We had a great time travelling to New York City with our 7-month-old daughter, Emma. In addition to doing many other enjoyable things, we explored Manhattan and crossed the Statue of Liberty off our bucket list.
Will she recall it? Most likely not. However, we will, and one day we will be able to tell her about it and show her photos of all the interesting locations she visited.
Despite being experienced travellers, we were a little anxious because this was one of our first travels with a baby and we are new parents. After all, New York is a big metropolis.
Once you’re there, you discover that it’s actually simpler, safer, and easier than you may have imagined—especially if you enter with reasonable expectations.
Here are some pointers for taking a baby to New York City!
- The Best Stroller Is Lightweight
We used the tube and walked practically everything.
At street level, NYC is relatively stroller-friendly, although not all subway stations have lifts. Many merely have stairs, and even when there is a lift, it might not function well.
You will undoubtedly need a lightweight, practical pram that is simple to fold and carry in those situations. The Babyzen YOYO2 pram we used was excellent for this.
Although strollers are permitted on the metro vehicles and we always had plenty of space for ours, you would undoubtedly struggle with a large full-size one.
In New York, having the proper pram will save you a tonne of trouble!
- A Baby Carrier May Also Be Useful
You will definitely come across some baby carriers in New York City, which are excellent for stairwells and confined locations.
We were happy to have a baby carrier occasionally for the metro and other activities, even though we had a stroller.
We would suggest using an Ergobaby Omni Breeze. It was ideal for our 7-month-old and is touted as fitting babies weighing between 7 and 45 pounds (~0–48 months).
When we went to the Statue of Liberty, it was especially helpful because we wanted to sit on the top deck of the ferry for the greatest views, but getting there required climbing several stairways and navigating a throng of other tourists. Using a pram would be difficult.
In addition, the carrier served a purpose aboard the aircraft. We were able to keep our hands free during the journey because little Emma was a lap infant, which is free for infants under two.
- Using a car seat is advised
We exclusively used taxis to and from the airport while we were in New York City.
However, any time you use a car with a baby, there’s the issue of car seats. Although it’s not required by state law in New York, using one in a taxi is nonetheless advised. Sometimes driving in New York City can be crazy, and you want your child to be safe if you get into an accident.
We carried our car seat from home because we always try to be very cost-conscious and safety-conscious. You can check one for free on the majority of flights, and you can pick it up when you land. It’s regarded as a free piece of extra luggage for parents, much like strollers.
You can reserve certain taxi services online that include a seat of your choosing if you don’t want to carry your own car seat to New York City. Look into Taxi Bambino, Kid Car, Kidmoto, and Legends Limousine.
Although these are a little pricy, they have positive reviews and would be more practical than always carrying your own car seat.
- There Are Many Baby-Friendly Activities in New York City
We had a great time in New York City and never felt that our kid was uncomfortable or a burden to us or anyone else.
We toured the finest museums in New York, climbed a rooftop observatory, and saw well-known locations like the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge, among many other things. We even braved Times Square throngs several times!
If you like to take walks with playgrounds, wide paths, and shade, Central Park is fantastic. Babies enjoy Summit One Vanderbilt as well. They have an area filled with silver balloons and a mirror chamber.
Families with strollers are welcome at the majority of NYC’s attractions, and even those that aren’t particularly stroller-friendly can still be visited using a baby carrier. Here, you don’t have to restrict yourself too much.
- Select a Hotel with a View
Having a lovely view from your hotel is part of the experience of New York, which is an incredible city.
One of the highlights of our vacation was staying at the M Social Hotel in Times Square.
We enjoyed seeing all the vehicles and people, and it was amazing to get a close-up look at the skyscrapers. Everything was illuminated and flashing at night, making the scene even more breathtaking.
Emma enjoyed looking out our room’s window to observe everything going on below.
Other than that, our stay at M Social was enjoyable and reasonably priced for New York.
Emma was given a Pack N’ Play to sleep in, and the personnel was very kind to her.
For the greatest views of Manhattan, we reserved the “ball drop” room.
- New Yorkers Treat Babies Well
Because we were unsure of the attitudes of the locals, we were a little nervous about taking our newborn to the big metropolis, but that turned out to be completely incorrect.
Everywhere we went, we heard wonderful things about Emma from everyone. Without asking, people handed up their seats on the tube, held lifts and opened doors for us.
To be honest, our baby didn’t cry much during the trip, but even when she did, people were understanding and didn’t pass judgement. There were no problems at all.
- Don’t Worry About Safety and Crime
New York City is surprisingly safe for its size. In actuality, it’s among the safest major American cities.
You have to look past the occasional terrifying incident and take into account the general numbers, even though some news networks give it a terrible reputation.
More than 8 million people live in this city.
In 2026, there were about 4 murders per 100,000 people in New York City, compared to 5.6 murders per 100,000 people nationwide. In other words, NYC is safer than the entire United States. Given the scale of the city, that is really astounding.
The murder rate is just about 1.3 per 100,000 if you focus only on Manhattan, where the majority of tourists visit. That represents one-fourth of the national rate in the United States!
Meanwhile, New Orleans and St. Louis each have murder rates that are nearly 14 times greater than NYC, while Chicago has a murder rate that is four times higher than NYC. I believe that puts everything in perspective.
That doesn’t mean you should be negligent in New York, but you won’t have to worry too much if you stick to regular hours and the typical tourist destinations.
Even though the tube is safe and occurrences there have been overstated, it’s still advisable to avoid anyone acting strangely and to remain away from the edge of the rails.
You may lock your pram in place by using the wheel brake.
- Always Have Snacks on Hand
You should always have snacks with you because it’s never fun when your infant acts fussy in public.
When you have to stand in queue at an attraction, these will come in particularly useful. That occurred several times.
We offered our infant rice rusks in addition to the standard food pouches. They kept her from having some meltdowns, and she liked them.
- Family Spaces Are Simple to Locate
We had no trouble locating a family bathroom with a changing table wherever we went in New York.
While breastfeeding is permitted everywhere, some locations even provide free private lactation pods from Mamava for nursing mothers to use. These can be found at the Museum of Modern Art, Liberty Island, airports, and other locations.
Although your experience may differ, we have never had a problem carrying our pram inside eateries. Although we were able to obtain a high chair when necessary, it is advisable to eat outside of busy times if at all feasible due to space constraints.
- It’s Simple to Restock Supplies
If you need to stock up on nappies, wipes, formula, and baby food, pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens are readily available.
The majority of what we needed was brought from home, but occasionally you forget stuff, so it’s good to know there are simple ways to replenish.
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