Elissa Stein - City Walks with Kids: New York: 50 Adventures on Foot

50 ADVENTURES ON FOOT

by Elissa Stein

New York City is an amazing cityevery neighbor hood, even every street is an opportunity for adventure. From pastel-hued frosted cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery and the Impressionist wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the ever-changing Hudson River waterfront and the historic cobblestone streets of South Street Seaport, and from the sprawling fields in Central Park to the top of the Empire State Building, theres always something new (or old) to discover. Not only was New York City the first capital of the United States, it is home to the countrys first childrens museum (in Brooklyn); it was the destination of the Titanic and also the birthplace of Oreos. Exploring all this with kids only adds to the enjoymentseeing the city through their wondering eyes brings a sense of newness to even the most familiar places.

Before you head out, make sure everyones in comfortable shoes. While places to pick up supplies are plentiful, pack snacks and drinksinvariably someone will be dying of thirst five minutes after you head out. Its also wise to have a little activity on hand for travel or waiting time; a small notebook in which kids can draw or write about their experiences is usually a hit.

New York is a great city to walk in, but its huge. Just getting from a transportation stop to your destination can be a hikegood to keep in mind when your traveling companions have much shorter legs than you do. Much of Manhattan is laid out on a grid system: The higher the street number, the farther uptown you are. Fifth Ave. is the dividing line between the East and West Sides, from Washington Square in Greenwich Village up to 143rd St. in Harlem. Downtown, named streets are more the norm, with twists and turns that follow paths established when much of Manhattan was farmland. The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island all have their own street numbering systemsit can get complicated. And each neighborhood within the five boroughs has its own unique personality and feelfrom the open-air markets of Chinatown to the oceanfront boardwalk in Brooklyn, the soaring skyscrapers of midtown to the Greek tavernas in Queens.

The subway is the easiest, and generally fastest, way to get around town. You can purchase a MetroCard, valid on both subways and buses, at subway stations, many newsstands, and shops. Pay by the ride or purchase one-day and weekly cardsgreat if youll be traveling a lot. Buses also take change, but no bills. Buses generally stop every three blockscheck the map at the bus stop, or on the bus for where you should get off. Or you can always ask the driver as you board. An adult can take up to three kids (under 44 inches) on both subways and buses for free. Taxis are another optionhailing a cab is great fun for kids. If the center panel on the top of the cab is lit, its free; lights off, its occupied.

And a quick note about weather: New York City has distinct seasons. It can be hot and steamy in the summer, with Arctic blasts in the winter, and spring/falls that are crisp and beautiful. Bring umbrellas if the sky looks cloudy and remember that there are plenty of places to duck into to escape extreme weather.

Narrowing down all of New York City to 50 walks was quite the challenge, as there are countless pleasures of all sorts to discover. Use these cards as a starting point. Each has an adventure on one side that should take an hour or two to completea reasonable amount of time to keep kids engagedwith a map and directions on the other side. Check hours of operation before you set out to avoid disappointmentTime Out NY is a great weekly magazine filled with all that information. (Note: The Intrepid, Walk 21, will be closed until mid-2008 due to renovations.) All the walks in this deck are reachable by public transportation. The numbered order follows a flow starting with Manhattan and extending into the citys other boroughs, which makes it easy to pick a couple of treks close together should you want to extend your expedition. Or, after checking out whats on the card, continue exploringthere is far more to see than any one or two cards could possibly contain. And one of the coolest things about New York City is discovering your own favorite places.

On the map sides of the cards, there are captions with information on how to reach your destination by public transportation, including both buses and subways. In addition, the subway stops are indicated on the maps by black squares with an S. The color of each letter S corresponds to the color of the subway line in the maps legend.

The maps should be used as a general guidepick up a New York City map (available in many stores) for more detailed information.

When exploring with kids, hard as it may be, try leaving your expectations at home. Sometimes the most well-thought-out, organized excursion just wont work. Be open to surprising twists and turnstheres no more fabulous place than NYC to be spontaneous.

It would be a challenge to find a nicer place to skate, scoot, bike, or walk than along the Hudson River in Lower Manhattan.

Enter Hudson River Park () at West and Chambers Streets and explore the scenic paths along the water. Head west on Chambers St. and south down South End Ave. to the terrific playground in Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Park (). Its smooth sailing along the walking/biking paths as you travel downtown. Head south along the water for 1,200 feet to reach the northern tip of the World Financial Center. Walk along the water through the North Cove. Continue until you reach South Cove and Japanese-inspired gardens () with picturesque walkways to navigate, winding stairs to climb, even areas to fish. Skirt the water for another 500 feet, past colorful flowerbeds, to Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park (), with its stunning view of the Statue of Liberty. Kick off your shoes and take a break on the well-tended lawn with snacks from the caf. Kids can run around, balancing on the wide benches surrounding the lawns perimeter and racing back and forth in the grass. Then walk through the arch (bathrooms are inside) and climb the stairs for another spectacular view of the river and the vibrant flower gardens in the area.

Also in Wagner Park is The Museum of Jewish HeritageA Living Memorial to the Holocaust (), honoring those who lost their lives in the Holocaust. The building itself is a striking hexagonal ziggurat, its fountain in front a statement of simplicity and contemplation.

The workweek hustle and bustle here disappears on weekends, turning it into a great place for kids to explore.

Begin at North Cove Yacht Harbor () in WFC Plaza, an expansive space by the marina with lots of places to run, jump, skate, and climb, and impressive yachts to peek inside. Pop inside the WFC from one of three plaza entrance points, pick up food, and picnic alongside the fountain. Or spend time inside the