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The Pier 26 Playground bright a bright, colorful romping spot to Tribeca this year. Photo courtesy of Hudson River Park

Top Kid-Friendly NYC Openings in 2024

1. Pier 26 Playground – Tribeca

Hudson River Park doesn't lack playgrounds, but this seafaring-themed addition was an instant hit. Despite its small footprint, there's plenty of fun to explore. Kids can climb inside and outside a pair of colorful sturgeons or conquer the play nets and giant tube slide.

2. Play Street Museum – Upper West Side

This brand-new play space filled a serious void for uptown families. We love the mini-cityscape setup and the themes that rotate monthly, meaning there's always something new to explore. An action-packed activity calendar, arts-and-crafts, and plenty of space for parties are icing on the cake.

3. HAPIK Climbing Gym – Sunset Park, Brooklyn

This super-sized climbing gym offers more than 15,000-square-feet of fun with climbing walls, freestanding towers, a ropes course, and even a padded play area for pint-sized visitors. In short, HAPIK is a fun destination for kids of all-ages—and adults, too.

4. Domino Square Ice Rink – Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Domino Park has long drawn visitors in the summer months, but the addition of this new ice skating rink cements its place as a year-round destination. The views from the ice are simply stunning and the prices are more reasonable than you'll find at tourist-heavy ice skating rinks in Manhattan!

5. Xanadu Roller Arts – Bushwick, Brooklyn

If you prefer to skate on wheels, take note: Xanadu Roller Arts packs plenty of fun with an old-school twist. Glide to retro disco, hip-hop, and current pop hits in this brightly colored space. Save some cash for a visit to the candy bar while you're there.

6. Eclipso VR – Midtown West

Visitors to this new, permanent attraction can enter a new reality with the help of cutting-edge VR technology. In this free-roaming space, you're invited to embark on an adventure to a far-flung destination. Eclipso opened with an ancient Egypt-themed exhibition and has since added one that traces the Impressionists. More are in the works, including a dino-themed one that is a sure kid-pleaser.

7. Squid Game: The Experience – Midtown West

The popular Netflix show is streaming a new season, but if you really want to get into the action, this Midtown pop-up is a perfect opportunity. Visitors get to test their luck at a selection of games plucked from the show and accumulate points as they move through the experience. Our writer tested it out with her 8-year-old and attests it's more fun than scary even for young ones, though tweens and teens who have seen the show will appreciate this outing the most!

The Tianyu Lights Festival brightened the cold winter nights this holiday season. Photo by Jody Mercier

8. Tianyu Lights Festival – Flushing, Queens

This seasonal lights display runs for a few more weeks, so if you haven't seen it we suggest nabbing your tickets now. It was truly a stunning surprise. The colors were brilliant, and we loved the interactive elements, which elevated the usual holiday lights walk-through.

9. iFly Indoor Sky Diving – Long Island City, Queens

Take off on an adventure at this chain's first NYC location. Guests don fly suits and helmets before entering the wind tunnel with an instructor to take flight. Each visitor gets to enjoy two flights during a visit, and kids as young as 3 can give it a try! Birthday parties are also offered.

10. Macy's Holiday Square – Midtown West

We definitely have a thing for the pop-up holiday markets that blanket city streets each holiday season, and this new entry into the marketplace was simply charming. Nestled along Broadway from 34-36th Streets, plus indoors on the Macy's mezzanine and near the main elevator bank throughout the store, Macy's Holiday Square shined a light on some small businesses. We were served hot chocolate by Jacques Torres himself at his outdoor booth and sipped while we shopped for everything from custom embroidered T-shirts to homemade shortbread, lobster rolls, and plenty of sparkly baubles all while enveloped in the magical glow from the holiday windows .

Savannah Sunset Resort offers safari-style glamping and access to Six Flags' wild residents, too. Photo courtesy of Six Flags

Best Family-Friendly Openings Near NYC in 2024

11. Savannah Sunset Resort – Jackson, New Jersey

If the thought of planning an African safari is too out-of-the-ordinary—or out of your budget—this Six Flags resort may be the next best thing. Stay in safari tents and wake up to the sights of animals roaming Six Flags Great Adventure. You'll receive theme park tickets to enjoy the fun all day long and participate in a giraffe-feeding encounter, too.

12. Legoland's Minifigure Skyflyer – Goshen, New York

A visit to Legoland New York got a little easier with the addition of this new gondola-style ride, which whisks guests from one side of the park to the other with stunning views to boot.

13. Sesame Street Learn & Play – East Rutherford, New Jersey

We can tell you how to get to Sesame Street: You'll find it at the action-and-amenity-packed American Dream Mall, which welcomed this new little-kid-friendly play space last fall. Kids can get up close with all their favorite characters and enjoy tons of hands-on fun during a visit.

14. Fun Max Indoor Adventure Park – Wappingers Falls, New York

When it comes to indoor fun in the Hudson Valley, this new sports center knows how to bring the action. Spread out over a sprawling 80,000-square-foot space, you'll find ninja warrior courses, climbing walls, ropes courses, foam and ball pits, and a game room. Parents are welcome to join the action or relax in a massage chair while supervising.

