Cool Summer Museum Exhibits: Mega Model Trains & Grossology

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We’re halfway through July, which means the dogs days of summer are quickly approaching (and may already be here, judging by the temperature). To beat the heat and humidity (and keep your sanity), check out one of the special exhibits at a local museum. You know we love The Morris Museum and Liberty Science Center and their summer exhibits Mega Model Trains and Grossology will keep your little ones entertained while you stay cool!

A Day Out at the New Britain Rock Cats Baseball Game in Hartford County

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Nothing says summer in America quite like sharing a baseball game with your child. However the thought of taking little ones to Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium is a little daunting for your patience and your wallet. According to a Team Marketing Report survey, the cost for a family of four to attend a Red Sox game including parking, food, drink, and souvenirs is just under $340. That is a chunk of change not many families can afford for one night of entertainment. Luckily here in CT, you can get a taste of the big leagues for much less without sitting in Boston traffic! The New Britain Rock Cats are the Minnesota Twins' Double-A affiliate. For more minor league baseball fun check out this post.

This Week: Bronx Zoo Dinosaur Safari, Vintage Carnival Rides at Fete Paradiso, Best Manhattan Park You've Never Heard Of

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With the city constantly texting me about heat and air quality advisories, I'm starting to feel like I have a second overbearing mother. (For the record, my mom still calls me on an almost daily basis to ask if my daughter and I are dressed appropriately for the weather.) My family and I have been attempting to keep cool by trying some of the picks in our Water Fun Guide like great public pools and popular water-filled playgrounds. If you just can't bear to be outside, our Inside Activity Guide has many fun indoor options including drop-in play spaces, and there are lots of kid-friendly exhibits in our Museum Guide.

For the most part though, we haven't let the high temperatures slow us down. This week we explored a couple of new must-experience summer attractions: the Bronx Zoo's awesome Dinosaur Safari and the absolutely magical Fête Paradiso on Governors Island. Meanwhile our Long Island peeps put together a list of the top 25 things to do on the North Fork with kids, our Connecticut bloggers shared the best places to go blueberry picking in New Haven County and New Jersey highlighted the state's best water parks and offbeat summer festivals, including next weekend's Hot Air Balloon Festival at the Warren County Farmers' Fair.

And don't forget to enter our current giveaway, which is aimed at kids and parents: a pair of OnBroadway Performing Arts Training Program master classes for four (two children and two adults). We think moms and dads deserve to win something, too.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

Best Family Friendly Bermuda Beach Resorts: The Fairmont Southhampton

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Famous for beautiful pink sand beaches, Bermuda offers family beach vacations with less travel and expense than the Caribbean. Only 2 hours from NYC, flights can cost as little as half the price of Caribbean destinations. It's an easy getaway that is often overlooked by time-strapped families. A trip to Bermuda includes stunning beaches, laid-back island hospitality and the fun of being in a foreign country, in this case a British Territory. Beach season in Bermuda is from April through October, so it's not a beachy winter destination, but it's great in the summer since temperatures top out in the mid-eighties. One drawback of Bermuda's Britishness is that they drive on the left side of the road and restrict foreigners from renting cars. You can rent mopeds, but that's not a great solution for families. So, although there is very good public transportation and taxis are available, it's much easier to stay in a resort with facilities and access to activities than to do it on your own with a cottage rental. The Fairmont Southhampton is a smart choice for family vacations because it offers access to the best Bermuda beaches as well as easy transit to other fun destinations in Bermuda. Check out my slideshow of the Fairmont and what I learned during my stay.

