Family Travel

For kids, a week off from school is bliss. For parents, well, it can be a little stressful. My son is bound to go a little stir crazy in our over-heated apartment. It is too cold for the playground and every inside attraction is going to be packed. Plus, I really need a break from our monthly trek to the American Museum of Natural History.

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But you don't need a car to get out of the city. Here are some great day trips from New York City that should entertain the whole gang that you can do without a car! No need to battle the traffic getting back into town when you can kick back and take a seat on public transit. It makes getting there part of the adventure and kids just love it.  

Wanda contacted me via twitter looking for recommendations of where to eat before going to see the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular with her family. Since I've been meaning to write about family friendly restaurants in Midtown for ages I figured I'd just answer her here.

For over a decade I worked right across the street from Rockefeller Center and, like anyone who works near there knows, the food choices can be down-right depressing. (Oh, wait, maybe that was just my job.) But there are some good choices if you know where to look for them, from special occasion restaurants to quick and inexpensive eats.

Here are my top picks for kid-friendly places to eat near Rockefeller Center:

The Fall is a great time to head out of town for some family travel. For the best weekend getaways over the Columbus Day weekend, look no further than Pennsylvania. That's right! It is just an hour or two away but offers a wide variety of activities and venues that are just perfect for a day trip or more with the kids. Here are six great ideas for places to visit in Pennsylvania over Columbus Day Weekend, or any time. From the Poconos to Amish Country, Hershey Park to Philadelphia and even a fun-filled factory tour, there's lots to do with the kids:

All Aboard!  Your train loving kid will flip over these trains--eight miles of miniature railway track, old fashioned train trips, a ride through the Allaire State Park and kid sized trains in parks.  Put away the that Thomas video and check out the real deal--bring your child (and your inner child) to the trains of New Jersey.

If you're heading to the beaches of Long Island, there's a great new site to check out. KidMontauk gives parents the inside skinny in everything you need to know to have a blast on and off the beach in Montauk, NY. Heather D'Agostino, the site's founder offered to fill us in on her Top Ten Things to Do with Kids in Montauk. Thanks, Heather!

We've rounded up the greatest places for you to land with your kids in New Jersey.  These museums all guarentee an exhausted, satisfied, and thrilled kid.  And you may find yourself driving home with a smile on your face too.  You can all check out the IMAX theater, see the inflatable planetarium, do a science experiment, see the the mini zoo...let us reassure you that you will all be entertained all day.  As you drive home, they may even fall asleep, and you can put the radio on your station.  Bliss.  Thank you New Jersey.  You don't get enough credit.

Jill has spent alot of time in the Hamptons with her kids over Summer vacations. Here are her ideas for the best kid-friendly places to check out- Thanks, Jill!

 Yes, the Hamptons get a lot of hype for being the playground of the rich and famous, but you don't have to be rich or famous or fashionable to enjoy these beautiful beaches. The Hamptons are a great family vacation destination, close to New York City, with some of the best, sandy beaches anywhere.  Plus, there's lots of fun activities, and places to eat, off the beach that make the Hamptons the perfect place for a family vacation getaway.

We've scoped out the best ideas on where to play, learn, and eat your way through  The Hamptons this Summer with your kids:

Are baby strollers allowed in New York City Musuems?  The answer can be tricky. While many allow strollers, some have limitations on where you can bring your stroller, or the type of stroller you can bring. once you've wrangled your stroller through the subway, you hardly want to arrive only to be turned away, so we've compiled a list of popular museums and their stroller policies. However, calling ahead is always a good idea since rules change or you can find out if any current exhibits are off limits. 

You don't have to go far to have an amazing kid friendly farm experience.  In nearby New Jersey your children can crack corn, collect eggs, see baby pigs, goats and sheep, and even see how cheese and bread are made.  The foodie in you will rejoice in the cheese tasting while your children delight in the baby lambs. 

Where to see farm animals in New Jersey:

Going to Disney World feels like a can't-miss obligation for New York City parents: like if we don't take our children to the Magic Kingdom before they outgrow the magic it will just be another decade of therapy to pile on to all our other parental misdeeds.

I'm sure Walt Disney World is 100% as magical as it is said to be, but here are 10 reasons why New York parents should consider opting for Disneyland instead: