I was really torn about taking the kids to go see the Harlem Globetrotters at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Ava (3.5 years old) does really well at events at shows but Max (21 months) has a really hard time sitting still. I actually even had planned for my mom to watch the kids and for Ed, myself, and our friends to go to the game. But Ed convinced me that the kids would have a blast. Max loves sports, and between the two of us, we figured we could manage him if he got a bit fussy and needed to walk around. Little did I know that Max would be so into that game that he would stay still watching and eating his popcorn the entire time.
We decided to drive into the city because the game would end after the kids' bedtime and they would inevitably fall asleep on the way home. When I was planning the day out, I started Googling the best places to park close to Madison Square Garden and stumbled upon SpotHero. Their website allowed me to find event parking close to MSG and search through lots based on price and availability. This made parking so easy and saved me a ton of money. I was able to book a spot in a garage which was a 5-minute walk from the Garden and only cost me $25 for my entire time (5 pm-11 pm). Do be careful with the type of car you book because my Jeep Cherokee would have been an extra $15 fee on top of parking because it's considered "oversized." We ended up driving Ed's Lexus in because it's a much smaller car and there was no fee. SpotHero will prompt you to enter in your vehicle's make and model to tell you if that garage has a surcharge for your car. It's been a while since I've been in Madison Square Garden and I was really impressed with how clean and well staffed it was. The concession stand was able to quickly answer my questions about my son's peanut allergy, and I was guided to an elevator (we had a stroller) without even having to ask.
We were swiftly taken to our seats, and the show began. It's pure magic when you find something that's not only appropriate for children but also entertaining for adults. The Harlem Globetrotters did such an excellent job of embracing family friendliness and not only making me laugh out loud but also being something I felt good about Ava watching. When I was a little girl, my mom used to tell me, garbage in, garbage out and I hated that saying but now it's something I live by. I'm really carefully about the things I allow my children to watch and I was so pleased that nothing during the Globetrotters show made me cringe. An entire basketball show can be incredibly daunting for a small child to watch, so I love how the show was broken up into small chunks. A few minutes of basketball was then followed by a few moments of silly antics, dancing, and games.
I was concerned that the people around me would think that I didn't feed Max on a regular basis. He ate 1/4 lb hot dog, half a large box of popcorn, a 1/4 of a pretzel and an entire bottle of water. Little did I realize that going to the show would be a night of dieting for me because Max ate almost all of my food.
Looking back, I can tell you that I would do it again in a heartbeat. It was such a fun family night that made for some really special memories.
Remember you can save 25% for ALL Harlem Globetrotters Games with promo code FUNFAM http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/tickets
A big thank you to the Harlem Globetrotters for teaming up with me on this post.
