Cool New York City places to take your teens

Take your girls on a Sex and the City tour

Want to keep your teens happy while visiting New York City? That's not always easy. But try a few of the following places and sights, and you might score bigtime!

1. Chelsea Piers Sports Complex
Take them downtown to the Chelsea Piers Sports Complex (23rd Street and Hudson River). This huge place has a rock-climbing wall, a driving range,  basketball courts, ice-skating rinks, inline skating rinks, a bowling alley, and a pool. Check their website for schedules and drop-in programs. Chelsea Piers has 9 p.m. Extreme Bowling, a teen favorite.

 2. Go on a Thrill Ride
If you're visiting in warmer weather, book a trip for your teen on Circle Line's SHARK Speedboat Thrill Ride. The Shark is a big sightseeing motorboat that leaves from South Street Seaport's Pier 16 and takes you to the Statue of Liberty in no time. The half-hour thrill ride accommodates 149 passengers. Riders must be at least 40 inches tall, and must be able to sit in their own seats. The Shark leaves every hour daily from May 24th through Labor Day.

3. Sex and the City Tour
If you have teen-age girls, take them on a "Sex and the City" tour, which focuses on the TV show and film, the characters and the famous places where they dined, drank, shopped and gossiped. "On Location" tour guides will take your teen to the stoop where Carrie sat, the bakery where Carrie and Miranda enjoyed cupcakes, and some 30 more locations.

4. Book a Broadway show
that your teens will enjoy, and arrange to meet them afterward. You can order most Broadway show tickets online at Ticketmaster or Telecharge, and be prepared to pay steep prices. Current shows that will appeal to teens include: "13," "Spring Awakening" (some adult themes and brief partial nudity), "Wicked," "Legally Blonde," and more.  If you want bargains and don't mind standing in line, visit the TKTS booth for discounted (from 25% to 50%) seats to some of the biggest shows in town. TKTS is at Duffy Square on 47th and Broadway. You must buy the tickets on the same day as the performances and credit cards are not accepted.

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