Families with little ones that love the show Daniel Tiger know all too well the excitement a trolley and a “ding ding” can elicit. But the Connecticut Trolley Museum in East Windsor offers the perfect mix of education and fun each season and has something for kids of all ages, not just the preschool set. Autumn is an especially great time to visit the Trolley Museum because the trolleys—which you can ride as many times as you want—make a visit extra picturesque with fall colors passing outside the trolley windows. But there’s a lot to enjoy all year long.

For more train adventures, see our list of train rides your preschooler will love and find out what's along the Hartford line that will fill a day with adventure. Or, work your way through our list of 50 Fall Things to Do in Connecticut with Kids.

Brunch isn't just for adults anymore. There are plenty of fabulous brunch spots across Long Island where kids and families can indulge in delicious pancakes, fluffy eggs, and menus designed just for them.

From highchairs to kid-friendly cups to crayons at the table, these 12 brunch destinations in Nassau, Suffolk and the East End are designed to keep children happy while serving up some Instagram-worthy meals. And did we mention they're delicious, too?

While you're at it, check out our Long Island restaurant guide, where you can find (among other things) our favorite Long Island spots to enjoy tea with your little ones and restaurants where kids eat free.

Dr. Doolittle may have been able to walk with the animals and talk with the animals, but at these petting zoos near Los Angeles kids can feed, hug, and sometimes even ride the animals. Actually, petting zoo is too narrow a term for these rescue centers and urban farms, where kids can meet critters in closer quarters and even get their hands on them (gently, of course). These incredible animal encounters and petting zoos near Los Angeles have rescue animals, pony rides, animal feeding experiences, and more. Some offer birthday parties on-site or even parties that come to you.

To discover more places where kids can get up close and personal with animals in LA, check out our roundup of all the best zoos near Los Angeles, including insider tips for visiting our very own LA Zoo.

Located in the heart of Houston's Museum District, the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) is one of the most visited museums in the country, and a fun, educational trip for kids. This world-class museum consists of five floors of permanent halls full of awe-inspiring exhibits and a steady rotation of traveling special exhibits. Discover the tropical rainforest, reach back in time to when dinosaurs walked the Earth, blast forward to learn about the future of renewable energy, and explore space in the Burke Baker Planetarium. Plus, the Wortham Giant Screen Theatre was Houston’s first IMAX theatre offering 3D images, and the Cockrell Butterfly Center is a stunning, living exhibit that showcases hundreds of live butterflies in a naturalistic rainforest setting.

There is so much to see and do at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Take kids on an active learning adventure by visiting exhibits that are more likely to keep children's attention. Here, we’ve curated a few of the best things to do at Houston’s Museum of Natural Science with kids to help you plan your visit. 

You can also save with the top attractions in Houston with Go City - Houston card. By purchasing this ticket, you receive admission to several Houston attractions at half the regular price: Space Center Houston, Downtown Aquarium, Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Houston Zoo or the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and the Kemah Boardwalk or the Children’s Museum Houston.

Transport your family to an idyllic Christmas town right out of A Christmas Carol. With cobblestone streets and picturesque brick storefronts, a visit to a Christmas town is a magical place to Christmas shop, visit Santa, and get into the holiday spirit. From Santa Claus, Indiana to Duluth, Minnesota, we’ve rounded up the best Christmas towns in the Midwest for shopping, sleigh rides, Santa sightings, Christmas caroling, tree lightings, and more. 

For a full list of Christmas towns across the country, check out the Top Christmas Towns and Villages to Visit in the U.S. And for more holiday ideas, check out our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Activities for Chicago Families.

Nothing brings home that warm, autumnal feeling like a trip to the farm: apple picking, pumpkin patches, hayrides.  And here in Westchester and Hudson Valley, we are fortunate to have a bounty of farms with family-friendly activities to entertain every age. 

And so here they are: our top 10 farms in and around the Hudson Valley with fun entertainment for families.

Be sure to visit our Westchester pick-your-own guide for more farm fun.

With Halloween on the horizon, city dwellers are digging out the cobwebs and showing off all the skeletons in their closets, setting up fun Halloween decorations for passersby to enjoy. Some neighborhoods go all out with spooky, sweet, creepy, and cool Halloween decorations, and we're sharing some of our favorites below.

So, enjoy the spooky sights we've found and find more ways to celebrate in our Guide to Halloween Activities.

Long Island is truly a special place during the holidays. From Polar Express rides to light shows and craft fairs, the holiday spirit is everywhere. Adding to that excitement this season are three new lantern shows that will bring smiles as far as the eye can see. 

Whether you want to be up close or stay warm in the car, read on for details about the walk-thru LuminoCity Festival in Manhasset and the drive-thru Lantern Festival in Roslyn. Enjoy another speclal show at the Queens County Farm Museum, just over the border from Nassau.  

These events are unlike any other; you won’t want to miss them. We will, of course, be updating our Long Island Holiday Guide as the season draws closer. In the meantime, enjoy these great illuminations.