New York City can be intimidating – fast, loud, expensive – but it can also be an enriching and fun place to bring kids of all ages. Really! From kid friendly theater to views from the tall buildings to some innovative playgrounds we encourage you to set aside a day and explore. You’re likely to find you’ll need many days to see it all! There’s plenty to do and we can help you save money as you discover the city and all its amazing culture, scenery, and fun! As you plan your outing PLAN to take advantage of these discounts on things to do in New York City.
These New York City discount offers are from our affiliate partners. We participate in affiliate programs that allow us to earn income. When you make a purchase using one of these links, not only do you save money, but we make a small commission that gets invested back into Jersey Family Fun.
Discount Tickets on Things to Do in New York City With Kids
Discount movie tickets for New York movie theaters
- Cheap movie tickets with AMC Theaters for $9 each.
Discount Tickets to New York City Family Attractions
- Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square
- Marvel at hundreds of weird and unusual artifacts from around the world. Embark on a self-guided tour of more than 20 themed galleries on two separate floors, chock full of interactive, archival and video exhibits. Whether examining a six-legged cow, a lock of Elvis’ hair, 24 shrunken heads, a section of the Berlin Wall or a life-size albino giraffe, the Ripley’s Believe It or Not collection proves that fact is indeed stranger than fiction. This offer also includes one admission to Ripley’s Smash Dash, the only experience of its kind in New York. Don’t forget to check out Ripley’s Relic, the new immersive, interactive adventure. For a limited time, purchase a combo ticket and Ripley’s Relic is included free of cost!
- Read more about our Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square experience.
- Click to buy Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square discount tickets from $12-$22.50.
- NYC: Guided Harbor Cruise
- Hop on board the City Sightseeing Ferry, a fully-narrated sightseeing harbor cruise, and explore NYC and its famous waterways. In 90 minutes, professional guides share facts and stories of the Big Apple as you take in impressive views of the New York City skyline and its famous landmarks. There’s no need to worry about the weather — enjoy the sights from the outdoor decks in warm weather, or step inside the climate-controlled interior when the weather turns cool. Once you leave the dock, you’ll get magnificent views of famous sights like the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, Greenwich Village and so many more. Hop on and off at four conveniently located stops throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn to enjoy some of the city’s unique neighborhoods up close.
- Any available day through Tuesday, December 31, 2019
- Click to buy NYC: Guided Harbor Cruise discount tickets $14
- Central Park Zoo
- Explorers of all ages can learn more about the wildlife overlooking grizzly bears and white leopards or watching penguins have lunch at the iconic Central Park zoo. Includes zoo admisison, Tisch Children’s Zoo and 4-D theater.
- Promotional value expires December 31, 2019, no admission restrictions.
- Click to buy Central Park Zoo Admission starting at $13.45.
- VR World NYC: The Largest Virtual Reality Destination in the US
- Ever dreamed of sitting behind the wheel in a Formula One race? Or maybe climbing a majestic peak like Mt. Everest? Or maybe, just maybe, you’ve always wanted to grab a pair of katana swords and slice up some fruit. At VR World NYC you can do all of these activities and many more, at an array of mind-blowing experiences in the virtual realm. Along the way, you’ll have the chance to walk a plank suspended 60 stories in the air, become Picasso in space, or descend into the depths of the sea — all by simply strapping on a VR headset.
- Any available day through Tuesday, December 31, 2019
- Click to buy VR World NYC discount tickets from $44-$64
- Gulliver’s Gate
- Discover miniature versions of famous landmarks and world heritage sites, all rendered in stunning details by local artists and international model-makers. Gulliver’s Gate is a technologically advanced, interactive and immersive world of miniatures covering 50,000 square feet that will ignite your imagination and challenge your perspective. It’s a giant experience in a miniature world, right in New York’s Times Square.
- Any available day through Tuesday, December 31, 2019
- Read more about our Gulliver’s Gate experience.
- Click to buy Gulliver’s Gate discount tickets from $14-$20.
- Statue of Liberty Sightseeing Cruise
- Get up close and personal with Lady Liberty on this historic sightseeing cruise! After departing from Pier 83, you’ll travel down the Hudson River, enjoying panoramic views of Midtown and Lower Manhattan before sailing within 100 feet of the Statue of Liberty — the perfect position for the ultimate Big Apple selfie. During the one-hour cruise, you’ll learn all sorts of fascinating and bizarre facts about New York City landmarks from Circle Line’s renowned guides. And if all that sightseeing gets you hungry, head to the onboard café and bar for sandwiches, salads, snacks and beverages.
