What's Open Now in New Jersey For Families

Try to Solve a giant Rubik's Cube at the Liberty Science Center. Photo courtesy of LSC

It's a challenge to stay on top of what's open now in New Jersey for families, but we're here to help. Many of our favorite destinations, from indoor play spaces to outdoor skating rinks, family-friendly restaurants, and more, have reopened to the public with safety protocols in place. While things may look a little different at these popular attractions, it's nice to have a reason to step out of the house and feel a sense of normalcy.

Read on for our list of what's open now in New Jersey, and be sure to bookmark this post; we'll update it as changes warrant. As always, you can find tons of things to do in our Event Calendar.

What's Open Now in NYC For Kids

The Statue of Liberty is not only open now, it's a great, crowd-free time to visit.

New Yorkers have ridden the roller coaster of the pandemic figuratively—and virtually—for nearly a year. Some of our favorite spots have closed and opened, only to close again. So, what's open now in NYC for kids? A lot, really.

We've done our best to pull together this list of family-friendly destinations in New York City that are open now. Our favorite parks and playgrounds, most of the city's top-notch kid-friendly museums, and destination-worthy tourist attractions, like the Statue of Liberty, have all reopened and are ready to welcome you and your brood—with safety top of mind.

So, read on for what's open now in NYC and bookmark this post, as we'll keep it up to date as we learn of new reopenings.

DC is Reopening: Indoor Attractions You Can Visit Right Now

Inquisitive kids will delight in the Maryland Science Center. Photo courtesy of the center

With COVID-19 transmission rates starting to drop across the region, public indoor spaces are beginning to reopen.

Restrictions have eased across DC, Maryland, and Virginia, allowing some museums and indoor play spaces to reopen. If you and your kids are feeling cabin fever from winter months spent at home, consider a safe visit to one of these museums, historic homes, and indoor attractions.They remain some of our favorite winter break destinations.

Visitors must still wear masks and maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet at all of these locations.

What's Open In Connecticut for Kids Right Now

Kidspace's building tables are waiting. Photo courtesy of Connecticut Science Center

Believe it or not, we’ve been riding the waves of this pandemic for about a year now. But, we’ve come a long way! Many of our favorite family-friendly indoor and outdoor spots in Connecticut, including museums, zoos, indoor play spaces, and entertainment places (including the Maritime Aquarium's cool new 4D theater), have progressively reopened with enhanced safety protocols, so kids can enjoy a special outing while staying safe.

Read on to see which of our favorite Connecticut winter day trip spots are open for family fun right now, and be sure to contact each business directly in case policies have changed. Most spots require advanced ticketing and mask wearing and enforce hand sanitizing and washing and capacity restrictions; but kids have gotten used to these measures and will just be excited for to bust out of their own four walls to see some cool art, visit animals, and jump and swing around.

What's Open in Chicago for Kids Right Now

Can you trust your eyes at the Museum of Illusions? Photo by Jody Mercier

We are open! Or at least, working on it... All regions of Illinois are now in Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan—almost all businesses, restaurants, and even indoor play spaces are allowed to open, with limited capacity. It can be a little tricky to know what has opened already, what is about to, and what the rules are. So we prepared a list of all the fabulous places that are now open in Chicago where you can take your kids. We've also tracked what safety measures these places are taking, and anything else families need to know before visiting (like if a destination requires or recommends buying tickets or making reservations online before you go).

We've all learned how quickly things can change (and in Chicago there's always the possibility of places closing because of extreme cold or snow), so please double-check before bundling kids up and loading them in the car.

Sheet Pan Dinners That Kids Love (No Cleanup!)

Sheet pan dinners serve up variety with fewer dishes!

Some people swear by their favorite Instant Pot recipes. Or their Grandma’s Crock Pot recipes. Me, I love sheet pan dinners. Not only do they require minimal prep (basically, put on your favorite podcast and spend a few minutes chopping), these easy weeknight dinners take no (or minimal) effort once they're in the oven. And the best part? Line your baking tray well, and there is zero cleanup. Let me say that again: Zero. Cleanup.

Find more yummy (and quick) things to make with or for kids in our Easy Recipes Guide.

What’s Open in Houston for Kids Right Now

The hang gliding simulator is open at the Lone Star Flight Museum. Photo by Ashley Jones

We're open! Kind of. By now we've all heard and mourned the news of Rodeo officially deciding to shut down this year, which raises all sorts of questions about other openings and subsequent closures, especially as businesses open their doors and then have to backtrack. To help mitigate that, we've rounded up everything we can find that's open in Houston right now, from playgrounds to museums to entertainment and more, to help take the guesswork out of where to go and what to do.

We've all learned how much things can change without notice, of course, so please double check before loading the car. But one thing we can't stress enough: these businesses need our help! If you can safely support them, we know they will be forever grateful.

9 Winter Hikes to Take With Kids in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

Teatown Lake Reservation offers miles of scenic, easy trails that are as fun to explore in the winter as they are in the summer. Photo by author

For many of us, spending time outdoors every day—especially now, when many indoor activities are limited—is key to maintaining some sense of normalcy. There are times, though, when a neighborhood walk just won’t cut it. That's when you can head out for one of these winter hikes at one of the many parks and preserves in Westchester and the Hudson Valley.

The best part? Not only will you find hikes that work for toddlers up through teens, but many of these sites also offer other outdoor activities to try as well, whether it’s a winter zoo visit, an outdoor picnic, or even heading to an on-site playground if you’re up for it. Here, we’ve rounded up nine local, parent-tested options we love.

Looking for even more cold-weather activities? Check out our Winter Fun Guide.

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