Cute Towns on Long Island With Walkable Main Streets

Endless summer festivities and fun await at Patchogue's Great South Bay Music Festival at Shorefront Park. Photo by Benny Migs

Compared with the walkable nature of New York City, suburban life can sometimes make you feel tethered to the car. But on Long Island, that doesn't have to be the case. The region is filled with cute towns, home to walkable main streets, great for parade watching, farmers market shopping, or perusing a pop-up craft fair.

Whether you're new in town or you're a longtime local, we've found 13 cute towns whose main drags feature plenty of family-friendly fun, from local museums to historic sites and beachfront parks, family-friendly restaurants, irresistible ice cream parlors, and more.

Find more great Long Island towns in our Guide to the Best Towns on Long Island.

Top 15 Things to Do in Corpus Christi with Kids

Building sandcastles at Port Aransas Beach.

At just over three hours from Houston, Corpus Christi is a fantastic destination for a weekend getaway. With over 70 miles of Gulf Coast seashore, you can easily find an uncrowded beach for you and your kids. There’s something about sun, sea, and sand that relaxes the whole family, but if you get tired of the outdoors, there are plenty of indoor things to do in Corpus Christi with kids, too. We’ve selected our favorite things to do in Corpus Christi to make planning your trip a breeze. When you’re not enjoying the natural beauty of the area, you can visit some of the city’s top attractions, such as the enormous aircraft carrier USS Lexington or the state aquarium of Texas!

Looking for beach time closer to Houston? Check out our guide to Galveston. For more weekend trip ideas, check out our Houston getaways guide. And for ideas on travel with your kids across the US, click on our Family Travel Guide.

Best Dance Classes for Kids in Orlando: Ballet, Hip Hop, Acro, and More

Dance classes for kids in Orlando, like the ones at Dance 360 Orlando, promote skill and friendship. Photo courtesy Dance 360 Orlando & Simply Shelby Photography

Dance classes for kids in Orlando are fantastic extracurricular activities to get boys and girls moving while having fun. Dancers from 18 months to 18 years can choose from a host of dance classes in Orlando and around Central Florida to bust a move. Whether your child wants to learn the fundamentals of ballet, hip hop, jazz, or tap, or even cultural dance styles such as Irish step dancing, Latin salsa, or Bollywood, there's an option for in Orlando. Several of the businesses listed even offer a free trial class!

Mini Golf in Atlanta Is a Hole in One for Fun

Mini golf in Atlanta is a thing of beauty. Photo courtesy Skyline Park

Entertainment trends come and go (remember those velcro jumpsuits), but mini golf is a family-friendly activity that has withstood the test of time. Whether you have a tiny PGA all-star or a child who's never touched a golf club, miniature golf in Atlanta is always a reliable outing that's part entertainment, part sport, and part math (everyone needs to keep track of their strokes, right?!). And regardless of your age, there's something strangely exhilirating about holding those tiny golf pencils.

Baha Bay at Baha Mar: A Luxury Water Park Opens in the Bahamas

Prepare yourself for the awesomeness of Baha Mar. Photo courtesy the resort

My 8-year-old daughter and I have visited quite a few water parks over the years. We’d even go so far to say that we’re somewhat experts in the field. But I can’t think of one that’s as beautiful as Baha Bay, the $200-million water park that recently opened at the fabulous Baha Mar Bahamas resort.

We recently traveled to Nassau and had the privilege of being one of the first visitors to the water park. Sitting on 15-acres, with 24 slides, a 500,000-gallon wave pool, and 1,400-foot "action" river, I'm excited to share this review of a truly amazing water park and family-friendly Bahamas resort. Find even more fabulous Caribbean getaways and resorts in our Caribbean Family Travel Guide

Best Art Classes for Kids in Connecticut

Children love to express their creativity and Connecticut offers art classes for kids of all ages.

The arts are essential in stimulating creativity and confidence and developing innovative thinkers. Whether it’s through sculpting, drawing, painting, or crafting, children crave the opportunity to express themselves through art. Take advantage of some of the great classes for kids available all over Connecticut and avoid those messy "glitter-tastrophes" on your kitchen table. 

For more kids programs, toddler classes, and after school activities, explore our updated Guide to Kids' Classes in Connecticut.

Karate and Taekwondo Classes for Kids in NYC

Kids as young as age 3 are welcomed to martial arts classes at Eagles Taekwondo in Flushing.

Whether it's for self-defense or just for fun, karate classes and martial arts classes for kids offer a great way for your child to get exercise, learn discipline, and gain self-confidence. Karate and taekwondo seem to top the list for most popular practices in NYC, and we've found studios offering both to NYC kids.

Find more enrichment opportunities in our guide to the Classes and Activities for New York City Kids.

Delaware Beaches with Kids: 21 Things To Do at the Delaware Shore

The Delaware beaches are only a short drive from DC.

If you're pining for the ocean and don't want to travel too far, consider taking a family vacation to the Delaware beaches—Bethany Beach, Rehoboth Beach, Fenwick Island, Lewes, and Dewey Beach—all of which made our list of great family-friendly beaches near DC. These beach towns are gorgeous, packed with family-friendly activities, and close to Ocean City, Maryland. The best part is, they're only about 2.5 hours from the DC area (depending on traffic)! 

For three summers now, my family has stayed at Sea Colony—a Bethany Beach tennis resort full of fun activities for kids—and we highly recommend it. But there are also plenty of other great options for where to stay at the Delaware beaches, from seaside hotels to vacation rental homes.

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