Fun & Free Things to Do with LA Kids this Weekend: Wee Rock! Mandela Day and Free Lollipops July 20 - 21

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We will, we will rock you, singing, we will we will… oh, I’m sorry.  Was I supposed to be writing about this weekend’s events? There are quite a few I promise you: the circus, the OC Fair, events celebrating underwater explorers and Nelson Mandela - even Comic Con is going on this weekend. It’s just that dang earworm I got going; the Wee Rock festival is this Saturday at the Americana at Brand, and every time I think of it I get that song going in my head: we will, wee will, rock you (at the Americana)…

They say the best way to knock out one of those pesky fellows is to replace it with another song. So what else do we have here? Free Lollipops at See's this weekend (on the good ship lollipop, it’s a sweet trip to my See's shop…) and  Baby Loves Disco in Long Beach (I’m hearing some Saturday Night Fever action - you should be dancing, yeah!).

We have some big names performing in free concerts this weekend: A Flock of Seagulls (and I ran, I ran so far away),  Billy Ocean  (get outta my dreams, get into my car… Hey, you, get into my car!)... The movie Big is showing at Oscars Outdoors (totally seeing that scene where they play Heart & Soul by jumping on the giant keyboard…).

Awesome, that did the trick. Earworm gone. Keep reading for some of our favorite picks for this weekend, because we will, we will rock you!

Fun and Free Things to Do in Boston with Kids - Sand Sculpting, Wizard of Oz and More, July 20-21

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Boston families have plenty of options for fun and free things to do in and around town this weekend. Take advantage of the great outdoors and head to the Revere Beach Sand Sculpting Festival, Festival Betances in Boston or Artbeat 2013 in Somerville. Indoor events include North Shore Music Theatre’s Wizard of Oz, Mural Madness at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Cambridge, and Birds of Prey at the EcoTarium.

And while there seems to finally be an end in sight to our third heatwave of the summer, we have ideas aplenty for beating the scorching heat and staying cool with the kids. Rachel shows us how to get the most out of a visit to the MFA, and our partners at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Kids Outdoors Boston have found five Boston-area playgrounds that have shade. Thinking of a weekend getaway? Peaks Island in Maine may just be the perfect place.

Read on for highlights of the weekend activities, and please visit our Events Calendar for more ideas.

Enjoy!

Long Island Kids' Activities July 20 & 21: Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr., Summer Princess Tea, Huntington Independence Day

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Despite the mid-July heat wave, there's plenty of indoor and outdoor fun on Long Island this weekend. An all teen production of Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr. hits the stage at the CM Performing Arts Center. Have a daughter at home who needs to channel her inner diva? The Summer Princess Tea is the perfect setting for an afternoon of manicures and makeup application. Feeling more nostalgic? Head over to the Huntington Village Green and The Arsenal and discover what life on Long Island was like during the 18th century. The Knights Of Columbus Classic And Custom Car Show benefits The Sunrise Fund at Stony Brook for Children with Cancer. Also on tap: Summer Healthy Food Fair at St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center, and the Annual Hope For Warriors Pancake Breakfast at the North Babylon Volunteer Fire Company. As always, check our events calendar every day for fun activities for the family. Also check out 15 Free Things To Do On Long Island With Kids This Summer.

Things to Do This Weekend in Westchester: River Festival, Block Party, Family Workshops and More July 20 & 21

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The weekend is almost here and there are lots of great things to do in Westchester. The Hudson River Days Festival kicks off on Saturday with tons of events happening all along the Hudson Valley. Mamaroneck Shares summer block party is Friday and Sunday is the Hispanic Heritage Festival in Valhalla.

Looking to escape the heat for a bit? Check out a show! Once Upon This Island, a Caribbean adaptation to The Little Mermaid is showing this weekend at the White Plains Performing Arts Center. The Wiz is also showing at Rosenthal JCC. 

Expect boy band mania at Rye Playland on Saturday with The Pop Explosion Tour featuring Midnight Red, an up-and-coming American boy band that recently opened for and toured with New Kids on the Block. 

On Sunday, head to the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art and let your history inspire art at Family Art Day Workshop: 'Portraying Your Personal History'.  

If you see an event you like, be sure to click through to the event for full details. Also, check out our event calendar for even more happening this weekend and beyond! 

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