NYC Educational Entertainment

Learning opportunities abound in New York City. These opportunities are not all in boring atmospheres or hallowed halls of learning but in interactive experiences that are widely available to young and old alike in many brightly lit and fun to explore corners of this great city. We are never too old for learning and we can never have too much fun. Whether you are young, have youngsters of your own, or are simply young at heart, New York City has a lot of entertaining ways to educate you.

Perhaps one of the neatest things to do in New York City is to pay a visit to the FDNY Fire Zone. General admission is free but if you wish to experience a Fire-Simulation presentation there are nominal fees involved (currently under $5 per person). The Fire Zone is a state of the art facility where fire safety is taught. Kids, big and little alike, enjoy the fact that they can actually put their hands the equipment, try on the gear, and work with parents to establish an escape plan for their homes. Most importantly children to can learn what to do in this situation rather than being paralyzed by fear. This is one place that really should be on your list of places to visit while in New York City, the price is certainly nice and it could save a life.

The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art is another great place to spend a few hours and learn about the many different aspects of art, comics, and cartoons and what kind of role they have played in recording the history of our world. They offer different exhibitions at different times so this is a place you could definitely visit often in order to get the maximum enjoyment from the process. The hours for this particular museum are different than the average so be sure to make sure they will open to the public on the day and time you wish to visit. Current admission rates are $3 for children and adults over the age of 12.

Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden is another great place to learn, this time it's about history. This building is steeped in history and was once the home of the daughter of President Adams. Take a walk through history inside this lovely home turned hotel and then stroll around in the gardens outside. If you feel a need to get away from the big city while remaining in the big city this is a great place to visit and feel the air around you and forget about the fact that the nearest mall is actually very close by.

The Brooklyn Children's Museum is great fun for kids of all ages, shapes, sizes, and nationalities. Fun after all, is a universal language and you will find plenty of that here. The good news is that this particular fun is actually well disguised education. The Brooklyn Children's Museum was the very first museum of its kind, by that I mean the first museum that was dedicated to entertaining and educating children. It was a wildly successful experiment that is responsible for the 300 children's museums now located around the world. The admission is very reasonable at $5 per person and children under the age of 1 are free. The museum is closed on Mondays during July and August and on Mondays and Tuesdays for the remainder of the year with the exception of certain public school recesses. It is best to check with the Museum if you are uncertain and hoping for a Tuesday visit.

The New York Hall of Science is another great learning experience that is available here. There is so much to do and see here and most importantly you get to play with many exciting new toys and such. Enjoy activities and exhibits that bring the science to magic and prove that they are not exactly mutually exclusive. Magic is after all, in the eye of the beholder. Exhibitions change frequently and always offer something fun for everyone. There are age appropriate activities for children and the science playground ($3 per person admission fee above the museum admission fee of $11 per adult and $8 per child is required for the playground) is always a big hit. Now you're off to an excellent educational experience that everyone in your family will think was simply fun.

New York Wildlife

New York City might be a jungle according to many but the animals can be found in its many zoos. If you'd like to check out one or more of the many zoos in New York City I highly recommend purchasing a city pass that will allow you free admission to many of the area zoos. Keep in mind that some of the attractions inside the zoo will cost extra so you should expect to pay something for your day at the zoo(s) but every little bit you can save along the way helps and you will be surprised at how quickly you can recover the cost of your pass.

Bronx Zoo

The Bronx Zoo is the largest urban zoo in the U. S. and is open 365 days a year. Those that have city passes can enjoy free admission to this zoo. Once you've had your fill of the award winning exhibits the Bronx Zoo has to offer you should check out the New York Botanical Garden, which is located nearby and offers great fun and many activities for children to avoid (this experience is another that can be enjoyed for no additional charge with the New York pass). Also nearby are Wave Hill, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and Van Cortlandt House Museum. All of these activities are free with the New York pass and are all very much suited for family members of all ages.

Central Park Zoo

The Central Park Zoo offers a view of animals in their natural habitat rather than in cages. While this is becoming more and more of the norm as far as American zoos are concerned the Central Park Zoo was a relative pioneer in this particular process. Today the Central Park Zoo boasts an indoor rain forest; a chilled penguin house along with a pool for the polar bears while also being home to breeding programs for certain endangered species. While you're there be sure to have lunch in the Leaping Frog Café, which offers kid friendly fare that is surprisingly health oriented (such as trans-fat-free French fries). If your walk through this 6.5-acre zoo wasn't enough exercise for your day be sure to stop by the bike rental area of Central Park, which is located nearby.

