28 Best Things to Do in Orlando December 2024 with Kids

Experience the illuminating Asian Lantern Festival at the Central Florida Zoo. Photo by the author

As the calendar inches toward Christmas and the holidays, Central Florida is shining with seasonal celebrations to enjoy with your family this December. Don’t miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in Orlando in December!

The theme parks are in full force with lights and festive holiday decor, from SeaWorld's Christmas Celebration to Epcot's International Festival of the Holidays. Christmas parades take place in cities all around Central Florida, including ApopkaSt. Cloud, and Winter Park. And don't miss the spectacular ICE! exhibit at Christmas at Gaylord Palms, as well as the enchanting Asian Lantern Festival at the Central Florida Zoo. Read on for the top events in Orlando and happening around Central Florida this December!

Find more December fun in our Christmas Activities and Holiday Guide for Orlando Kids, including festive holiday shows, holiday light drive-thrus and Christmas light shows, and local breakfast with Santa events.

29 Best Things to Do in Atlanta December 2024 with Kids

Families walk through Margaritaville at Lake Lanier's spectacular light show with festive seasonal music.  Photo courtesy of Margaritaville

Christmas lights, Hanukkah celebrations, and holiday activities are in full effect for December, and that's just the beginning of things to do in Atlanta this month! 

December in Atlanta starts with Christmas tree lightings all over town, including those in Sandy SpringsWoodstock, and Brookhaven (where Santa enters on a helicopter)! As December continues, Atlanta families get into the holiday spirit with Nutcracker Ballet and Holiday Shows as well as Dazzling Holiday Lights Drive-Thrus and Christmas Light Shows. December 25th brings Christmas Day AND the first night of Hanukkah! Families celebrate with lots of events, including Chabad Intown's menorah lightings. After all those holiday gifts are ripped open, families can ring in 2025 with fun, daytime events like the New Year's Eve Bubble Bash at Children's Museum of Atlanta. 

Forget the holiday drama, mama — sign up for our newsletters to make your December run smoothly. 

22 Best Things To Do in NYC December 2024 with Kids

Don't Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical takes the stage at the Queens Theater. Photo by Jeremy Daniel/TheaterWorks USA

Holiday lights, sights, and celebrations abound in NYC this December. Read on for our top things to do with kids to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Eve.

We're still plowing through the leftover turkey, and we have to start prepping for Christmas, Hanukkah, and 2024's final bow. Luckily, there's a spectacular array of kid-friendly things to do in December.

The month kicks off with Annie at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, and Whoopi Goldberg takes on a starring role. The Met Opera's The Magic Flute is a can't-miss at Lincoln Center, plus the month brings tons of holiday fun, including the cacophony of musical madness that is Unsilent Night.

Keep our top picks for holiday must-do's handy all month long, too, and bookmark our NYC Kids' Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events for easy access to all the holiday hullabaloo that pops up!

18 Best Things To Do in New Jersey December 2024 with Kids

'Tis the sea-son for Christmas Underwater at Adventure Aquarium. Photo courtesy of the aquarium

Looking for the best things to do in New Jersey in December? Christmas lights and holiday activities are among our top picks this month. 

The last month of 2024 boasts full-on holiday fun in the Garden State, and we can't wait to see the holiday lights at drive-thrus and walk-throughs like Let It Glow: A Holiday Lantern Spectacular at the Bergen County Zoo. Santa Claus is also all over town in December– catch him at festive events like his stroll through Chester.

Find more top December fun in our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events in New Jersey, like our guide to the top New Jersey Christmas Towns.

24 Best Things To Do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley December 2024 with Kids

Celebrate the holiday spirit at the Snow Ball with the Snow Sisters at FASNY Museum of Firefighting. Photo courtesy of FASNY

Christmas lights and holiday activities are back this December, and that's just the beginning of all there is to see and do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley this month.

Westchester and the Hudson Valley absolutely sparkle during the holiday season, with light displays and fun celebrations for the whole family. We are kicking off the month with Frosty Day in Armonk, the birthplace of the song "Frosty the Snowman," featuring a parade, tree lighting, entertainers, and kids' activities.

Other festive celebrations this month include Tuckahoe's Winterfest, the Kingston Snowflake Festival, and plenty of opportunities to meet Santa, including at Brunch with Santa at the Bear Mountain Inn.  

Be sure to bookmark our Holiday Activity Guide, which features tons of articles on things like our favorite Christmas and holiday events.

Thanksgiving Day Weekend 2024 in Westchester and the Hudson Valley: Best Things To Do

Enjoy a drive-thru experience and visit Santa at A Frosty Fest in Ulster Park. Photo courtesy of A Frosty Fest

Looking for the best things to do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley this Thanksgiving Day weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list for this weekend.

Families are invited to get a pre-turkey workout at one of the many turkey trots held on Thanksgiving Day throughout Westchester and the Hudson Valley, including the Westchester Turkey Trot in Valhalla, which also includes a kids' dash and free donuts at the finish line. 

Other awesome things to do this Thanksgiving weekend include Frosty Day in Armonk, Rye's Mistletoe Magic, and the weekend-long Holiday Kickoff at the Hudson River Museum, with storytelling, a magic show, and a special holiday planetarium show.

Looking for more holiday options? Browse our Westchester Kids Guide to Christmas and the Holidays, which is full of our top picks for holiday events.

Thanksgiving Day Weekend 2024 on Long Island: Turkey Trots, Light Shows, and Santa

Trek to The End for the Montauk Lighthouse tree lighting this weekend. Photo courtesy of the Montauk Lighthouse

Looking for the best things to do on Long Island this Thanksgiving weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list for the holiday weekend.

Work up an appetite for your Thanksgiving feast by participating in a family-friendly turkey trot on Thursday morning. Or, get some activity in by driving through the Jones Beach Magic of Lights.  For a throwback feel, check out how Christmas was celebrated in 1863 at the Old Bethpage Village Restoration.

Find more seasonal fun in our Long Island Kids Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events!

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