Fleet Week on The Intrepid Space Museum

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Memorial Day weekend had begun and I was going to make it GREAT. Because in NYC, Fleet Week is full of activities for adults and kids, and do a pretty good job in celebrating the uniforms that step on shore for a reprieve.

And all this “greatness” was going to be kicked off by the activities taking place on Pier 84 in celebration of Fleet Week.

When we arrived at the pier, the lines were already pretty long, the sun was beaming at full capacity, and the boys were ready to go.  Luckily, the angels that watch over me came up with this amazing gift called “Will Call“, and though I received these tickets as a gift, anyone who purchases their tickets online will reap the same benefits I did: no lines.

Once we were on the Pier, we headed straight to the Intrepid Museum‘s Flight Deck.  Now, fighter planes and helicopters are not really much of what I would call a “good time”, but my guys (husband included) could not lift their dropped jaw at the sight, and this reaction is enough to get me excited about anything, even fighter planes and helicopters.

Truth is, I did think it was pretty cool up there.  My 3.5 year old kept wanting the ship to actually sail away with them on it, and the 2.5 year old kept wanting to get inside the cock pits of the various planes, things that caused a few minor tantrums, but all in all, slowly checking out each machine was fun, interesting, and really exciting for them.

We headed to the next level down and then inside the museum.  All was well, until we got inside the museum. Turns out that during Fleet Week the lines for all the free activities in the museum are longer, which is to be expected. However, when you go there with toddlers, who have yet to master the skill of taking and waiting for turns, then long lines and large crowds make for not-so-fun situations.  So, we quickly walked through, with me taking note of all the things there are to do when I return on a weekday, while other kids are still in school, and the festivities are over.

We made our way out of the museum and onto the pier again, this time to check out all the activities going on. And there were plenty.  We listened to music from the cast of Wicked (who also spray painted the 11 year old’s hair green), participated in drill challenges, which my 3.5 year almost did until the shyness got the best of him, but which my husband took on fearlessly and we watched a tag team competition between the Navy and the Army soldiers, which was unbelievably hysterical.

The one game the kids enjoyed the most though was shooting hoops and competing against each other.  Granted, not much competition for the 11 year old, but the little ones took the challenge quite seriously, as is evident by the expression on their faces in these pictures!

So much to do, so much going on.  It was really a great time!  The boys (and I) loved seeing the men and women in uniform, the boats passing by, the helicopters flying overhead. I think I even saw Whoopi Goldberg hanging out nearby. It was crazy to imagine, but a little over 3 hours had gone by before the boys started showing the first signs of exhaustion.

We made our way out, which is conveniently located through the gift shop, and bought the boys a little toy to remember the trip.

Instead of heading home, we headed to Times Square to walk around a bit more and enjoy the beautiful day.  The streets were crowded, music was everywhere.  It’s definitely the heart of New York City and it fills you up with energy just being there.

Before heading home, and by way of Hell’s Kitchen, we stopped by the local Sullivan St. Bakery.  Not having been there before, I was helped by local resident, Samantha, who guided me through the various delicacies to choose from, pointing out her favorites and helping me pick some for my hungry crew.  The shop is small, and cute…but the pastries are huge in flavor and were wonderful!  All the activities and fun, the tasty delights of Sullivan St. Bakery, and the kindness of strangers (who are friends in my heart) place this Adventure on the list of my favorites.

Thank you Samantha! We enjoyed every bite!!

For more Fleet Week check the site for details and scheduled events.

Thank you to all the men and women who serve our country and are dedicated to keeping us safe and protected.  We salute you and hope you enjoyed your visit or return to New York City!

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