When you live in New York City, you’re always looking for one of 3 types of outings with kids. One, free things to do with kids. Two, special moments where you’re willing to pay a little extra for a celebration. Or three, a combination of both. I never thought of a visit to the American Girl store in Rockefeller Center as an answer to all three, but it works.
Breaking down each type.
Type One:
I am a freebie connoisseur. I have a list of all the free things to do in NYC and I check it off often. Especially during the summer months. A desire for air condition buildings is also on my hunt during the summer months. The American Girl store is actually great for both. Good luck at going into the store expecting you will not buy anything, but it is possible to do and still have a great time.
The American Girl store is two floors. On the bottom floor, there is an area with a clubhouse, games, and many activities. There’s also an American Girl Doll history section that gives a brief rundown of the history of the dolls and company. A small arcade for kids that are tired of looking at dolls and playing games is on the second floor.
Type Two:
I’m a big fan of the American Girl Café. There is a price fix of $27 per person. The $27 covers appetizers, main course, and dessert. Drinks are extra. If you didn’t bring a doll with you to the store, you can borrow one. A small chair attaches to the table for the doll to sit at. When I was processing how much I wanted to spend for my daddy/daughter date with my girls. $25 didn’t seem that big of a deal. Yes, it’s a lot of money, but so are special occasions dining in New York City.
You can also add extra for a delicious birthday cake that was plenty for the three of us and to take home for later.
Type Three:
For those wanting to go all out and take out a small loan, there’s plenty to spend money on. American Girl dolls aren’t cheap and buying one alone is enough to upset the bank account. Adding a meal at the American Girl Café will definitely make you sweat. I let my daughter pick out a doll after we ate our brunch and it was worth every penny. My kids and I spent over $200 for 2 ½ hours of fun and the doll is a gift that keeps on entertaining my daughter.
And if you’re really want to go over and above, there are extra activities to purchase.
I’ll definitely go back and even eat at the café again.
There’s also a doll hospital in the store where you can drop off an American Girl doll to heal up. We’ve got a couple needing some tlc on our next trip.
The American Girl Store is located at 75 Rockefeller Plaza. If you are going to eat in the café, you’ll need a reservation.
Other things to do in NYC:
Wonderland Dream: Where Visitors Become Art
Spyscape: Spying and solving in NYC
Visiting Madame Tussauds
Batman X at Spycape
Rise NY
History of the Liberty Pole in City Hall Park
History of Bowling Green’s Fence
Visiting St. Paul’s Chapel
Gaming at the Paley Center
Harry Potter NY
Great Jones Distilling
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Moulin Rouge on Broadway
Unmarked Slave Burial Ground
Hamilton Dueling Grounds
List of Museums in NYC that are free or have suggested prices
Visiting the Guggenheim with my Toddler
Visiting the MoMA with Kids
Visiting Hamilton Grange
Visiting Grant’s Tomb
Good information and personally I’m glad our kids are grown, cost wise, that’s more than I’d expect to spend on a starter bike. BUT, if I was living close to something like this, might consider going there with grandkids for maybe some accessories, just not the whole doll. Dolls didn’t used to cost so much. Guess I’m living back in the previous century, as you can tell by what I spend on my own wardrobe 🙂