Get a Sneak Peek at the Glass-Enclosed Observation Deck Coming to Midtown This Fall

Summit One Vanderbilt's Levitation lets you step into a glass pod 1,000+ feet above Madison Avenue.

NYC has no shortage of sky-high observation decks, but much like the city's collection of skyscrapers, there always seems to be room for one more, and the developers of One Vanderbilt have some daring details in store for the city's newest soaring attraction, Summit One Vanderbilt, which opens this fall.

Set to launch on Thursday, October 21, Summit One Vanderbilt seeks to stand out from its neighbors with a thrilling design, including an all-glass elevator that travels up the building facade to a height of 1,210 feet, top-notch culinary experiences, and even an immersive art installation.

Read on for details on the development, and if you can't wait until October to take in soaring city views, consider visiting the highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere, the classic Empire State Building, the soaring One World Observatory, or the Top of the Rock right now.

Secrets of the LA Zoo: Top Tips for a Great Visit with Kids

Hello new friend. Photo by Jamie Pham

My family loves spending a day at the zoo. There are so many zoos around Southern California but for us, nothing beats the good old LA Zoo. It’s close by, appeals to kids of all ages, has great exhibits and programs, and even has a petting zoo where kids can get hands-on experience with animals. The LA Zoo also hosts amazing holiday activities, camps, and sleepovers. Over the years we’ve picked up a ton of helpful tips and secrets that make spending a day with the wildlife an easy and memorable experience for your family.

Located in the middle of Griffith Park, there are so many other things nearby for kids to do! The Autry Museum of the American West is right across the street, Travel Town is around the corner, and Shane's Inspiration (one of the best playgrounds in LA) is just down the street. So when you visit the LA Zoo, plan on spending the rest of the day exploring Griffith Park.

Visiting the Poconos with Kids: 70 Top Things To Do as a Family

Canoe or swim in the many lakes and rivers in the Poconos. Photo courtesy of Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau

Just two hours from New York City or Philadelphia, the Pocono Mountains offer pristine natural beauty mixed with enough family-friendly activities to fill a long weekend getaway or an entire summer vacation. Truly a four-season resort area, during the winter people flock to the Poconos for skiing and other winter sports, and the cool lake-dotted mountains draw families for swimming, hiking, boating, horseback riding, and more in the summer. It's also loaded with great water park resorts, both indoor and outdoor, and lovely cabin rentals, many of them either lakeside or mountainside.

Your Essential Beach List: Best Baby Beach Gear, Umbrellas, Wagons, and Tips for a Fun Beach Day

A pile of buckets goes a long way with young kids at the beach.

I vaguely remember going to the beach with a cute little beach bag that held just a towel, a bottle of sunscreen, a book, a water bottle, and maybe a snack. Going to the beach with my three kids, however, requires a mountain of beach chairs, towels, a heap of toys, two coolers, and a wagon to haul everything.

I’ve tried my share of beach gear over the years (I grew up in a beach town and now we live near the Jersey Shore), but to make sure I had left no stone unturned, I also polled our readers and everyone at Mommy Poppins for their picks on the very best things to bring to the beach with kids. Everything on this list will make your next day at the beach easier, less sandy, and a little more like, well, a day at the beach.

Visit the Dinosaur Garden and More at Lasdon Park & Arboretum

The Dinosaur Garden at Lasdon Park & Arboretum is one of many family-friendly trails, and it beckons kids to come and explore.

While nothing has been easy about this past year, one small upside has been the number of great outdoor parks and preserves we’ve visited in Westchester and the Hudson Valley. From Croton Gorge Park to Minnewaska State Park, my family and I have been able to spend time in nature and truly take in the natural beauty that is practically right in our own backyard. On the agenda recently: A visit to Lasdon Park & Arboretum, a 234-acre park on Route 35 in Katonah.

Bought by the Lasdon family in the 1930s as its "country retreat," Westchester County purchased the land in the mid-1980s, transforming it into a public green space with gorgeous gardens, lots of family-friendly walking paths, and (best of all for the kids) a Dinosaur Garden. There is plenty here to keep Westchester families engaged, and it makes a great day trip destination for New York City families, too.

Read on for more details on how to fill your day at Lasdon Park & Arboretum, and find more outdoor fun in our Guide to Parks and Playgrounds.

The Nature Playscape: Houston Arboretum's New Playground Was Worth the Wait

Climbing the spiderweb. Photo by Vicki Li Yip

After much anticipation, the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center has finally unveiled its brand new Nature Playscape. Envisioned in the Arboretum's master plan years ago, the new play area is unlike a traditional playground; this play space is inspired by nature and designed to complement the surrounding vegetation. Native Texas flora is incorporated throughout the playground, growing lush and vibrant along the winding walkways.

The individual climbing structures and the various sections of the park are created with natural materials like logs, wood, and rope, that blend in nicely with the surrounding landscape. Best of all, this exciting new Nature Playscape is yet another attraction that visitors of the Houston Arboretum can enjoy for free.

21 Things To Do in Manhattan Beach with Kids

Kids can get up close to marine life. Photo courtesy of Roundhouse Aquarium

Though at first glance they're very similar, each of the Beach Cities in the South Bay has a distinct flavor and vibe. Manhattan Beach is considered the most family-friendly of the Beach Cities with some of the best schools in the country, over two miles of pristine beaches, and oodles of activities for kids and adults alike.

With spacious parks and nautical playgrounds, a compact and walkable downtown area by the beach, and a historic pier and aquarium, Manhattan Beach is a great city to experience with kids.

A Colorful Skittles Science Experiment for Kids

Check out what a little warm water does to these Skittles.

Your kids may think you're a real live wizard when they see the colorful results of this Skittles science experiment. What they won’t know is that there is actually a lot of science behind those swirls and whirls of color.

The different colors in Skittles are composed of slightly different properties. When the warm water dissolves these colors, kids witness a phenomenon called water stratification. The different densities of each ingredient create a barrier between the colors and thus a very cool and colorful pattern. 

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