The Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks are returning to the Hudson River this year in honor of the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's discovery of the Hudson River for the Dutch. This change has thrown many people's fireworks viewing plans into chaos. Where do you see fireworks now if you live in Brooklyn, where in Manhattan will you be able to see the fireworks?

Needing to bring order to this chaos, I've sorted rounded up the best places to see the 4th of July fireworks all around New York City:

The July 4th fireworks are on the Hudson River this year, making New Jersey the place to be when the celebration begins at 9:20pm! After all, fireworks don't have a front side and it will be far less crowded on the NJ side of the river. We've also included some fun activities and events for kids happening in New Jersey for the rest of the 4th of July Weekend

Best places to see the 4th of July fireworks from New Jersey:

If you're staying in town for the holiday, you're not missing anything. There's tons of free and really cheap events happening this 4th of July to keep your weekend explosive-ly amazing and your wallet (and family!), amazingly happy.  Whether you're looking to roof-top party for a great view of the fireworks, watch elephants face humans in a hotdog bun-eating contest, or camp out (for free) under the stars, there's something for the whole family that's beyond the standard BBQ fare.
 
Happy 4th of July!

Still trying to make plans for this year's Holiday Weekend? We took some time to gather up some of Long Island's best Fourth of July celebrations for you to choose from. Step back in time with period games and a traditional parade, learn about and see birds of prey, picnic and, of course, find out where to catch the fireworks. Happy 4th. Have a great weekend.  

This week we've been posting about fun stuff to do with your kids all summer long and giving away great prizes. But let's not forget, it's summer for grown-ups too. If you've been digging through our Summer Activity Guide, running all over the city trying to keep one step ahead of the heat and bored kid syndrome, then we have a treat for you (are you sitting down?).

We're giving away 10, count 'em, 10 dinner parties catered by Susie's Supper Club for you and nine of your friends plus the kids! What could be better for a summer evening than chilling out with friends over a meal you didn't cook (or pay for)? I can't think of anything.

I don't know about you, but this summer we've pared back on camps and vacations in an effort not to spend money we don't have. But our loss is your gain because, instead, what we're going to be doing this summer is exploring New York City and all the fun stuff we don't always have time to do during the school year.

To get organized for a full summer of fun NYC style (and 62 scarily empty days), I planned out an activity for just about every single day in July and August, 'cause, as my son would say, "that's what me do."

The following list is not comprehensive. These are the things I'm looking forward to doing this summer. These are the coolest family events coming up this summer, plus some great places I've just been meaning to get to. And most of them are free.

The Hamptons isn't all that, hang with me right here in New York. It's gonna be a blast (and don't forget to check out our Summer Activity Guide for even more great things to do with kids in NYC this summer).  I hope to see you there.

50 Things to Do This Summer With Kids in New York City:

Around my house, these few weeks before my kids’ Summer camps officially start can be tough. The Summer weather seems to have arrived finally and the kids are anxious to take advantage of it. With plenty of beach days ahead, I wanted to do something special to celebrate today being the first official “day I don’t have to go to school” this Summer.  So, we  headed to Bayville this afternoon and hit the best mini-amusement park on Long Island-the  Bayville Adventure Park. 

For young kids, really, nothing could be better. First of all, there are lots of parking spaces right up front or just across the street, and you don’t even have to take a train to get into the park, like you do at Disneyland or those other big amusement parks. There is just enough activities to keep them from getting bored, but also the right amount to squeeze into the average young child’s visit without missing any (which I’d say is a few hours). 

We recently reviewed Sahara Sam's Oasis, a new indoor water park in New Jersey and have heard from some of you who were inspired to check it out that you enjoyed it as much as we did. So it sounded like a great prize for our summer kickoff giveaway to share Sahara Sam's with even more of you.

We're giving away a free family 4 pack of passes to Sahara Sam's Oasis. Read on for more details:

To celebrate the official beginning of summer, this week we are doing a huge Summer Kick-off Giveaway with great prizes. Some of the prizes we'll be giving away are passes to NYC area amusement and water parks, and an amazing catered dinner for ten! What could be a better way to start your summer. The first giveaway will be posted later today and more giveaways will be posted through out the week, so check back in and don't miss out.

In other news,read on to hear about changes to the NYC public school schedule for next year, teachers who are paid to do nothing, a col new website from the parks department, more deals, a computer program that teaches physics in a fun way and a fun way to learn about New York's Dutch history. Enjoy.

Kick off your summer with great prizes for summer fun. Our first Summer Kick-Off GIveaway is a day at Playland! We're giving away 5 family 4 packs of Playland Fun Bands this week. Read on to find out more about America's first planned amusement park and how you can win. And come back tomorrrow for our next one:

There really is no place quite like Rye Playland Amusement Park in Westchester. So close to New York City, Playland is more than an amusement park, there's also a beach on the Long Island Sound, a pool, a lake with pedal boats, a boardwalk, mini-golf, an indoor skating rink, daily entertainment and more. All those amenities just add an extra layer of fun to a day spent riding roller coasters, the log flume, ferris wheels, Super Flight, plus all the kiddie rides in Kiddieland.