There are endless things to do in Los Angeles in the summertime. Even though, it feels like summer all year round! Right now, people are wishing they could surf the LA coastline, enjoy the walk of stars, or hike in the Hollywood Hills. As a local, every summer can be a postcard-perfect, sunshine-fulled vacation.

It might be hard to know where to start because of the overwhelming amount of things to do in LA during summer vacation. That's why we've created an excellent bucket list for you. Refer to this ultimate summer bucket list for Los Angeles whenever the kids run downstairs to ask "What are we going to do today?" Now, you have plenty of great answers. Happy summer from our team at Mommy Poppins! 

Looking for more fun ideas for "school's-out season"? Check out our LA Beach Guide, our Los Angeles Summer Fun Guide, and our Theme Parks and Water Parks Guide for LA Kids for endless summer fun! 

Long Island’s East End is an ideal summer destination for vacationers and residents alike. And, despite the Hamptons' hoity-toity reputation, it's easy to find family fun while on a budget.

From beautiful beaches to interactive playgrounds to museums and historic lighthouses, the Hamptons offer something special for everyone in the family. 

Read ahead for our incredible list of free and affordable Hamptons activities for kids. For even more summer fun, check out our Family Guide to the Hamptons and North Fork, and our story on Family-Friendly Hotels in the Hamptons and on the North Fork.

If we had to list our top parent-approved pastimes, backyard science experiments for kids are a hot contender for the #1 spot because kids have fun learning while soaking up a little vitamin D in the great outdoors. Instead of your house becoming the lab, with these 15 messy science experiments, all that measuring, mixing, and tinkering can take place on the grass, driveway, or a stretch of sidewalk.

Kids can learn to harness the power of the sun or water, and learn concepts ranging from molecular chemistry to basic physics in these outdoor science activities for kids. Several experiments are easy enough for even young children to do independently, but parents might want to get in on the (re)action, too! Find more science activities for kids in our STEM Guide for Kids, our big list of science experiments to do at home, and loads more summer fun on our Ultimate Summer Bucket List Ideas with 100 (Mostly) Free Outdoor Games and Activities for Kids.

In June, NYC bakeries and restaurants whip up rainbow-adorned desserts to celebrate Pride. These special snacks are delicious, photogenic, and made to show support and spread joy.

From glittery cupcakes to rainbow milkshakes, there’s something to suit every sweet tooth. Bonus: Sales of several of these limited-edition sweets support local LGBTQ community organizations.

Read on for a list of local NYC businesses rolling out special treats this month. Be sure to check out our rundown of the best things to do in NYC with kids in June 2025, which includes great Pride celebrations, and take a look at our story on the best LGBTQ books for kids to celebrate Pride Month.

When it comes to 2025 summer fireworks shows in NYC, there's no denying Macy's 4th of July fireworks are the main event in New York City. But that's certainly not the only bang-up display in town this season. While some of the summer fireworks shows in NYC honor our nation's birthday, others just celebrate summer in the city and take place everywhere from ballparks to city parks.

Read on for all the free summer fireworks shows in New York City this season and find more fun things to do in our Ultimate NYC Kids' Guide to Summer.

I know I’m not the only one stressing about the cost of everything this summer. I’m Meghan, the Mommy Poppins Managing Editor and a parent of twins, so I know how expensive summer can get with camps, outings, vacations, childcare, and more. That’s why I charged our team of amazing parents here at Mommy Poppins to create what I’m calling our “Summer of Savings!”

In a world of AI articles and chatbots, Mommy Poppins is nothing but real moms and dads who are out there every day, checking out the inside scoop on all the stuff to do with our own families and figuring out how to solve the parenting problems we’re facing ourselves. We live across the country and our kids run a huge range of ages and interests. And we've been out there, scouring the country for fun things to do in our regions and on vacations that our kids will adore and that won't cost a fortune.

The end results are our awesome local Summer Guides where, in addition to thousands of ideas for fun (mostly FREE and budget-friendly) things to do with kids this summer, we've also reached out to some of our favorite local businesses to ask them for exclusive deals, discounts, and savings for you.  

Read on for the scoop...