15. The Bunny Hive – Hoboken, New Jersey

Hoboken families have a new place to play, learn, and bond thanks to The Bunny Hive, which bills itself as a social club for families. Tons of grown-up-and-me classes are offered and families can become regular members or simply register for a single class.

16. Mr. B’s All-Inclusive Playground – Rockville Centre, Long Island

Kids of all ages and abilities can find a way to play at this inventive playground on the South Shore. The bright, welcoming playground is anchored by a sensory dome and offers seated play areas, wheelchair-accessible ramps, and sensory-rich play panels. Adaptive swings and slides are also found here, plus a fun splash pad to keep things cool in the summer.

17. Empire Adventure Park – Westbury, Long Island

Located within the Samanea Mall, this new outpost of Empire Adventure Park is a truly unique indoor playground catering to kids of all ages. Whether your brood wants to bounce on the trampolines, explore the obstacle courses, or try their hand at augmented reality, they can do it all at this 35,000-square-foot space.

 The Davis Center at the Harlem Meer is set to open in April. Rendering courtesy of Susan T. Rodriguez Architecture Design

NYC Area Attractions Coming in 2025

18. Edelman Fossil Park and Museum of Rowan University – Sewell, New Jersey

South Jersey is getting a brand new dinosaur museum and fossil park. Originally slated to open in summer 2024, organizers now expect it to open in March. Visitors can explore the museum indoors and even step outside to help dig for real fossils, explore an adjoining garden, or romp in the themed playground.

19. World of Darkness at the Bronx Zoo – Bronx Park, the Bronx

When the Bronx Zoo sponsored a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, it included an important clue: Peeking out from atop the tower at the float's top were two glowing eyes. This Easter egg was a clue to the coming announcement: The zoo plans to reopen its newly remodeled World of Darkness during summer 2025.

20. The Davis Center at the Harlem Meer – Harlem

For my money, the northern edge of Central Park has always been my favorite pocket of the park. My kids grew up commuting to school across its expanse and all of them learned to skate at Lasker Rink, which is why I'm over-the-moon excited that the old eye-sore is set to reopen in 2025, new and improved. The multi-year project came at a cost of $160 million and has completely revitalized the area, incorporating the destination into the park's natural landscape. The Davis Center will offer year-round recreation with ice skating, a public pool, and a turf lawn for shoulder season recreation.

21. Hamlet at the Big Umbrella Festival – Lincoln Center

Lincoln Center's popular annual Big Umbrella Festival is a family favorite introducing neurodivergent audiences to to arts in a welcoming way, and the 2025 festival is no exception. While there's plenty to celebrate in the two-week-plus run, we're particularly excited about the production of Hamlet from Teatro La Plaza, which is performed by actors with Down syndrome. Families are invited to become part of the performance, too, though note: This performance is meant for mature audiences ages 16 and older, so save this one for big kids and young adults.  

Anne Frank: The Exhibition makes its NYC debut in late January. Photo by Ray Van Der Bas

22. Anne Frank: The Exhibition – Flatiron District

The Anne Frank House, in conjunction with NYC's Center for Jewish History, mounts a full-scale re-creation of the rooms where Anne Frank, her parents, sister, and four other Jewish refugees spent two years in hiding. It's the first time the experience has been offered outside of Amsterdam, and the exhibition provides a captivating, interactive experience tracing Frank's life from her early years to the rise of the Nazi's and her premature death.

23. Peppa Pig Playground at Legoland New York – Goshen, New York

Legoland New York keeps adding to its attractions, and 2025 brings a new Peppa Pig-themed Duplo playground. Meant to cater to families with little Lego fans, the playground features life-sized re-creations of Peppa Pig’s world—from her iconic house to Daddy Pig’s red car, Grandpa Pig’s boat, and even Peppa’s famous treehouse, including swings, crawl tunnels, and wheelchair-accessible ramps.

so, long Kingda Ka—and in with The Flash: Vertical Velocity at Six Flags. Photo courtesy of Six Flags and ®DC

24. The Flash: Vertical Velocity at Six Flags – Jackson, New Jersey

It's out with the old—so, long Kingda Ka—and in with the new at Six Flags Great Adventure. The theme park plans to introduce a brand new, super boomerang coaster to the park in spring 2025. Riders board a train designed to look like The Flash's suit before being propelled at speeds up to 60 miles an hour along a track that includes a 180-degree twisted drop and Zero-G roll. Just when you catch your breath, you'll do it all again...in reverse.

25. The Hip Hop Museum – West Concourse, the Bronx

Years in the making, this brand-new museum aims to give hip-hop a home in the borough of the genre's birthplace. With star-studded backers, The Hip Hop Museum plans to preserve the history of the music while celebrating current stars and educating and empowering a new generation about the music and the culture it inspired, including graffiti, breaking, DJ'ing, and MC'ing. Together with the nearby Bronx Children's Museum and Bronx Museum of the Arts, it adds to a culture-rich neighborhood.