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Keeping the whole family happy on vacation can be a challenge – especially when you have younger children in a brand-new environment. Staying close to your hotel can give you a quick escape in case anyone gets overly tired and having a list of kid-friendly places where they can let off steam can be key to keeping your cool on vacation.

Located in the heart of the family-friendly Upper West Side, the Hotel Beacon is just a stone’s throw from some of the best family-friendly activities and attractions in all of Manhattan.

Children’s Museum of Manhattan

Covering five floors of fun, the Children’s Museum can keep kids entertained all day long. Open seven days a week, all year round, the museum provides a place to “nurture the next generation of creative global citizens as they learn through culture and play”. Children (and big kids) can enjoy interactive exhibits, live shows and performances, and workshops throughout the year.

Central Park

Whether you visit for a picnic, a bike ride, to visit the playground, or to simply relax with an ice cream, Central Park is the perfect place to let kids run off steam and burn off extra energy before going out for a meal, or back to the hotel to sleep. Central Park is the biggest urban park in the world, and the list of activities is endless for kids (and adults) of all ages.

Puppet Show

The Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre in Central Park is currently showing Wake Up Daisy – a modern take on Sleeping Beauty – a family-friendly puppet show. The theatre is the only building in Central Park that was not originally created for the park and was built in Sweden in 1876. It has previously been a tool house, a restroom, and even a Civil Defense HQ during World War II. But since the 1970’s the building has been home to the best puppet show in New York City – fun for the whole family.

American Museum of Natural History

Not all museums are suitable for children – but the American Museum of Natural History is one of the best for young people. As well as 34 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, and cultural artifacts, the famous Discovery Room helps make learning fun for kids. Included in the entrance ticket, families can enjoy a 40-minute session in the room – including exploring a two-story replica of an African Baobab Tree and assembling the skeleton of a prehistoric reptile. The discovery room is temporarily closed – but expected to reopen soon.

Alice’s Tea Cup

Taking kids out for a quiet afternoon tea might not seem like a good idea, but Alice’s Tea Cup is a one-of-a-kind tea room. The tea rooms are straight out of a fairytale, with Alice in Wonderland-style illustrations on the walls, balloon décor, and an endless selection of cakes and baked goods covered in fairy dust. The tea rooms attract both adults and children and is one of the best places for tea in the whole city.

The Hotel Beacon is located in the heart of the Upper West Side, a residential and family-friendly neighborhood – with plenty to do for all the family. Providing hotel rooms, and apartment styles suites (complete with a mini-kitchen) just minutes from some of the best child-friendly activities in the city – The Hotel Beacon is a great choice for families.