4th of July Weekend in Los Angeles: Fireworks, Parades, and More Things To Do With Kids

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The Pacific Park Ferris Wheel, photo by alexc43, courtesy of the Santa Monica Boardwalk.

4th of July weekend in Los Angeles is alight with fireworks, fun runs, parades, and more family-friendly events to add to your list for this weekend.

4th of July festivities will be everywhere this week in Los Angeles! Take in the red, white, and boom of fireworks over water, sporting arenas, and theme parks. Watch 4th of July parades marching by, go to carnivals, and more. The LA Convention Center gets animated with Anime Expo, and Pageant of the Masters turns its players into living works of art. The makings are here for a spectacular red, white, and blue weekend. 

For a complete list of all the dazzling 4th of July fireworks in Los Angeles, check out where to see 4th of July fireworks in Los Angeles and the best 4th of July activities that aren't fireworks if you choose to have a more low-key celebration. We wish you a Happy Independence Day, LA!

Please note, several local Independence Day events have been canceled or postponed, among them the annual celebration in Gloria Molina Grand Park. 

Choose-Your-Own Culinary Adventure at these Unique Foodie Experiences in NYC

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Shirokuro is a black-and-white destination that's 100 percent hand-drawn and makes it feel like you're dining inside a doodle. Photo by Jody Mercier

New York is the ultimate city for foodies, including for kids with adventurous palates. While there are restaurants on just about every corner with nearly every possible cuisine to sample, there are also lots of unique and fun food experiences for NYC kids to discover. Think interactive cooking, edible adventures, and one-of-a-kind dining experiences. If you've got a budding foodie in your house, we've rounded up eight culinary adventures sure to create some tasty memories.

For more tips on dining out in NYC with kids, check out our comprehensive NYC Kids' Guide to Family-Friendly Restaurants. We've got neighborhood-specific information about the best places to eat and the best insider tips.

19 Best School Supplies for 2025—According to a Veteran Teacher

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Forget regular pencil cases, this "pop" one from ZIPIT helps with fidgets and nerves. My kids love it.

It's that time of year again – Back-to-School, which means it's time to go shopping for back-to-school supplies! There are plenty of boring back-to-school lists out there that have the typical pencil case, crayons, and a backpack. That's not what this list is.

This Back-to-School season, we've talked with a veteran teacher and several moms to come up with favorite lesser-known items that we think deserve a place in your Back-to-School shopping cart. From noise-canceling headphones to erasable pens that really work, we come up with a list of unique essentials.

Whether your little one is starting kindergarten or heading back to elementary school, we've got you covered with a list of cool back-to-school supplies that will make the upcoming school year a breeze. For more Back-to-School ideas, like lunches kids actually like or first day of school traditions, check out our Back-to-School Guide.

Here's How You Can Score Free Summer Swimming Lessons in NYC

Katie Nave's picture Submitted by Katie Nave on

Kids can learn to swim for free through the NYC Parks Department. Photo by Jody Mercier

The NYC Parks Department's FREE swimming lessons have returned for the summer season, and we have the details to get you—and your child—back in the pool. These FREE swimming lessons require entering an online lottery for each session, which run year-round in spring, summer, fall, and winter. Registration is now open for the FREE summer swimming lessons.

Read on for the details on where to swim for FREE, or check our directory of paid kids' swim classes, and mommy-and-me swim lessons for babies and toddlers.

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