5 Fun Day Trips From New York City Without A Car

For kids, a week off from school is bliss. For parents, well, it can be a little stressful. My son is bound to go a little stir crazy in our over-heated apartment. It is too cold for the playground and every inside attraction is going to be packed. Plus, I really need a break from our monthly trek to the American Museum of Natural History.

But you don't need a car to get out of the city. Here are some great day trips from New York City that should entertain the whole gang that you can do without a car! No need to battle the traffic getting back into town when you can kick back and take a seat on public transit. It makes getting there part of the adventure and kids just love it.  

We were inspired by winter time cabin fever here, but these outings are great for any time of year. Please check each destination’s website for specific directions.

The Crayola Factory, Easton, Pennsylvania:
Admission: Adults and Children aged 3 and older, $9.75.
Hours: 9:30am-3pm daily unless otherwise noted.
A mere 1.5 hour direct bus trip from The Port Authority Bus Terminal delivers you half a block away from the front doors of the Crayola Factory. A factory in name only, this is actually an awesome hands-on activity center where visitors paint, draw with every color possible, sculpt and even write on a glass wall. Of course, all the materials are made by Crayola, but it is so much fun you won’t mind being marketed to. Admission price also includes the interactive and educational National Canal Museum, located right upstairs. The best part about this place is that even Easton crowded is definitely not New York City crowded.

Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum, Poughkeepsie, NY
Admission: Adults and Children, $7.50
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30am-5pm, Sunday 11am-5pm, Open until 8pm on the third Saturday of the month, Free admission from 5pm-8pm on the third Saturday of every month.
Located on the banks of the majestic Hudson River, it is easy to get to on Metro North from Grand Central Station. Take the Hudson line to the end; about 1 hour and 45 minutes, from there it is a quick 5 minute walk to the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum. Inside, 2 floors offer lots for kids to explore: a model of a human heart, a huge soap bubble they can get inside, a giant dinosaur dig, a simulated submarine experience that takes them to the depths of the Hudson and a giant ball roller coaster that explains the role of gravity on earth. The museum also offers rotating weekly art projects and a hands-on discovery science cart.

Newark Museum, Newark, NJ
Admission: Adults, $10, Children, $6
Planetarium: + $5 for Adults, +$3 for Children under 12
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday 12pm-5pm, Closed most Mondays, and closed every Tuesday.
Conveniently located in downtown Newark, the Newark Museum is easily accessible from Manhattan by New Jersey Transit or the PATH train with a short trip on the Newark Light Rail system. Intrepid New York City families can also walk it from the train. The museum is the largest in New Jersey and is kind of like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Museum of Natural History rolled into one, with 80 galleries of art and natural sciences. Kids love the “Look Touch Learn” gallery where they can get a better understanding of how nature influences art by becoming engaged in hands-on exhibits, scavenger hunts and a sketching area. The mini zoo is also a favorite. It’s totally inside and home to 100 animals, including owls, piranhas and snakes. The museum also has a variety of programming all included in the price of admission.

Liberty Science Center, Jersey City, NJ
Admission: Adults, $15.75, Children 2 to 12, $11.50
(Imax extra)
Hours: Double check as hours change each season. Currently Tuesday-Friday 9am-4pm, Saturday-Sunday 9am-5pm. Occasionally open on Monday.
There are so many ways to get right across New York Harbor to the Liberty Science Center, but two of the most adventurous are PATH trains or a ferry ride from Manhattan with connections to light rail or a local bus. At the Center, science comes to life every day in engaging and exciting ways, with public programming and educators to complement all the exhibits. It takes many visits to actually scratch the surface of this center. In the huge skyscraper gallery, little New Yorkers will feel comfortable learning how our high rises behave in the wind, pretending to be construction workers by walking along the iron beams, and even putting together a building of their own. Be sure to check out the timely exhibit on germs and how to stop the spread of infectious diseases, or “Eat or be Eaten,” an exhibit which describes the food chain with live animals.

Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia, PA
Admission: Adults and Children over the age of 1, $15
Hours: Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 11am-5pm
Perhaps the furthest of the lot, but completely worth the trip, the Please Touch Museum is easy to get to by taking Amtrak straight into center city Philadelphia. A less expensive, but equally effective train trip involves taking NJ Transit into Trenton and connecting to SEPTA. From center city you can choose from a few bus lines to take you to the museum. Bright, colorful and interactive, Please Touch is considered one of the best children’s museums in the country. Kids can let loose in the Wonderland area with a maze and the confusing hall of doors and mirrors. Visit the Please Touch Playhouse to take in a puppet show, or check out the transportation area to drive cars and SEPTA buses or take a whirl on the historic carousel.

For other cool activities to keep your family busy during winter, check out our Winter Fun Guide.