- Any available day through Tuesday, December 31, 2019
- Click to buy Statue of Liberty Sightseeing Cruise discount tickets $20
Photo Credit Pattie Cordova, livingmividaloca.com
- Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
- That’s right, zip up that bomber jacket, put on your aviator shades, and start humming “Take My Breath Away,” because you’re boarding the aircraft carrier known as the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. And oh yeah, they also happen to have a space shuttle, a British Airways Concorde, 27 authentically-restored aircraft and a guided missile submarine (so maybe practice your “Space Oddity” and “Yellow Submarine,” too?). Walk in the footsteps of WWII sailors, from the anchor chain room to officers’ staterooms. Get up an up-close look at the world’s first space shuttle while eavesdropping on an actual conversation between mission control and the Enterprise. See how you’d do in the close quarters of the Growler as you explore the torpedo room and more. From the bottom of the sea to the twinkling lights of outer space, you’re in for one heck of a journey.
- Any available day through Tuesday, December 31, 2019
- Click to buy Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum discount tickets from $18 – $24.75
- Madame Tussaud’s
- Madame Tussauds, located in the heart of Times Square, is more than just a wax attraction; it is an iconic “must do” New York experience.
- Paid value expires 90 days after purchase, no restriction on admission time or date.
- Click to buy Madame Tussaud’s discount tickets for $18.95
For more ideas to save money on New York City attractions click over for our listing of New York City Museums with FREE Admission and Pay What You Wish Days.
Back to the discounts on things to do in New York City.
Discount Tickets for New York City Events for Kids
- “Times Square Magic”: Mind-Reading, Illusions, Comedy & More
- LOL Times Square comedy club is home to more than just punchlines and potshots. Times Square Magic takes over the club’s stage with astonishing feats of mind-reading, juggling and illusions. You’ll see magicians from New York and beyond who’ve pulled off the seemingly impossible on America’s Got Talent, Last Comic Standing and more. It’s mind-blowing fun for the whole family.
- Shows run from Thursday, November 14 – Monday, December 30
- Click to buy Times Square Magic discount tickets from $0-$10.
- “Gazillion Bubble Show”: A Dazzling Display of Bubbles, With Artistry & Lasers
- This long-running New York City hit combines spectacular light and laser effects with masterful bubble artistry. The Yang family’s amazing transformation of ordinary soap bubbles has earned them international fame and 16 Guinness World Records. The Gazillion Bubble Show has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Late Show with David Letterman, Live with Regis and Kelly, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Fox & Friends, The View, the Today show and more. Young or old, this is an event the whole family will enjoy.
- Shows run from Friday, November 15, 2019 – Sunday, May 31, 2020
- Click to buy Gazillion Bubble Show discount tickets from $39-$59
- “Improv 4 Kids”: Songs and Sketches Based on Audience Suggestions
- It’s not often that you hear the phrases “family friendly” and “improv comedy” in the same sentence, but that’s exactly what you get with this fun and funny show. Improv 4 Kids comes to the Broadway Comedy Club with an entertaining production that has impressed audiences of all ages in New York City and nationwide. No two versions are ever the same as the high-energy troupe Eight Is Never Enough creates songs and skits on the spot based on audience suggestions. Lots of audience volunteers get to join the action on stage, too. The troupe has played off-Broadway at the Lambs Theatre in New York City and presented more than 1,000 performances at the Laugh Factory in Times Square and the New York Improv.
- Shows run from Saturday, November 16 – Monday, December 30, 2019
- Click to buy Improv 4 Kids discount tickets from $0 – $17.50.
- New York Botanical Garden’s “Holiday Train Show” Is Back: See Mini NYC Landmarks & More
- New York City’s Favorite Holiday Tradition is Back! Marvel at model trains zipping through an enchanting display of more than 175 famous New York landmarks—imagine the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Rockefeller Center, and other favorites—each delightfully re-created from natural materials such as birch bark, acorns, and cinnamon sticks. This year’s show—presented in an immersive indoor winter wonderland adjacent to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory—showcases Central Park, with its iconic landscape fashioned in mosses and hollies, and architectural treasures such as Belvedere Castle. Make your best holiday memories with crafts and carolers, seasonal treats, a visit from Thomas the Tank Engine™, and so much more!
