travel guide help - day tripping to Manhattan

I live right in Chelsea! So sorry you're going to be here while it's raining! Usually the Highline really is worth a visit, but it's uncovered (still, there were people walking around there today)....

Casual family restaurants. So many great places to choose from. I would personally not go too deep into midtown, since the crowd can get pretty corporate. The West Village and Chelsea are my favorites because they're more warm and intimate.
In certain parts of the West Village you could toss a stone and hit an amazing, perfect place. You can't go wrong with:
L'Artusi (hard to get reasonable reservation time)
Market Table
Buvette
Barbuto
Bobo (unbelievable, phenomenal, retractable glass rooftop; a favorite secret in the summertime)
Sant Ambroeus
Little Owl
Aria

Just to name a few. It's NYC! Name a cuisine or neighborhood and I can be more specific. Do not wait to get a reservation, however. Book now. And even if OpenTable doesn't show any available listings, it might be worth calling.


Activities-

Have you gone to the MOMA yet? The Whitney Museum in Chelsea is also great. If your daughter is remotely moved by sociopolitical issues, the 6th floor is *unmissable.* I cannot stress this enough. I was almost moved to tears more than once, and the entire floor was hard to walk through. You are, however, rewarded with a beautiful view of the sunset

I'm also a fan of amazing chocolate. La Maison du Chocolat is some of the best in the US (world?). I *would not* leave NY without stopping there. It's very expensive, but worth a try. That's near Rockefeller Center, but I think they close around 8pm. Ooh, their roasted chestnuts are fabulous too.

Harbs is also a fun dessert place in Chelsea. Only other location, I believe, is in Tokyo. They marry Japanese flavors with French technique. And there's a semi-hidden cafe in the back.

Are you also looking for activities?

Good question. Highline, no comparison, warm weather. That said....It has become super crowded in the summer, and it's so beautiful and serene in the winter. I've never been up in a rainy day, though.


https://www.thetraveldispatch.com/150-things-locals-do-in-new-york-city/


This is a good article. Not sure what you and your daughter (+wife?) want to do, or what's age appropriate --if that's a thing-- but I would recommend music in the evening if you'll be around. Dizzy's Jazz club, in the Time Warner building, is upscale but still intimate (you'd need to buy tickets but they aren't too expensive). There are a bunch of more casual jazz bars with great music and legends (Jazz Standard, Blue Note, Smalls, etc.). LES is a bit young for me unless I'm in the mood, in which case it's a bunch of fun (it's not a younger crowd --just an energy). Pianos, and that general area, is full of bars......yeah, 16. JK!

Lunch at Sarabeth's in SoHo is a classic but still one of my favorites. If you go there, definitely ask for a table by one of the large windows. There's also one on central park south but it doesn't have nearly as much natural light and feels a bit more congested.

Strand bookstore is iconic, if she's into that. Not too far from there is NYU, which can be inspirational (& Washington Square park is both very pretty and fairly inspiring).