New Haven with Kids: 25 Fun Things to Do for Families

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Known as the birthplace of American pizza, the city of New Haven lives up to its reputation as a first class foodie destination. It is also a place rich with history, architecture, arts, and culture. It's where ideas are nurtured and celebrated. Happily, it’s also very accessible to families and is wonderfully walkable. Take the kids for a day trip or a weekend getaway and experience the city for yourselves, with this list as your guide. 

Top 25 Things To Do in San Francisco with Kids

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Photo courtesy of the Bay Area Discovery Museum

With its famously steep hills, iconic sights, and many kid-friendly attractions, San Francisco is chock full of family fun. Unique thrills like a ride on the clanging cable cars, a ferry trip across the bay to visit a fabled island prison, amazing experiential food spots are some of the only-in-San Francisco experiences that kids and adults will love. Hands-on museums, a bayside aquarium, and enormous parks round out the family fun.

Read on to discover our best bets for family fun on a trip to San Francisco. And for more Bay Area fun, check out our list of things to do in Silicon Valley with kids. 

Best Pizza and Ice Cream Near Family Attractions in Boston

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Introducing children to a great hiking trail, museum, or landmark is always fun; that is until someone suddenly—and it's always suddenly—gets hungry. We've found that the best strategy for a smooth outing en famille is to pair an activity with a quick meal and easy dessert. Avoid frantic last-minute smartphone searches and map out these pizza and ice cream parlors, which are conveniently close to some of our favorite day-trip sites and also just happen to serve up some of the best slices and scoops in the area.

Candytopia Arrives in NYC for Hungry Fans: Is It Worth a Visit?

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Immersive candy museum Candytopia is every sweet tooth's dream come true.

There’s always something exciting and exclusive going on in NYC – something a little more special than another trip to the playground. Whether it be an outdoor concert, a Broadway show, or a special pop-up museum event, there’s an endless supply of something "new."

Candytopia, made famous during its run in Los Angeles, has made its way to New York City. Tucked inside Penn Plaza, over a dozen rooms are lined up for your candy-filled enjoyment. The tasty extravaganza opened on August 15 and runs through January 6, 2019. Read on for details of my family’s Candytopia NYC visit.

Tractor Pulls and Rodeos at These Connecticut Country Fairs

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Photo Courtesy of the Guilford Fair

From exciting carnival rides, to petting zoos and fabulous (or wacky!) food, country fairs are often a family tradition and a childhood right of passage. Since Connecticut offers no shortage of them, choose a day (or days!) and gather family and friends for a rodeo or tractor pull, witness an irresistibly adorable pig race, or wear your stretchy pants for a one-of-a-kind pie eating contest. Whether you plan on spending the day in Goshen, the Haddam area, or venture to Brooklyn in the Quiet Corner of the state, you're sure to have a day filled with giggles, endearing animal encounters, and fireworks that light up the evening sky.

For even more ideas, check out our Event Calendar, the August GoList, and the Summer Fun Guide (there's still a little time left for that). For the latest and best family-friends events, follow Mommy Poppins on Facebook, Twitter, Instragram, and Pinterest. 

Best Brooklyn Bridge Park Playgrounds (Ranked!)

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The super popular Water Lab at Pier 6 can get crowded, so come early!

Few city playgrounds can compare to what Brooklyn Bridge Park has to offer. Running 1.3 miles along the East River on a defunct cargo shipping and storage complex, the 85-acre waterfront space is host to a water paradise, Tarzan swings, slides, tunnels, and the city’s largest sandbox. Plus, the Lower Manhattan skyline view never fails to give me major city feels.

If you’ve packed your sunscreen and stamina, you can take the family to experience them all, but if you want to prioritize, we’ve ranked them for you. All of the Brooklyn Bridge Park playgrounds are fun, but our faves at the top of the list offer the most equipment, most variety, amenities, and wow-factor.

Destination Playground: Chelsea Waterside Park in New York City

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A 22-foot, rainbow-hued pipefish winds through the multi-level playground.

Chelsea Waterside Play Area has been a mainstay on our list of the city's best playgrounds for years, and thanks to its recent $3.4 million overhaul, the aging play area has a whole new look that just opened to the public on Tuesday.

Once known for funky, chess-like, blue structures that spewed water sky-high, Chelsea Waterside Play Area has a colorful new star: A 22-foot, rainbow-hued pipefish who winds through the multi-level playground bringing joy to kids of all ages. Read on for more features that cement this spot's place among our favorite destination playgrounds.

All Aboard the Pumpkin Patch Express

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These rattling, toot-tooting relics are truly treasures across New England landscapes. Each time those vintage diesel locomotives come to life, you can hear that pitter patter of those train-loving little souls of ours. Their dome-cars with padded seats offer the ultimate views for the leaf peeper in all of us and a stop at the pumpkin patch is sure to delight those littles in tow. Here is a roundup of historic Connecticut trains and trolleys to climb aboard this fall. And, for more autumn adventures, check out our CT Halloween Guide for Kids. 

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