NFL Experience in Times Square, New York City

Football fanatics now have a new playground: The NFL Experience in Times Square, New York City. Opened in November of 2017, it’s four floors of interactive experiences. You’ll forget you’re in the heart of arguably one of the biggest spots in the world when you step into 40,000 square feet that encompass a dozen practice drills, hours of film footage, and thousands of player and team statistics. 

Traveling with Kids:

  • In my opinion, the Experience is best suited for kids ages 8 and up; many exhibits require reading skills, a specific height and strength practice drills, and the ability to handle loud noises and motion sensored seats in the theater. However, strollers are allowed and there are elevators. Younger children who really love football and want to learn about the history of the sport will enjoy it too, and there are spaces for younger siblings to explore.

  • Check in on the street level (corner of West 47th Street and 7th Avenue) and take an elevator to the fourth floor to begin your journey.

  • Restrooms are located on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floor and are easily accessible.

  • Check online for seasonal discounts and promotions for tickets, like Groupon and New York Pass; The NFL Experience also offers various pass packages to enhance your visit.

  • On the second floor there is a gift shop and dining area overlooking the heart of Times Square. There is a full bar, snack bar with NitroPop popcorn and other snacks, a private room for party rentals, NFL Eats (a “rotating menu of stadium inspired food” according to the display) and plenty of areas to relax (couches, a bar, and high top tables).  I was told the space also hosts watch parties. 

  • dsc02173-4812219
  • dsc02176-2349534

Five Can’t Miss Exhibits:

1. Start with the “32’s” on the 4th floor. There are memorabilia displays for all 32 teams in the NFL, organized by conference division. The interactive touch screens allow you to choose famous clips from your favorite teams, laid out on a map of America. Take note of our featured team in several of these photos (we’re Giants season ticket holders).

  • dsc02108-8167506
  • dsc02110-6980284
  • dsc02113-2143484
  • dsc02114-9192644

2. The 180 seat 4D Theater shows a ten minute reel of highlights on wrap around projection screens putting you right in the middle of the action. You’ll feel like you’re in the middle of the action with motion seats (you can adjust the intensity of the motion with three settings). You’ll get a pretty good feel for what it’s like to be tackled and blocked and how it feels to be at the bottom of a pigpile. And then there’s the snow. Yes, snow. Note:  if you get motion sickness or fear loud, starling noises, I would skip this part and wait for your group on the third floor. It is extremely loud, and even though you can adjust the intensity of the motion seats, there is still a lot of jostling and sharp movements.

  • dsc02118-7307212
  • dsc02119-1335061

3. The massive Training Center with plenty of hands on activities: Blocking Training (modified version of what it feels like to block), Vertical Jump (compare yourself to NFL players), Rate Your Weight, Suit Up (you’ll select your team and number, have your photo taken, and do some callistatics, following the lead of your digitized self),  Measure Up (compare your grip to the grip of famous NFL players), Game Plan (you’ll be right in the middle of a QB meeting with coach), and Huddle Up (as QB, you get to pick your receiver and run a play). We spent the majority of our time in the Training Center. It was a quiet afternoon and we were able to try each activity multiple times. The area has plenty of space to move around and designated lines for when there are large crowds.

Would you like to save this?

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.

  • dsc02132-5913896

  • dsc02123-2028264

4. Quarterback Challenge gives you three chances to score a touchdown by throwing a football to your (chosen) computer generated receiver. My husband and children loved competing against each other.

5. Super Bowl Celebration will surround you with confetti so you’ll feel like you were there at the end of the biggest game of the year. You can take your photo with a special Tiffany-made Vince Lombardi trophy. There’s a great display of tickets from all 52 Super Bowl- a ticket to the first game cost $10!  My husband and daughter were excited to find the ticket from the XLII game (she was born the following day; I’d like it noted I waited until the Giants won before going in labor). Also on display are 35 Super Bowl rings (under close watch!). If you’re an Eagles fan (again, we’re Giants fans- hence the photo below), you can pose with (the reigning champs) players. 

Bonus: The Postgame Tunnel consists of 42 mirrored screens which put you right in the middle of the post game. The tunnel will lead you to the gift shop and dining area.

