New York for all its urban splendor and sophistication is at its heart a vibrant, vivacious mirage of colors, smells, and sounds. And while I have had many solo trips to the city, my first experience of the city with my kids was a completely novel experience.

Christmas in NYC is an absolutely magical time; you’ll have to be there to see it for yourself. The entire city is decked up and brimming with festivity. Our two-day trip to New York sometime last Christmas was one of the best vacationing experience ever thanks to the Top View Double Decker Buses giving us an authentic tour of the entire city. I will now talk about some of the lessons I learned from that trip and how it can help other parents enhance their holiday experience who are planning such short trips to NYC.

Plan out your activities

Planning a family vacation is no child’s play. There are so many things that you have to consider! From packing to transport, and meals and sightseeing- parents have to manage everything. While packing, keep the necessary first-aid and medication for common ailments, motion sickness, cold and stomach upsets. Having a clear-cut meticulous plan is the best way to explore the best of NYC especially if you’re under a time constraint. Make a list of all the major tourist attractions that you want to cover during your stay there. My kids and I wanted to check out the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Times Square, and American Museum of Natural History on our first day. The second day was dedicated to shopping, visiting some iconic NYC theatres, eating local food and simply soaking in the city.

Managing finances

Our trip to the NYC was not without its drawbacks. For one, the finances were an absolute disaster (considering the amount of shopping I’d done). The only saving grace was the double-decker bus rides we’d chosen for sightseeing. The inexpensive and authentic vehicles are pretty convenient and a great experience for kids. Here, they can interact with other tourists, make friends and have a lot of fun. However, don’t ever leave your kids unattended. Lay some ground rules and restrictions on your children and see to it that they follow it to the T.

Involve your kids

One of the reasons why our 2-day trip was a success was because my kids were given the freedom to check out NYC the way they wanted to. I never for once referred to any guidebooks or followed the conventional sightseeing plan. Instead, I let my kids decide whatever they wanted to see, and it was a marvelous experience. Involving the kids in planning and execution of the trip also inculcates in them a sense of responsibility.

Moreover, this freedom adds on to the entire holiday charm and excitement. Your children learn to take care of their belongings and handle it properly. Having absolutely no tantrums and complaints from my kids was the secret sauce that made my NYC tour so memorable, hands down.