There’s nothing quite like a day at the fair.  Where else can you find carnival games, rides, petting zoos, pig races, 4-H Exhibits, horse shows, haunted houses, and a full array of fried food in one place? Summer’s winding down, but never fear, New Jersey offers a full array of August and Early September fairs and fests, from smaller county shindigs and music fests to full-on state fairs.  Take your pick, load up the family, and head out for a day in the sun, before winds blow cool and falling leaves fill the sky!

Although Pennsylvania Dutch Country is only 150 miles from New York City, once you arrive you feel like you're worlds (and centuries) away. There are bucolic fields full of corn, alfalfa and tobacco, and Amish farmers on horse-drawn buggies sharing the streets with cars. The area's home to big tourist attractions such as Dutch Wonderland and the Strasburg Railroad, which is why we started visiting a few years ago when my son was in his train phase. But there are also less well-known yet equally cool places to visit, like the Choo Choo Barn, the National Toy Train Museum and the Amish Village. 

Pennsylvania Dutch Country is a wonderful summer getaway, and although the season is drawing to a close there's always Labor Day weekend. It's beautiful in fall, too: My family and I visited last year over Columbus Day break and plan on going again this year.

Since we go annually, I could have written a book about the place, but don't worry, I resisted the temptation. Instead, here are our favorite things to do in Pennsylvania Dutch Country as a family, along with suggestions about where to stay.

My six-year-old daughter and I are huge circus fans. I love edgy, quirky troupes that are all about aerial and acrobatic feats, not animals, while my kid digs everything from over-the-top extravaganzas to more down-to-earth acts.

But when I saw images from Traces, a new Off Broadway show featuring a stripped-down set and a small cast clad in black pants and plain white tees, I wondered if it would hold her interest. With no gimmicks or colorful costumes, I knew the stunts would have to be pretty incredible to keep her entertained.

Well, they totally are. Unlike other circuses, in which each performer has a specialty, the seven stars of Traces are multitalented. They tumble, leap, climb, skateboard, dance, dribble basketballs, even sing and play the piano (some badly for comic effect). It's an exhilarating 90 minutes that also has bleak undertones. Although there's no plot per se, the performers burst with manic energy and seem to be working against the clock—at times literally when a timer appears in the background. There are also allusions to the end of the world and at one point they trace each other's limp bodies with chalk. But don't worry: These are all quick impressionistic bits that will go over most kids' heads. My daughter and the children around us didn't seem disturbed. In fact, all she kept saying was, "Whoa!"