New York: Family Fun in the Big Apple

Day 1: Arrive in New York City

Tour begins at 6:30 PM at Le Parker Meridien. Welcome to New York. A transfer is included from Newark International, JFK or La Guardia airports or Penn Station to your city center hotel in the heart of the Big Apple. New York family vacations don't get better than the one you are about to experience; learn more about your adventures at tonight's welcome reception and dinner.

Day 2: City streets and a view from "the top"

Climb aboard our private motor coach for a drive through concrete canyons lined with skyscrapers you'll readily identify, like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. But with Tauck Bridges behind the wheel and a local New Yorker along for the ride, you'll learn the inside scoop about the places you'll see. Look at the neon lights of Times Square, the lines forming to see a show in Radio City Music Hall and boats plying the waters of the Hudson River. Everyone gets off the bus at Rockefeller Center to take NYC sightseeing to new heights from the "Top of the Rock," before heading out to the Carnegie Deli to discover why corned beef and pastrami lovers around the world love New York family vacations. The rest of the day is free!

Day 3: A day at the Museum & a night on Broadway

Covering four city blocks, the American Museum of Natural History puts the history of the world at your feet. Join us for a special visit inside this wondrous museum this morning, where dinosaurs introduce you to Earth's beginnings and the Hayden Planetarium's "Journey to the Stars" sends you rocketing into space. More star-studded discoveries await at an exclusive theatre workshop, where you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to become a professional actor. Broadway aspirations turn into realities tonight when you and your family attend a performance of a hit Broadway show, making this one of the best New York family vacations ever.

Day 4: Ground Zero & a taste of the Big Apple

History comes alive today in Lower Manhattan, starting with a poignant visit to Winter Garden at the World Trade Center Site, immortalized as “Ground Zero” after the attacks of September 11, 2001. Hear about the events of that tragic day from a member of New York's finest and bravest, stopping for a visit inside St. Paul's Chapel where so many sought refuge and comfort during the rescue and recovery efforts of 9/11. A melting pot of cultures can be found in ethnic neighborhoods throughout the Big Apple. Take a guided walking tour of Chinatown, bustling with merchants and Oriental delicacies, and Little Italy, enticing with the sounds and smells of pasta and pizza... stopping to sample a taste of local life – and bubble tea – along the way. A special treat after dinner tonight begins with a private limo ride through city streets all lit up at night to a famous candy store... Tauck Bridges' New York family vacations always include some sweet surprises! Lodging Le Parker Meridien

Day 5: From Wall Street to Ellis Island & more

One of America's most historic "safe harbors" is spotlighted today as you ride aboard a ferry to nearby Ellis Island. This historic immigration center processed nearly 17 million people who came here in search of freedom and the American dream from 1892 to 1954. See family histories chronicled in interactive exhibits and look for the names of ancestors who may have touched your lives in an electronic database, or on the wall that lists names of immigrants who passed through here generations ago. Explore Wall Street, the heart of the city’s financial district, and stroll through Battery Park before checking out a little bit of "foodie heaven" at famous Chelsea Market. Meet us back at the hotel this evening for our farewell reception and dinner where we say goodbye to this most amazing of New York family vacations. Lodging Le Parker Meridien

Last Event: Journey Home

Tour ends: Manhattan. Fly home anytime. We include a transfer from from Le Parker Meridien to La Guardia, JFK or Newark International Airport (or to Penn Station for rail journeys); you should allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in.