Everything is back! There are so many things we all missed last summer that it seemed time to look ahead to this summer and check out all the activities Angelenos can finally do (again). From Shakespeare in the Park & Hamilton in the dark (of a theater) to books on the shelves & music under the stars, these are the outings we are already eagerly anticipating.

Since these are just the activities that had closed down last year, it's not even taking into account some other summer favorites, like going to the beach, swimming in lakes and pools, hitting a water park, or picking fruit at a local farm. Summer is just too darn short to fit in all the fun...

Do you have a daredevil in the family, or perhaps a few? With summer right around the corner, adventure courses are now open for the season, providing an opportunity for the ultimate outdoor adventure, freely soaring through the forest canopy. The Philadelphia region abounds with towering zip lines and challenging ropes courses for explorers of all ages.   

We’ve rounded up the ultimate zip lines and ropes courses in or near Philadelphia and some additional options in New Jersey, Delaware, and the Pocono Mountains.

So get outside and make unforgettable summer memories with your family.

It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten to go to a museum or enjoy an art exhibit. Part of that is due to the pandemic, but the other part is, well, kids. But now museums are opening and art experiences like Immersive Van Gogh Chicago, are popping up across the city and suburbs (check them out on our calendar), giving parents the perfect opportunity to enjoy something for themselves while also giving kids a unique artistic experience. My family decided to "Gogh" check it out, and I've got all the tips for making sure the whole family has a great time.

Natural beauty, charming downtowns, and a seemingly endless amount of open space make it is easy to fall in love with Vermont. But camping in Vermont is maybe even more charming of a family getaway!

We recently stayed at a KOA campground in southern Vermont, right next to Brattleboro. This little corner of the Green Mountain State is known for its arts, outdoor adventures, artisanal foods, and tons of Vermont-style fun. Read on for our full campground review, and don't miss our Camping Travel Guide filled with great campgrounds all around the country, or explore our Vermont Family Travel Guide for more New England adventures.

Nothing spoils a fun family outing like sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic or desperately searching for parking once you finally reach your destination. That's why we're big fans of car-free getaways! And with a recent weekend service expansion on Southern California's Metrolink rail system, plus the new “Kids Ride Free Weekends,” there's never been a better time to plan a day trip to one of the many awesome spots easily accessed by train.

Since 1988, Metrolink has been taking pressure off the freeways and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while providing SoCal locals with safe, efficient, and reliable rides to work, school, family, and fun. Now, just in time for summer—and for the first time in its history—Metrolink has launched a new Saturday service on the Ventura County Line, which connects Ventura County residents in Moorpark and Simi Valley through the San Fernando Valley stations at Chatsworth, Northridge, Van Nuys, Burbank Airport and Burbank Downtown and Glendale with Los Angeles Union Station. All Metrolink lines except Riverside now also have a weekend service that can take families to popular destinations across Southern California.

And, to make your car-free day trips even easier, kids ride free every weekend on Metrolink. For just $10 per adult, kids ages 17 and under can actually ride for free with no ticket required.

Of course, all this news has had us thinking about all of the family-friendly Southern California day trip destinations that are a hop, skip, and jump from Metrolink stations. Here are some of our favorite family outings convenient to Metrolink.

Yay! The great California reopening is happening! The Dodgers can play to capacity crowds. Disneyland can sell all the tickets—and we can bring out-of-town guests, too. Kids are out of school, but pretty much every Califonia school is pledging to return in-person, 5 days a week in the fall (or summer, since we have a ridiculously early start). Museums, theme parks, zoos, restaurants, and more are all open. But does California reopening mean no more masks? Is social distancing a thing of the past?

As California reopens fully this week, we're looking at what that means, what's reopening, and everything in LA that's now open for kids...

For the first time in its 193-year history, the storied Philadelphia Flower Show is being held outside, taking over FDR Park in South Philly. This year’s event, appropriately themed HABITAT: Nature’s Masterpiece, provides a welcome change of scenery for both flora and families, making use of an existing kid-approved landscape to showcase the nation’s largest horticultural event. 

Learn all the coolest sights for kids to catch at the show below, as well as all the need-to-know information about the venue, special events, and ticketing. And don’t miss more must-do’s in our Summer Day Trip Guide.