Best Places to Travel in 2020 with Kids: Hidden Getaways, Top Resorts, and Fun Cities

A beach vacation often gives families plenty of quality downtime together.

Our list of top family travel destinations is here! We love our hometown cities at Mommy Poppins, but we’re also explorers, a trait many of us hope to pass along to our kids. How better to pique their interest by ferrying them on trips across the country and even across borders?

Last year, we traveled to big-time resorts, such as Atlantis in the Bahamas and a brand-new indoor water park resort in the New York Catskills, and to quirky artsy towns like Asheville, North Carolina and Venice Beach, California. We explored waterfalls and geysers in Iceland, played tourist with the kids in London, and dived into culture and maple crepes in Quebec City. Of course, it wasn’t all walking tours or hotel pools. Relaxing on the beach in Aruba topped our list, as did a trip to California’s rugged Big Sur coast.

Read on for travel inspiration for your family with our final “best family travel” list of this decade.

Skyslide: The Thrill Ride High Above Downtown LA at Oue Skyspace

Skyslide is fast becoming an LA rite of passage. We are a family of thrill seekers, so for my daughter's fifth birthday we decided to try the ultimate LA thrill—Oue Skyspace and Skyslide in Downtown Los Angeles. California's tallest open-air observation deck and its all-glass slide sit atop the US Bank tower. The view alone is priceless, but the slide takes it to a whole new level. My kids are already asking to go back. Here is what you can expect:

Radio City Music Hall: Five Reasons to Visit (and Love) the Classic NYC Theater

Radio City Music Hall in Midtown NYC has a timeless appeal and a packed calendar of kid-friendly entertainment.

Few things are as quintessentially holidays in New York City as the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the Rockettes (and live camels!). While the leggy precision dancers clad in Swarovski crystal leotards are scene-stealers, perhaps the biggest star of the show is the grand old dame of a theater that serves as its home base. Whether you're in town for only a short time, or making your annual trek to the Spectacular, here are five things to love about Radio City Music Hall in Rockefeller Center, and why the art deco masterpiece is worth a visit well beyond Christmastime.

14 Kid-Friendly Brunch Spots Around Houston

Going out for brunch on the weekends may seem like a lofty goal when you have kids. Just the sound of the word "brunch" can incite visions of lavish lounges filled with trendy people without a kiddo in sight. But parents, have no fear! Enjoying a weekend brunch with kids is possible, and we're here to help make it happen. This handy list features 14 Houston area spots where you can take your kids to dine when you feel like noshing on chicken and waffles, biscuits and gravy, or even eggs benedict during the magical weekend brunch-time hours.

Some of these spots even offer kid-friendly activities, play spaces, or ample romping room for rowdier little ones.

Kids Ski Free at Top Pennsylvania Resorts, Plus More Ways to Save — and Win!

With Snowpass, 4th and 5th graders get 63 days of free skiing and snowboarding this season.

Did someone say affordable winter fun for the whole family? Yup, Pennsylvania's got it with 21 kid-friendly, activity-filled ski resorts offering some deep discounts this year!

Whether a quick weekend trip filled with wobbly runs down the bunny hill sounds about your speed, or you're dreaming of a week-long vacation crossing black diamonds off the list with your pro crew, there are plenty of packages and specials that'll work with your family's skill level and budget.

From Snowpass, which lets kids ski for FREE, to an awesome ski and snowboard giveaway, read on for the best ways to save and win this season in PA.

Things To Do in Connecticut this Weekend: Santa's Workshop, Christmas Village, Shark-Diving Santa

This Santa goes diving with sharks. Photo Courtesy of Norwalk Maritime Aquarium

Have you put your tree up yet? How's the shopping coming? Festive family activities abound, both indoors and out. For starters, there's the 38th Annual Santa's Workshop in Manchester, a Storybook Holiday tour in Derby, and the annual Christmas Village in Torrington. In the mood for a show? Check out Miracle on 34th Street - 80s Edition in Putnam or an evening of kid-friendly classics, Baroque to Bach, in Norwalk.

To make sure that you don't miss any of the fun, keep tabs on our Connecticut Holiday Guide, subscribe to our free weekly newsletters, and follow us on Facebook. Read on for our highlights of events happening this weekend, and check our frequently updated daily event calendar for even more ideas.

Things To Do in Westchester this Weekend: Christmas Carol, Nutcracker, Holiday Crafting

Nestle into the historic Old Dutch Church this weekend for Charles Dickens’ "A Christmas Carol.” Photo courtesy of Historic Hudson Valley

The holidays are closing in, and Westchester and Hudson Valley families are scrambling to soak up all the fun! This weekend, the festivities are ratcheted up, so put on your jingle bells, light those lights, and don’t miss these highlights!

The big holiday events happening throughout December are still in full gear, and with a short holiday season this year and the tendency for some to sell out, we encourage you to reserve tickets now. Adding to the various iterations this month of the Tchaikovsky classic, this weekend marks the return of The Westchester Ballet Company’s The Nutcracker. Other noteworthy holiday performances include the Christmas Handbell Concert and Canadian Brass' "Christmas Time Is Here." 

A couple of programs combine nature and crafting, including Decorate a Tree for Wildlife and Holiday Decorations from Nature, both annual traditions.

That's just the tip of the holiday iceberg—find lots more festive fun in our Event Calendar. Read on for our top picks, and also consult our Holiday Fun Guide. Enjoy it all!

Now Boarding: Ice Skating Rink Opens at JFK Airport

The new Runway Rink at JFK might make being at the airport actually...fun?

While New Yorkers usually dread going to the airport (thanks to the construction, traffic, and all-around charmlessness that characterize good old LGA and JFK), stepping inside the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport is like taking a well-designed trip down memory lane. As you enter the hotel, you’re greeted by classic cars and flight crew dressed in retro uniforms. Just a few steps up is a sprawling white-and-red lounge reminiscent of the 1960s. Those in the lounge have the best view of all: A brand new ice skating rink sitting on the tarmac next to a retired TWA propeller plane.

The newest ice skating option in Queens, the Runway Rink at the TWA hotel opened at the end of November, just in time for the holiday travel rush. Read on for details about the new rink and tips on visiting with kids—it's a winter wonderland worth seeing if you have to be at JFK!

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