The fall harvest is in full swing and while you can celebrate the season right here in NYC, the upcoming Columbus Day holiday weekend is an ideal time to get out of town for one last nature-themed excursion before the cold of winter sets in. Even though apple picking is already pretty much over (many orchards say their trees have been picked bare), farms throughout the northeast are still offering lots of seasonal fun like pumpkin patches, giant corn mazes, petting zoos and other agritainment.

We've rounded up half a dozen attraction-filled destinations for Columbus Day weekend. Most are within two hours of the city and make great day trips but a few require an overnight stay. For even more vacation inspiration, check out our NYC Family Getaways Guide and our Travel site, which has a great list of fall travel deals.

A preschool tour is the best opportunity for parents to get a feel for a school before tackling the admissions process. Hopefully, you see the school in action, or at least check out what the classrooms look like. Keep your eyes open for important details. What type of student work is on display? Do the kids seem happy and engaged? How do the teachers interact with them?

When you're on the tour, don't be shy about asking questions. This is your chance! "Parents should ask as many questions as they want to help understand and grasp our program's philosophy," says Lisa Pacheco, center director at Children’s Creative Learning Center. Jennifer Jones of Battery Park Montessori and the Pine Street School adds, "I encourage parents to ask questions based on their personal priorities for their children. For example, if the child is physically active and the parents are concerned about it, they should ask how the school will satisfy the child's need for physical expression." Open-ended questions are best, as they tend to reveal more about the school. For example, "How do you support literacy?" is better than, "When do you teach the alphabet?"

Here are the top 10 topics to ask about when you're visiting preschools.

Boys, girls, ghosts, goblins and ghouls alike can take part in these Halloween-themed parties across Long Island. From creepy crafts to desserts to die for, these spooktacular fiestas are serving up fun with a side of food. Kids can also take part in trick-or-treating around an aquarium and a museum.

And for more holiday fun, check out our Long Island Halloween Guide and our Events Calendar.

While the people of Scotland were recently thwarted in their bid for independence, they still have plenty of national pride -which is on display in Ventura this later this week at the Seaside Highland Games. Gather the clans and pin your wee lads and lassies into their plaid kilts. Be sure to prepare with a hearty snack if haggis isn’t your thing. The Games offer a great opportunity to appreciate the sport of large men throwing things. And remember, this is the first week of October so be on the lookout for free admissions at local museums. Another thing to be on the lookout for? A full lunar eclipse. 

I've had David Bowie's "Changes" playing on a loop inside my head all week. No, my kid's not an angsty teen (not quite yet, anyway). It's because we upgraded the server for our sites, which caused some things to be a bit wonky. Everything seems stable now but if you see something weird, let us know by leaving a comment on our site or Facebook page. We'd really appreciate that.

Of course the changeover didn't stop us from kicking off Halloween month with posts about kid-friendly haunted houses and the top 10 Halloween happenings for NYC families. We also published October Go Lists highlighting the absolute best things to do throughout the month in NYC, New Jersey, on Long Island and beyond. With the long Columbus Day weekend coming up, some of these special out-of-town events may inspire a day trip, or you could always go pumpkin picking. (You can try for apples, too, though we hear most of the orchards are out already.)

Over on our Travel site, we've got a roundup of fall travel deals. Plus our founder, Anna, launched a series of posts chronicling her weekend getaway to the Bay Area, including the best things to do in San Francisco with kids and family-friendly wineries in Napa Valley.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

With October comes the beginning of Halloween season, and all month long there are parties, festivals, parades and haunted houses throughout Westchester and the Hudson Valley. We’ve populated our Event Calendarwith a ton of these festivities (as well as a variety of non-Halloween events for when you crave diversity), so take a peak and plan ahead. There’s a lot to take in!

The Rivertowns, with the strong association with Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” go all out for Halloween, with month-long events that start this weekend like The Great Jack O Lantern Blaze and The Legend Behind the 'Legend'. For the older kids there are plenty of haunted happenings including Horseman’s Hollow and Scared by the Sound.

The season of fall festivals continues with Harvest Fest, as well as Warwick Applefest, which returns for an all-day celebration of apples—and much more! If instead of apples you’re in a pumpkin kind of mood, try All Things Pumpkin. Or, while you’re soaking up the remaining days of warm weather, indulge in a Family Campout. Also consult our guide for scenic autumn drives to enjoy the splendor of the season.

Read on for our top weekend picks. Looking for more options? Be sure to check our Event Calendar for more fun happening this weekend and beyond.

Welcome to October and lots of fall fun, feasts and festivals. For apples head to the Pumpkin Fest in Yaphank. If the weather forces the family indoors, head to the theater to see Cinderella in Elmont. Be sure to check out our Halloween Guide for tons of seasonal fun across Long Island.

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October is upon us, and so is the beginning of the Halloween season. From Jack-o-Lanterns in Providence to Lanterns in Salem, many spooktacular events open this weekend and continue all month long. Fire Safety Week begins with events at the Boston Children's Museum and the Brookline Fire Station. Theater fans can watch The Frog Prince at the Puppet Showplace Theater or catch the Berenstain Bears live at the Wilbur Theatre.

We are very excited to announce the winners of our Boston Kids Who Really Rock contest at the Boston Kids Really Rock festival this Sunday. The festival and parking are both free, and there are plenty of other great reasons to take your kids to the music and arts festival of the year.

Coming up next week, don't miss the Biggest Baby Shower Ever. More than 100 of the best companies in the baby industry will be at the Back Bay Events Center. There will be games, prizes, and opportunities to meet other new and expectant mothers. Oh, and I'll be there too, so be sure to stop by the Mommy Poppins Boston table to say hello. To get the scoop on Big City Moms, the host of the Biggest Baby Shower Ever, check out our interview with the company's founders.

Also on Mommy Poppins Boston this week:

• Bored at the bus stop or while standing in line? Karyn gives us 10 Things to Do with Kids While you Wait.
• The Appalachian Mountain Club takes us to New England Pumpkin Patches with Bonus Fun for Families.
• Ally gets creative and teaches us how to make Fall Acorn Paintings with Toddlers as part of our Wee Work series.

Be sure to check out the full events calendar for more fall Boston fun!