NYC on Labor Day

We took the MetroNorth into New York City on Monday. It was a spur of the moment, unplanned trip, so we really didn't have any idea of how we might spend the day there. The train was running on time and we made it to Grand Central Station at around 11:30 a.m. DD was dazzled by the giant interior of Grand Central, with its painted blue sky and realistic constellations.

We walked across 42nd Street and had lunch. After a quick peek at the outside of the NYC Public library (it was closed), we headed towards Time Square on 42nd Street, eventually ending up on Broadway. DD was really fascinated by all of the lights, colors, sounds, and activity! We made a few stops, including at the gigantic, three story Toys R’ Us. The inside Ferris Wheel was closed for the day, but we wandered around for a while and DD found a life-like duck (one that needs feeding and comes with a bottle) that we bought. I was startled by a giant (remote control) tarantula, operated by a fun-loving employee – not fun for me!

We followed 7th Avenue through the Theatre District to Central Park, passing Carnegie Hall. We spent quite a bit of time on the playground at Central Park, and of course took a (very fast!) ride on the carousel. We wandered about for a while longer, admiring the gorgeous buildings that face the park on Central Park West. DD really wanted to ride on one of the horse-drawn carriages we saw, but we told her, “next time.” We took the subway back to Grand Central. DD was very tired and was a bit bothered by the noise, but she took it in stride and we were glad that she had a chance to experience the subway. All in all, a great trip and a great way to spend this holiday!