Elliott and I have been taking quick girls’ trips for the last two years. It’s a fun way for us to spend quality time together while doing something we both love – travel. Here, I’m sharing our itinerary for our very tween weekend in NYC.

One Weekend in NYC with a Tween

Where to Stay

We liked our hotel a lot, the Renaissance New York Chelsea Hotel. It was quiet, clean, and in a decent location. Somehow our room ended up facing an alleyway, which meant less noise. Win Win.

Day One

After landing in NYC, we dropped our bags at our hotel and headed out for a delicous lunch at Charlie Bird. Then, we hit up Soho to shop. We went to quite a few destinations for me, but I made sure to sprinkle in some stops for Elliott.

Then, it was back to the hotel to freshen up, before we ate an early dinner at American Bar. A classic New York restaurant, we loved everything we had here. Do not sleep on the pigs and blankets.

Day Two

We started the day by grabbing something sweet from Mah-Ze-Dahr. If you are a pastry person, this is a must stop.

Our next destination was the Color Factory, which was a short walk away. We had tickets for 9:00 AM, which was when they opened. If you can, I’d recommend going within that first hour. We had the place mostly to ourselves. This is basically tween heaven with lots of interactive exhibits – and a giant ball pitt.

We went through the Color Factory pretty quickly. This was due in large part, because Ellie was trying to avoid the little boys who had started the tour with us. With time to kill before our next activity, we swung by Zara and stocked up. It was fun, but it meant I was stuck lugging bags around the city.

The next thing we did was a highlight for me. (Elliott also really enjoyed it). We joined a small group for a Secret Food Tour of Chinatown and Little Italy. Our guide shared the history of NYC, while we enjoyed delicous food. It was fantastic!

That evening, we headed for dinner at Lamalo, a Middle Eastern restaurant located in a hotel. The food was good, but the service was even better. Our sweet waitress arranged for us to have a quick peak at the Arlo’s rooftop bar. Typically, they don’t allow kids up there, so we very quickly took photos and left. (If you are not traveling with kids, this would be a great place for pre-dinner drinks.)

Next up, we went to see a Broadway show, SIX. It was a lot of fun. The music was lively and upbeat.

Notes:

• Some parts of the show were suggestive. However, it was within my comfortability for Ellie. I’d recommend listening to the music before booking your tickets, if you’re concerned.
• We got to the venue way too early. They didn’t open the doors until about 30 minutes or so before showtime. That left us with not much to do in the area. (I am a Times Square avoider when possible.)

Day Three

Our final day, we grabbed a pastry at Dominque Ansel’s Workshop. It was good, but Mah-Ze-Dahr was better.

Then, we headed to SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. This skyscraper offers sweeping views of the city alongside interactive exhibits. Despite having tickets with timed entries, the lines were very long, and each space was very crowded. I think it was worth seeing, but wish I had different expectations going into it. It took much longer than I thought it would.

Our last stop was a very cute French bistro on the Upper East Side, A.O.C. East, where we met my friend Kim for lunch. Cozy and quiet inside, it was the perfect place to relax after our busy morning.

Originally, we had planned to do a little wander around the neighborhood, but the rain and Ellie’s oncoming cold meant we headed to the airport early.

More Places to Visit in NYC

It’s worth noting, we also went to New York in 2022. Our favorites from that trip were:

• Tea at the Plaza Hotel
• Ivan Ramen for ramen and the curry flower
• Scarr’s Pizza for pizza (Go when it opens for lunch.)
• Le Fournil Bakery for pastries
• Milk Bar for the most delicious baked treats
• Russ & Daughters Shop on the Lower East Side for bagels