Lounging on a rubber inner tube and soaking up the summer sun while dipping your toes into one of the rivers in Texas is basically a rite of passage. There's no time like the present to introduce kiddos to the great adventure that is river floating in Texas. While any river will do, these eight Texas rivers near Houston are our go-to spots. They all have family-friendly runs (i.e. few or gentle rapids), great tube rental services, nearby accommodations, and gorgeous views to top it all off.

Whether you go for the weekend to enjoy the rivers in Texas or carve out a bit more time to soak in all that river tubing in Texas has to offer, these rivers make the perfect family vacation. Stick with our list of kid-approved river trips near Houston and you won't be disappointed, and for more summer trip ideas, check out our favorite family-friendly lakes close(ish) to Houston.

The Georgia Aquarium brings the wonder of the seas to children and adults from across the Southern region. This magical Atlanta attraction has aquatic creatures represented from across the globe, including those species that reside in Georgia's nearby waters. With animals that impress every child (and grown-up) who visits, and awesome weekly events that cater to every age group, the Georgia Aquarium is a must-see spot!

Orlando schools are back in session and that means the inevitable back-to-school shopping spree! Going beyond standard school supplies like pencils and crayons, many kids want to add to their closets and drawers. Just one growth spurt and your child may require an entirely new collection of pants and shorts! And with all those changing sizes in clothes and shoes, a new wardrobe can get quite pricey. Consignment shops to the rescue! Save money by visiting Orlando thrift and consignment stores for kids. Children can enjoy "new" back-to-school outfits, while parents can enjoy more money in the bank.

There's lots of reasons to shop resale shops! At a time when everything seems to get more expensive by the week, shopping from a thrift or consignment store is a great economic choice. Thrifting supports environmental sustainability, by repurposing clothing that might have otherwise ended up in a landfill. And the profits of some thrift stores go to important causes that help the community, like job-skills training and animal shelters.

Read on and learn about some great consignment stores near Orlando!

Visiting Melville's White Post Farms with kids means an animal-packed outing featuring more than just your usual farm friends. You'll find giraffes, zebras, camels, lorikeets, marmosets, and plenty more, all of which can be fed. Spring and summer are perfect for animal fun, while autumn brings a fall festival. White Post Farms is a must for animal-loving parents and their kids. 

For more fun family outings, check out our Guide to Parks and Playgrounds on Long Island, and be sure to bookmark our updated Long Island Family Activity Calendar.

If you’re looking for the ultimate escape room in Chicago, you’ve come to the right place. An escape room is an awesome and interactive experience for the entire family. Your entire group will need to work together to try and find an escape from the room you’re in. The coolest part about doing this challenge together is the different themes each escape room comes with. There is sure to be a room and theme to fit tweens, teens, and even the littlest member of your group. Check out our escape rooms in Chicago round-up below.

Escape rooms are fun all year round! For other indoor activities in Chicago, check out our Guide to Indoor Play.

For many families, mini golf is a quintessential warm-weather activity. My son loves mini golf, so we've played tons of mini golf in NYC and the tri-state area beyond. While there are plenty of places to play mini golf near NYC on Long Island and in New Jersey, you don't need to head out of town to hone your short game.

We've rounded up a handful of spots to play mini golf in NYC, including the pop-up VALE(mini)GOLF in Williamsburg, Jurassic-themed seasons installation at the ultra kid-friendly Brooklyn Children's Museum, and plenty of perennial favorites, like the course at Pier 25 in Hudson River Park. We've also found a few grown-up places where kids can take their golf game to the next level.

As sports go, playing mini golf in NYC is relatively inexpensive—often as little as $5 a round for kids. It's also one of those rare intergenerational activities parents and kids can play together. You can even host a birthday party at most of these spots. Read on to find out where to play mini golf in New York City with kids, and we'll see you on the green!

Swimply and Resort Pass solve the problem for those of us who dream of having a private backyard pool or membership to a swanky private pool but don’t have unlimited funds with resort passes and daily pool rentals.

Pools by the hour? Yes, please. This summer has been blisteringly, blazingly hot. Sadly, not all of us have a pool! And private swim club memberships either cost big bucks or sold out of memberships well before summer started. That’s where Swimply and Resort Pass come in.

Swimply is an app that allows anyone to rent out private pools by the hour. It’s basically the Airbnb of private pools. And Resort Pass is a program that allows you to purchase day passes to private hotel pools, without having to rent a room. 

Genius. Read on for how to book your own pool day online, in an instant. If you're looking for a bigger getaway, like at one of the best family resorts with water parks check out our Guide to Family-Friendly Resorts and Hotels.