If you’re in Times Square and are looking for more family fun, check out Gulliver’s Gate and National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey.

And if you want to follow along on my family’s adventures, “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Disclosure: My family was given a press pass to visit the NFL Experience. All opinions are my own.

New England based, part high school English teacher, part non profit founder, part road tripper who LOVES hopping in the family SUV to explore America. Our bucket list includes National Parks, MLB stadiums, presidential libraries, and eating wherever the locals eat!

Similar Posts

  • | | | | | | | | | | |

    Highlights of 2017

    My 2017 was filled with lots of fun travels. My family and I stayed mainly in New England, but we still managed to cover over 5,000 miles from northern Maine to New York City, and many places in between. For all of my new readers and followers, I thought I would highlight some of my favorite places and my most liked (and shared) posts from 2017:

  • | | | | | |

    10 New York City Holiday Events to Do with Children

    Note: I know it’s early October, and you might be thinking that I am rushing fall. But trust me, you need to plan ahead when it comes to the holidays. Having a plan (and in most cases, a firm reservation) will make any experience with children go a lot smoother- especially when you’re going to a big city like New York. I made my NYC plans back in July, but thought it might be a little risky to share this post in the summer. The holidays are a-coming and if you can, you’ll want to make time to bring the kids to New York.

     

    New York City is magical any time of year, but there is something extra special about visiting during the holiday season. Whether it’s the department store window displays, the streets lined with twinkling lights, or the endless concerts and shows going to “The City” will put everyone in the holiday spirit.  

     

    Now, while many adults could enjoy simply taking in the sites with a walk, children need to be kept busy. Entertained. Contained. Walking down a busy avenue with a toddler or young child is not a leisurely stroll. My family and I frequently go into New York, but we always have a plan. A destination. A place where my children will be contained. We usually make a stop at the Rockefeller Tree for an annual photo and we’ve done lunch at Serendipity and Carmine’s. Each year I try and find something new to do to celebrate the holidays. Here are some of my favorite activities to do with kids in New York City:

  • | | | | |

    Touring the United Nations in New York City

    Over one million people visit the United Nations, located on the banks of the East River in Manhattan, each year. The charter for the United Nations, a name proposed by President Roosevelt in 1942, was signed in 1945 with 51 countries as founding members. Today, there are 193 member states and countries must apply for admission. New York became the permanent home of the United Nations in 1949 and construction on the complex was finished two years later. The United Nations is a meeting place for all members to “settle disputes, prevent future conflicts, find solutions to global issues, and protect all humanity”.  Public tours include opportunities to visit three or four of the six main organs of the UN, as well as many displays and art installations.

  • | | |

    Gulliver’s Gate in New York City

    Gulliver’s Gate opened in May 2017 and is quickly becoming one of the top Trip Advisor-rated spots in New York City. It’s located on right in Times Square, but you’ll feel like you’re in another world- a world where everything and everyone is miniature! The space is clean and airy, with plenty of room to move and explore. The exhibit takes up the entire second floor, the size of a full city block. We visited in the morning (the exhibit is open from 10am-8pm) when it was quiet and we had up-close-and-personal viewing spots for each display. By 11am, a crowd had started, and the staff mentioned afternoons are always busier than mornings. Plan on spending about 90 minutes to two hours to explore the entire exhibit.

  • | | | | | | | | |

    14 Private Homes We Toured in 2019

    2019 has been a busy travel year for us. We’ll have a full recap of highlights at the end of December, but when we started thinking about all the places we’ve explored, we found some common themes. We’ve explored 15 private homes since January of last year and we’ve loved every single one. You’ll notice two other themes- we covered most of the Revolutionary War and Civil War this year, and we love visiting National Park Service sites (read why here!).  Here’s the list with some travel tips and the “coolest” things our children loved about each spot. Click the links to get more details and travel tips from our visits. 

  • | | | | |

    Bryant Park, New York City

    My family is fortunate enough to live a short train ride away from New York City, and we frequently take advantage of this opportunity. We enjoy visiting Bryant Park, a quick walk from Grand Central Terminal. There are literally dozens of things to do in the nine acre park, located between 5th and 6th Avenues and 42 and 44th Streets in Midtown Manhattan. Here are some of my seasonal favorites:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *