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The Big Apple welcomes your littlest travelers with famous landmarks and fun activities they can enjoy.

Few people forget their first childhood trip to the Big Apple, no matter their age.  For more ideas, details, tickets, lodging, etc. visit New York City Visitor's Bureau or call them at 212/484-1200.  Additionally, The Big Apple Greeters are a group of volunteers who show visitors the ins and outs of the city. A volunteer can take you around to sites of your choice and even show you how to use public transportation to get around. This service is free, and tours last anywhere from two to four hours. Call 212/669-8159 for additional information.

American Museum of Natural History
79th Street on Central Park West
New York, NY 10024
212/769-5100
A must-see for the kids, who will love the collection of life-size dinosaur skeletons that awaits them upon entering this gigantic museum. Decide what you want to see before wandering around: you can pick and choose from the Hall of Ocean Life, the Mammal Halls, or special shows and exhibits going on at the time of your visit.

The adjacent The Rose Center for Earth and Space (a.k.a. Planetarium) goes light years beyond its promise to deliver "the most up-to-date information in astrophysics and earth sciences." If you manage to come on the first Friday evening of the month, there are performances of live jazz music, and tapas and drinks are free once the regular admission price for the Rose Center has been paid. In this levitated glass dome, there are three stories of images, photos from the Hubble telescope, flat screen videos of the stars, space charts and interstellar sculpture illustrating the history and growth of the universe. Though the fascinating exhibits are too sophisticated for young astronauts to understand, they are definitely cool enough for all ages to enjoy. The actual sky show itself, shown in the very comfy Space Theater on the top floor, requires tickets.

Another children's favorite -- the DinoStore gift shop or the Dinersaurus Cafe, both located on the fourth floor. They can even try the PlaySpace in the Cafe; it's great!

The Bronx Zoo
Fordham Road, off the Bronx River Parkway
Bronx NY 10460
718/367-1010
The largest zoo in any city in the U.S., the renowned Bronx Zoo is a New York Wildlife Conservation Society Park covering nearly 300 acres. The animals here live in natural replicas of their home environments. There is also a great children's zoo with a petting area for infants through pre-schoolers, within this huge park. This is at least a full-day excursion. The zoo is easily reached by Express Bus or subway.

Carnegie Hall
154 West 57th Street at 7th Avenue
New York, NY 10019
212/247-7800
Remember the old joke: "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" A: "Practice, practice, practice." It's still a lesson worth teaching our kids and since the famed concert hall is located in the heart of midtown, you won't have any trouble locating it. To inspire all that practice, Carnegie Hall presents kid-friendly, short and sweet, weekend Family Concerts for 5 to 12-year-olds, available year-round with a modest $6 admission. Kids are led through pre-concert activities, given special programs and encouraged to join in. The seasonal Carnegie Kids programs for the 3 to 6s are just pure fun wrapped in 45-minute packages, with plenty of room to wiggle in seats.

FAO Schwarz
767 5th Avenue at 58th Street
New York, NY 10153
212/644-9400
If a toy store could be exciting enough to enchant adults (never mind the kids), this one would do it. This is a place you are unlikely to leave empty-handed unless you tell your kids, as we have, that it's actually a museum! The first floor is a wonder of larger-than-life stuffed animals. Upstairs are toy cars, electric trains, dolls, board games, candy and, of course, the Dance-On-Piano made famous by Tom Hanks in Big, waiting to be discovered. Prices are standard, but the quality, variety and service are exceptional. Note that after a recent bankruptcy reorganization, the New York and Las Vegas branches are the only two remaining FAO Schwarz retail stores. However, they recently opened 200 stores within Macy's Department stores nationwide.

South Street Seaport
Fulton and South Streets Pier 17
New York, NY 10038
212/SEA-PORT
Shops, Shops, Shops, and some overpriced restaurants too, but don't skip the newly revamped South Street Seaport. It is fun for the kids, and there is a great South Street Seaport Museum (12 Fulton Street, New York, NY 10038; 212/748-8786) for boat lovers, the schooner Peking to tour, the Ambrose lightship and yes, still some fish vendors, though the city hopes to move their smelly wares up to the Bronx. Also available are daily sightseeing cruises, and often some sort of live entertainment or special event going on. Visit their website or call before you go.

Times Square
Running from 42nd-48th Streets along Broadway & 7th Avenues
New York, NY 10036
If you start at 42nd Street and Broadway, just south of the landmark skyscraper which hosts the 'falling ball' each New Years, you can pick up brochures at the Visitors Center, and admire the neon-lit views north. From 50th St. and Broadway, you can look south to the huge billboards, underwear ads, movie marquees, performance artists and street vendors and admire the showmanship capital of the country. Don't miss the chance to prove you're cool by pointing out 1515 Broadway, where MTV does all its filming and the outdoor balcony where many videos are staged. Across the street is the world's largest Toys 'R' Us with a really fun, super-huge Ferris wheel. Watch your wallet!

Central Park
Visit Central Park on a Saturday or Sunday, when cars are not allowed on the 10K (6 mile) Park Drive from 7am-7pm, providing great space for rollerblading, bicycling, skate boarding, or a casual stroll. In the summer, there are often neat tricks being performed by professional rollerbladers around Tavern on the Green at West 67th Street, and it is fun to sit and watch. Don't skip the Carousel (at about 65th St.) or the Zoo nearby, both easy to access from just about anywhere -- stop and ask for directions if you get lost. Rent a row boat or a bicycle at the Boat House at 72nd Street west of 5th Avenue. The Central Park Visitor's Center (212/794-6564 ) is located mid-park, around 65th Street. Housed in The Dairy, a 19th century Gothic-style Swiss chalet, the Visitor's Center is open from 10am to 5pm Tuesday through Sunday and features a permanent exhibit on the history of Central Park and a gift shop. Stop by to pick up information on current park programs.