Please help plan staycation. NY, budget conscious

amother

↑ Cinnamon ↓

Fri, Jan 19 2024, 9:30 am

amother OP wrote:

All their ideas will be expensive and then they'll be upset when they all get turned down. They will probably volunteer a number of such ideas on their own, which will be enough to say no to. I'm betting one of these is going to be American dream water Park, which I see is $90 per person for a few hours and I don't understand how anyone does that unless maybe they only have one kid and that's all they're spending.

Preface it by saying we don't want to spend a lot but want to have the most fun possible. Your kids are hopefully aware that you're not rolling in dough. They can each take a day to plan or maybe if u agree to one big outing on one day, then the rest of the time can be home based or in the neighborhood.

amother

↑ Cinnamon

Fri, Jan 19 2024, 9:35 am

My mother always worked on my vacation and me and my sisters figured it out for ourselves. Took the train to Manhattan and window shopped some expensive stores, walked deep into the next neighborhood and went to pizza store for lunch, watched tzir chemed plays(this was before Rachel's place days), baking marathon.....

Imateacher

Fri, Jan 19 2024, 11:59 am

Just One wrote:

The American Museum of Natural History is preferred donation for NY residents. You can pay nothing or $2-3 per person, as you choose.
The Intrepid is fun. I used my library card for free culture passes. There are many museum options listed so check out what interests you.
Bowling deals can be really cheap per game. Check rates in your area.
Ikea is fun just for browsing. You can take a boat ride to the Red Hook location.
When nothing else works out, our local library always comes to the rescue. They have a kids area with toys for toddlers and babies and a stash of board games. I read to the younger set and we play family board games while the little ones keep busy.

Which library is this?

amother

Bergamot

Fri, Jan 19 2024, 12:15 pm

I love smash rooms. See if you can find someone who would do a family discount . It’s a huge endorphin rush.
Another out of the box , fairly inexpensive activity is a gun range. See if you can find one in your area. Because it’s cool it won’t matter that it’s close and cheap

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 12:51 am

Bumping this up.
Did ice skating.
Did movie at home.
Did get together with family.
Planning bowling or something similarly small on Tuesday when my day is limited by an appointment in middle.
So tomorrow (technically today but I didn't sleep yet) is it for Going Somewhere.

I would love to do the Met and maybe a little Manhattan sightseeing but Google is telling me it'll be close to 2 hours by public transit and I'm really nervous to drive there - where do you even park? Everyone was up late tonight so by the time we get up and out, if it takes that long to get there we won't see much before closing.

NY Hall of science is closer but closed Mondays.
Cradle of aviation is closer but closed Mondays.
I don't know what's closer and not closed tomorrow.
I need sleep but I also need a plan and I feel so stupid for letting yet another vacation sneak up on me unplanned. What I should have done was go somewhere Thursday when everything was not closed, and then done the home based things Monday when everything is closed. But we spent Thursday unwinding and now we're all unwound with nowhere to go.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 1:00 am

Smash rooms and guns are very not my speed.

The climbing place looks cool but one of the kids is such a chicken she would make everyone else miserable there and wouldn't feel like much of a vacation.

Why is this so hard. I was all ready to go for the met but getting there feels so daunting.

chili-n-cholent

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 1:24 am

amother OP wrote:

I'm not sure what you're ready to spend but Palisades Mall has so much to do and might not be as jammed or crazy expensive as American Dream.
https://timemission.com/ This is amazing! Relatives went and felt it was age appropriate and interactive for a whole range of ages.
The ropes course is also great, but I see their closed Mondays.
https://www.palisadescenter.co.....NMENT
There's BillyBeez and BuildABear for the little ones and if you really want to splurge your kids can eat at Mike's Burgers or you can drive the extra few minutes to Monsey for cheaper pizza.
Good Luck! It's tough!

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 1:40 am

chili-n-cholent wrote:

That does sound cool.
$30pp for just about an hour of entertainment seems like a bunch but I'm also seeing that that's the case everywhere.
Which means about $200 for the family to enjoy just a little part of the day.
I just figured out why my whole neighborhood is at water park hotels right now. I'm a little slow on the uptake.

Speaking of slow I also realized today that I miscalculated and REALLY should have done a trip Thursday, because one kid already needs to be back in school today. Non negotiable. So I need to do something fun enough that the remaining kids aren't bored at home, but not fun enough to make the school kid feel like they missed out on something big.

