Imagination City is a brand-new indoor pretend play space in the Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo, and I recently checked it out. Since opening its doors in February, families have been talking about it, the mall has been promoting it, and our family just had to see it ourselves. Once in a while, we like to go to a spot around the Bay Area that's getting a lot of buzz and see if it's worth all the hype. Keep reading below for our review! 

If the kiddos are yearning for more imaginative play, we've got a whole list of indoor playgrounds and play spaces, plus free museum days to continue education and inspiration. 

New Jersey's wonderful roller skating rinks will get the kids moving and serve up a nostalgic reminder of your own childhood. 

Roller skating rinks offer the perfect place to throw a rad party or spend a mega-fun afternoon indoors with the kids. Check out the roller skating hot spots throughout NJ that we've rounded up below–Spandex pants are strictly optional. We've got more fun indoor places to play on this list of 40 indoor activities in New Jersey, plus tons more fun in our Guide to Indoor Play Spaces.

Booking a great, family-friendly NYC hotel might be the most difficult part of a family trip to New York City. After all, it's easy to formulate an action-packed itinerary, but finding a hotel with rooms bigger than a shoebox, located in a central location, that doesn't break the bank is more challenging. Enter Virgin Hotels New York City. The Richard Branson-backed chain recently opened a new location in the heart of New York City and it’s a great NYC hotel for families that checks all the boxes.

Read on to find out what we loved about our stay at Virgin Hotels New York City and find more parent-tested picks for family-friendly hotels in New York City in our Guide to Weekend Trips and Getaways.

Getting your kid's hair cut can be hard. Even a harmless trim can turn into an ordeal if you have a little one who squirms and squeals and refuses to sit still. Have you ever seen a stylist try to snip a moving target? Thankfully, NYC's top children's hair salons pull out all the stops to turn haircuts into a fun experience for families, plying young clients with balloons, bubbles, cartoons, toys, funky chairs, and lots of coddling.

Why trust us? As native New Yorkers with more than 15 years of experience sharing the best of NYC with kids, our editorial team has tried nearly all these kid salons and more firsthand. Here are our recommendations for the top eight kid-friendly salons where you can take your tot for (hopefully tear-free) haircuts in New York City. Plus some tips on how to pick the right hairstyle for your kid and hair-cutting tips for kids with anxiety or sensory issues. If you'd rather DIY, we've got some tips for at-home haircuts, too. 

Midtown East is sometimes dismissed by native New Yorkers as tourist central. And yes, thanks to world-famous attractions like the Empire State Building, high-end Fifth Avenue retailers, the lion-flanked New York Public Library, the United Nations, and Rockefeller Center with its ice skating rink, Christmas tree, and observation deck, the neighborhood is often packed with out-of-towners.

However, hidden inside some high-rise office buildings are gems for local families such as the Ford Foundation Building's indoor garden, and Midtown East is also home to cultural institutions like the Morgan Library & Museum, Scandinavia House, and the Japan Society, plus perennial kid-pleasers American Girl New York and the Lego Store.

Read on for our top things to do in Midtown East with kids and find more fun neighborhoods to explore in our NYC Kids Neighborhood Guides.

Attention Long Island pinball wizards, or those who aspire to the title: Pinball Long Island, a new pinball-specific venue in Patchogue, lets you test your arcade skills in a family-friendly environment sure to please the young and young at heart.

Pinball Long Island opened in mid-March along Patchogue’s bustling Main Street, the first family-specific addition to the downtown area since its renaissance began a decade and a half ago. The new spot is a fun destination on its own or a crowd-pleasing add-on if you're dining or shopping in the area. 

Find info on other top-notch Long Island arcades and lots more in our Indoor Play Spaces Guide.