New York Aquarium

The New York Aquarium while not exactly a zoo is another great place for the family to experience animal life. This happens to be one of the highlights of many trips to New York. Young and old alike will enjoy watching the marine animals play and frolic while learning important lessons about our marine friends. The aquarium is located at Coney Island and is near Astroland Amusement park if you want to make a day of it. The New York Aquarium offers free admission to holders of the New York Pass and Astroland offers discounts for these holders as well.

 Prospect Park Zoo

Prospect Park Zoo offers a unique experience for children to have interactive contact with more animals. This increased interaction makes the trip much more enjoyable for youngsters than many larger zoos which allow little interaction with animals or a very limited number of animals to interact with. The Prospect Park Zoo hosts more than 400 animals representing over 80 species. This zoo is located near the Brooklyn Children's Museum, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and the Brooklyn Museum of Art-all of which allow free admission for The New York Pass holders.

Queens Zoo

The Queens Zoo offers a unique experience for visitors in that it is less lake a zoo and more like a prairie home for the animals it houses. This 12-acre park is home to 70 animals that live in very authentic habitats. If you choose to visit this particular zoo, be sure that you take the time to visit the barnyard area so that your little ones can feed some of the friendlier creatures. This zoo is located fairly near the Queens Museum of Art, the New York Hall of Science, and the American Museum of the Moving Image. These attractions are all free with the New York Pass.

If you are a true animal lover, then New York City has you covered for opportunities to get your fill. Who would have thought that a city this full of skyscrapers and commerce was also the home to some of the most beautiful and exotic wildlife in the world?

New York Sports

New York City is most definitely a city that loves its sports and cheers for the home team. New York is probably the best represented city and state in this country when it comes to major league teams. I've never quite seen anything like it but I honestly can't imagine a night when there isn't some sort of major sporting event taking place somewhere in this great city.

The National Hockey League that almost wasn't is back and going strong. New York is represented well by the Ranger's who have made a wonderful deal this year to woo Shanahan away from the Red Wings. They play their home games at Madison Square Garden and have some of the most loyal fans. Even if you're say from Detroit and visiting, and if the Rangers are playing at home then it's the perfect opportunity (assuming you can get a ticket) to drop in and see how Shanahan is adjusting to life in the Big Apple and if he misses life back at the Joe.

Putting hockey aside for now, there are many other professional sports you can enjoy watching while you're visiting New York City. I think there are a few baseball fans in this city somewhere. I say a few because it seems that they had to create two baseball teams in order to contain all the fans. I will say though that these fans are loyal to a fault to the teams they support. The New York Mets and the New York Yankees represent this great city in Major League Baseball and both teams draw loyal support from all their fans.

The amazing thing to me is that the double-teaming didn't end with baseball. It seems that New York City also has two National Football League teams as well. The New York Giants and the New York Jets both represent this fair city to football fans across the country. While I have no favorite or even preference for all these teams and really have no idea how a city can survive with this sort of heated division. Obviously they aren't as rabid as some hockey fans can tend to be or there would be civil war within the streets.

All joking aside, it seems that so far there is only one NBA team and they are the New York Knicks. I won't go into how unfair it is to so improperly represent hockey and basketball because these guys might actually be getting the better end of the bargain-the entire city roots for them, not just half. With so many major sporting opportunities it's amazing that men in this city get anything at all accomplished without carrying a portable pocket television with them at all times.

I don't know about your house, but in my house it's difficult enough to schedule important events in our family lives around one local team for each sport (and we don't even have a baseball team). I can't imagine how women in New York do it. But to all of you women and the men you love, I have to say kudos for supporting your great teams and giving your many visitors such wonderful opportunities to watch our sports when we're away from home too. It's hard to identify one thing about this city that is the greatest but that just may be it.

New York Nightlife and Changing Directions

The nightlife is a big part of the New York culture, there's no reason if you are able, willing, and have no children to keep you in the room at night that you are your date for your New York City vacation can't get out and hit the town while checking out some of the wonders of New York nights.

The problem is that there is no one size fits all when it comes to nightclubs, bars, and lounges. Each of these is well represented in almost any New York neighborhood and it really is up to each individual to find the bar or club that works best for them. The best recommendation I can give anyone is to check out the acts that are headlining and find an act that you think will suit your style and tastes.

