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. 

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.

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.

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.

That first year of life is full of so many important moments—first bath, first smile, first teeth. (Put down those tissues...this is a fun list.) Grab the camera because we've come up with 30 fun, playful and even educational activities to do with Atlanta babies before they turn one—a baby bucket list, if you will. Luckily, Atlanta is a great place to grow up with tons of outdoor spaces, family-friendly attractions and plenty of free things to do.

Orlando is a prime location for over-the-top water parks, and the newest way of cooling off in Florida's warm weather are inflatable water parks. These bouncy aqua parks make for a great day of summer fun with school-age kids, as well as tweens and teens. Sometimes it's harder to entertain, or even hang with, teens, so we parents are usually willing to try any option—even if we seem a bit crazy out there on the ninja warrior course.  

Looking for more swimming and splashing spots for the kids near Orlando? Check out our guides to local splash pads, natural spring swimming holes, and nearby Florida beaches.

Among my favorite things to do in Portland, Maine, is to simply walk the cobblestone streets of the Old Port district, stopping into the boutiques for shopping and grabbing a coffee for a stroll along the waterfront. As a kid growing up in Maine, my family biked Back Cove, sledded down the Eastern Prom, and ice skated at Deering Oaks; as a teen, I went into "the city" for live music, the fantastic Portland restaurants, and the many art museums and festivals.

Portland, Maine, is a pretty port city less than two hours from Boston with a strong progressive bent, some might even call it a hippie streak. Now, as a tourist, I love returning with my own kids. It's home to a top-notch children's museum, crammed full of pretty parks and outdoor activities, culture, jaw-dropping coastal beauty, and truly great food. It's easy to day trip from Portland to the ski mountains in the winter, or to a stunning Maine beach in the summer. 

Just as families are preparing to send kids back to school, the highly-contagious Delta variant is driving COVID-19 cases back up. Parents everywhere are wondering what these soaring numbers mean for their vaccinated and unvaccinated kids and how to keep them safe.