Beach Clubs in Long Island

If you want to enjoy the beach with your little one and especially if you have more than one, a beach club summer membership is way more affordable than a house in the hamptons or fire island.  Lido Beach and Long Beach have several options for clubs, where families can rent a cabana for the summer and enjoy lunch at the beach restaurant.  There are cabana boys (not hot Latin men - more like just recovering from acne teenage boys) who will help with your belongings, get you set up on the beach with chairs and umbrellas and serve you refreshments.  Not bad!  Especially if you are a stay at home mom and would like to take your kids to the beach during the week.  It becomes a much more manageable experience when you have some assistance. 

A cabana facing the beach at the New Plaza Beach Resort at Lido Beach is $7100 but sandside is $5100 and there is a mini sandside option at $3100.  There are also a number of beach clubs along Atlantic Beach in Long Island where you can get similar pricing and amenities.

These include Lawrence Beach Club, Sunny Atlantic Beach Club, The Sands, Catalina Beach Club, Silver Point Beach Club and Sun and Surf Beach Club.  Tha Catalina Beach Club has a great pool and old summer club vibe and has been featured in photos of old style NY beach clubs and films, including the Godfather. 

How to take the Subway in NYC with Baby (plus a listing of Elevator Accessible Subway Stops in Manhattan

Brave New York City moms aren't afraid of hopping on the subway, it's the fastest way to get around.  But with a little one, it can seem daunting.  Between the stairs, the crowds, the dank stale air, taking the train is often a last resort with a baby.  The best recommendation for taking a baby on the subway is to use a baby carrier or sling.  That keeps you mobile and agile, and makes traveling downtown to see your friends for brunch entirely manageable, depending on the temperment of your little one.

But, if you have to travel into Long Island, Westchester, or Jersey via LIRR or NJ Transit, or Grand Central with your stroller and weekend gear...and you don't feel like hopping into a cab afterwards, then you may want to scope out all the stations with elevators/escalators so you can be prepared to get around. 

The below list is available on the MTA's website and lists elevator stops in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx.

New York City Transit

Manhattan

NB - Northbound
SB - Southbound
EB - Eastbound
WB - Westbound

14 St A, C, E, L

Elevator at northwest corner of 14th Street and Eighth Avenue. Note: Ramp near elevator to L platform is not ADA accessible, use elevator.
Bus connections: M14, M20 (NB)

14 St-Union Square L, N, Q, R, W only, 4,5,6 are not accessible:
Elevator at northeast corner of 14th Street and Park Avenue South (Union Square East).
Bus connections: M1, M2 (NB), M3 (NB), M6 (SB), M9, M14

34 St-Herald Square B,D,F,N,Q,R,V,W
Elevator at Herald Center building on west side of Broadway south of 34th Street. Note: Ramps are not ADA accessible, use elevators.
Connections: M4, M5 (NB), M6 (NB), M7 (NB), M16, M34, Q32; AMTRAK, Long Island Rail Road, New Jersey Transit

34 St-Penn Station 1,2,3 Elevator on south side of 34th Street west of Seventh Avenue at LIRR entrance.
Connections: M4, M6 (SB), M7 (SB), M10 (SB), M16, M20 (SB), M34, Q32; AMTRAK, Long Island Rail Road, New Jersey Transit

34 St-Penn Station A,C,E
Elevator at southeast corner of 34th Street and Eighth Avenue to uptown local C,E platform level. For other service, after paying fare use elevator # 226 to mezzanine level and take elevator # 227 for uptown and downtown A service or elevator # 228 for downtown C, E service.
Connections: M10 (NB), M16, M20 (NB), M34; AMTRAK, Long Island Rail Road, New Jersey Transit

42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal A,C,E
Elevator inside north wing of bus terminal (Eighth Avenue between 41st Street and 42nd Street) near airport bus ticket office. Note: Passageway to Times-Sq-42 St subway station is not accessible.
Bus connections: M10 (NB), M16, M20 (NB), M27, M42, M104 (NB), Port Authority Bus Terminal

47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr B,D,F,V
Elevator at the northwest corner of 6th Avenue and 49 Street.
Bus connections: M5 (NB), M6 (NB), M7 (NB), M27, M50

49 St N,R,W (accessible northbound only)
Elevator at northeast corner of 49th Street and Seventh Avenue. Elevator operates automatically between 6 AM and 1 AM Push button to right of elevator for access at other times.
Bus connections: M6, M7, M10 (SB), M20 (SB), M27, M50, M104 (SB)