If you're in the mood for laughter, then a comedy club might be the best for you. If you're looking for a nice quiet place where you and your date or mate can converse quietly and contemplate life and love then a piano or jazz lounge might be the best option for you. Trying to suggest a bar in New York is almost as difficult as trying to recommend one on Bourbon Street, they are all somewhat alike and yet they are all very different. The trick is in finding the one that suits you best.

Now, if you want to get terribly sloshed and have a rousing good time, then I will suggest a karaoke bar. What could be better than an off key sing-along to bad eighties music? Not much, but laughing at someone else for doing it is much better than getting up there and doing it yourself. There is so much potential for fun to be had and only you are the one that can decide if you would even consider enjoying certain moments. We all have music we prefer, crowds we prefer, and more importantly music and crowds we'd rather avoid.

The good news is that within New York City there are bars that represent almost any musical tastes in history, and then a few more. Chances are that there's a bar somewhere that offers the kind of music you prefer or are in the mood for tonight. Some of these bars will have live bands or one man/woman shows and some will have DJs spinning tunes till last call or the sun comes up. There's Jazz, Hip Hop, The best and worst of the 80's, the 90's, alternative, country, techno, pop, smooth jazz, R&B, Manilow and Streisand, the 70's, Classic Rock, and so many more my head spins trying to think of them all. Somewhere in the mix there has to be something that works for you, or perhaps silence or simple piano ballads are the way to go.

Whatever your music and whatever your mood there is a bar or a club in New York that has something that will speak to you. And if you are in a particularly dark mood, they have clubs for that too. Many of us use our vacation time to explore other aspects of our nature, if you are interested in trying out new music or a new crowd; New York City is a big anonymous city in which to try new things. Just don't have so much fun that you decide to stay.

New York Fun Freebies for the Family

New York City, other than being the city that never sleeps is also an excellent vacation destination. If you're considering a New York Vacation but worried about the selection or availability of great family activities in which to participate, let me put your mind to rest. There are many family activities in New York City that will appeal to all ages from toddlers to teens. Some of these great activities are surprisingly easy on the pocketbook despite New York City's reputation for being an expensive place to live and/or visit.

There are many ways the careful planner can enjoy many of this great cities attractions for little or no cost. Most museums offer free admission one night or day each week. Check around and plan your trip to that particular museum on the free days and evenings. Additionally, several of the museums offer a 'pay what you wish' policy, which allows you to offer a donation for entrance rather than having a set price that would exclude many from visiting. Visiting museums are a great way for everyone in your family to gain some cultural insight from their New York City visit while the free nights make this experience rather easy on the pocketbook.

In addition to these museums you can also experience the technology of tomorrow at the Sony Wonder Technology Lab at no cost or take a stroll down the boardwalk of Coney Island. In the winter, try ice-skating in Rockefeller Center. If you have the time and inclination Queens County Farm Museum offers free admission (with the exception of special events so be sure to check) and provides the family with a step back in time.

To really take a bite out of the Big Apple try the market at Union Square Green Market. In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables you will find all kinds of yummy goodies to eat and drink. There are also many walking tours some guided (these tend to cost money) and many self guided tours you can take through the neighborhoods of New York as well as some historic walking tours.

For a truly historical experience visit Federal Hall National Memorial. Admission is free and you will be able to view American History at its core. This is the place where George Washington took the oath of office and our form of democracy was born. For any American history buff or school aged child this is one of the must see freebies available in New York City. Other national parks in New York City that are of interest historically include Ellis Isle, the Statue of Liberty, Grant's Tomb, and Fort Wadsworth. Each of these parks offer free admission to the general public and make a great place for the entire family to not only visit and enjoy but also to learn about our history.

Wave Hill is another great place to visit. This tour is free during the week otherwise is it $4 for adults and $2 for children. Regardless of whether you go during the week or on the weekend it is still an excellent value for the price of your visit.

Of course this is only a small sample of the many free and low priced things to do in this great city. You will definitely want to wear comfortable walking shoes for the many miles your feet will take you in this fascinating city. In addition to the many family activities mentioned above, New York City is home to some of the world's finest parks, which also offer free recreational and cultural experiences to their visitors.
I highly recommend that you pay careful attention to try and plan activities that are free and activities that cost little money with those other can't miss activities in similar areas. This will save time (a very big commodity when traveling around New York City) and the money you would pay in transportation fees. Planning your trip ahead of time is one of the most economical decisions you can make. This doesn't mean that you can't be flexible if you see something when you get there, just that you have a pretty good idea of the things you really want to do balanced with the reality of the budget with which you have to do them all. The most important thing to do is have fun!