Hidden NY: 12 Fun Things To Do with Kids at the South Street Seaport

Have you been to the South Street Seaport lately? You remember that place.  Where you used to go to drink back in your pre-parenting days or perhaps it is where you took the out-of-towners when they came for a visit, or maybe it was just so far out of the way you never set foot on its cobblestone streets.

But you should, it is a great destination for families.  I used to think it was just a mall and a bunch of bars but after exploring with my son have realized this historic place offers a whole lot more.  Visiting here is actually, kind of like being a tourist in your own city — which is a cool thing to do every now and then.

Although the Seaport can get crowded on summer weekends, it's one long party all summer long at the seaport with lot sof street performers, free outdoor music and lots more. Next time you take a trip to the Seaport, bring your kids, bypass the bars and check out one of these fun finds:

1. Ride a bike on the East River Bikeway or one of the other bike-friendly streets downtown. If you don’t have a bike, Blazing Saddles rents them for the whole family – even tandem bikes. Right on the pier and even offers fun guided bike tours over the Brooklyn Bridge.

2. Take a seat outside on the decks of Pier 16 to see the amazing views of the bridges and the East River that even a little kid will appreciate.  

3. Hit the playground right across from the lighthouse in the Titanic Memorial Park on Pearl Street. To avoid disappointment, make sure this is before the kids see the rendering of the proposed new playground that is on display at the South Street Seaport Museum.

4. Or grab a preview of the new playground by checking out the toddler playgroup at the museum on Wednesdays at 11:00. Here kids can play with the giant foam tubes, disks and bricks that make up the “playground in a box” that will be part of the playground.

5. Stalk a wild cat at the new interactive exhibit, Tigers: Tracking A Legend, at the back of the food court area in Pier 16. Kids will go crazy for the mini-digi-climbing wall with pre-programmed tiger games. Mine did.

6. Take a tour of the studios at Little Airplane Productions, Inc. Kids will love to see how The Wonder Pets and other pre-school television programs are made.

7. Grab a bite, there are just so many choices in the mall sized food court in Pier 16. Then check out Paradise Candy on the top floor of Pier 16 with tons of colorful bins of self serve gummies and other candy for $2.79 per ¼ lb.

8. Sun and snack by the Brooklyn Bridge at Water Taxi Beach's brand-new Beekman Beer Garden, which has upscale bar food, pool and foosball, and of course, sand.

9. Cruise the river on one of the many boat rides and tours that depart from the seaport.  Some of the old tall ships you see docked at the pier go out through Manhattan by Sail and also with the South Street Seaport Museum.  Check the For a thrill take the 30 minute shark boat ride, or go on a sightseeing cruise with the Circle Line or Water Taxi.

10. Shop the Fulton Stall Market at the Seaport packed with suppliers of local produce, meats, breads, as well as coffee, herbs, spices and great crafts from Etsy artists.  There is even live music scheduled and it all goes down in the former fish market.

11. Visit the South Street Seaport Museum, my son really liked looking at the miniature boats in FDR’s model ship collection but the real reason to visit this museum is to get on those old boats at the dock. Stop by on the 3rd Friday of each month when the museum is open late and admission is free after 6:00 pm.

12. Catch some tunes at an outdoor concert. In June they are offering free concerts at lunch time and Friday night music in the summer.

This post is part of our Hidden New York Series:

Hidden NY: 19 Fun Things to Do in Central Park Beyond the Zoo

Hidden NY: 5 Fun Finds at the American Museum of Natural History

Hidden New York: Fun for Kids in Chelsea Market