Wow. It is quiet here. The comic book store: empty. The midnight screening of the Amazing Spider-man: you could hear a web drop. The Genius Bar at the Apple Store: 30% less smart. In fact, there is nary a fanboy or girl left in the LA Metro area. It's Comic Con weekend, and fans of comics and video games and just about anything sci fi have all made the pilgrimage down to fandom's ultimate gathering. Don't plan on popping down on a whim; the thing has been sold out for months. (Though you could always claim to be Stan Lee's nephew and see where that gets you).

But don't feel bad. There's plenty of fun for the rest of us here in LA. We've got freebies to get the weekend going, wicked cool craft projects, a party on a bridge, and movies and concerts under the stars. (And don't forget our 540 ton rock: got anything like that, Comic Con? Didn't think so).

Really, isn't the greatest sci fi just the science that hasn't been discovered yet? Opening this weekend is the newest expansion (as in mind-expanding) at Kidspace Children's Museum, the Robert & Mary Galvin Physics Forest. A few hours spent tinkering among the bottle rocket, giant lever, and ball bounce may well turn your curious little explorers into tomorrow's Nobel-prize winning astrophysicists.

And speaking of curious, San Diego may be getting a few celebrities this weekend, but we've got Curious George. Game. Set. And Match.

Keep reading for some of our favorite picks for this weekend...

It's another weekend of hard choices! