Jersey Mom In The Big Apple: Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum

With beach days behind us and the town pool closed, our girls started asking when they could go into New York City again. As with any trip into the city with small children in tow, the plan was to make this as easy as possible and meltdown-free. 

That’s why we took advantage of a cloudy afternoon to take our 5 and 2 year old to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum on the Hudson River and 44th Street. This location worked perfectly for our strategy. Rather than trying to deal with driving into the city, traffic and parking, we took a ferry ride from the Weehawken terminal in New Jersey to the 38th street terminal on the other side. That trip alone guaranteed happy kids for the rest of the day.

Upon our arrival, there were only 6 blocks between the terminal and the museum, all right on the river, making it a short and painless walk for little feet. 

We gained access with family passes that were on loan through our local library and available to town residents. These are in addition to other passes available for different NYC museums, so be sure to check with your local library to see if they have a similar program, because it’s a great deal.

Once we were in, the kids were off. There are many places to explore on the “big boat”, as the kids called it, but the highlight is the outdoor Hangar level where airplanes are on display and plenty of space for children to run from one to one, satisfying both their curiosity and energy levels. After that, we moved inside to see the bones of the boat including the sleeping quarters, control rooms and more. There’s lots of stairs inside, so smaller kids will need help, but it’s also part of the fun.  There is another level with the Exploreum, which offers interactive exhibits for kids, such as helicopters to climb on, a chameleon exhibit to find how people and animals camouflage themselves in different situations, and more. 

There are also other exhibits including the Submarine, which is included with admission but had a very long wait so we decided to skip it, and the new Space Shuttle exhibit, which itself is an additional fee.  Food is available on the boat with a pavilion on the pier that you can sit and eat, while enjoying the view of the river. Or you can also grab a bite at one of two restaurants conveniently located between the Intrepid and the ferry terminal: PD O’Hurley’s or the North River Lobster Co.

After the museum, we headed back to the ferry for another ride across the river, got into the car at the terminal parking lot, and headed home with two tired, but happy kids in the back. All in all, this trip is a winner because it is one of the easiest trips you can make into the city without having to traverse the actual city. Everyone, little and big, wins.