One of the better things about living in CT actually has nothing to do with Connecticut. At all. It’s the fact that we are basically living in between two cities that are full of history, tradition, and sights to see.
Boston is a little over two hours by car (unless there’s a Sox game), and NYC is about two hours as well. What makes this so spectacular is not just that we’re close to two cities… but that we’re close to these two cities in particular. They are both full of culture, full of character, and full of opportunities to learn and explore, for all ages- but that’s where the similarities end. They are just as different as cawffee and cahffee.
New York City is bustling, but orderly. The streets and avenues form a very precise grid, with numbered street and avenue names to assist. You can easily find your way around, even if you have no idea where you are. If you know where you’re going, you can get there. I prefer to walk, because even with my exceptional (yes, exceptional) driving skills, I’m slightly nervous about driving in NYC, and nervous driving in NYC is the fastest way to get into a fender bender, if not worse.
Boston is also bustling, but you can forget the grid of streets or avenues. The street names will not even pretend to provide hints or assist you in any way. The feel of the city is different… it’s hard to put your finger on it.
Both cities are close enough for day trips, if an overnight isn’t in the cards (or budget). We are always saying we should get to NY and Boston more, but even with their close proximity, it’s not always easy to get there.
The main reason for this is our pup. A two hour drive each way is automatically a four hour trip, even if we don’t actually do anything when we get there. While he used to be great when left home alone all day, for 8+ hours of work for both TT Dad and I, he seems to have more difficulty these days. We aren’t sure if it’s because of his geriatric label, if perhaps he’s become accustomed to having me home all day, and being able to go out any time he wants, or if it’s a combination of the two. Either way, if we’re going to be out of the house for longer than a few hours, we now try to have someone stop in to check on him. It makes the day more enjoyable for everyone involved.
On this particular chilly day in March of 2016, we packed up our family for a quick jaunt into NYC. We didn’t have any real plans for the day. We just wanted to get into the city with the kids.
In hindsight, we would have benefitted from a stronger game plan, but as they say- live and learn.
We brought our two umbrella strollers along for the day, thinking it would be easier to maneuver two single strollers through the crowded streets than either of our doubles. We were probably right, although our tandem double (City Select) probably would have been okay, also. We saw a couple of those during the day.
I didn’t want to tackle street parking during this first city trek with the duo, so we found a garage, and unloaded our life from the swagger wagon. We told the attendant we expected to be back in a few hours, and headed on our way. First stop was Central Park. We took a nice leisurely stroll through the park, checking out all the sights along the way.
We feel strongly that traveling is a balance. We find a way to fit in activities for all. TT Dad and I might enjoy a stroll through Central Park, but the kids probably won’t be thrilled about being confined to their strollers. The more we can allow them to get out and have fun, too, the more willing they are to sit through our stroll, and let us enjoy the surroundings.
About half way through our walk, we stopped at a playground in the Park, The East 72nd Street Playground. This playground was definitely designed for older children, but our toddlers enjoyed it, nonetheless. It was a beautiful day, so the playground was hopping! Lots of kids running around, and lots of positive energy! All of the kids were well behaved, and the parents were supervising as necessary. I was impressed, to say the least. A big plus was the wide, but short slide that was located on a cement wall with stones strategically placed for climbing. They also seemed to really get a kick out of running through the climbing structure, which was a pyramid, and had a tunnel underneath it. There were tire swings, a sand table, and plenty of ramps and tunnels to run on and in.
This park was renovated in 2015, to increase the accessibility, and it is now considered to be a Level 2 Accessibility- Accessible Playgrounds with Ramped Play Equipment, and Universally Accessible Swings.
After the duo had a chance to run off some energy, it was back in the stroller to finish up our walk. We found ourselves smack dab in the middle of an anti-Donald Trump rally. I have no desire to get into political thinkings here in our happy little blog, so we’ll just say it was quite the experience!
After that, we needed a little distraction, so we figured why not get the kids on their first horse drawn carriage! It took a while for them to relax and enjoy the ride, but before long they were charming every passer-by we came across.
On our way out of the park, we checked out one more playground- The Tarr-Coyne Tots playground. This one was ideal for toddlers. Multiple bucket swings, a sand box, plenty of smaller climbing opportunities, and a slide that was more their speed. There were only a few other families cycling in and out of this playground, which meant our kids spent less time watching, and more time trying new things. It was wonderful. The Tarr-Coyne Tots Playground is located at West 68th Street, off of Central Park West.
We ended our day with a stop at one of our favorite eateries, The Todd English Food Hall located at the Plaza Hotel. We have only been there a couple of times, but we are always so happy with our experience, and this was no exception. We were at first a little concerned because the tables all seemed to be hightops, and we weren’t sure how a highchair would work, but our worries were laid to rest when we were presented with custom high chairs, made to work perfectly with the tables!
The kids were given crayons and a children’s menu to color on, while we scoured the adult menu, attempting to decide what to try on this visit. I went with the Chicken & Broccoli stir fry, and TT Dad enjoyed his meal, as well. I’ll be honest. I was too busy scarfing down my Chicken & Broccoli to really pay any attention to what he was eating.
Bellies full, we finally made our way back to the car, and headed home, sleepy children in tow. We still have so many sights to see, and playgrounds to explore, so I know it won’t be long before we’re headed back there… At the very least, in May of 2017, when we’ll be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary with tickets to see Hamilton!