Chelsea

The water table at City Treehouse.

Once a predominantly Irish neighborhood, Chelsea is now known for its gay bar crowd and megashops like Bed, Bath & Beyond and the Container Store. Even so, today’s Chelsea doesn’t look too different than it did long ago; lining its residential numbered streets are 19th-century row houses and tenements—as well as the block-long 1931 apartment complex called London Terrace. Spanning the area from 14th to 30th Streets and from the Hudson River to Fifth Avenue, the neighborhood has a big footprint. Time Out Kids trolled the streets looking for the most family-friendly spots.

Check it out
Chelsea is easy to get to from just about anywhere; five subway lines take you through or near the West Side ’hood. The 23rd Street stop on the C or E will bring you closest to the Chelsea Art Museum (556 W 22nd St at Eleventh Ave, 212-255-0719; $8, children under 16 free), which holds family days four times a year.

At the Tada! Youth Theater (15 W 28th St, 212-252-1619) you can catch New York City kids—ages eight to 18—performing in a professional-quality play. Children can also attend playtime at City Treehouse (129A W 20th St, 212-255-2050; $30 for an hour of open play; reservations recommended). The forest-themed climbing space and multitiered water table are big hits with tots.