While midtown offers the sights and bustle that you expect from New York, uptown (from the Upper West Side through Central Park to the Upper East Side) radiates a surprising serenity. Its great family neighborhoods, filled with world-class museums and restaurants, surround Central Park--an 843-acre oasis where you can find gardens and lawns, a statue of Alice in Wonderland and even polar bears and penguins in a compact yet remarkably diverse zoo (5th Avenue and 64th Street; 212-439-6500).

Any journey uptown should begin at 2239 Broadway, the address of H & H Bagels (at 80th Street; 212-595-8000 www.hhbagels.com, whose motto, "Like no other bagel in the world," is--trust me--not an exaggeration. You can't eat your bagels here, but you can buy them by the bag, still warm from the ovens, and haul them along with you. Nearby is Zabar's (2245 Broadway; 212-787-2000), which is to delicatessens what Elizabeth Taylor's Krupp diamond is to jewelry. The store is half a block long and teeming with delicacies and bargain bins. For quick snacks, there's an on-the-go restaurant attached as well.

This sort of food fortification will be required before heading down the street to the American Museum of Natural History (West 79th Street and Central Park West; 212-769-5100). Long a family favorite for its great dinosaur hall, the museum recently added a truly spectacular planetarium, the Rose Center for Earth and Space. Within the building's glass walls, scale models of the planets dangle from above, with the immense globe that houses the planetarium serving as the sun. My kids were enthralled by the film on black holes and the equally amazing big bang show, where we learned that the entire universe, Manhattan and all, arose from a particle of pure energy smaller than a grain of sand. "I better watch where I step from now on," said Anton, boggled by the thought.

Walking east from the planetarium you'll soon encounter Central Park, New York's great backyard--but with a whole lot more going on than croquet and a barbecue. We like the first-rate puppet shows at The Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater, where we recently saw a very funny update of "Cinderella" ($6 for adults; $5 for kids under 12; for reservations call 212-988-9093). We also like to roam the Shakespeare Garden, which is filled with plantings mentioned by the Bard.

But our main destination is always Belvedere Castle, a granite fortress in miniature. The nature center inside contains tanks of turtles, fish and other native park creatures, while climbing to the turrets affords a great view of the park. One of the park's many playgrounds (at 68th Street near 5th Avenue) boasts the Rock Slide--a long, curving chute set into the rocks. Edwin and Anton like to slide down on pieces of cardboard for extra speed, then gambol on the massive rock outcroppings nearby.

Just a 10-block walk north is the Metropolitan Museum of Art (5th Avenue at 82nd Street; 212-535-7710), a place that might not exactly scream out as a family destination. But this is a great place for kids: Within its four full city blocks are all manner of amazing halls and rooms, displaying everything from suits of armor to the complete Temple of Dendur, which was moved piece by piece from Egypt to save it from the rising Nile during the construction of the Aswan Dam. There's even a sculpture garden on the roof in case the kids need a place outdoors to unwind. Anton and Edwin love the giant marble statue of the Greek hero Perseus holding the severed head of Medusa high above the lobby, and the massive painting WASHINGTON CROSSING THE DELAWARE. "How do I look?" asked Edwin as he and Anton did their best to imitate the general, America's very own Perseus.

Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Originally published in January 2001. Updated November 2004.