BITE INTO THE BIG APPLE
New York is a playground for adults and kids. Families can ogle dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History; admire the space shuttle Enterprise at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum; stand in the footsteps of immigrants (maybe their own ancestors) at Ellis Island; and find such treasures as Egyptian mummies and Jackson Pollack canvases by following the family map for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Take advantage of balmy days to bike through Central Park. Visit the tigers, lions and gorillas at the Bronx Zoo. Stroll the High Line, an elevated rail line turned into a people-watching park. Sample local specialties on food tours, and browse the trendy shops in Greenwich Village, SoHo and Fifth Avenue with your teens.
Look for same-day discount tickets to Broadway shows such as The Lion King, Wicked and more at TKTS Discount Booth (tdf.org) in Times Square.