Things to do in NYC with a teenager.

When I read the title I imagined a sordid rent-boy scenario.

op = uncle bottom

[quote]...theater...

Rumor has it there's still a little of that to be found in New York.

[quote] Rumor has it there's still a little of that to be found in New York.

Not if I have anything to do with it!

Here are a few things to consider:

Midtown Comics - 41st street I think. I might also suggest going to St. Marks Place -- its like Little Tokyo, and if he is into anime or Godzilla etc or the like that might be of interest.

There is also the Marvel Experience show/exhibit that you might want to look into (I think its still going on)

Apple store downtown (I don't know if he is a PC or Apple guy)

As for restaurants...I mean there is Mars 2112 (is that still open?) and Jekyll and Hyde but those are kind of tourist traps. If you do go to J &H go to the one downtown. Really though you are better off discovering some of the local joints imho.

Hamilton if you can afford/get tickets.

Thanks R5 I am going to look into all of those places. Someone else I was on a date with on Sat. night suggested "Hamilton" as well.

Take him to a baseball game. The Yankees have home games against the Red Sox August 4-6 and against the Blue Jays August 7-9.

The Society of Illustrators at 128 E. 63rd Street, New York, New York

Gallery Hours: 10 A.M.– 8 P.M. Tuesday 10 A.M.– 5 P.M. Wednesday - Friday 12 noon– 4 P.M. Saturday Closed most holidays

Adultst$10 Seniors(65+)t$5 Students (full-time undergraduate and below with current ID)t$5

R8, That looks great, I want to go there for sure.

OP I forgot about Forbidden Planet near Union Square, a comic book, sci-fi shop, with a lifesize Terminator in the window.

Don't think he'd forgive you if you at least didn't stop in.

I am bookmarking everything. I think I am going to have just as much fun as he is thanks to you guys.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

Be sure he likes musicals/theater if you're going to take him to one, OP.

Funny story --- took my teenage nephew to New York and one of the stops was to see 'Spiderman: The Musical' (would not have been something I chose, but I figured he'd like it

When he was done, I asked him what he thought and he said 'It was good, but there was too much music'

HA ! My friends still laugh about that.

We did Forbidden Planet too ........if he likes books/reading, The Strand bookstore is right down the street with every type of book imaginable (8 miles of books is part of their 'logo') ......... I'm sure they've got a section with stuff he likes (comics, etc) .........most everything is half off.

You can also check out The Paley Center (formerly the Museum Of Television And Radio) to see what might be available to the public if that is something you both might enjoy.

Upper West Side?

Bagels and Lox - Barney Greengrass.

Eat food that he cannot get in his city. Vietnamese? Korean? Ethiopian? Noodle shops?

Are there any shops that might interest him that are only in New York? This is increasingly rare, nowadays. How about Paul Stuart?

He'd probably think you were cool if you gave him some time to himself as well.

Neighborhood places: -best bagels are Absolute Bagels, between 107/108 and Broadway

-Koronet Pizza, largest slice of pizza: bway and 112 Although the best fucking pizza can be something you guys figure out within a few blocks: the contenders are Sal and Carmine, bway and 102; Mama's on Amsterdam and 106; and the pizzeria on Broadway and 104; have a slice-off

-Cascabel, a Mexican restaurant on 108 and Broadway with a Mexican wrestling theme (but an unobtrusive theme) and excellent margaritas

-hang out at the boat basin and Riverside: hang out, get something to eat outside

-Riverside Park has concerts by the tennis courts. Depends if he'd like that sort of thing but last weekend it was Middle Eastern music

-Smoke, jazz club on 106 and Broadway; or Cleopatra's Needle, Broadway and 92ndish

Is that Shakespeare In The Park thing still going?

When I was his age, that was the coolest thing - queing in the park all day. Of course, you have to hold the spot while he explores the park.

I hear Annie Baker has a new play--THAT should appeal to any 15 year old.

Is the Gaiety still closed? He could pick up some spare...change.

I'm not a NY guy but when I was there a couple years ago we went to VYNL in Hell's Kitchen a few times and we really liked it. Casual, good food, fun music theme, close to Broadway if you're in the area.

I 2nd the Shakespeare In The Park idea. It's such a NY thing to do. ... and has always remained a highlight in my memories as a teen visiting the Big Apple.

The other comic stores mentioned are probably better but I found a cool music/book/movie store called Book Off on 45th between 5th and 6th Avenues. They had a good selection of comics and manga as well as video games, CDs, DVDs and regular books.

The Indian restaurants on 6th Street in the East Village are a must.

Congee Village (on the Lower East Side) or Joe's Shanghai dumplings (in Chinatown) are crazy scenes.

Co. in Chelsea has some of the most amazing pizza in the city.

The Meatball Shop in Chelsea or on the Lower East Side is a hit with kids.

Enough with the comic book crap. Teenagers can have surprisingly adult tastes. Don't pander - treat him like an adult, which is the best thing you can do for a boy his age - and exactly what he wants.

