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Feel Like a Kid Again With These Fun Experiences In and Around NYC

With all the responsibilities of being an adult, there are moments when you want to break free and indulge in activities that bring out your inner child in NYC—even if it’s just for a day! Luckily, we have everything you need to do that! From amazing free concerts and top-notch dining options to gorgeous secret gardens and unique experiences that feel like they belong in another world, our energetic city truly offers something for everybody!

Check out these 10 nostalgic activities that will transport you back to carefree days, reigniting your inner child! As adults, we all love those moments that give us a dose of dopamine. So, step into a world filled with bubbles or spend hours playing your favorite arcade games…we won’t judge! Explore our top picks for letting loose in and around New York City.

1. Float away from reality at Bubble Planet

Bubble Planet Experience
Unleash your inner child at this Bubble Planet Experience

The most enchanting experience has opened just under an hour from Midtown. This whimsical ‘Bubble Planet’ is the perfect place to bring out your childlike side with over 10 bubble-themed rooms, where you can discover every kind of bubble imaginable. Don’t miss the VR experience that shows you what being inside a giant bubble would be like! This experience can be found at the American Dream Mall, where there’s also an indoor amusement park, water park, and more so plan to spend the day there for plenty of fun!

🫧Feel like a kid again—grab your tickets now!

2. Classic arcade games + cocktails? We’re in!

Chinatown Fair Family Fun Center
Chinatown Fair Family Fun Center

NYC has many cool arcades that bring back all the nostalgic, carefree childhood moments with bright neon lights and high-energy pop music. Most of these spots even have a full bar, so you can sip on a delicious cocktail while you play your favorite classic arcade games like Pac-Man, Atari Pong, and Jurassic Park or enjoy a game of pool or shuffleboard.

🕹Read our full article on the best arcades in NYC!

3. Grab your crew and venture to the biggest inflatable theme park


Grab your friends for this adults-only night at the world’s biggest inflatable theme park! This viral experience is coming to Queens at Citi Field. At 24,000 square feet and 32 feet tall, it holds the Guinness World Record for the ‘World’s Biggest Bounce House. ‘ Let’s gooooo!!!

🤸‍♀️Grab your tickets for adult-only nights!

4. See a thrilling Broadway show!

Aladdin on Broadway
Photo: Matthew Murphy

Catching a Broadway play is a must, whether you’re a local or visiting the city for the very first time. If you’re looking for a show to bring out your inner child, consider the award-winning ‘The Lion King,’ ‘Wicked,’ ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,’ ‘Back to the Future,’ ‘Moulin Rouge,’ or ‘Aladdin.’

🎭 Check out our full list of Broadway shows!

5. Go to one of these incredible rooftop pools

The Beach at Dream Downtown
Facebook/ The Beach at Dream Downtown

We can’t think of a better way to escape our endless to-do list than spending a day at one of these luxurious hotel pools around the city. We don’t know about you, but we’re ready to soak up the sun and those views from a rooftop oasis or chill at the pool with a glass-bottom, sandy beach, private cabanas, and tons of lounge chairs. One of these destinations just might become our go-to for playing hooky from real life in the near future!

🏊See our favorite spots to take a dip! Want to go on a road trip to swim in a 70-ft waterfall? Check out Lower Falls in Robert H. Treman State Park!

6. Visit Luna Park in Coney Island for an incredible day of fun

Windstarz Luna Park
Source / Luna Park

Luna Park in Coney Island is a total blast for kids, and adults will love it too thanks to all its nostalgic vibes. The park reopened in March with some really cool upgrades. It’s a fun day out with friends or an epic date night with your S.O. You can really let loose and feel like a kid again, no matter your age!

🎢 Plan your trip!

7. Go back to the prehistoric times!

Dinos Alive
Dinos Alive

Plan a weekend getaway and step back in time and reignite your love of dinosaurs at the Dinos Alive Exhibit: An Immersive Experience this summer! Discover over 80 life-sized moving replicas like the T-rex, Stegosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Velociraptors, and so much more! Get ready for an extraordinary trip to Schenectady into the world of these magnificent creatures! This exhibit takes you back millions of years as if you stepped into a time machine.

🦕 Step back in time!

8. Have a ball at this playful pop-up filled with balloons

Balloon Story
Balloon Story

At Balloon Story, everything is made out of balloons—from arctic landscapes with penguins and glaciers to tropical jungles with elephants and monkeys. This amazing experience at the Park Avenue Armory is only in town for a limited time, so don’t miss it before it pops out of NYC!

🎈Grab tickets now!

9. See this burlesque parody of Star Wars

Burlesque performers at The Empire Strips Back
The Empire Strips Back

Star Wars fans, mark your calendars for the return of the Empire Strips Back experience! Plan your trip to Albany’s Hart Theatre at The Egg Center for Performing Arts. Set in the Star Wars universe, this adults-only production gives a sultry spin to some of your favorite characters. Venture to a galaxy far, far away to see sensual Stormtroopers and dazzling Jedis in a… shall we say, whole new light? While this is a nostalgic treat for Star Wars lovers, this one’s strictly for adults!

🚀Get your tickets now to space out in a galaxy far, far away!

10. Visit one of these incredible museums!

museums nyc
Source / Shutterstock

Spend hours exploring one of the many museums in NYC at your own pace and rediscover the best moments of your childhood. We could spend hours exploring these exhibits! Many of our favorites even offer free admission days, so you won’t have to spend a dime!

🏛Check out our top museum picks!

 

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* This article was originally published here