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Post by jovifan on May 20, 2022 0:33:53 GMT
I’m at a loss of where to go this mid July with just him and I. When I ask him, he says New York but I don’t feel comfortable to navigate that big of a city, just us.
I was thinking either out west to Colorado (I was there last fall and would move there if I could) Or Gulf Shores Alabama to be on the gulf. But do I want To be on a beach in July when I could do that here, I’m in the Midwest.
I have a little over a week off and the plan was to take a kid trip. I have a daughter too, who likely will not go. So we’ve talked about it for a while.
But nothing trips my trigger. Ideas?
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on May 20, 2022 0:46:28 GMT
What is it about New York that makes him want to visit there? Is there a more manageable city that would provide that for him? Does he have any hobbies or special interests that you could build a trip around? I'd start with those and see if you can come up with a short list to investigate.
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Post by myshelly on May 20, 2022 0:52:18 GMT
Here’s my thoughts.
If your kid wants NYC and you take him to middle of nowhere Midwest or hillbilly beach, he’s going to be real disappointed.
I’ve been in NYC just me and my kids and it’s totally doable. Ask him what he wants to do most and pick a hotel close to there. Use cabs if the subway intimidates you. Book a tour guide with a website like Tours By Locals. They will answer your questions before you arrive and will give you tips, tricks, and maps for the rest of your trip.
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Post by ~summer~ on May 20, 2022 1:05:42 GMT
I would do New York City though it could be hot. I just took my 17yo and we had a blast.
Seattle or San Francisco are nice that time of year usually. I’ve taken my teen boys to NYC, Boston, Denver,Los Angeles, Seattle and Portland over the last couple years. Plus we’ve done national parks etc.
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Post by pmm on May 20, 2022 1:07:27 GMT
I've been to NYC twice now. It really isn't hard to navigate. Join a the Free Tours on Foot NYC Facebook page, they have lots of information to help you plan your trip.
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muggins
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Jul 30, 2017 3:38:57 GMT
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Post by muggins on May 20, 2022 1:13:38 GMT
Take him to NYC. It’s not hard to navigate with google maps, and at 17, he could probably do it himself. Try to plan to do a whole day or half day in one area so you’re not crisscrossing the city to get to different places the whole day.
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Post by Skellinton on May 20, 2022 1:16:40 GMT
I have directional insanity, but I was able to navigate NYC fairly well and this was pre cell phones. I wouldn't cross a trip to NYC off the list because you think it will be hard to navigate. Google maps makes it incredibly easy to get from point a to point b via car, public transport or foot.
I agree you need to find out why he wants to go or what his interests are.
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Post by bc2ca on May 20, 2022 1:16:58 GMT
What is it that he wants to do/see in NY?
What is it you want to do in Colorado?
Has he any interest in CO or a Gulf Shores beach vacation?
These seem like three very different vacations, so TBH, I would defer to what DS wants to do. I took my kids to NYC for a week when they were 16 & 14 and everyone was involved in the planning. It is easy to put everything on a map and spend a day in different areas so you aren't crossing back and forth or up and down through Manhattan.
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Post by malibou on May 20, 2022 1:32:41 GMT
How old is he? What are his interests? Is it specifically NYC, or does he like cities and this is the one that came to mind first? Are their things specific to NYC that he mentioned?
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Post by craftedbys on May 20, 2022 1:52:13 GMT
If he just wants to experience a bustling city NOLA is a great trip. Amazing variety of food, history, sights.
The City of New Orleans Amtrak train runs from Chicago through Memphis and to New Orleans on a daily basis. Drop you right in the French Quarter. The train trip would be an adventure in itself.
Dh and I have been there numerous times and it never gets boring because there is always something new to discover.
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Loydene
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Post by Loydene on May 20, 2022 2:28:58 GMT
Teenagers are hard to travel with. If he says New York - then New York it would be -- but there would be a big discussion about what it is that he wants to do and see in New York and whether or nor he/it is age appropriate. And there would be some "rules" about what you'll see -- each day would have a museum/cultural thing, a big sight seeing thing, and an entertaining thing -- and whatever else can be fitted in. New York is a GREAT city -- cabs are cheap and plentiful - and it is totally walkable -- GO! Enjoy!
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Post by jovifan on May 20, 2022 2:42:43 GMT
Sorry I didn’t include more details. He’s 15. And a gamer. His sister had the NYC idea and he got excited about it. I will have to ask him what specifically he would want to do.
I guess I’m scared of the big city atmosphere. I’m not used to taking cabs. That’s intimidating. I’m just overwhelmed by it all, I guess. I’m not on Facebook so are there other message boards, etc that could help with planning/info?
But I can ask him what specifically he’d want to do and go from there.
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Post by librarylady on May 20, 2022 2:51:28 GMT
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Post by ntsf on May 20, 2022 2:51:58 GMT
you will be fine together.. put him in charge of arrangements.. and hailing cabs. he is old enough you don't have to "be in charge"...
