We visited New York City with our 7 month old, Emma, and it was fun. We went all over Manhattan, crossed the Statue of Liberty off our bucket list, and did a lot of other fun things.
Will you remember that? Maybe not. But we will, and we’ll be able to tell her about it one day and show her pictures of all the cool places she’s been.
Although we are seasoned travelers, we are new parents and this was one of our first trips with an infant, so we were a little nervous about everything. New York is a huge city, after all.
Once you get there, you’ll realize that it’s actually easier, safer, and more manageable than you might think, especially if you go in with realistic expectations.
Here are our tips for visiting New York City with a baby!
1. The ideal lightweight stroller
We went almost everywhere by walking and using the subway.
New York City is very stroller-friendly at street level, but if you plan to use the subway, Not all stations have elevators. Many only have stairs, and even if there is an elevator, it may be out of order.
In those cases, you will definitely need a stroller that is light, easy to use, and easy to fold and carry. We used a Babyzen YoYo2 The stroller worked great for this purpose.
Strollers are allowed on the subway cars, and we always had plenty of room for ours, but with a full-sized stroller you would definitely struggle.
Having the right stroller will save you a lot of hassle in New York!
A lightweight stroller is best
2. A baby carrier can also be helpful
Baby carriers are great for stairs or tight spaces, and you’re sure to come across some in New York City.
Even though we had a stroller, we were happy to have a baby carrier sometimes for the subway and some other activities.
We used it Ergobaby Omni Breeze I will recommend it. It’s advertised as suitable for babies 7-45 lbs (~0-48 months), and it was perfect for our 7-month-old.
It was especially useful when we visited the Statue of Liberty, because we wanted to sit on the top deck of the ferry to get the best views, and you had to climb multiple stairs and navigate through a crowd of other tourists on the ferry to get there. It will be difficult to do with a stroller.
Aside from that, the tanker was also useful on board. Our Emma traveled as an infant, which is free for children under 2, and the carrier allowed us to keep our hands free during the flight.
The baby carrier is useful on the subway and even on the plane!
3. It is recommended to use a car seat
The only time we used a car in New York City was to take a taxi to and from the airport.
However, any time you use a car with a child, there is the issue of car seats. New York State law doesn’t require you to use one in a taxi, but it’s still a good idea. Driving in New York City can be difficult at times, and if you get into an accident you want your child to be safe.
We always try to be safety and budget conscious, so we brought our own car seat from home. Most airlines will let you check one in for free, and then you can get one upon landing. Like strollers, it is a free piece of extra baggage for parents.
If you don’t want to bring your own car seat into New York City, there are private taxi services you can book online that include a seat of your choice. Payment Baby car, Kidmoto, Limousine legendsor Child taxi.
These tend to be a bit pricey, but they have good reviews, and will be more convenient than bringing your car seat everywhere.
New York City is not a place you want to drive around without a car seat
4. New York City has a lot of kid-friendly things to do
We did a lot of fun things in New York City, and we never felt like our baby was out of place or a burden to us or anyone around us.
We went to famous sites like the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge, visited New York’s best museums, climbed a rooftop observatory, and so much more. We’ve braved the crowds in Times Square on multiple occasions!
Central Park is a great place if you like to walk, with wide paths, shade, and playgrounds. One Vanderbilt Summit It’s also fun for babies. They have a mirror room and a room filled with silver balloons.
Most New York City attractions welcome families with strollers, and even places that aren’t stroller-friendly can also be stroller-friendly. You don’t have to limit yourself too much here.
Read more: 15 fun things to do in New York City
One Vanderbilt Summit Fun for babies
5. Choose a hotel with a view
New York is an amazing city, and having a beautiful view from your hotel is part of the experience.
We stayed in M Social Hotel in Times Square It was one of the wonderful things about our trip.
We loved seeing all the cars and people, and seeing the tall buildings up close was impressive. At night, the view was even better with everything lit up and twinkling.
Emma loved peeking out our room window and watching all the activity below.
Enjoy those big views of the city
Everything else about our stay at m social It was good, and fairly budget friendly for New York.
The staff were really nice to Emma and were able to provide a Pack N’ Play for her to sleep in.
We booked the “drop the ball” room to get the best views of Manhattan.
The hotel we stayed in – © M Social Hotel in Times Square
Views from the roof terrace
6. New Yorkers are kind to children
We were a little apprehensive about bringing our baby to the big city because we weren’t sure what the local situations were like, but this ended up being just the wrong thing to do.
Everyone was so friendly and we got lots of nice comments about Emma everywhere we went. People opened doors for us, stopped elevators, and gave up their seats on the subway without asking.
To be fair, our baby barely cried the whole trip, but even when she was fussy, people were understanding and non-judgmental. We had no problems at all.
Take fun photos in Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
7. Don’t worry about crime and safety
For its size, New York City is surprisingly safe. In reality, It is one of the safest major cities In the United States.
Some news networks give it a bad name, but you have to look beyond the occasional scary story and consider the overall statistics.
It is a city of more than 8 million people.
New York City is the largest city in the United States
Reflections in Central Park
As of 2026, New York City’s homicide rate is about 4 per 100,000 population, while the rate in the United States as a whole is 5.6 per 100,000. This means that New York City is safer than the United States overall. This is very impressive, considering the size of the city.
If you narrow it down to just Manhattan, where most tourists go, the murder rate would be in the range 1.3 per 100,000. This is a quarter of the US national average!
Meanwhile, Chicago’s homicide rate is 4 times higher than New York City’s, while both New Orleans and St. Louis’ homicide rates are about 14 times higher than New York City’s. This puts it into perspective, I think.
Times Square madness
This doesn’t mean you should be careless in New York, but if you stick to normal business hours and normal tourist areas, you don’t have to worry too much.
The subway is safe, and accidents there are exaggerated, but it is still wise to stay away from the edge of the tracks, and avoid anyone behaving unusually.
If you have a stroller, you can use the wheel brakes to hold it in place.
8. Keep snacks on hand
It’s never fun for your baby to be fussy in public, so you’ll want to carry snacks with you wherever you go.
These will be especially useful anytime you have to wait in line at an attraction. It’s happened several times.
Apart from the usual food packets, we also gave our baby food Rice rusk. I liked these things and they prevented some meltdowns.
At the Statue of Liberty with our little fox
9. Family spaces are easy to find
Everywhere we went in New York, we never had a problem finding a family bathroom with a changing table.
Nursing is allowed anywhere, but some places have private spaces Mamava breastfeeding capsulesIt is free for breastfeeding mothers to use. These are located at airports, Liberty Island, the Museum of Modern Art and other places.
In restaurants, we never had a problem getting our stroller inside, although your experience may vary. We were able to get a high chair when needed, but space can be tight, so it’s best to eat outside peak hours if possible.
New York City with her baby was special
10. It’s easy to restock supplies
Pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens are everywhere if you need to stock up on diapers, wipes, formula, and baby food.
We brought most of what we needed from home, but sometimes you forget things, and it’s nice to know there are easy ways to resupply.
Mirror room in One Vanderbilt Summit
More New York City travel tips
Thanks for looking! I hope you enjoy these tips for visiting New York City with an infant.
Don’t forget to check out my other travel guides for New York City before you go!