The New York tenement museum is really a hidden gem! I always take tourists there when they come to town. Everyone has loved it. Even teenagers.

In the 90s, Jerry Seinfeld and Woody Allen collaborated on a book called "Things to Do In New York with a Teenager." Make sure you pack condoms.

Yankee Stadium is a horrible place to be at the height of summer. The clubhouse tickets are very expensive and you need to go into the clubhouse for air conditioning. Citifield has much cheaper clubhouse tickets. You can escape into one of the less expensive clubhouses to cool off. The first time I went to Yankee Stadium was during September and I literally felt like I was in a frying pan. I got up and walked out and took the subway home. My idiot husband had taken his 90 year old father, and refused to leave with him when I left. They stayed for the whole game. His father was admitted to the hospital the next day.

Try not to buy food in Midtown. It's blah and horrifically overpriced. And don't think you'll be saving money by going to a midtown deli. They're the worst rip-offs in the world. The local neighborhood places on the UWS --- Chinese, Indian, Mexican, etc -- are much better. If you get a relatively small backpack or string gym bag -- not a giant one that can be seen from outer space and screams "tourist" -- put some cold packs inside and water. It gets hot on the street.

r24, I was also going to suggest the tenement museum. If you want to take him to see a Broadway show The Book of Mormon is a big hit with teenagers.

I have been to the Tenement Museum myself but my nephew has not been. I think that would be an excellent place for him to visit. I forgot about that place so thanks for reminding me. Yes, we will most likely eat lunch out and eat dinner back at the apartment to regroup for the evening. Also great suggestion about bringing water with us...I hate always spending $3 or more on water when we can just bring our own...

I'm going to check online today for the Shakespeare in the park situation for that weekend. I did that at the Delacourt theater way back when but I think he might enjoy that. My nephew has expressed interest also in the Blue Man group at Astor.

Also, do some touristy stuff - walk through Times Square at night, go to Top of the Rock or Empire State Building, see if you can get tickets to SNL, take the Staten Island Ferry back and forth. As for restaurants for lunch, I recommend Taim - best falafel in NYC. There are two - the original on Waverly Place and one at the corner of Mulberry and Spring St. They are tiny (the one on Waverly more so) and you might not get seats but so worth it.

Has anyone mentioned the Museum of Natural history on 81st and CPW? It's fascinating, and it's a cool (literally) place to kill a few hours on a hot afternoon.

If he likes theater, how about a backstage tour of Radio City Music Hall?

Believe it or not, I recently took a group of out of towers to the top of the new World Trade Center, and I enjoyed it very much (the food is reputed to be awful, btw). We bought timed-tickets in advance and there was virtually no wait at all.

I always take visitors to Katz's Deli and Joe Allen. The food may be ordinary, but both have a real New York vibe (at least what visitors think of as New York).

I love the High Line, but go early to avoid the crowds and the heat. I usually start with breakfast at Buvette on Grove or AOC on Bleecker (lovely garden) or Bubby's on Gansevoort.

The Roosevelt Island tram is still thrilling to me, after 30+ years. You could stop afterward for frozen yogurt at Forty Carrots at Bloomingdale's.

Speaking of dessert, skip Serendipity 3, it's the ultimate rip-off. I'd have burgers at Shake Shack in Madison Square Park and then walk down Broadway to Max Brenner for dessert.

Just a tip: If you'd like to bring him to the Intrepid but you don't necessarily want to board the ship, there is a pier just south of it where you basically walk the entire length of the ship's exterior from about one block away, with no obstructions in between. If you think that would be good enough, you'll avoid paying, and also you won't have to wait on a line to get in. I'm sure those lines are sometimes very long.

You might want to check out the North River Lobster Company, a floating restaurant at 41st and the Hudson, just a few blocks down from the Intrepid. There is no charge to get on the boat, and then you can order as much or as little food or drink as you want. Every two hours or so, the boat sails up the Hudson to around 60th Street, and then sails back. Each sailing is about 30-45 minutes long. You can Google it to check the schedule.

Vynl is fun, but about a year ago (?), it moved next door to a much smaller space than it previously occupied, so just be aware of that.

A guy drags his upright piano into Washington Sq Park and plays on weekends. It's a great way to spend an afternoon.

The Staten Island ferry is a free 20-min ride and then you hop back on the boat heading back to NY. On the way you'll see the Statue of Liberty without having to stop. It's enough of a view.

Take him to Marie's Crisis if that's still around. West Village. A bar popular with singers who belt out show tunes as they drink. A strange throwback to old NY.

[quote] Take him to Marie's Crisis if that's still around. West Village. A bar popular with singers who belt out show tunes as they drink. A strange throwback to old NY

Not sure they'll let a 15-year old in.

IMHO, Marie's isn't much fun anymore. It's full of straight 20-somethings who think an 'old musical' is BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Gone are the days when some hot guy would get up and sing Kurt Weill's 'My Ship', or Rodgers and Hart's 'To Keep My Love Alive'. Now the only thing anyone wants to hear is the same old shit from PHANTOM or AVENUE Q.

