Bonus Recs #4: NYC micro-itineraries

11 fun, logistically viable routes both kids + adults find fun

I just got back from a work trip to Toronto, where I was thinking about how to navigate a city I don’t know very well. My first instinct is to ask a friend, of course, then it’s to look up the best bakery and a cute bookstore, and meander from there. It’s made me think about where i’d send someone visiting New York—especially someone coming with smaller kids.

Getting too many recommendations in a new place can be overwhelming, and a good micro-itinerary that makes logistical sense can be hard to come by. NYC can already be hostile to navigate, especially with kids, so here are 11 micro-itineraries that our entire family enjoys, extremely biased to Brooklyn and lower Manhattan, that don’t require much advanced planning. Most would take half-to-2/3 of a day, give or take.

BROOKLYN:

• North Brooklyn on a weekend morning: Head up to Peter Pan Donuts and try and finagle a seat at the counter for a bacon, egg + cheese sandwich and a .90 cent doughnut. (Or, take a gamble and wait in line at Radio Bakery for a smoked salmon sandwich on everything focaccia). Head to Transmitter Park and hang on the water, walk to Word Bookstore, then go to Taqueria Ramirez for great pork tacos (or great katsu sandwiches and homemade chips at Taku Sando. If you have more stamina, head up to the Noguchi Museum (open Weds - Sun), which IMO is one of the most peaceful and beautiful places in the city.