We just got back from a whirlwind weekend in Manhattan for our seasonal fix, and the Big Apple didn’t disappoint.

'Tis the season: The city was all dressed up for the holidays and there were a few magical moments, like when it snowed as if on cue when we walked out of Saturday night’s performance of the Nutcracker at Lincoln Center. With two girls in tow (a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old ballerina), the ballet was the main event of the trip, and Manhattan gave us plenty to do with our remaining time. 

There was a chill in the air, an ever-present aroma of roasting chestnuts, and—especially along Fifth Avenue from Times Square north to Central Park—holiday adornments to make even the most jaded grown-up stop and stare.  The famously elaborate window displays at Saks drew a block-long line of onlookers, complete with velvet rope and doorman (but you can also just take a peek as you walk by).  The Cartier building is wrapped up like a gift, Saint Patrick's Cathedral looks gorgeous, and of course we had to see the tree at Rockefeller Center.  It's a stunner at night but pretty even during the day—and one of dozens of great spots for picture-taking.  

In a moment of weakness, we made our way through the crowd at M&M's World (Broadway between 48th and 49th Sts; 212/295-3850) and walked out with two custom-mixed bags of melt-in-your-mouth treats. Those M&Ms helped fuel us onward, through dropping temperatures and stops at several street vendors to buy the girls ear muffs and scarves.  We also found the Anthropologie store at Rockefeller Center (212/246-0380) to be a warm stop on the tour, stocked with lots of gifts with an off-the-beaten-path feel.

The downside to visiting in December, of course, is the huge crowds. Either embrace it as holiday hustle and bustle or stay off of Fifth Avenue. 

Where we stayed: The Skyline Hotel (49th St and Tenth Ave; 800/433-1982) is a four-story low-rise on the West Side that would not be out of place in South Beach.  It's small and nondescript but clean, well-staffed, and blessed with a location that worked for us:  just a three-minute hop off of the West Side Highway (key, especially on a traffic-heavy Saturday in December), and an easy walk to Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Lincoln Center, and Columbus Circle.  We also loved the fabulous $10-a-day parking fee—unheard of in New York.  We were less impressed that our TV was old and had a fuzzy picture, though we weren't in the room much.  The Skyline has two wings; the west wing (the one we didn’t stay in) is newer, though all rooms have been renovated within the past two years.

Where we ate: We loved dinner at The Eatery (798 Ninth Ave; 212/765-7080; avg $25/person).  Though it had no kids' menu, there were some kid-friendly items, like a “mac and jack” that our 12-year-old proclaimed to be the best mac and cheese ever tasted, and sea scallops that our 10-year-old devoured. 

Sunday breakfast at Vynl (754 Ninth Ave; 212/974-2003; avg $10/person) was delicious. We were there when the doors opened at 9:30am for brunch, and we were seated right away.  The kids loved checking out the individual restrooms, each named and decorated after a different singer (Dolly Parton, Cher, Elvis), right down to the music playing inside.

Another don’t-miss was Levain Bakery  (W. 74th St between Amsterdam and Columbus; 212/874-6080; items from $3.75) for unbelievably delicious, nearly-half-pound cookies and fabulous gourmet pizzas. (Oh, and the bread's good, too.)

The damage: Our double room at the hotel cost $370 a night—not bad for NYC in peak holiday season, and the room was a bit larger than we were expecting.  The best reason to stay at the Skyline, though, is the low parking fee (no in/out privileges, though, so grab everything when you pull in). With taxes, the total hotel tab was around $420 for our one-night stay.

Four Nutcracker tickets cost $460, dinner ran $100, and breakfast cost about $50 with tip.  Because of the hotel's location, we were able to minimize taxi costs (it helped to have kids old enough to log some miles on their feet).  We cabbed it to Lincoln Center on Saturday night for $10, but we walked back to the hotel after the ballet because the girls were having a blast catching snowflakes with their mouths wide open.  The total for our Big Apple whirlwind weekend came to just a bit over $1000—too pricey for a regular outing, perhaps, but in line with what we expected this special occasion to cost.

Tip: If your kids are old enough to be flexible about mealtimes, try to resist the urge to default to a mediocre lunch at a Times Square chain eatery and use that time to keep exploring. Just grab a pretzel from a street vendor (or, say, some M&Ms) and graze. That way, you’ll be nice and hungry for dinner at a truly great restaurant.