Candy Nirvana for Kids in NYC
Every time my family vacations in New York City, a visit to Dylan’s Candy Bar on the Upper East Side is high on my kids’ to-do list. For kids, it’s one of the most fun things to do in NYC. It’s a real treat for them, too; over five thousand different types of candy are here, and the interior design is a bit like the board game Candyland (which is sold here, by the way) come to life. Dylan’s Candy Bar is a veritable theme park of sweets!
Dylan’s Candy Bar is not just a candy store, it’s a sweet cafe restaurant (ice cream treats, gelato, cupcakes etc) and practically a tourist destination in itself. There are currently five Dylan’s Candy Bar stores, but only three (in NYC, Garden City NY, and Houston) have the attached cafe. My family really likes the Dylan’s in New York City.
Ice Cream at Dylan's Candy Bar Cafe
I took my kids here on a hot summer day, and we went right upstairs to the cafe for some ice cream and a fruit smoothie. The service was pretty mediocre. Here it was, a touristy cafe at the peak of summer travel season, and the cafe was incredibly understaffed. The line was extending down the stairs, and hot kids were restless and bored. I can only assume that there has been some changes to staff training since last August, because it was not a stellar experience. The ice cream, though, was terrific.
It’s the candy that makes the shop, though. Old fashioned candy, candy with movie themes (like Harry Potter), gigantic gummy rats…you name it, and it’s probably there. Dylan’s Candy Bar has its own branded candy and chocolates, too, in brightly colored monochromatic tins. And wrappers. And boxed sets. Yes, Dylan’s Candy Bar has all iterations of candy and chocolate, in the largest candy store in the world. 15,000 square feet of sweets – it’s so much fun. There are also party favors, t-shirts, pajamas, lunch boxes and candy-themed pillows. Judging from all the happy faces at the store, children aren’t the only ones delighted to be immersed in candy nirvana.
Hand-dipped Chocolate Treats in NYC
Okay, I know, I know; it’s just a candy store. But it’s also well on its way to being a top New York City travel destination for families. Even sugar-phobic parents can see the fun in that, right?