Heading into New York City with our family of six is always a bit of an adventure. But you know what? There's something special about the excitement during our road trips, and this one was no different. Sure, I was a bit nervous, but I decided to push those worries aside as we made our way through the three-hour drive into the city.
Usually, we like to stop about halfway through our road trips, or every hour and a half to two hours. But not this time. We were on a mission to make it to the Empire State Building on time, and that meant no stops. Well, let me tell you, by the time we arrived, I was desperate for a bathroom break! Luckily, the kids were troopers and didn't need to stop, which was a huge relief. Despite the lack of screen time for the kids—except for a movie on Daddy's phone to keep Tatum entertained—the journey went surprisingly smoothly.
Arriving in the city, we found parking in a garage that had been highly reviewed according to my research beforehand. I opted not to use SpotHero this time because of a few issues in past adventures, but I was so relieved to have secured a spot hassle-free. Being that we were just a few feet from the Empire State Building, we eagerly and quickly joined the queue, arriving before the doors opened at 10 am. I was nervous that we were going to spend our entire morning waiting in a line but to my surprise, the line wait was less than a 10-minute ordeal.
The Empire State Building was absolutely incredible. From going through security to checking out the museum and riding up the elevators, every part of it was full of history and wonder. Sure, the lines were long, but it just made the kids—and honestly, us too—even more excited. At one point, we even decided to take the stairs to speed things up a bit, which got some mixed reactions from the family but definitely added to the adventure.
Once we said goodbye to the Empire State Building, we took a nice, easy walk over to Grand Central Terminal, just 15 minutes away with the kids in tow. Tatum caught a ride on my back in the Lillebaby carrier, which has always come in clutch during any explorations that require quite a bit of walking.
Grand Central Terminal was stunning, with its timeless charm and hustle/bustle atmosphere. We grabbed a leisurely lunch, explored all the little corners of the station, and couldn't help but be amazed by its iconic architecture. Then, we hopped on a quick two-minute subway ride over to Times Square. Walking through Times Square was like stepping into a dream—those bright lights and towering billboards made it feel familiar and surreal. We popped into the Disney Store, snapped some photos on those famous steps, and couldn't help but think back to watching the New Year's Eve ball drop, which felt like a world away with so many people moving past one another so quickly and in every direction.
Our subway ride back to Grand Central Station was a quick breather before our next stop: the local Girl Scout store, where the girls were thrilled to add some patches to their collections. With our hearts full and memories to last a lifetime, we headed back to the parking garage, saying goodbye to the city that never sleeps.
Six hours in New York City felt like a whirlwind of excitement and adventure. From navigating the streets to exploring the landmarks, we made some unforgettable memories together as a family—and the ride back home was equally as smooth!
I can't wait until our next NYC trip! It is going to be epic.
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