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Post by Skellinton on May 20, 2022 2:55:21 GMT
Sorry I didn’t include more details. He’s 15. And a gamer. His sister had the NYC idea and he got excited about it. I will have to ask him what specifically he would want to do. I guess I’m scared of the big city atmosphere. I’m not used to taking cabs. That’s intimidating. I’m just overwhelmed by it all, I guess. I’m not on Facebook so are there other message boards, etc that could help with planning/info? But I can ask him what specifically he’d want to do and go from there. I have been in NYC lots of times and never once taken a cab. You either walk or subway it. I am assuming they have Uber or that nowadays. I am sure if you ask here there are plenty of people with specific info, but I would absolutely talk to your son to see what he wants and include that info. The peas are a pretty good resource! Don't be intimidated, NYC is a great city.
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Post by epeanymous on May 20, 2022 3:01:59 GMT
I lived in NYC for years so granted I see it differently, but I find it super easy to navigate with kids as long as no one is in a stroller. We take the subway or walk everywhere; the only time I use anything like a cab is to get to and from the airport.
If he wants to be in a city but you want to drive, Seattle that time of year really is nice. If he wants to be in a city that feels more urban than that, and you don’t want to drive, but don’t mind using busses and Uber, you might like to go to San Francisco for a city atmosphere.
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Post by mom on May 20, 2022 3:29:53 GMT
Sorry I didn’t include more details. He’s 15. And a gamer. His sister had the NYC idea and he got excited about it. I will have to ask him what specifically he would want to do. I guess I’m scared of the big city atmosphere. I’m not used to taking cabs. That’s intimidating. I’m just overwhelmed by it all, I guess. I’m not on Facebook so are there other message boards, etc that could help with planning/info? But I can ask him what specifically he’d want to do and go from there. I think this is a great chance to show him that yeah you are scared, but you're facing your fears and going to NYC. He's old enough to remember this lesson. Ask him to help you and plan the trip together. It gives you some help + him a chance to learn to navigate new places.
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Post by Darcy Collins on May 20, 2022 3:37:25 GMT
One of the things we started doing when are kids were early teens is just giving them a few days to plan everything and navigate. I think it really gives them confidence and sets them up for travel later. They figured out Paris including the metro with neither speaking much French when they were 13 and 14 so have no doubt your son can figure out NYC - especially as he'll also have his phone for navigating. They didn't even have that as we didn't have international data on their phones (granted they did ask for mine at one point when they were confused.
I think teens are fabulous to travel with - they have definite ideas but that's okay - we just split the days so everyone has a chance to do things they enjoy.
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pudgygroundhog
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Post by pudgygroundhog on May 20, 2022 3:40:55 GMT
Smart phones have made it so much easier to navigate cities - it's straightforward to ride the subway using something like Google maps (you just put in where you want to go and it will tell you where to walk to the station, which train to take, how many stops, etc). And now if you have a credit card with a chip - you can just tap it and go - no need to buy a metro card. I always subway/walk in NYC and sometimes Uber. Most of NYC is laid out in a grid with a logical system - so it's pretty easy to get around.
You will want to do your research and planning ahead of time to make your trip go smoothly - but there are so many resources to help plan (the NYC TripAdvisor forum is active, although you will get better responses if you do some reading first and ask specific questions, you can also just Google phrases like "three day NYC itineraries" or "best things to do with teens in NYC"). If your DS wants to go, I would involve him in the planning - see what his priorities are of what he wants to see and do. List your must sees and group them by location - fill in gaps or time as needed.
Walking tours are a great way to see a city and I have done a bus tour in NYC when I was with visitors that were not very mobile - those can be nice for a general overview.
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StephDRebel
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Post by StephDRebel on May 20, 2022 3:44:51 GMT
You'll be fine in New York. I remember being super overwhelmed the first time I went but we just explored and had nowhere to really be. See if there is anything he really wants to do there. The first time we went we did all the touristy stuff and had so much fun (we had so much fun every single time)
My boys were 13, 13, and 11 when I took them and we used the New York pass to plan. The hop on/off bus let us see as much of the city as we wanted, but my suggestion is to explore and then the day your feet just ache use the 24 hour bus pass. We had a blast just riding on the top level and listening to the tour. we did each loop once when we found a driver that was really fun and had a blast talking and riding. The pass is prepaid for a set number of days so we did it for 3 out of our 5 days there so we had some time to do whatever we wanted. There is an app and a printable option that tells you all of the places included with your pass so we just looked at that and did the attractions in the same area at the same time. After visiting very few places I had saved money using the prepaid option and it made it much easier to budget. If you search nypass you'll find it or we bought the passes for Oahu on the costco website.
Go for it, life is too short. Have a coffee in Little Italy for me!
If you are set on another city I would normally say New Orleans or Nashville, but eh, in the summer I'd choose New York all day.
