortment of eye-popping confections in all colors and shapes, from chocolates to rock candy to jaw breakers to the dozen or so flavors of gummy bears or gummy this and that. And that's just the first floor. Even the stairs at Dylan's are embedded with candy, and check out the Statue of Liberty rendered in Jelly Beans in the window as you leave.

New York's verticality is amazing, and the two best ways to experience the heights are The Empire State Building and Top of the Rock. The Empire State Building lets you see the vista from the 86th floor (or the 102nd, for an additional price.) Be prepared for long lines and a lot of suggestive selling (photos, gifts, extras). On a clear day it is stunning. Top of the Rock (30 Rockefeller Plaza, 212-698-2000, www.topoftherocknyc.com) is an equally impressive alternative, slightly less tall than the Empire State Building at 70 stories, but at that height who's counting.

Spend an afternoon at the Intrepid, a vintage 1943 aircraft carrier re-imagined as a museum dedicated to sea, air, and space, and life. The Intrepid returned to Manhattan in November 2008 following a two-year hiatus for refurbishing. On it, kids can explore a recovered space capsule, submarine, and any number of aircrafts, including the Concorde.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is another must. Head for the knights and armor for a sure thrill for the battle-fixated in your brood. Or explore some of the designated kid and family programs that will help put art in context. For some pre-trip reading to warm them up, treat your kids to the 1967 classic, "From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler," about the adventures of two kids who "run away" to live for several days in the Met. But don't go looking for the exhibits described in the book; many have changed over the years.

Tip: Many museums in New York City -- including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Natural History Museum -- are pricey but the admission price is actually not mandatory; it is a "suggested donation." In other words, pay what you can, or what you think is reasonable, for your brood. We've heard the staff really don't look askance at you or try to intimidate you into paying more.

At the site of the World Trade Center, eight of the 16 acres have been converted into a memorial to remind visitors of the past and give hope to the future. The memorial is continuing to grow but currently includes twin pools in the place where the Twin Towers once stood, with the names of every person who died in the terrorist attacks inscribed in bronze. The museum is a growing collection of photos, video, materials and artifacts from that fateful 9-11 day.

For a pleasant outing, lull your little ones to sleep on the Staten Island Ferry. The hour-long, round-trip ride gives great vistas of the Statue of Liberty and real perspective on the Manhattan skyline. Almost unbelievably, rides on the Staten Island Ferry are free.

There are plenty of Broadway options for older kids and teens. The Lion King still reigns supreme, but "Wicked," "Hairspray," and Disney's "Mary Poppins" are newer contenders. But for something slightly different there are two downtown shows are fantastic for teens: Blue Man Group, Astor Place Theater (434 Lafayette Street between E. 4th Street and Astor Place, www.blueman.com). Twenty years ago it was avant garde. Now it's an institution. Clever and highly entertaining -- yes, they really are blue-painted men, and their performance is at once high concept and crowd-pleasing. (Not to spoil the surprise, but projectile Twinkies are involved). Equally-appealing is STOMP -- the street-smart percussion show at the Orpheum (126 Second Avenue).

Toys R Us Times Square (Broadway at 44th Street) is, needless to say, a huge attraction for kids. From the in-store ferris wheel, to the giant animatronic T-Rex and the New York landmarks constructed of Legos, the experience is sheer mania and overload. For an only slightly more subdued close encounter of the toy kind, head to the venerable FAO Schwarz (767 Fifth Avenue at 58th Street, 212-644-9400, www.fao.com). It has the added advantage of being situated on a beautiful plaza, across from Bergdorf Goodman and right next door to the gleaming glass Apple Store. Kids and grown-ups of i-pod age or i-phone obsession (I, I, I, get it?), will want to head in there.