Family travel often revolves around logistics. Parents focus on reservations and itineraries while children are handed a coloring book and told to entertain themselves. This summer, Loews Regency New York Hotel is taking a different approach.
Now continuing through Labor Day, the Upper East Side hotel is introducing Loews Little Legends: STEAM Explorers, a new family-focused program designed to encourage curiosity through science, technology, engineering, art, and math. The initiative builds upon the hotel’s longstanding Loews Loves Families platform, transforming ordinary moments into opportunities for discovery.
At the center of the program are thoughtfully designed STEAM Explorer Kits, available to the hotel’s youngest guests. Rather than standard welcome amenities, the kits are filled with tools intended to inspire exploration, including binoculars, compasses, magnifying glasses, and kaleidoscopes. Each comes paired with an interactive activity book filled with prompts and challenges that encourage children to engage with both the hotel and the city around them.
The concept is particularly well suited to New York, where nearly every block offers something worth investigating.
One of the most compelling experiences is a series of exclusive after-hours family tours at hotel partner, the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Offered through The Met’s Corporate Patron Program, the intimate tours are limited to just 10 participants and begin at 4 p.m. on select Wednesdays when the museum is closed to the general public. Led by museum educators, the guided experience introduces families to highlights from The Met’s vast collection, which spans more than 5,000 years of art and culture.
Scheduled dates include June 17, July 22, and August 19. The theme, “Museum Highlights: An Introduction to The Met Collection,” offers young visitors an engaging introduction to some of the museum’s most significant works while giving parents a rare opportunity to experience the galleries without the usual crowds.
Just steps from the hotel, the Society of Illustrators is also joining the initiative through its summer Picture Book Spotlight series. These interactive workshops invite children to meet acclaimed authors and illustrators while putting their explorer kits to use through hands-on activities and creative exercises.
Highlights include a session with award-winning illustrator David Elmo Cooper, illustrator of Greta Builds a Submarine, and another with Caldecott Honor-winning author and illustrator Micha Archer, creator of Wind Watchers. The events provide an opportunity for young readers to connect directly with the artists behind beloved children’s books while encouraging observation, creativity, and storytelling.
Guests of Loews Regency receive additional benefits, including 10 percent off eligible Picture Book Spotlight tickets using the code “Loews10,” along with a complimentary sketch pencil and 10 percent discount at the museum gift shop when presenting a hotel key card.
As family travel continues to evolve, many parents are seeking experiences that feel enriching without feeling educational in the traditional sense. Loews Regency’s new STEAM programming strikes that balance. Children are encouraged to explore, create, and ask questions, while parents gain access to experiences that extend well beyond the typical hotel kids’ club.
For families planning a summer trip to Manhattan, it may be one of the city’s smartest amenities—one that turns a hotel stay into an adventure of its own.
Photos courtesy of Loews Regency New York Hotel
