Fun things to do with teens in NYC

No need for markers or crayons here: UrbanGlass offers a unique take on art projects for little creators looking to experiment with glass. 

Teens can relieve their Ringling Brothers days with this tribute to immersive circus events, only this time, they’re not in the audience—they’re the main act. From aerial acro and the German Wheel (picture a real-life hamster wheel) to ballet barre and tumbling, these stunts will appeal to the circus performer in everyone. 

Okay, okay, so Brooklyn’s premiere destinations for under-the-radar and cult-classic horror films may not seem like your first stop with teens. However, if you’re into sharing off-the-beaten-path experiences with your PG-13+ crew, there’s plenty to enjoy at this theater, now with locations in Williamsburg and Park Slope. Arrive early to grab good seats, and don’t forget to order snacks off the menu from your seat (or an adult beverage, if you happen to be the of-age chaperone).

This retroactive flagship of Morgenstern’s is bigger (and arguably better) than its original ice cream shop on the Lower East Side, serving a whopping 88 flavors from five different scooping stations. There’s also a full-on kitchen for the handmade cakes, pies and black-and-white profiteroles (labne and chocolate sorbet).

This DUMBO space promises a healthy dose of compeition. Suit up for an adventure in a darkened, dual-level basement where you and friends can aim for one another and try to claim victory. Events and parties welcome! All ages are welcome, provided participants are able to handle the laser gun.

Curious about life on another planet? Wondering how you’d manage in an alternate universe? Head to The Escape Game New York to find out! The immersive experience offers a thrilling adventure for all those who visit. Its five escape rooms vary in theme—Rule the School Playground, Special Ops: Mysterious Market, to name a few. No matter which option you select, you’re in for a challenging and invigorating task.

Dave and Buster’s Times Square is a combination restaurant and arcade. The venue is part of the nationwide Dave and Buster’s chain, founded in Little Rock, Arkansas, when a restaurant owner (Buster) and arcade owner (Dave) decided to combine the services of their neighboring establishments.

Your teen will love a little friendly competition at one of these NYC arcades. Check out classic arcade games like Frogger and Pac-Man, or newer options inspired by the latest blockbuster movies. Some of these arcades offer pinball, laser tag, air hockey and other standard games. Plus, these arcades have you covered with on-site food and beverage options.

Every year, the rides at Coney Island open for another season of rollicking good times. In addition to the dozens of attractions and games at Luna, including the famous wooden coaster Clyclone, you’ll also want to check out the adjacent beach and Nathan’s Famous for a loaded hot dog.

The splashy 19,000-seat Barclays Center opened in September 2012 and brought with it the Brooklyn Nets, the borough’s first major pro sports team since the Dodgers left in 1957. Check out a game, and cheer on the best basketball team in the five boroughs. (Sorry, Knicks fans.) 

The Bronx Zoo is lauded as one of the most impressive zoos in the world, and one thing it boasts (that possibly no other zoo can) is its magnificent zip line and elevated adventure course for fearless kids. Try out seven different ropes courses like you’re Tarzan, or fly across a 400-foot-long zip line.

Aim for a strike at the coolest bowling venue in Brooklyn. Not only does the urban oasis offer 16 lanes for great games, but players have the opportunity snack on bites from Blue Ribbon and catch live music in between turns. Make sure you check the times before visiting—late hours require visitors to be 21+, but doors open on the weekends for all ages.

The Metropolitan Museum and the Museum of Arts and Design have annual teen nights and other teen programs. The Brooklyn Museum and the Whitney host regular teen programs and activities. Other museums may have specific activities for teens like art programs or movie nights, so check their calendars.

Learn about the 27-time World Series Champions with a behind-the-scenes tour of Yankee Stadium that lasts one hour. You’ll get to see super cool historic baseball artifacts, learn about the history of the stadium and see locations that are only open to the insiders. While you’re at it, buy tickets for a home game.

If it’s skeletons, fossils, pendants and other earthy-yet-unusual accessories you’re after, Evolution is certainly a must-visit. Wall-to-wall decor—everything from insects and arrowheads to handmade jewelry and taxidermy—make this unique spot feel just like a visit to a natural history museum. 

Part museum, part spy training ground, Spyscape offers aspiring intelligence agents the opportunity to test their mettle. First, visitors can read up on real-life spies like Alan Turing, the mathematician who cracked the Enigma code, and Virginia Hall, the one-legged operative who helped escaped POWs travel to safety during World War II. Then it’s time for your assessment: After you sneak through a hallway peppered with laser beams, submit to a lie detector test and test all kind of other Bond-style skills, the museum uses a profiling system developed by a former British Intelligence officer to grade your performance.

With four rooms to escape from (each puzzle must be solved in 60 minutes), Mission Escape Games is perfect for families in need of a challenge. If you work together, you’ll be able to use clues around the room to free yourselves, but you’ll have to work quickly before time’s up.

You don’t need to head to Top of the Rock or the Empire State Building to catch some spectacular views of NYC—or conquer your fear of heights. Trapeze School New York in Hudson River Park is an adventurous way for teens to swing, twirl, jump and fly with the greatest city in the world as their backdrop. There is also an indoor Brooklyn location at 30 Tompkins Ave.

Tasty treats don’t get any sweeter than those on the menu at the Brooklyn Farmacy. Once operating as an actual pharmacy, the Carroll Gardens soda fountain sports an old-school ’20s vibe while customers sit at the counter sipping the best egg creams in town. Feeling really hungry? There are plenty of sundaes that require two people to clean the plate.

The Museum of the Moving Image is a playground for film buffs of all ages. Thanks to the venue’s Teen Digital Media Lab, NYC kids can get comfy on two Friday afternoons out of the month and let their imaginations run wild. Young visitors will receive exclusive museum access and work with tools to help their designs reach Oscar-worthy status.