No trip to New York City would be complete without a visit to the beautiful Central Park. And what a gorgeous day it was…. a nice break from the rain!
And of course, a stop at a frozen treats vendor is a must for these kids of mine!
During our hike through the park, the kids saw the sign for Belvedere Castle and had to search it out. If you saw the word “castle” wouldn’t you want to do the same? I did… years ago on my first visit here. A castle in the midst of a park? Sounds too magical to not see it. But as you can see… it is not much of a castle…. but it still fun to explore.
My Daughter couldn’t pass up the chance to play “Rapunzel” at a castle!
While we played, my hubby enjoyed the view. He served a mission for our church many, many years ago right here in this wonderful city. NYC has a special place in his heart.
A horse drawn carriage ride through the park? Don’t mind if we do!
Our next stop was another kiddie wonderland. Well, maybe for kids of all ages! Dylan’s Candy Bar. We are talking a huge store dedicated to the sweet stuff. Maybe we indulged just a little!
How cute is this landing on the steps in the store?
And then because I am a crazy person and cannot get enough to eat on vacation, we headed over to another bakery I wanted to try. I didn’t get any resistance… I trained my family well! No such thing as too much sugar on vacation, right?
Here is a sampling of what we tried. I heard their cupcakes are the best, so we got a few of those of course! I also heard their cheesecake is amazing so trying that is not even a question. And my hubby wanted to try their scones simply because they looked amazing and he is my best partner in crime when it comes to eating ourselves sick! He is always game…. Oh how I love this wonderful man of mine! Yes, the cupcakes are moist and fantastic! Yes, the cheesecake is out of this world good and that is saying a lot coming from me! And yes, the added scone was also so, so good! We all give this place two thumbs up so you should all come try it yourself the next time you find yourself in this city!
While we were uptown, we had to take the kids to visit the MET (Metropolitan Museum of Art). It is huge and amazing.
I love how our schools are teaching our kids about great artists and what art is all about. My son found an painting from an artist he learned about in school and was excited find it!
When I first came to the MET, I was enamored with the display of the knights and and all their armor. I wished I had my kids with me to see it. I was excited to have them experience it and love it too! But honestly, our visit here didn’t last that long. The kids got bored after a while…. I know.. so uncultured! Well folks… that is how we roll.
No visit here is really complete without having some street food. And this here, is my favorite in this city. A souvlaki… perfect in every way. The mix of different flavors and messy sauce equals awesomeness! You can find these on street carts or food trucks throughout the city. A definite must try! You will thank me later.
Everyone and their brother told me I HAD to go to the Shake Shack, so we did. Hamburgers, fries, onion rings and shakes…. you don’t have to twist my arm.
Their cheeseburger with a fried mushroom.
French fries are a must with a hamburger!
Assorted shakes we ordered. Chocolate peanut butter was our favorite hands down. Now the verdict? Eh…. the burgers were okay. Sorry, but I have had some amazing burgers and these just don’t make the cut for me. My family felt the same. Yes, my kids are a bit spoiled when it comes to good food. These were in the same league as In n Out I guess. Don’t hate… I really wanted to love them.
The next day we loaded onto the train and headed to D.C for the day. My two youngest have never been. Do you think they are excited?!
Our first stop was Ford’s Theatre. One of my favorite places to visit in D.C.
Next, we headed to the Capitol where we got a private tour from a family friend. How cool is that?
As part of that private tour, we got to ride in the Senate tram that runs underground from their offices to the Capitol building. Why is it always so fun to be able to be in places that the general public is not allowed in?
The National Archive building is another favorite!
How gross is this? A real mummy in the Natural History Museum. Kids of course thought it was cool! I guess you don’t see these everyday!
The White House is a must. So sad they don’t offer tours anymore.
Julia Child’s whole kitchen was brought over. I loved it! She had some great stuff… of course!
The reflection pool, the Lincoln Memorial and the National Monument are all such a beautiful sight. This city is simply gorgeous!
My son was so happy to be here he literally jumped for joy! We visited so many great places… more than I can show you here.
Back on the train headed back to NYC after a long day. We arrived at Penn Station at 1:30 a.m.! Sleep was not something we got a lot of on this trip!
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