Ask-a-Zontee: 10 Things to Do in NYC When Your Parents Are in Town

I often joke that I’m the person my friends call randomly when they need a good recommendation of a place to take out-of-town guests or to purchase that perfect cocktail dress. With that in mind, I’m sharing my answers every once in awhile, here on my blog. It’s Ask-a-Zontee, so named by my friend Liz.

On Tuesday, my friend Kelly asked me for some recommendations for places to take her parents while they’re in town. Having lived in Manhattan and Brooklyn for about 8 years now, I can come up with a million things to do, and have always been happy to make recommendations for friends whose younger siblings are in town or whose friend is coming from another country for the first time. Depending on the guest, of course, your considerations will vary quite a bit, but today’s list focuses on low-key activities for people who are coming from out of town that are not too touristy, but very New York. I’ve also tried to include activities that are easy on the budget, since times are still tough and a lot of us are watching our wallets even on vacation. Luckily, NYC is the kind of place where you can blow through a ton of cash or stay thrifty.

1. Check out the High Line and Chelsea Market. Take a walk along NYC’s quintessential example of urban reclamation. The High Line is a park built out of the once-abandoned elevated subway tracks that runs along the Meatpacking District and Chelsea. With great views of the waterfront, hip shopping in the Meatpacking District, and the awesome Chelsea Market (an indoor market with restaurants, boutique tea vendors, a seafood market with lobsters that can be steamed on the spot for you), you can make an afternoon of this great spot. Tip: If it’s a week day, get a “picnic lunch box” for $15 from Morimoto, the Iron Chef’s restaurant right under the High Line.
2. Wander around Nolita. With tons of cute boutiques, the Market NYC (an awesome independent designer market with great jewelry, clothes, and gifts), and great (but not too expensive) restaurants like Cafe Habana (their Mexican corn is awesome…and available to go), Nolita is a great neighborhood for a low-key morning or afternoon. The streets are narrow and very Old New York, but the upscale boutiques and independent shops will give even your shmanciest guests something to remember. Follow up dinner with dessert. Rice to Riches is close by.
3. Discover the Shakespeare Garden. On the West side of Central Park, not too far from the American Museum of Natural History (another classic place to go), is the Shakespeare Garden. Featuring plants referencing lines in Shakespeare, it’s a wonderful oasis in the bustling city. Grab a hot dog or an ice cream bar from one of the park’s many vendors and have a seat among the lovely flowers.
4. Find great nick-nacks at Brooklyn Flea. With clothing vendors, jewelry, interesting furniture, and fun finds, this NYC version of a flea market is a great day trip. Plus you can combine it with lunch! I totally love the food vendors at Brooklyn Flea; there are lobster rolls, hot dogs with Asian-inspired toppings, Belgian liege waffles…the list goes on. There are also a ton of great restaurants in Fort Greene if you want to stick around all day and have some dinner. Try the Smoke Joint (barbecue), Madiba (South African), or Habana Central (sister of Cafe Habana mentioned in the Nolita section).
5. Treat your cinema-phile to a film. New York is a great place to see an independent or foreign film, with tons of theaters each with their own charms. Of course there’s the famous Angelika, but there’s also Sunshine Cinema, IFC Cinema, Film Forum, Quad Cinema, and even ReRun (the tiny–and quirky–cinema at ReBar in DUMBO).
6. Tea-time on 5th Avenue. If touristy activities like Saks and Rockefeller Center are getting exhausting, treat yourself to afternoon tea at Bergdorf Goodman’s restaurant. Yes, it’s a little more costly, but it’s kind of super. Indulge in the ladies-who-lunch properness of it all.
7. Inexpensive eats. NYC is a great place to eat on the cheap. Visit Mamoun’s at either its St. Mark’s Place (there are a TON of great cheap eats on St. Mark’s in the East Village) or Macdougal Street locations for $2.50 falafel. Stop by famous Grey’s Papaya for a cheap hot dog and fruit drink. Get a slice of Grimaldi’s pizza at Limelight Marketplace (you can’t buy it in slices at the Brooklyn location, so take advantage in Manhattan). Not as cheap, but totally yummy, is Shake Shake (either indoors on the Upper West Side or outdoors in Madison Square Park).
8. Museums for cheap. New York is well known for its awesome selection of diverse and unique museums. Want to hit a bunch while keeping to a budget? There a bunch of museums that have free or “pay as you please” nights. Here are just a few: Whitney Museum of American Art; pay as you please from 6 to 9 on Fridays. Museum of Art and Design; pay as you please from 6 to 9 on Thursdays. MoMA (Museum of Modern Art); free from 4 to 8 on Fridays. You can always pay what you please at the Brooklyn Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (even though there are “suggested donation” amounts); just buy your tickets in person at the museums.
9. Museums off the beaten path. In addition to the museums above, there are also a bunch of very unique museums that I think are totally worth visiting. Here are just a few: Cooper-Hewitt, Museum of the Moving Image, Museum of Chinese in America, Museum of the City of New York, and the Noguchi Museum.
10. TKTS. Okay, I know this is not revolutionary, but if you love shows and plays, TKTS is a good resource. Hit up the Brooklyn location for advance tickets or the Times Square location for day-of tickets (see their website for details. Shows still too expensive? Try the Public Theater for amazing shows that are inexpensive or check Theatermania for off and off-off Broadway shows.

So that’s just a little sampling of NYC activities appropriate for visiting parents (in-laws, aunts, etc.). As usual, feel free to share your own suggestions too!