We are back to reality after our NYC getaway. I can’t recommend getting away to a new city more. I had a twinge of mom guilt at first, wishing the kids could see what we were seeing too. But, I quickly got over that. There was no way they would have been able to keep up with all the things we did and saw! We were so busy planning and going from one place to the next… guess what we DIDN’T talk about?!?!? THE KIDS! We were so busy discussing what we had just seen or done, figuring out transportation and deciding what we were going to do next that we were just too busy to talk about the kids very much! It’s for that reason that I highly recommend getting away to a city or a place you’ve never been to OR, in our case, a city you haven’t visited in over 10 years!! If you happen to visit New York City, here are my top 5 tips / things to do when visiting.

1. Book a Hotel close to subway access. Our hotel room was very close to Penn Square Station and it made navigating the city SO EASY! Anywhere we wanted to be was only a quick subway ride away. With this I’ll add getting a Metro card. It was only around 30$ for a week and it really gave us quick access to anywhere we wanted to be.
2. See a Broadway show! There are so many shows going on at any given time! Musicals, dramas, comedies…. Many with big time actors starring in them! Make time to check one out. I had my heart set on seeing Beetlejuice because it is brand new and I know it won’t tour any time soon and because the set designer is the same guy that did Hamilton and Dear Evan Hanson! ***Here is a tip!! In Times Square, there is a red ticket box office called TKTS. You cannot order online and the line will look long and intimidating. Trust, it moves fast and it will be worth it! You can get DAY OF tickets for up to 50% off! We scored Beetlejuice tickets normally 125 for only 63$!
3. Visit a Museum. I am an art fan, but really, anyone can enjoy a visit to an art Museum. If you are novice level when it comes to art, I would recommend visiting the Guggenheim. It is very manageable in one visit and they offer a free architecture tour daily at 2 pm! If you are more “expert level” or have more time on your hands, try the Met! The Met is ENORMOUS and impossible to see it all in one day but truly, truly incredible to visit.
4. Visit Brooklyn. We took a ferry over to Brooklyn one afternoon and had a lovely lunch overlooking the Hudson River with a spectacular view of Manhattan. The DUMBO area in Brooklyn offers many shopping and eating choices right along the water.
5. Don’t over schedule! Make loose plans and see where your day takes you! Get a little lost and mingle with everyone you meet! You’ll be surprised at all the magic there is to find, not only in the city but within YOU if you just let yourself wander a little.

This trip reminded us of our life B.K. (Before Kids) it rekindled our marriage and our strength as a couple. I hope my little getaway inspires you to get a babysitter, grab your spouse by the hand and get out and explore! I know it’s inspired me not to wait another 10 years for our next getaway!!

If you want the full play by play on all the places we visited check out my NYC story highlights on Instagram here!