Family fun in New York

On select nights from 21 November to 3 January, lantern trails light up from 16:30, and the Children’s Zoo farmyard and World of Reptiles stay open late. Tickets must be reserved in advance; last entry is at 20:00.

A 29-metre blue whale hangs over the Hall of Ocean Life, and the dinosaur halls are a rite of passage. The Gilder Center, opened in 2023, adds a striking new wing; check timed tickets online.