Things to Do in Teaneck

Shake, Rattle & Roll Dueling Pianos delights audiences with an evening of music requests, onstage games, and raucous sing-alongs. Two bantering pianists man the stage with percussive backing from a drummer, drawing on a sprawling mental catalog of classic and contemporary rock standards. The trio's extensive musical knowledge allows them to play any song that pops into guests' heads or is brought forth during deep hypnosis. The performers also call guests onstage for games consisting of solo dances and dares. The venue's full bar includes liquor, wine, beer, and soda, and shot giveaways keep mouths from drying out during lengthy discourses on why one should never stop believin'.

As they lead groups through the heart of Times Square, Manhattan Walking Tours' licensed guides tailor their narration to the interests of each of their up to eight participants. They follow an organic, ever-changing tour route as they answer questions one-on-one and strike up conversation with each urban adventurer, eschewing common tour-guide tactics such as screaming the names of U.S. presidents. As they navigate city history from 42nd Street to 47th Street, the guides use their experience as actors and city museum historians to entertain and educate their small groups. They're also undeterred by parades and seasonal events, taking alternate routes when necessary to cast a light on the history of often-unseen landmarks. At times, they venture right into the special-event happenings to grant visitors a glimpse into city culture.

Over the course of each tour, guides expound on some of the city's oldest architecture, pointing out buildings in the Paramount and Beaux-Arts styles among other stone and glass structures dating back to the late 1800s. Underneath vibrant billboards and twinkling theater marquees, they reveal secrets of the famed theater industry, such as why Sardi's Restaurant became the place for theater artists to wait for their reviews. They also let guests in on ancient questions such as why the city decided to drop a ball on New Year's Eve, how Times Square got its name, and which pizza chef the Tony Awards were named after.

The Skate Truck NYC's mobile rental unit sets up shop at various locations—from the sprawling reaches of Central Park to the picturesque paths of Prospect Park in Brooklyn—and outfits pedestrians with both roller and inline skates. Tourists and locals alike can track down the rental unit for a day of adventure, equipping themselves with necessary helmets, kneepads, elbow pads, and wrist guards. The Skate Truck NYC even throws in park maps that highlight viable routes and areas where skaters are least likely to encounter two men carrying a massive pane of glass across a busy street. And for special occasions, the company also assists with parties, field trips, and team-building activities.

The location of Skate Truck NYC's rental truck changes throughout the week. To view the truck's current and future locations, check out the Where Are We page on the company's website.

Must See Central Park matches sightseers up with a bike or tour-guide-driven pedicab and sends them off to explore Central Park's 843 acres, laced with 47 miles of paths. Alone or with a guide well versed in the park's rich history, visitors traverse gentle hills, gawk at skyscrapers, sniff the flowers of the Shakespeare Garden, and grab a snack from one of many options highlighted on complimentary maps. Special tours delve into particular corners of history: the Movie Tour, for instance, highlights the hundreds of scenes that have been filmed in Central Park since 1908, when it served as the site for more than 20 pictures in the popular horse-walking genre alone.

Since most people never experience the rush of belting beloved tunes in front of thousands of adoring fans, there are places like 5 Bar Karaoke Lounge to provide the next best thing. Spotlights, disco balls, and black lights illuminate amateur chanteuses as they take the stage in private rooms that hold groups of up to 18. A savory selection of small plates and platters such as edamame, seafood rice cakes, and chicken wings keep power-ballad singers fueled for their next heartfelt rendition, while draft beers heighten the feel-good atmosphere and placate friends who’ve lost their voice.

An unassuming building on the Upper East Side hosts a colorful kids' paradise that pairs a pet farm with fun and enriching classes. Chinchillas, hamsters, geckos, and hermit crabs scuttle around their enclosures or out on the floor, where visitors pet them and even learn to care for them in a class for ages 4–7. Other classes unlock inner artists as students paint seascapes and sculpt with clay, or develop culinary chops in a mini-chef class focused on tasty, nutritious foods. Kids can even claim a part-time pet hosted by the farm, such as a bunny or a dove, that brings youngsters the fuzzy joy of companionship while sparing a parent from having to walk their child's hermit crab around the block. Inside, themed rooms enhance imaginative adventures, whether in the music/party room painted with a mural of a lake or in the preschool/play group room that boasts a motif of gigantic sunflowers. Playful stuffed snakes coil around the ceiling beams of the indoor petting zoo, where rocking horses and plastic flowers wrapped around a pillar accent the open- or closed-habitat areas.