Get an up-close look at the Brooklyn Bridge while you hang out at the 85-acre, waterfront Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy. The park stretches across the waterfront in the vicinity of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges on land that was overlooked and inaccessible for decades. Although the park is still under construction, the Pier 1 and Pier 6 sections are open to the public – meaning you can enjoy beautiful views of the city right next to the bridge. The park is set to be 66% completed by 2013.
Tour the history of the city and explore the exhibits and attractions at the Museum of the City of New York. The museum was founded in 1923 to showcase the history of New York City, and is home to art in various medias like paintings, drawings, prints and photographs featuring the city and its residents. Other pieces of the collection include costumes, decorative objects and furniture, toys, rare books and manuscripts, marine and military artifacts, police and fire artifacts and items documenting the golden age of Broadway theater.
Those with an interest in military and maritime history will enjoy the exhibits at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. The museum has a collection of ships and other war craft including the World War II aircraft carrier USS Intrepid, the submarine USS Growler, a Concorde SST and a Lockheed A-12 supersonic reconnaissance plane. Exhibits showcase aircraft from: the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, NASA and Britain, Italy, France, Israel, China and Poland.
Central Park is one of New York City's best known landmarks, so visiting here with your family should be a shoe-in on your list of attractions to see. The park is home to several man-made lakes and ponds, walking and recreation trails, two ice-skating rinks, a wildlife sanctuary and many other natural amenities. Other must-see sights you can experience as a family include The Belvedere Castle, the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, and the Central Park Zoo.