50 St C,E (accessible southbound only); (A also serves station between 11 PM and 5:30 AM)
Elevator on north side of 49th Street west of Eighth Avenue.
Bus connections: M10 (NB), M20 (NB), M27 (EB), M50, M104 (NB)

51 St 6 (4 also serves station between 12:30 AM and 5 AM)
Elevator at northeast corner of 52nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Note: Passageway to Lexington Av-53 St subway station is accessible.
Bus connections: M27, M50, M98 (SB, weekdays only), M101 (SB), M102 (SB), M103 (SB)

59 St-Columbus Circle A,B,C,D, 1( 2 also serves station between 12:30 AM and 5:30 AM)
Elevator on northwest corner of Columbus Circle and Central Park West AND on southwest corner of 8th Avenue and Columbus Circle. Use Central Park West elevator for easiest A,B,C,D uptown service, take elevator #280 at northwest corner of Columbus Circle and Central Park West to mezzanine level, then take elevator #279 to platform level. For A,B,C,D downtown/Brooklyn bound service, take elevator #P33 at southwest corner of 8th Av and Columbus Circle to mezzanine level, then take elevator #278 to platform level. For 1 uptown service, take elevator #280 to mezzanine level. For 1 downtown service take elevator #P33 to mezzanine level then take elevator #277 up to platform level. Note: Both street elevators (#280 and #P33) can be used to access train lines.  Bus connections: M5, M7, M10, M20, M104

66 St- Lincoln Center 1 (2 also serves station between 12:30 AM and 5:30 AM)
Elevators on southwest corner of 66th Street and Broadway (downtown) and southeast corner of 66th Street and Broadway (uptown).
Bus connections: M5, M7, M11 (SB), M66, M104

72 St 1,2,3
Elevators inside station house on north side of 72nd Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue.
Bus connections: M5, M7 (NB), M11 (NB), M57, M72, M104

125 St 4,5,6
Elevator at northeast corner of 125th Street and Lexington Avenue.
Connections: M35, M60, M100, M101, M103, Bx15, M98 (weekdays only; SB along Park Avenue; NB along Third Avenue), Metro-North Railroad

125 St A,B,C,D
Elevator on southwest corner of 125 Street and Saint Nicholas Avenue.
Bus connections: M3, M10, M18, M60, M100, M101, Bx15

135 St 2,3
Elevator for northbound service at northeast corner of 135 Street and Lenox Avenue; elevator for southbound service at southwest corner.
Bus connections: M7, M102, Bx33

168 St A,C only, 1 is not accessible
Elevator at southeast corner of 168 Street and St. Nicholas Avenue.
Bus connections: M2, M3, M5, M18, M100, Bx7

175 St A
Elevator at northeast corner of 177th Street and Fort Washington Avenue.
Bus connections: M4, M5, M98 (weekdays only), M100, Bx3, Bx7, Bx11, Bx13, Bx35, Bx36; Port Authority George Washington Bridge Bus Station
( Note: The George Washington Bridge Bus Station is completely non-accessible. Call New Jersey Transit at 800-772-2222 for further information and lift-equipped bus reservations.)

Bowling Green 4,5
Elevator at northeast corner of Broadway and Battery Place.
Connections: M1, M6, M9, X1, X3, X4, X8, X10, X11, X12, X13, X15, X16, X17, X18, X19, X20, X27, X28, X29, Station Island Ferry (four blocks south)

Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall 4,5,6
Elevator east of City Hall near Chambers Street and Centre Street.
Bus connections: M1 (SB, weekdays only), M6 (SB), M15 (weekdays only), M22, M103, B51 (weekdays only)

Canal St 6 (4 also serves station between 1 AM and 5 AM)
Uptown: Elevators at northeast corner (for northbound service) and northwest corner (for southbound service) of Canal Street and Lafayette Street. Note: There is no station booth on the downtown platform. Passageway to other routes not accessible.
Bus connections: M1 (weekdays only), B51 (SB, weekdays only)

Chambers St 1,2,3
Elevator at northwest corner of Hudson and Chambers Streets.
Bus connections: M6 (NB - one block east at Church St), M20 (SB), M22

Grand Central-42 St 4,5,6,7
Elevator to mezzanine inside main entrance, immediately to right of Grand Central Terminal (East 42nd Street between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue). For 4,5,6 turn left after paying fare. At wall, elevator to downtown platform is to the left; elevator to uptown platform is to the right. For 7, go diagonally across mezzanine after paying fare to elevator # 224 (adjacent to exit for Chanin Building) for uptown and downtown 7 platform.
Connections: M42, M98 (SB, weekdays only), M101 (SB), M102 (SB), M103 (SB), M104, Metro-North Railroad

Inwood-207 St A
Elevator at southwest corner of Broadway and 207th Street.
Bus connections: M100, Bx7, Bx12, Bx12 SelectBusService, Bx20
Note: For Bx12 SelectBusService, fare must be paid at the fare machines at the bus stop before boarding.