So a nice museum would be perfect except the close ones are closed Mondays and the ones that aren't closed I can't figure out how to get to.

Meanwhile I'm not getting any sleep and I'm feeling increasingly down on myself for being so bad at this.

Mayflower

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 2:59 am

I really hope you are sleeping now, but for tomorrow: I would try to get to the MET. It's fun, something different, and cheap. As for parking, I found this info on their website:

"Parking
The Museum parking garage, located at Fifth Avenue and 80th Street, is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Parking rate: up to 1 hour: $25, up to 3 hours: $42, up to 5 hours: $50."

It'll be less of a hassle than by train (and it'll still be much cheaper than most other activities). After your museum visit, you can walk through central park and do some sightseeing (Time Square?...).

Good luck, hope you'll have a great day, whatever you end up doing!

amother

Puce

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 3:00 am

Don’t feel down on yourself.

I used to live in NY but it was almost 20 years ago so…I’m just going to throw out some ideas:

Is Sony wonder still around? I used to love that

How about the museum of broadcasting? If you let your kids watch stuff, you can sit and watch tv shows from many years ago.

I never went there but maybe the Morgan library? (It’s a private library).

Liberty science center?

How is the weather? Is Central Park doable?

What about NBC studios (if you’re a tv family)

Or, here’s a real crazy idea:
When I was in my early 20’s, I would go to Grand Central Station during winter vacation and take the train (metro north) to westchester. Get off at a nice sounding town and walk around. It was fabulous.

amother

Bluebonnet

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 4:39 am

[quote="amother OP"]That does sound cool.
$30pp for just about an hour of entertainment seems like a bunch but I'm also seeing that that's the case everywhere.
Which means about $200 for the family to enjoy just a little part of the day.
I just figured out why my whole neighborhood is at water park hotels right now. I'm a little slow on the uptake.

Why is your whole neighborhood at water park hotels now? I guess I'm even slower than you.

Highstrung

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 7:14 am

How about you don’t go anywhere but make it a really fun day in the house .

Example: from teens to tots and adults , everyone get creative and make the largest obstacle course around the house using items from home . Including boxes and rope and cushions etc. (you have to be willing to let go and allow a mess) . Then when it’s complete , each person takes a turn doing the obstacle course . The floor is lava or hot water and you don’t want to touch the floor. Time each person and the quickest is the winner .

Make a “chopped” style cooking competition. For lunch.

Or have the entire family make a nice dinner today . Something “fancy” that takes time to prep and prepare . Every teen is in charge on a younger kid and each set makes a dish. Appetizer , main, dessert etc.
Have them decorate the table with a center piece and paper goods . A family game should also be prepared . This can take all day . Put on some music and get to work.

Or do games at home today and go out to eat in a restaurant for dinner as a family.

I think the most important thing is take everything in stride . Don’t stress if your activity is good enough or that others are all at trips. Make the fun happen in your home.

amother

NeonOrange

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 7:15 am

I tell the kids we are going to x, which is in American Dream. They don't complain about going to more attractions. They know we came for x and then they ask if they can walk around and see rest of the mall. They particularly love the ice skating. We book in advance.

amother

IndianRed

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 7:57 am

Just want to remind you that you're not stupid. You're financially tight, have responsibilities, kids of different ages, appointments, and work. You have a lot going on. Give yourself some grace.

Also right now, go to Google calendar and schedule any day in early January and write "start planning vacation for kids" there now you're covered and won't beat yourself up for next year

For this year, hope you'll have a great day today!

When I don't want to shlep out somewhere with the kids (I have little kids) I have to remind myself to just go. 2 hours feels daunting but that can also be part of the trip.

amother

Taupe

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 8:36 am

Not my cup of tea personally, but esp for boys & maybe younger girls although you never know older too might find fun, could be very interesting to go to the store Cabela's.

It's a massive, Costco size like store with interesting supplies galore for hunting, fishing, bbq-ing, outdoor camping supplies etc, & additionally they have large & elaborate stuffed animal displays throughout as in taxidermy, not teddy bears lol.

Can be fun to browse & take pictures. The location near me has a giant mammoth, bears, a huge deer display & more.

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/e.....nding

amother

↑ OP

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 11:08 am

[quote="amother Bluebonnet"]

amother OP wrote:

Because you pay like $300 but then the whole family is busy for two whole days instead of just an hour on one day, and you definitely feel like you went somewhere because you spend the night in a hotel