Ever since my daughter was born, we’ve tried to take a vacation together as a family once a year. Her first flight was over to Honolulu, followed by Montreal and Los Cabos. This year, we spent a week in New York City, soaking in some of the local culture, indulging in some of the local food, and partaking in some typical touristy things. Oh, and I went to visit Casey Neistat too. Sort of.

This was actually my third time to the Big Apple, but it was a completely different experience for a number of reasons. The first time I went was with my parents and I didn’t have much say in what we did. I was just the kid being taken from place to place. The second time was a whirlwind work trip where I barely had 24 hours to play tourist.

For this visit to New York City, I was the one primarily responsible for choosing where to go, what to eat, and how to get there. Oh, and we had a super curious and energetic three-year-old to wrangle around with us, so we had to decide on some more family-friendly activities. The Central Park Zoo is quaint but charming, and the American Museum of Natural History is truly awe-inspiring.

Originally, we had planned on leaving the preschooler with grandma so we could attend a live taping of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Unfortunately, they cancelled the show for the only day we could go. We thought about catching a cheap Broadway show, but ended up running out of time anyhow. Maybe it was for the best.

Truth be told, a week in New York City simply is not enough. There’s always so much to see and do and eat, so we will certainly endeavor to come back. Maybe when Addie is old enough to catch a Broadway show with me.