Yeah, Katz's Deli. But work up an appetite. The sandwiches are stuffed.

You might want to throw small bottles of water in the freezer and freeze them before taking them with you.

If you want to take a break from the comics, check out the Rubin Museum. It is full of Eastern and Himalayan art and currently has a wonderful mask exhibit. The Cooper-Hewitt design museum has a cool poster collection and industrial design and a wackadoo chair he can roll around on. The Neue Galerie is a distinguished, beautiful building and always has beautiful things to look at.

There are speedboats on the Hudson that offer a thrilling fast ride. You can pair a trip with the Intrepid. Be prepared to get wet!

Show him "the baths" and all the cruisy spots in Manhattan. You wouldn't want to be remiss in your duties.

You guys are the best.

I've bought tickets to the Blue Man group, we are going to hit the Marvel/Discovery thing, and the ferry is a go for sure. My nephew is tall and thin so I'm sure he could pack away a deli sandwich without a problem so thanks for the restaurant suggestions. I think we will hit the Cooper Hewitt because one of his cousins actually went there and is now architect. I think it would be good for him to see.

My friend who is loaning us the apartment also suggested to just chill in Riverside Park one evening and watch the sunset.

Does your nephew like dick, OP? It's not clear in your opening post. If so - that changes things somewhat.

The Hippodrome! The Forrest Theatre, to see "Tobacco Road"! The Aquarium! The Woolworth Tower!

A great place for lunch if you're in midtown is the Brooklyn Diner. The menu tries to recreate the cuisine from the 1950s, and it's not expensive.

But only go on off-hours, because it's very popular. For lunch, get there by 11:30, no later. For dinner, get there before 5:00 or after 7:30. They don't take reservations; it's informal.

Recommended: the chicken club sandwich, with cole slaw and fries.

OP if you don't have one, just about any bike shop offers bike rentals and it would be such a fun way to see the city with him. If you start at Columbus Circle and go through Central Park, or utilize the bike lanes, or go over the Brooklyn Bridge, or go up the West Side bike lane to GWashington Bridge, etc., these are all fun excursions.

Somebody upthread suggested the North River Lobster Company. It sounded like fun so my partner and I went over on Saturday night.

We got there at 9pm only to fund the boat already full and another hundred people waiting to get on. I figured nobody was getting off the boat until it made a trip on the river, so that would be an hour, and who knows how long it would take to get food once we got on. So we left and went to the Gotham West Market on 11th Ave and had tacos and ice cream, so the evening wasn't a total loss.

But I thought I'd skip you a trip way over to 12th Ave for nothing

Check out the films at the Museum of the Moving Image, enjoy Central Park, and go to Coney Island. See what parade is happening the weekend you are here and see a band playing at Irving Plaza or the Bowery. The band could be awful or just loud, but it should be all ages.

I live in the UWS. I'm more than happy to host your nephew for a day.

Try not to be a preachy and pretentious New York homo. If you are, and I'm sure you come by it naturally as with most New York homos, he'll never call you when he is old enough to move there.

Who are you talking to, R47?

I second the museum of natural history. The dinosaurs are great and so is the whale.

If you have some money, take him for lunch at Sparks Steak House on E46th Street. It's an old fashioned men's club-like steakhouse, the kind that used to be filled with cigar smoke. He'll feel all grown up. Then you can confide in him, in a hushed tone, that right outside Sparks, right after a meal there, mob boss Paul Castellano got whacked in '85, and John Gotti took over the Gambino Crime Family.

Good suggestions I can second:

Katz's Deli- My nephew wants to go back every visit.

Staten Island Ferry- Why not? It's free.

The Intrepid- we all love it.

Tenement Museum- A big hit and it's near Katz's Deli

I have also scored hits with a trip to see "Stomp", it's great fun. American Museum of the Moving Image, and then some ethnic restaurant while in Astoria (maybe a Czech or Polish place), The Korean Barbecue joint Won Jo on West 32nd street (open 24 hours, everybody loves it), stop into any and every Army Navy Surplus store. Teenaged boys love that stuff. Go see whatever is playing at The IMAX screen on 67th and Broadway, it's always fun.

Shake Shack for a shake can be fun, and they have good packed ice cream to go, sometimes on sale. I am hitting Betty Bakery in Boerum Hill next visit for the blueberry and cherry pies, which are the best I've ever had. Lunch at Junior's (original on Flatbush Ave.) walk around Brooklyn Heights to the Promenade. I always go to Coney Island (join Nathan's Coupon Club online for sweet cheap hot dog coupons monthly!). Go on some rides, or go swimming.

Skip The Brooklyn Diner! It's way overpriced! I can't believe what they get away with! Go to ANY other decent diner, kids love them.

I agree with r15 - give him an afternoon of free time on day 3 or day 4 if he wants, then meet him for dinner and evening activities.

Depends. Is your nephew 17 or older, OP?