Whether you’re planning a relaxing weekend with your partner or a pre-parenthood getaway with friends, The Knickerbocker Hotel is one of the best places in the world to enjoy a babymoon. Our accommodations, amenities and staff are wholly devoted to your comfort and enjoyment. And, since we’re in the heart of New York City, you can easily get from place to place, with plenty of time built in to recharge back at The Knick.
In honor of our guests who are parents-to-be, we’ve put together our idea of the perfect NYC babymoon itinerary. Feel free to pick and choose your favorites, add in whatever you think is missing (river cruising, hiking, spending hours with a great book on an urban beach), and let us know if there’s anything we can do to help you have an unforgettable babymoon in New York City.
Thursday
Check In At The Knick
Right now, we’re offering several bespoke luxury hotel packages to make your stay in NYC even more magical. Our Fall Escape Package includes complimentary daily breakfast for up to four people at Charlie Palmer at The Knick and early check-in and check-out, based on availability. Our Staycation offer includes breakfast for two at Charlie Palmer and the option for early check-in/check-out. If you’re seeking more space, our Suite Autumn package offers the same benefits as Staycation, as well as exclusive rates on junior and junior corner suites.
Hear Great Live Jazz
We all know that music is great for babies’ brain development, and many think that jazz in particular helps stimulate creativity through its improvisational nature. Beyond that, listening to live music is just one of the best ways to get the good times rolling. Join us in the lounge at Charlie Palmer on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6-8 p.m. for alternating performances by the Michelle Collier Trio and Fleur Seule.
Photo courtesy of Piccoliny
Friday
Finish Off Your Registry
When it comes to irresistible baby gifts and gear, New York City can feel like the center of gravity. Some of our favorite spots include Babesta in Tribeca, which specializes in cool, modernist baby furniture and accessories and stylish souvenirs like PiccoliNY’s collaboration with Katz’s Delicatessen; Little Moony, where owner Thuy Diep designs and sells colorful, stylish baby and children’s clothes that her mother, a master tailor, brings to life; and Chelsea’s iconic children’s book store, Books of Wonder.
Photo courtesy of Dominique Ansel Bakery
Satisfy a Craving
Pregnancy cravings are no match for the creative pastry chefs and confectioners of New York City who regularly dream up decadent sweet, salty and savory creations that may at first seem outlandish, but eventually take the nation by storm. Take Dominique Ansel Bakery. Ansel is the mastermind behind the cronut, a croissant-donut hybrid that he trademarked in 2013. His Milk and Cookie — a shot glass made out of chocolate chip cookie and filled with Tahitian vanilla-infused milk — is the kind of shot we highly encourage pregnant women to indulge in. Even more decadent are the doughnut ice cream sandwiches at Holey Cream, which are customizable with a kaleidoscopic array of toppings to satisfy your every whim, not to mention your Instagram feed. If nothing but chocolate will do, the chocolate pizza at our Times Square neighbor Max Brenner and the 24-layer, 12-inch tall chocolate layer cake from Maison Pickle are classics for a reason.
Look no further than our own Charlie Palmer at the Knick for a quintessentially New York culinary experience, overseen by a recipient of multiple Michelin stars and James Beard awards. For a more intimate dinner, Chef Palmer has created an in-room dining menu. If you and your beloved would prefer a night on the town, venture forth to the enchanted garden of Le Pavillon or the raw bar at the newly re-opened Marea, followed by a moonlit stroll through Central Park.
Central Park is one of New York’s most rewarding destinations for all ages, but visiting with children usually propels you toward the many child-friendly attractions the park has to offer. An NYC babymoon is the perfect opportunity to leisurely enjoy the park as an adult. Cross the Bow Bridge, stroll through the Ramble, gaze out from Belvedere Castle, listen to live music, rent a bike and tour The Loop, watch the sunset over the Reservoir… and, of course, there are always the romantic paddle boats.
Photo of The Monet Family in Their Garden at Argenteuil, by Edouard Manet, courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
See An Exhibition
Art lovers could spend a lifetime visiting New York’s museums, over and over, and never get bored. There’s always an exciting renovation or exhibition to look forward to! This fall, some of the most talked about news on the NYC museum scene includes Ed Ruscha Now/Then at MoMA, Ruth Asawa Through Line at The Whitney Museum of American Art, Manet/Degas at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Max Beckmann: The Formative Years, 1915-1925 at the Neue Galerie.
Catch a Broadway Show
If you’re hoping to raise a Broadway baby, there’s no time like the present to get them started with first-time ever Broadway revivals of Ossie Davis’s Purlie Victorious, starring Leslie Odom, Jr. and Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s Merrily We Roll Along with Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff. The Book of Mormon alumni, Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells reunite in a cheeky new comedy, Gutenberg! The Musical!, while daughter-father duo Lucy and Danny Devito are teaming up in The Roundabout Theatre Company’s I Need That. For an extra shot of girl power, don’t miss & Juliet, a pop musical retelling of Romeo and Juliet by former Schitt’s Creek writer, David West Read.
Enjoy a Rooftop Nightcap
There’s simply nothing like ending a wonderful New York City day at our legendary St. Cloud Rooftop. Our mixologist has created a delicious selection of mocktails to toast to many good things ahead.
Sunday Morning
Indulge in a Long, Lingering Brunch
Once children enter the picture, brunch is never quite the same. But with options including our fantastic All-American Breakfast Buffet, menu, or in-room dining at Charlie Palmer at The Knick, or taking a to-go picnic from Jake’s, you will have plenty of memories to cherish. You can also check out our guide to the best brunches in NYC.
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