49 Best Things To Do on the Upper East Side with Kids

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Visiting the lush Central Park makes for a perfect day on the UES. Photo by ep_jhu via flickr

Manhattan's Upper East Side is one of those neighborhoods where you can barely go a block without passing some kind of kid-centric business or attraction. Despite its somewhat snooty reputation, the Upper East Side overflows with family-friendly things to do.

It's home to lots of fun (and often affordable!) activities for kids of all ages, from toddlers to teens. From unique play spaces to world-class art museums, lush landscaped parks, lovely independent toy stores, and an afternoon tea complete with fairy wings, the Upper East Side has all that plus mansions, parades, public art, towering temples and churches, athletic complexes, and some of the priciest real estate in town.

Read on to discover the best things to do on the Upper East Side with kids, and find more family-friendly neighborhoods to explore from Harlem to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn in our NYC Kids Neighborhood Guide.

Top New Year's Eve Celebrations in Westchester and the Hudson Valley for Kids and Families

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Celebrate New Year's Eve in daylight hours at the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum

Looking for kid-friendly New Year's Eve celebrations Westchester and the Hudson Valley? Look no further, because we have rounded up an assortment of family-friendly New Year's Eve celebrations in the area. Many are FREE and end at a reasonable hour.

Our picks for family-friendly New Year's Eve celebrations include Noon Year's Eve at Legoland Discovery Center, which includes a dance party with the Lego characters and a Lego balloon drop, and the FREE New Year's Eve Fireworks at Hunter Mountain, featuring early fireworks and a torchlight parade.

For more fun, bookmark our guide to Christmas vacation activities in Westchester and the Hudson Valley, and keep close tabs on our Family Activities Calendar for more fun things to do. Happy New Year!

New Year's Eve Fireworks, Balloon Drops, and Other Long Island Celebrations for Kids

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The Long Island Children's Museum's New Year's Eve party has themed activities, a ball drop, and a confetti-filled dance party. Photo courtesy LICM

Ring in New Year's Eve with a big, bold bash at one of these Long Island spots hosting events hours earlier than midnight.

No matter how old your kids are, there are plenty of family-friendly New Year's Eve events across Long Island to help you welcome 2025. Our top picks for daytime New Year's Eve celebrations include roller skating, balloon drops, and gaming. At night, folks can head to a downtown area for a Times Square feel as Farmingdale, Lindenhurst, and Patchogue light up their Main Streets with celebrations.

Here's to a happy and healthy new year, Long Island! 

New Year's Eve Fireworks, Live Shows, and Other New Jersey Celebrations for Kids

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Celebrate with music, magic, skating and a host of other activities culminating in a fireworks show at First Night OCNJ. Photo courtesy OCNJ

If all-night celebrations are a thing of the past for you and your family, you can still make the most of New Year's Eve with family-friendly festivities throughout New Jersey.

We've rounded up New Year's Eve events the whole family can enjoy together, from indoor and outdoor theme park adventures to New Year's Eve fireworks and First Night celebrations. 

Looking for pre-New Year's entertainment? Keep busy with these Staycation Ideas, and be sure to check our Family Activity Calendar for more happenings. Happy New Year, New Jersey!

New Year's Eve Drone Shows, Balloon Drops, and Celebrations for Kids in NYC

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The ball drops at noon at CMOM! Photo courtesy of the museum

New Year's Eve is almost upon us, and there are lots of ways to ring in 2025 in New York City with kids, even though the traditional fireworks shows have been canceled due to drought. We've rounded up the city's best family-friendly New Year's Eve celebrations, including Times Square's legendary ball drop. Our family-friendly picks include a drone show over Prospect Park and a special Big Apple Circus performance. However you welcome the new year, we hope it's a blast.

You can find even more seasonal fun in our Holiday Guide for NYC Families, and be sure to check out our post on 38 fun things to do over Christmas vacation.

18 New Year's Eve Fireworks, Balloon Drops, Drone Shows, and Other Atlanta Celebrations for Kids

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Kids and parents can party into 2025 at the daytime New Year's Bubble Bash at Children's Museum of Atlanta. Photo courtesy of the museum

Usher in the new year as a family with kid-friendly Atlanta New Year's Eve events! We've got the details on New Year’s Eve and Noon Year’s Eve activities in Atlanta—many of which end early since the kids usually can't last until midnight. Another fun way to celebrate the new year? Driving or walking through one of Atlanta's many holiday light shows! It's your last chance to catch some of our favorites like Noel Magic Light Show at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Holiday Lights at Brook Run Park. 

For more inspiration over New Year's weekend, read our Fun Things to Do Over the Christmas Vacation with Atlanta Kids, as well as our Winter Activities Guide in Atlanta. And don’t forget to subscribe to our free newsletters to stay in the know of all the 2025 kid-friendly events and activities in Atlanta!

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