Five Favorite Springtime Excursions in New York City with Kids

Park Avenue Tulips
It’s been a long winter in New York City this year with plenty of snowy, windy days. My four-year-old daughter, Charlotte, keeps asking me when spring is coming. I’ve told her many times that spring officially begun on March 20th but she doesn’t believe me. “Mom, spring is not here because the tulips are not yet blooming!” Charlotte’s talking about the tulips on Park Avenue. More than 150,000 tulips are planted every year in the malls on Park — they stretch from 60th Street to 96th Street. One of our favorite spring traditions is to walk down Park Avenue, admire all of these gorgeous flowers, and count them! We are still waiting and watching every day …
Central Park Carousel
The Central Park Carousel is another favorite springtime activity. We go around-and-around for as much as I can handle, and then we walk to the Central Park Zoo. When the weather is warm this time of year we watch the sea lions for hours (feedings at 2p and 4p each day are a highlight). My kids love the petting zoo too, plus it also has a great café for kids with outdoor seating and high chairs.
Conservatory Water in Central Park
Beginning in April the boat pond, a.k.a. the Conservatory Water in Central Park, makes for a great excursion. You can bring your own boat or rent a model remote controlled sailboat to operate around the pond. The Alice in Wonderland bronze sculpture is a perfect place for a post-boating climb. We also like to wander over to Turtle Pond next to Belvedere’s Castle and picnic on the Great Lawn in Central Park (note that weekdays are better than weekends when baseball players are in full swing). The girls love to stand on the dock and watch the turtles poke their heads their heads out of the water — there’s also plenty of opportunity for duck chasing.
Carl Schurz Park
Spring is a great time to enjoy city playgrounds and one of our favorite road trips is to the Carl Schurz Park located at 84th and East End Avenue. They have long “big girl swings” overlooking the East River and lots of room to run. As the weather warms up, bathing suits are a must for a run through the sprinklers.
Brooklyn Botancial Gardens
The Cherry Blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens is open from April 4-May 10th. There’s a great festival for kids on the weekend of May 2-3 with more than 50 family events. Charlotte and Lily love to watch the blossoms float around their heads and dream about summer — now just right around the corner.
Relevant Links:
Places to Stay with Kids in NYC – Shoreham Hotel and The Pod Hotel