Fall is the best season to spend time outdoors on Long Island. The relatively flat terrain enables young children to participate in a walk through the woods, but watch out for tree roots, which are easy to trip over. There are a variety of ways to make the trip special. Some families enjoy a quiet walk, some enjoy identifying the wildlife and plants, and some just enjoy having an opportunity to bond with each other. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of trails throughout the East End to explore. Pack some bug spray or put some on before heading out. Remember to check for ticks at the end of the outing. It is also a good idea to go to the bathroom ahead of time. Bring along some water, as many of the locations do not have water fountains. After the hike, make a day out of it and check out some apple farms on the East End.

The kids are back in school (that's my boy in the photo, heading out to his first day of third grade!) and we parents are back to the grind. Come Saturday, the whole family is going to be ready for some serious fun. Happily, there are plenty of fabulous FREE activities this weekend like Little Italy's annual Feast of San Gennaro, Brooklyn Bridge Park's Kite Festival, the 92nd Street Y's StreetFest, and the cool and creative Morningside Lights lantern-making workshops.

If you're looking to plan out the rest of your month, check out our September Go List, which highlights the absolute best things to do with kids including our Eco Family Cruise on Manhattan by Sail's Clipper City Tall Ship next Sunday, September 22. Kids can enjoy interactive ecology activities, face painting, nautical skill demos and spectacular New York Harbor views. Advance tickets are a must so get yours today.

All of our best bets for this weekend are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar.

Schedules and school work already got you down? September in New Jersey just happens to be full of family fun, so take a little break and enjoy some quality time with the kiddos. Check out the always popular Atlantic City Seafood Festival, Apple Day at Terhune Orchards or take a Sea Glass Beach Hike and look for treasures at the Alpine Boat Basin. And remember, you can find a full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

We've been working hard on our Classes Guide, updating old posts and adding new ones. Reading about awesome and enriching kids' classes is always fun... until you get to the prices. That's why we're happy to extend these eight great deals to our readers. Save big on classes like golf, art, guitar, animation and more. Act fast! Most of these bargains will be gone before the fall leaves turn brown.

So your little Peyton Manning is eager to strut his or her stuff on a 100 yard field, but you're not quite ready for helmets, shoulder pads, and -- yikes! -- the tackling part. Not to worry. Flag football  is an extra-curricular activity that offers the challenge, strategy, running, and "plays" that the other rough-and-tumble football has to offer, without the impact. And (yea!) you don't have to rent all that gear. Read on for a round-up of flag football opportunities and leagues in your neck of the field.

Every time I saw Lorelai and Rory Gilmore stroll the streets of Stars Hollow I felt a ping of jealousy. This picturesque small town may have only been located on TV, but its local restaurants, town center, quirky shops and hopping Main Street gave it a remarkable hometown charm. New Jersey is home to many of the country’s oldest communities, so today we start a new series on Mommy Poppins New Jersey, "Great Small Towns in NJ". With summer destinations like Cape May, distinctive college towns like Princeton and more, the garden state represents small town USA from Sussex County down to Salem County.

"Been there, done that," you're thinking, but not in a ho-hum kind of way. You dig LA's flagship museums (LACMA, The Natural History Museum, The Getty, to name a few), but sometimes you crave some off-the-beaten-path cultural destinations to add to your repertoire. We hear ya! So allow us to provide some inspiration. Ta da! Five lesser-known local gems we hope you'll get to know.

It's hard to know exactly how to explain the events of September 11th to our children, much less figure out how to commemorate this difficult anniversary. With that in mind, there are a variety of events to offer choices to Long Island parents, as every family and every child is different. Here are a few events that are held in honor and in memory of those whose lives are lost, and those who helped save lives during the attack on the World Trade Center.