We’re sure that you were busy this summer with trips to water parks, pirate adventures and hopefully even some free fun activities. But as summer draws to a close, maybe you’re hankering for a last minute trip and where better than the New Jersey shore?? As long as you are flexible, even as August is winding down, there are deals to be had at various Jersey shore towns. Here are some of our favorite realtors and sites to connect to last-minute spots!

Welcome to another New York City weekend full of fantastic and mostly free things to do for families. SummerStage ends its series of free Family Days in Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park, and there are no-cost kids' concerts by The Itty Biddies in Long Island City and Astrograss in Bryant Park.

The New York International Fringe Festival kicks off this weekend in downtown Manhattan, and while most of the offerings are aimed at adults, there are four FringeJr shows for families. If you're looking to get outside and enjoy the dog days of summer, Saturday brings the second installment of Manhattan's car-free Summer Streets.

And that's just a bit of what's going on. All of our best bets for the weekend are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Summer Fun Guide, which is jam-packed with info on the best NYC beaches, pools, water playgrounds and other ways to cool off.

Tucked away between the North and South Forks of Long Island, is a shady retreat with glorious beaches, abundant wildlife, and a friendly laid-back atmosphere. My family has been heading to Shelter Island since 1963, and the island has changed surprisingly little over the years. It’s still OK to stop and say “hi” to a passing driver. It is never so noisy that you can’t hear the birds chirp or the crickets sing. One third of the island belongs to the Nature Conservancy’s Mashomack Preserve.

A vacation in southern Vermont can be bucolic and serene, filled with lazy days swimming in a lake, hiking, and visiting farm animals. But, when travelling with kids, sometimes adding a day of raucous fun can be a great addition to your Vermont family vacation. Luckily, there’s one spot in the midst of the farms, lakes and woods that provides amusement park style fun with Vermont style adventure.

The Bromley Adventure Park is the only place in Southern Vermont where families will find rides that fling you in the air and swoosh you down the mountain, wet or dry, fast or slow.  In addition to a water slide, an alpine slide, bumper boats, a bungee jumper, a climbing wall, a ziprider and other fun attractions, Bromley Mountain Adventure Park has recently added a Aerial Adventure Park where you can take to the trees on a challenge course in the treetops.

It sure can be tricky to stay in the summer mode when back-to-school planning is all around (those darn school supply lists!). Thankfully this weekend has tons of family fun to savor those carefree summer days and nights. There's a Butterfly Festival, Frog Festival, Corn Festival, Nature Scavenger Hunt and some Vintage Baseball to get you and your family outside. Read on for all our top picks and remember, you can find a listing of all NJ activities for kids in our Event Calendar.

Visitors come to New York City from the world over to eat our pizza, feel our energy and marvel at our spectacular views. But even for us locals, NYC is an awe-inspiring sight (we just need to remember to slow down and take it in every once in a while).

While tourists routinely flock to the Empire State Building or the Top of the Rock to literally look down on the city, there are less well known vantage points that also offer incredible views of NYC, including parks, promenades, museums and a tram. So grab your camera and get ready to fall in love with New York City for the first time—or all over again.

This week brings its share of bummer news, like millions of dollars wasted on a failed student progress tracking system, the closing of Manhattan's cheapest bowling alley and an increased admission fee at one of our favorite NYC children's museums (although it's certainly worth the extra dough!).

But we've got cool news, too, like exciting additions to the High Line, a kid-narrated audio tour of MoMA and great Olympic moments as retold by Lego.

[UPDATED: December 1, 2012]

Shopping for kids' eyeglasses isn't like shopping for clothes or shoes. With prescription glasses, the fit and the style have to be perfect—after all, your child will be wearing them every day. So while there are many excellent eyewear stores in New York City, it's best to go to one that has experience fitting glasses for kids, especially since your child may not realize if a prescription is slightly off or if the frames are pinching the nose. It's also important to find a shop with an onsite optometrist and a wide selection of children's eyeglasses so your kid can find a pair that makes him feel comfortable, confident and even cool.

We contacted a number of well regarded local pediatric ophthalmology offices and asked where they send their clients for kids' glasses in NYC.