Hudson Yards Child/Toddler-Friendly Itinerary
I’m a big fan of this adventure because it can be low cost if you want it to be. It can be done rain or shine, too. If it’s raining, just go to the mall and the Edge (there is an inside viewing area that can be just as cool for kids as the outdoor platform). If it’s sunny, do all of the below!
- Gorilla Statue (15 min)
- The Edge -or- The Vessel (1 hour)
- Hudson Yards mall (1 hour)
- Optional – Electric Lemon (1-2 hours)
Time: 2-3 Hours
Cost: $0-$50 depending on what you do
Toilets: Plentiful and clean
Food: Lots of options
Stroller: Friendly
Gorilla Statue
Unless you take the 7, the subway is kind of a far walk from Hudson Yards so we took an Uber from downtown and got dropped off at Bella Abzug Park at 34th so we could start at the Gorilla Statue and walk to Hudson Yards from there.
The Gorilla Statue is HUGE! There weren’t a lot of people when we went on a rare 70 degree day in November 2020, so my two-year old got to climb all over the gorilla.
The Edge
It’s a short walk over to Hudson Yards from the Gorilla Statue. We booked tickets for the Edge, the glass platform in the sky. I recommend booking them in advance for about an hour or two before sunset – yes, it’s the most crowded time, but it’s also the most beautiful time! Due to covid, there’s a cap on the number of people allowed up there, so even the busiest time isn’t too bad.
If you want to take photos at the Edge, I also highly recommend going to the Edge with another parent/caretaker/adult. The best pictures (the ones you see all over Instagram) require someone to stand inside the building and take a photo of you while you’re outside on the platform.
Lastly, I recommend wearing pants and bringing extra layers because it’s super windy and about 10 degrees colder on the platform. I am pretty sure I flashed everyone several times in my short dress!
At the Edge, your kids can run around outside on the platform or in an indoor viewing area. There is a big set of stairs outside on the platform but you can only sit on them if you bought something inside and are eating it. To take photos in the most popular corners of the outside platform and the glass floor, you’ll need to stand and wait in a socially distanced line. Everyone gets 2 minutes to take their photos so it goes pretty fast.
Fun fact, did you know that babies aren’t born afraid of heights? It’s a learned fear. So, if you take your young toddler to the Edge, you might find (like I did) that they are completely fearless when it comes to exploring the platform. Meanwhile, my legs felt like jelly, it was so scary pressing up against the glass!
Optional: The Vessel
Because we did the Edge, we skipped going to the top of the Vessel. I would say do either the Edge or the Vessel but no need to do them both in one trip. The Vessel is fun for toddlers who like climbing stairs but beware, once you commit yourself to climbing the stairs, the only way out is to go all the way up (or back down). You can only access the elevator from the ground floor or the top of the Vessel!
Hudson Yards Shopping Mall
After the Edge, we trolled around the Hudson Yards shopping mall. If you’re going during the Christmas season, your kids will loooooove the Christmas lights and decorations on every floor. My two-year old loved these little Yetis in the Aritizia windows as well as the big hot air balloon lights that changed colors.
I highly recommend taking your toddler to the Camp store if it’s not too crowded – there are fun things for them to explore and climb and play with. My kid was obsessed with the Jeep that you can climb into and press buttons inside and “drive” as well as the “shiny” room which has reversible sequin walls and a digital floor. I also made the mistake of letting my kid run around Dylan’s Candy Shop and we left with a bag of mini gummy bears (which I am currently eating). A note about Dylan’s candy shop – due to Covid, you can’t just shovel a few candies from each container into a bag – they are all individually wrapped big bags now, so mixing and matching candies isn’t an option.
Equinox Hotel/Electric Lemon Rooftop
Since it was such nice weather, we wanted to eat outside (not to mention we don’t feel safe eating inside yet). The last stop on our adventure was to Electric Lemon, the rooftop restaurant in the Equinox hotel. It definitely has a trendy date night feel … so I think people looked at me funny for bringing a two-year old. Whatever, she’s my date! They have high chairs, so I guess they’re technically child-friendly, but they did seat us in the farthest corner in the back because I guess no one wants to see kids when they’re having a romantic date hahaha. The food was OK, nothing to write home about. But, the view was beautiful! Worth it for that alone.
