There is no doubt that raising a family on the Upper East Side has incredible advantages. These include a wealth of educational and cultural institutions, and places that focus on just plain, good old fun that one would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. Of course, the tab is steep, as the area’s cost of living alone is among the highest anywhere. Many families may balk at raising their kids amid pavement, honking cabs and mostly public transportation to get around (as opposed to the ease of parking a car in a nice, cozy garage in a house tucked in a tree-lined suburban street). However, the positive aspects of raising a family in this area are many. This is something to which I can attest having spent my formative years on East 69th and East 73rd Streets. Indeed, my friend Andrea Wyckoff, who grew up on 69th and Fifth, echoes my sentiments.

“Growing up on the Upper East Side afforded me the unique opportunity of having a wealth of access to many different cultural activities,” she says. “Within walking distance I could visit museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Frick Museum, and I had Central Park practically as my backyard.”

For starters, there is also the proximity to the many top-notch private schools that dot the area. They include the all-boys Allen-Stevenson School (132 East 78th Street, K-9th grade), The Town School (540 East 76th Street, coeducational, nursery-8th grade), Brearley (610 East 83rd Street, all girls, K-12) and Marymount (1026 Fifth Avenue at 84th Street, all girls, K-12) of which I am a proud alumna of both third and fourth grade. These and other Upper East Side schools take full advantage of the area’s cultural offerings to help shape the lives of their students.

Culturally, the Upper East Side is a pretty hard rival to beat. The area boasts museums with some of the finest art collections in the world. Two that come to mind are the abovementioned Metropolitan Museum of Art (1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street) and the Frick Museum, (10 East 71st Street). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, known the world over for its vast collection ranging from American to Ancient Greek art, offers families everything from art classes, storytelling to puppet shows. The Frick Museum houses a fine collection of European and American Art, and also offers programs for children to enjoy. Both museums are located right in the vicinity of none other than Central Park, 843 acres of greenery that is chock full of everything from playgrounds, a zoo with an array of wildlife, bike and running trails to playing fields suitable for just about any sport. The park and the museums are thus ideal places for families to participate in activities together. Ditto for the 92nd Street Y (1395 Lexington Avenue). The Y offers an array of after school programs for kids as well as many educational and artistic programs for adults.

Ah, now we come to the fun quotient. Kidville (163 East 84th Street) is a virtual paradise for families and young children. Infants to five year olds can partake in over 100 creative classes, which range from music, art to cooking. There is also an indoor playground, a salon that caters to kids and moms, a boutique and a café. Kidville’s various memberships (gold, platinum or diamond) offer families a wide array of amenities.