Top of The Rock at Rockefeller Ctr. Way better than the Empire State Building. Museum of Nat'l History(although you may not have time), Times Square, ride on the Staten Island Ferry(cheap and goes right past Statue of Liberty)...

I think the views from Top of The Rock will impress an 11 year old. The Central Park Zoo maybe, and The Statue of Liberty and/or Ellis Island would be my picks. My youngest DD was 12 when we first took her to New York and she enjoyed all of those. She also liked liked the bustling family-style Italian restaurant we ate dinner at one night LOL.

Carmine's Restaurant???

I think the statue is closed for repairs right now, but don't take my word on this. I just work in NYC. The zoo is another good idea.

Thanks, great suggestions! Keep them coming.

Another request: I have celiac disease and dd was also diagnosed with it recently, she just started the strict gluten free diet yesterday. Any New Yorkers know of any great gluten free restaurants and/or bakeries? We are staying in Jersey City (funeral is in New Jersey, wedding reception in Brooklyn).

Yes, Carmine's. Thx, I couldn't remember the name. Not a good suggestion for strict gluten free :(

I asked my celiac sister, a frequent NYC visitor, for recommendations and she suggests checking the Gluten Dude site.

Gluten Dude NYC recommendations

That so depends on what she'd like...Disney Store in Times Square? Is she too old for that? I enjoyed seeing St. Patrick's Cathedral, window shopping on 5th Ave, NBC studio tour was great fun. Of course I always enjoyed the metropolitan museum with the costumes and the suits of armor and the tiffany windows and the egyptian mummy, and there's a nice view of the city from the roof garden.

At that age, I took my daughter to American Girl Place, and it was quite memorable. We shopped, had lunch, and had her doll's hair styled. A year later, and she probably wouldn't have been into it! I would also suggest the NBC studio tour. She might enjoy Times Square, one of my least favorite places to go!

If she likes the Hunger Games movies, the exhibit at Discovery Times Square was a lot of fun (DH and I went a few weeks ago). You can order tix online, and if you pay with AMEX, you can get one audio guide, free. If you drive into the city, pre-pay for parking via their site. Good price, and only 1/2 a block up from the exhibit.

Also nearby, Madame Tussaud's wax museum is a fun place to visit. I went with my 18 year old niece this past spring and it was a lot more fun than expected! Order tix online for a discounted price vs. purchasing them at the museum.

Museum of Natural History is always great, too. I love the Metropolitan Museum of Art, your daughter may or may not like it--depends if she likes museums, art....its huge, and has so much to see.

Broadway shows are always a good bet, depends on how much $ you want to spend for an afternoon in the city.

This is a handy site for finding out what's happening in the city.

http://www.timeout.com/newyork

We go into the city a lot, and every year for the past 5 we have met up with my sister there for a girls' weekend. My girls are 12 and 13. IMHO, by 11 they have definite interests and preferences that can guide you, and what they like best is being "grown up".

We always see a Broadway show, which imho is a must. Maybe Wicked would be good, Matilda (if its stil playing?) or even Lion King.Blue Man group is also a very very good choice.

My girls have also enjoyed taking a circle line cruise at dusk (theyd rather see the Statue of Liberty that way). If you are coming from NJ you may be taking a ferry over anyway; if you just take a commuter ferry from Hoboken to Wall St, you see a lot of scenery that way in 10-15 min! Also, the Sheraton at Lincoln Harbor has great city views and a ferry right there.

They love walking around Soho and going in the little shops, and window shopping on 5th ave. They like riding in pedicabs or a horse drawn carriage in Central Park.

My girls also really like the MOMA, and to a lesser extent the Met. When we go to art museums we always get the audio guides. MOMA has a great little pamphlet about how to make the museum fun for kids and we follow that. EG, when you walk into a gallery, ask each kid to pick a painting they are drawn to, discuss what they think it means or depicts, then listen to the audio guide.

I will ask my girls for any other ideas.

Staten Island Ferry sunset cruise. Spectacular and FREE.

I would suggest an afternoon of shopping in SoHo, then Dojo Restaurant. Delicious food, not expensive, and full of NYU students. She will feel very grown-up. Dojo is a block away from Washington Square Park, which is full of people her age, busking musicians, artists, the speed chess hustlers, etc.--very interesting for a young person from out of town.

Here's another food link from my sister.
Risotteria 16 yrs GF

The Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum, if she is into science. Here is a list of smaller museums. 12-under-the-radar-totally-cool-nyc-museums

Also, the new observatory at One World Trade Center.

Thanks again, great suggestions. I'm of two minds about a show mtn, assuming the weather is good I think I prefer walking around, heading into shops, doing the ferry trips and checking out the views from the Rockefeller Center. You're absolutely right Mtn, she will want to do very "adult" stuff. She is growing up too fast! All of our adventures will be planned strategically near the GF restaurants the gluten dude recommends (thanks hhireno, and thanks to your sister, from a grateful celiac)!)

She did like the Hunger Games books, she hasn't see the movies, so she might like that exhibit cat_mom, thanks. The sea, air and space museum sounds great too. She is very interested in the Holocaust, so the Museum of Jewish Heritage, living memorial to the Halocaust may make the list.

The Statten island ferry sunset cruise also sounds good. We'll make our decisions tomorrow en route!

Thanks!

For the SI ferry sunset cruise, make sure that you get on the ferry (it's free) about 15 mins before sunset. On the way to Staten Island, watch the sun set behind the Statue of Liberty. Get off in Staten Island and get on the next ferry back to Manhattan. Be on the Manhattan end of the boat and you will see a dramatic night view of the city skyline. This has been a hit with ALL of our visitors. Takes about a hour.

My most fun days in NYC have been just walking around-- particularly Soho, Tribeca, Financial District and of course 5th Avenue. I think that transcends age-- though what catches your interest in those neighborhoods may vary by age, there's plenty to see and experience. Many families go to Serendipity for frozen hot chocolate-- I've never been. A favorite starting point for me is Balthazar-- just love the decor and the energy and while the bakery isn't an option there are plenty of gluten-free options.

Ellis Island is on my "must see at all costs" list. I've never been but my family came in through Ellis.. and after reading A Fall of Marigolds, I realized how much I do not know.

I love the NYPL and the Met-- I agree with Annie that the experience and views from the rooftop are just breathtaking but I am not sure it's open to the public anymore. I did some work at the Met about 10 yr ago and at that time, it was employees (and contractors) only. I would think the average 11 yo would prefer MOMA. So many iconic and recognizable works of art.

And I am a bit of a train romantic-- love train stations. Grand Central is just gorgeous.

I've never done a cruise or ferry-- but I have added that to my "must do at all costs" list also.

A broadway show is quintessential NY but don't discount off broadway. I have seen and enjoyed a wide range of shows-- from dramas to audience participation type performances.

Whatever you do-- have fun and hope you have great weather!