Between summer and winter is our very favorite time of year to visit New York City, but due to the many business travelers and conventions in town, prices can get pretty steep.  Here are some specials worth a look if you're planning to come in over the Thanksgiving or pre-Christmas shopping season. And when you're ready to book your stay, read our New York with Kids Attractions guide on the Family Travel Forum website.

Thanks to Hilton, your trip to the Big Apple can be more fun and affordable. A "NYC Sightseeing Pacakge" allows families to select an overnight stay at one of the Hilton chain's six NYC  hotels:  Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square, Doubletree Metropolitan Hotel, Embassy Suites Hotel New York City, Hampton Inn Manhattan Times Square North, Hilton Garden Inn New York/West 35th Street or Hilton Garden Inn Times Square, and get some perks.

We priced rates for a November weekend and found some of these Hiltons with hotel rooms with two queen beds, starting at $254/N. In addition to the room, families can enjoy coupons valid for some of New York City’s best attractions including Circle Line or the high-speed BEAST -- two water-borne tour boats; CitySights double decker sightseeing tour; meals and celebrity fun at Planet Hollywood; or a stroll through Madame Tussauds New York.

Your family may enjoy the discounted World Yacht dinner cruises that circle the island and allow teens to admire the glittering lights over dinner, with dancing afterwards. Familes who stay way downtown near Wall Street can also take advantage of the local Equinox gym, and everyone can use the GO Airlink Shuttle savings to get back to the airport.

To book the NYC Sightseeing Package, call your travel agent, visit www.hiltonfamily.com/sightseeing, or call 800-HILTONS and mention plan code YW or YW1.

For a totally different New York (one more akin to an episode of "Gossip Girl" as you can see from its glamorous Park Avenue location, pictured above), consider the Loews Hotels, here represented in high style by The Regency, an elegant family hotel in the midtown business district reviewed by Felicity Long and her kids during a recent stay.  Experience the city with Loews’s "Family Escape" package and receive a $25 gift card to the nearby F.A.O. Schwartz or the Apple Store. While the latter will draw in the more techno-crazed teens, F.A.O. Schwartz is beyond the dreams of any child with its 47-foot-tall Trojan horse, video game arcade, sweet treats of all kinds and oversized cuddly teddy bears.

Just around the corner, Rockefeller Center provides tours, stores and more for the wide-eyed visitor as well as a panoramic view of the city from the 70^th floor. From November to March, the Wollman Rink is open to ice skaters of all ages.

With rates at the hotel beginning at $399/N and hotel amenities including a dog-walking service, free public-space Wi-Fi and a Nico hair salon for stylish city hairdos, this package is quite the fabulous family deal. Just as plush and inviting, the hotel will also throw in a surprise welcome amenity, in-room movie and free valet parking.  The offer lasts through the end of December. Visit the Loews Hotels website for more information on special offers and accommodations.