Flower Farms Near Boston Where Kids Can Pick Blooms

Find beautiful blooms with a fun outing to the top pick-your-own flower farms near Boston!

With ample room to roam around, these flower farms near Boston are a great place to bring kids on a nice spring, summer, or early fall afternoon. The pretty sunflower fields, lavender farms, and rows of tulips ready for picking are also a nice backdrop for a family day trip out of the city.

Check out these top 10 flower farms near Boston for your next excursion, and don't forget to pack your own scissors! You can also likely do some strawberry picking, blueberry picking, or apple picking to add to that custom bouquet. 

Inflatable Water Parks in New Jersey

The Totally Tubular Aqua Park offers 8,500 square feet of wet-and-wild fun in Ocean City. Photo courtesy of Totally Tubular

Inflatable water parks with floating obstacle courses are the latest summertime craze, popping up in lakes and bays in New Jersey. These installations are a mix of obstacle courses and bouncy houses on the water—and they're incredibly fun, especially for older kids.

Find more ways to beat the heat in our Garden State Guide to Beaches and Lakes. And check out our Ultimate New Jersey Kids Summer Vacation Guide for tons of other dog-day activities.

Best Blueberry Picking near NYC: Favorite Farms and Festivals

Bishop's Orchards is a gorgeous spot for blueberry picking near NYC with kids.

Blueberry picking near NYC begins in July, and juicy blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are usually in season through the end of August. Some farms even have a second crop of raspberries that ripen later in the summer. So, if you missed the short but sweet strawberry picking season and can't wait for peach picking come August, now is a good time for your family to plan an outing to go blueberry picking near NYC.

Read on for the lowdown on 10 farms for blueberry picking near NYC. These tri-state area farms are all less than 2 hours from NYC and even include one accessible by mass transit. We're also including our helpful been-there-done-that blueberry-picking tips. Check out our comprehensive Guide to Pick-Your-Own Farms for everything from peaches to flowers and veggies.

10 Batting Cages Near Chicago Worth Swinging By

Let's play ball! Photo courtesy of Batter's Box.

There's something special about outdoor and indoor batting cages. After all, you can take the kids at any time of year and spend an hour or so watching them swing away at a baseball or softball (or join if you need to blow off steam). You get a taste of America's pastime without the hassle of taking the kids to an actual ballpark and can enjoy a sporting activity without going all in for the day. Perfection, basically, especially for baseball lovers. 

Whether your child is an aspiring ball player or simply enjoys swinging a bat, these 10 outdoor and indoor batting cages in Chicagoland offer a safe and enjoyable environment for kids to hone their abilities. Grab a bat and get ready to hit some balls at these top-notch outdoor and indoor batting cages in Chicago and the suburbs.

Looking for more sporty fun for kids? Check out these awesome bowling alleys, the best laser tag and paintball spots near Chicago, and the best places for extreme sports just for kids

4th of July Weekend in New Jersey: Fireworks, Festivals, and More Things To Do with Kids

Oceanfest combines community and cultural events and tops off with spectacular fireworks. Photo by the author

 Looking for the best things to do in New Jersey this 4th of July weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list.

The long-awaited 4th of July weekend blasts off with fireworks and festivities throughout the state, including the annual Oceanfest spectacular in Long Branch. Kick off the fun with a daytime celebration like Fourth of July Jubilee at Morven Museum & Garden.

Read on for a full rundown of New Jersey's best kid-friendly events this weekend. 

Best Florida Beaches Near Orlando for a Family Trip with Kids

Visit our favorite family beaches in Florida. Photo by Seth Warren for Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau

Take a break from Orlando theme parks with a quick getaway to one of the many Florida beaches near Orlando. Whether you want to take in the sunrise and coastal breeze on the Atlantic side or enjoy the picturesque sunsets on the Gulf, Orlando is centrally located, making it an easy drive to either coast.

We've rounded up our favorite family beaches in Florida within a few hours’ drive of Orlando, so you can pack up your beach gear for a weekend getaway with the kids, or even just a day trip. For those days when a shorter drive is best, check out these close Orlando beaches attached to Florida's natural springs or at an outdoor water park.

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