Affordable Day in New York City’s SoHo with the Kids

Bringing the family to New York City might just sound like cha-ching from your wallet at record speeds. Not necessarily true. Families, savvy travelers and everyone in between can enjoy New York’s wide variety of neighborhoods on a dime.

In the City That Never Sleeps, there are more options and locales than your family will have time to explore — this is actually a great budget-friendly tool you can use to your advantage. With so many options competing for your time and attention, families can shop around for the best price and best location near enough of the action to cut down on travel time, but without all the madness of Times Square — if this sounds like your family’s speed, head to SoHo for a high-brow locale on a low-brow budget.

The SoHo district of Manhattan covers the Lower Manhattan region, famous for its shopping, fun nightlife and Greenwich Village beatnik scene. Now, you can stroll the city streets enjoying the neighborhood’s iconic architecture with the Brooklyn Bridge in the near distance, window shop along quirky boutiques, sip cocktails with adult children and dine at an eclectic mix of cultural fare — all on the cheap.

Chinatown, New York. Photo: Ryan Deberardinis | Dreamstime.com

Take yourself on a free tour of the city by foot, exploring Chinatown, Little Italy and all the scenic attractions along the way. This is an easy pleasure for kids of all ages and, if you’re into architecture, there’s a whole list of buildings you should swing by if you’re walking by the area, including the Ghost apartment from the 1990 film of the same name.

If you’re feeling peckish, stop in Dominique Ansel NY for sweets and a coffee, or, if you’re lucky, grab a world-famous cronut in its original home — it’s a hot commodity and famously drew hordes to the neighborhood when it was first invented.

For something with a little more substance, check out the menus lined under the arches in Little Italy. The street may be small, but it is literally packed with places to eat, so shop around for the best price. Some restaurant staff will linger outside the restaurants and try to lure your family in (it’s a thing, just go with it), but stay focused on the prize — a fantastic homemade meal for a reasonable price.

For something more grab-and-go or more bang-for-your-buck, Chinatown is also covered in stalls to check out, many reasonably priced.