Outdoor Adventures

While we've written plenty of posts about downhill skiing with NYC kids, we've never covered cross-country skiing. Also known as Nordic skiing, cross-country skiing is a great winter sport for families. Children as young as five can ski alone, and parents can tow tots in a sled or carry them in a backpack while on the trails. You can't do that while swooshing down a mountain!

Cross-country skiing is a fun way for active kids to burn off energy in the colder months and spend time outside. While you use most of the same equipment that you'd need for a day on the slopes—skis, boots, bindings, poles, goggles, helmets and warm clothing—cross-country skiing is nowhere near as dangerous or as expensive as downhill skiing. You won't be at risk for slamming into a tree at full speed, and trail passes usually cost about $20 per person.

After a good snowfall in New York City, you can cross-country ski just about anywhere. I've seen people doing it in parks and even right down the middle of Fifth Avenue before the snow plows cleared the street. But if you're looking to go cross-country skiing in a more scenic (and less bumpy) environment, there are tri-state area destinations that offer many miles of well-groomed trails, as well as amenities like warm lodges where you can sit back, relax, sip on hot cocoa and enjoy a family meal.

Unlike traditional ski resorts, most cross-country trails aren't in the business of making their own snow. So you're going to have to wait for the white stuff before you can get out there. Once that happens, here are six spots where families can enjoy cross-country skiing, most less than a two-hour drive from New York City.

[UPDATED: May 22, 2013] Even if your mini paleontologists have memorized every nook and cranny of the American Natural History Museum, you've never experienced dinosaurs quite the way you do at Field Stations: Dinosaurs, the brand-new open-air dino spot in Secaucus, New Jersey. Home to more than 30 animatronic dinosaurs, this new educational attraction really lived up to my family's expectations—our two kids were particularly impressed.

Located just nine minutes by train from NYC, the prehistoric-themed park is a great day trip. The park also offers lovely views of the NYC skyline (the T-rex and the Empire State Building make for quite a contrast). We visited on opening day and I’m thrilled to be able to tell you all about this completely unique family adventure.