See a play, lion king is probably the best for a 4yo. If you do, try the broadway direct lottery each day as tickets are cheap. My kids are going to beatlejuice tonight for $45/tix. Next alternative is to hit the tkts booth in times square for 1/2 price tickets the day-of. Plays take a lot out of kids, so you may want to do very little ahead of it unless you score the Saturday matinee @ 2pm.
highline, Rockefeller center has roller skating right now.
Museum of natural history is always impressive to kids with all the animals, especially a 4yo.
Either zoo, bronx is better, central is good - don’t do both.
NYC is exhausting and everything takes way more time then you think. You’d likely only get to do 1 thing a day, maybe 2, but with young kids I wouldn’t plan for more than 1.
Most the famous and places labeled the best when it comes to restaurants in all honesty are just OK. I’d recommend avoiding all of them as they are usually a let down and very high price. Where ever you are staying, or wherever you are hungry, just find something local using google maps or when you walk past a place.
Levain bakery is the greatest cookie on earth - you’ll want to hit that if it’s in your area. There are a a bunch of them around the city.
If you want to experience NYC food - a Deli Egg sandwich in the morning (ham, egg, cheese, ketchup, salt, pepper is the way to go), a slice of cheese pizza with a garlic knot, a gyro from a street cart or truck, a dirty water dog from a cart… the small, or less-visually-pleasing the place is usually means it’s better. The best Chinese food is a hole in the wall. If you eat McDonalds or Pizzaria Uno’s while you are here you might be put under citizen arrest!