- Shows run from Saturday, November 23, 2019 – Sunday, January 26, 2020.
- Click to buy New York Botanical Garden’s “Holiday Train Show” discount tickets from $8-$25.
- Cocoa & Carols on the Yacht Manhattan
- Soak up the sights of New York’s spectacular holiday light displays and Lady Liberty herself from an entirely different perspective — one which just happens to include hot chocolate, cookies and a festive family sing-along to a live band, on the swanky Yacht Manhattan. There’s also a full bar on board, for those adults seeking a little extra dose of Christmas cheer.
- Events run from Saturday, November 23 – Sunday, December 29, 2019
- Click to buy Cocoa & Carols on the Yacht Manhattan discount tickets are $57.60.
- The Wizard of Oz: Follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Family Classic
- Strap on your ruby slippers and join the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Lion, Dorothy and her little dog Toto, too, for this adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. Everyone loves the classic story of the girl who wakes up in a strange land filled with witches and wizards, munchkins and monkeys — and befriends a cowardly lion, a tin man without a heart and a scarecrow with no brain in her quest to find her way back home. Journey down the yellow brick road through the land of Oz to meet the Wizard while humming along to memorable songs from the Oscar-winning film, including “Over the Rainbow,” “We’re Off to See the Wizard” and “If I Only Had a Brain.” The whole family will enjoy this zippy, one-hour version now playing at the Harlem Repertory Theatre in New York.
- Shows run from date Saturday, November 23, 2019 – Saturday, January 11, 2020
- Click to buy The Wizard of Oz: Follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Family Classic discount tickets from $5-$10.
- Levitation, Mindreading & Comedy Magic With Matt Roberts
- Matt Roberts can read minds and levitate, all while having multiple card tricks up his sleeve. But this street magician’s greatest feat is making you LOL in between all the ooh’s and aah’s.
- Shows run from date Friday, November 29, 2019 – Monday, February 17, 2020
- Click to buy Levitation, Mindreading & Comedy Magic With Matt Roberts discount tickets from $15-$29.
- Bronx Zoo: Holiday Lights
- The animals that live at the Bronx Zoo have decorated their home for the holidays, and they invite you to come check it out! Lights, lanterns, musical revelry and more await you at what is sure to be a roaring good time.
- Valid for entry after 3:00pm on November 21-24, 29, 30; December 1-23, 26-31; January 3-5.
- Click to buy Bronx Zoo: Holiday Lights discount tickets from $19 – $24.50
- Fun Family Musical Princess Particular
- The Secret Theatre presents Princess Particular, a new musical for children. This spirited and feisty young princess is used to getting what she wants, when she wants it, by golly. And today she wants to be a ballerina. But King Loadsadough and Queen Patience are way too distracted to deal with such trivialities. Fortunately, her four maids and the Chancellor and Lady in Waiting are on hand to help make the royal fussbudget’s dream come true! With lots of fun tunes and hilariously broad physical comedy, this delightful new show by Richard Mazda is a treat the whole family can enjoy — adults and kids alike.
- Saturday, Jan 11, 2020 / 2:30 pm ONLY
- Click to buy Princess Particular discount tickets from $7.50-$10.
- NYC Winter Lantern Festival Lights Up the Night
- Ready to step into a world of light and color? There will be over 1,000 lanterns on display, sculpted into magnificent figures of luminescent art. After its success last year, the NYC Winter Lantern Festival is back to transform Staten Island’s Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden into a whimsical world of light. Bring your whole family to wonder at eight acres of lights, live cultural shows, interactive exhibits, and more. The cultural performances include: Plate/Bowl Spinning, Seesaw Bowl Balance, Hoop Tumbling, Straw Hat Juggling, Hand to Hand Act, Tibetan Folk Dance and a Face-changing Magician, which is a sub-genre of Chinese Sichuan Opera — performers wear vibrant costumes and magically swap traditional opera masks from one to another. The dining options will feature international eats with Asian flair, and the gift shop has teamed up with local artists and craftsmen specializing in illustration and Chinese-influenced lanterns.
- Any available day through January 12, 2020
- Click to buy NYC Winter Lantern Festival discount tickets from 0-$24.
Find more great New York City discount tickets in our listing of the Best New York City & North Jersey Ticket Deals for Families.