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Post by 950nancy on May 20, 2022 3:54:46 GMT
I go to NYC every few years and love it. Once you get to your hotel, the rest is really pretty easy. The path train in Newark or the subway in NYC will get you where you want to go.
But I'm all for a gorgeous trip to Colorado too. Land in Denver and then take a gorgeous drive up any pass to beautiful views. Last summer we went to Grand Lake twice. It is on the other side of the Rocky Mountain National Forest. It is three hours from Estes if you go through the park.
ETA: When I retired, I took my youngest (19 at the time) to 5 days of Universal in Florida. It was really such a fun trip since we both loved the park and the other humans in our house are not big park fans.
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Kerri W
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Post by Kerri W on May 20, 2022 8:10:49 GMT
I agree with most others-I would try New York! It’ll be such a memorable trip.
That said, if you’re really not comfortable, have you been to Chicago? It’s one of my favorite places to visit. There is SO much to do! We usually stay on or just off Michigan Ave and much of what we want to see is walkable. For the things that aren’t, or we’re just tired, we Uber.
Our kids are 7 yrs apart and we have struggled with finding vacations that fit toddlers to teens (when we were in that stage. Our youngest is now 16) and Chicago does that for our family. Our 16 yo DS has been asking when we can go again because he wants to revisit the Art Institute and the Field Museum.
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Post by chrissyc72 on May 20, 2022 10:37:57 GMT
What about universal studios in Florida?? Awesome mother son trip if you guys like rides. You’d be fine in NY also. Like the others said, it really isn’t that hard to navigate with smart phones and a map.
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dawnnikol
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Post by dawnnikol on May 20, 2022 10:50:40 GMT
was thinking either out west to Colorado (I was there last fall and would move there if I could) Or Gulf Shores Alabama to be on the gulf. But do I want To be on a beach in July when I could do that here, I’m in the Midwest. Just an FYI, the weather in Alabama has already been what it's supposed to be in July, so I imagine July is going to be freaking Hades. Not to mention the yellow flies and mosquitoes are insane right now. I'd go where DS requested. Explain your fears and work through it together or come to a compromise. You've totally got this.
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anniebeth24
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Post by anniebeth24 on May 20, 2022 12:44:42 GMT
I'm a suburban girl without access to public transportation in my everyday life.
When we visited NYC, I found several YouTube videos on how to use the subway system. Gave me confidence so I wasn't fumbling as much. We still made a few mistakes, but it was part of the adventure.
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Post by ExpatBackHome on May 20, 2022 13:05:21 GMT
I’m taking mine to New Hampsire or Vermont for a long weekend to hike. It’s what he wants to do. He graduates next year.
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Loydene
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Post by Loydene on May 20, 2022 13:48:09 GMT
If your son wants a big city - consider Chicago. I think it is a big less "intimindating" than NYC (and I really love NYC!) and has a LOT to offer! Really good museums, good music, good food and the Mangnificant Mile is easily walkable.
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2022 14:01:14 GMT
I get that you would be daunted at the thought of NYC. Most people will have some apprehension before they visit, but once there will realize their fears aren't realized. The beauty of NYC is how easy it is to navigate - as pudgygroundhog said, because NYC is laid out like a grid, its easy to figure out where you want to go and how to get there. If you end up walking in the wrong direction, within one block or one street you will very quickly realize, and turn around. Using google maps makes it even easier. I love that I'm going to walk a ton and when we get tired/don't want to bother navigating a subway, its really easy to get a cab. What I like most about NYC, is that kids + adults can have fun. There is something for everyone and so much to do, see and eat. If you do decide to go, depending on how much you like noise + heat, I'd look at allowing a few days at the end of your trip to relax at home and decompress. I lived in NYC, I still work there but now live in CT. Feel free to message me if you have any questions/need some help with planning. My boys are 16 and 13, both gamers.
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paigepea
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Post by paigepea on May 20, 2022 14:30:41 GMT
I think NY would be great but I’ll validate your navigating stress. I’d feel the same way and my stress might ruin my planning / fun. I took my girls to LA this year. It’s great to visit in summer. So much to do and hot without being too hot.
My girls are 16 and 13 and have voiced a desire for fewer beach / sun vacations. They want to see more. They loved NYC and San Fran. We did London and paris with them this year and both cities were amazing. Paris is incredibly walkable and easy to navigate. I think Chicago is a great suggestion. It’s more walkable.
Have you looked up walkable cities. I’m in Vancouver and it’s super walkable and wonderful in summer. But I’m biased….
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garcia5050
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Post by garcia5050 on May 20, 2022 15:14:12 GMT
When my kids were 13 and 15, they voted for NY instead of Hawaii for vacation. We were very surprised they picked NY. There was plenty to do and something for everyone. We only did one taxi trip (from airport to hotel) and did the subway for the rest. It was totally fine. It was nice to discover that my DD has a great sense of direction. I also vote to take the NY trip. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
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