A ride on the Metro-North can whisk your family away to close-enough-to-see-in-a-day destinations minus the hassle of a car. Even better, the Metro-North offers discount packages and deals for many nearby attractions in Westchester, the Hudson Valley, and Connecticut. So, grab a ticket out of town to explore these five train-friendly destinations along popular Metro-North lines.

All are less than under an hour and a half from Midtown Manhattan, and Westchester families are likely to find these little mini family day trips are made extra special with the thrill of a ride on a train.

Holiday trains, like many of our annual traditions, have been hit hard by the restrictions of a pandemic holiday season—but the good news is that there are still a few running! Some of our favorites, most notably the two rides families love in Griffith Park, are on hiatus in 2020, but the train rides below have found ways to make their holiday experience COVID-friendly. Obviously masks are a must, and Santa Claus won't be hugging anyone, but there are seats available (so far!) on the train rides below, from Thanksgiving weekend until just before Christmas. We recommend booking ASAP, especially since fewer seats are being offered, to allow for social distancing.

If you don't manage to book the Polar Express experience, though, you could always play the Polar Express soundtrack while driving your crew through one of LA's Holiday Light Drive-thrus!

**This post is currently being updated for 2021**

If you have a little train lover in your life, taking a real Christmas train ride might just be at the top of the list for Santa this year. Help make kids' dreams come true by celebrating the holiday season with a memorable Christmas-themed train ride at a number of festive venues throughout the greater Houston area. Many of them even feature a visit from the big guy himself! 

Find more ways to celebrate the holidays in 2020 in our Holiday and Christmas Events Guide.

Thanksgiving celebrations may look different in 2020, but this holiday is still best spent gathered around a table with loved ones. If you're looking for places that will prepare a Thanksgiving meal for you—more appealing than ever, perhaps, this stressful year—look no further than these Connecticut restaurants offering turkey and all the trimmings for takeout or pickup dinner. Think roasted turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, kid-friendly mac and cheese, and, of course, pies of all kids.

If you are in the mood to cook (and learn a little history), consider rounding up your little chefs to try these old-fashioned, "first" Thanksgiving recipes that you can make with kids. Our Connecticut holiday guide has even more ideas for making your time at home and with family more festive and meaningful than ever in 2020.

Fans of the uber-popular American Ninja Warrior television show have a brand new place to play and train. New York Ninja Academy recently opened in Midtown West, bringing with it a state-of-the-art gym offering classes for kids and adults and giving visitors a chance to experience the challenging obstacles the ninja warrior movement has made famous.

Hiding behind a roll-up garage door on unassuming West 55th Street, this unexpected addition to the kid scene aims to challenge kids physically and mentally, building skills far beyond physical strength. Read on for our review of this new action-packed ninja gym and find more spots to entertain active kids in our Guide to Sports Centers, Gyms, and Fun Zones.

Hacklebarney State Park is quickly becoming my family’s favorite place to hike in New Jersey. It has bridges, rocks to scramble over, stairs, plenty of picnic tables, big trees soaring overhead, and wild rivers and creeks running through it. There’s even a modest playground tucked into a little clearing toward the very end of the hike, a nice reward for kids and all their hard work.

Recently named the top K-12 private school in Nassau County by Niche.com, Friends Academy is a Quaker independent college prep school for kids ages three years through twelfth grade.

With a driving mission based on the principles of "simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equity, and service," Friends is deeply committed to developing and supporting a diverse community where every student is recognized as an individual with their own unique gifts, talents, needs, and purpose.

Read on to learn more about Friends' beautiful campus, state-of-the-art facilities, top-notch faculty, and personalized curriculum. You can also sign up for an upcoming virtual open house here.

With Broadway dark and bans on public gatherings still in effect, it's easy to tire of the same old streaming content. If you're craving a trip to the theater, you're in luck: The show has gone on for kids at these four theater groups who are putting on exciting, interactive online theater performances.

You'll find something for every age group, and the best part is, kids are part of the on-screen action. Some of these creative online shows are also available for private events and birthday parties.

So, next time kids beg for a little screen time, skip the family movie night, show your support for live theater, and stream one of these engaging and spirited interactive online theater shows for kids.