Lexington Av/53rd St E,V
Elevator at northeast corner of 52nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Take passageway to elevator for platform.
Bus connections: M102 (SB), M103 (SB)

Lexington Av-63 St F
Elevator on north side of 63rd Street west of Lexington Avenue.
Bus connections: M102 (SB), M103 (SB)

Roosevelt Island F
Elevators at street level.
Bus connections: MTA Bus: Q102
Red Bus (operated by Roosevelt Island Operating Corp, 212-832-4540)

South Ferry 1
Elevator at southwest corner of State and Whitehall Streets.
Bus connections: M1 (weekdays only), M6, M9, M15, M15 Limited

Times Square-42 St N,R,Q,W,1,2,3,7 only, S is not accessible
Elevator at southeast corner of Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street. Note: Passageway to A,C,E and Port Authority Bus Terminal is not ADA accessible.
Bus connections: M6 (SB), M7 (SB), M10 (SB), M20 (SB), M27 (WB), M42, M104

West 4 St A,B,C,D,E,F,V
Elevator at northeast corner of West 3rd Street and Sixth Avenue. Take elevator to mezzanine level; use northbound or southbound passageway for A,C,E platforms. Use elevators on A,C,E platforms to go to lower platforms and B,D,F,V service.
Bus connections: M5 (NB), M6 (NB)

World Trade Center - Chambers St E Elevator not in service due to long-term construction.  Elevator on Church Street between Vesey Street and Dey Street. Note: For access to platform and E train, customers who have ambulatory disabilities need to use Reduced-Fare MetroCard. Passageways to other services are not accessible.
Connections: M1 (NB), M6 (NB), PATH, NY Waterway Ferry

What to do with baby on the Upper East Side

For those new moms who are wondering what they could do with their little bubs during the day and not go stir crazy in-doors, here are my recommendations:

1) Take a long walk to Bloomingdales on 3rd Ave between 59th and 60th (then go to the women's lounge, take a load off, feed the babe) and browse around.  Just try not to buy something every single day :-)

2) Starbucks is your friend.  Stop at any dozen locations and grab your favorite latté.  Just don't take one to go unless you have a good stroller with shocks.  I made that mistake once while using the Snap N' Go and spilled coffee all over myself every time I hit a crack in the pavement. 

3) Walk to your local park.  There are quite a few to choose from.  Obviously, Central Park for those of you closer to 5th, but Charles Schultz is lovely and you can stroll along the East River on a sunny day, then stop and watch the little doggies in the dog run.  I also like the playground on 68th and 1st where moms and nannies gather on the benches

4) I hear the Barnes and Noble on 86th is "the spot" for many moms with little ones.

5) Stroll to Planet Kids for any number of necessities you need that day.

How to take a taxi with your baby in NYC

I have yet to take a taxi with my little peanut but unless I want to be confined to the upper east side in the cold months to come, I'm going to have to be brave and hop into a cab to meet friends for lunch, playdates or just to explore new neighborhoods through the eyes of my daughter.  I like to think of myself as an adventurous parent but safety comes first and in the last two months I have learned that traveling anywhere with a baby takes organization and patience.  

I have a Bugaboo Cameleon which is great for long leisurely strolls and a Snap N Go for convenience - it really is the best little invention out there.  I also have a Graco Snugride infant car seat which snaps right into the Snap N Go (and I believe most infant car seats do).  I use the Snap N Go when we go to restaurants because it is so light and with a baby under 6 months, the easiest way to eat at restaurants is to sit in a booth with the car seat next to you, or place the car seat on a high chair turned upside down.  The Snap N Go stays up front.

Similarly the Snap N Go comes to the rescue for taxi rides - it's super light, closes in one motion and folds neatly in the trunk of a cab.  You then take your car seat, face it towards the back and strap it in with the seatbelt (obviously without the base).  If you are going to the airport, many of the car service companies do have a car seat base if you make the request in advance.  I wouldn't recommend taking a cab with a Baby Bjorn or Ergo or any other baby carrier but have seen it done.  Apparently, NYC taxi cabs are exempt from baby carseat and seatbelt requirements but we all know how cabbies drive and if you go this route you are entering at your own risk.  

Most stroller systems like Bugaboo, Orbit and Uppa Baby have car seat adapters but depending on how easily they fold (I can't do the Bugaboo with one hand), you are better off with a Snap N Go.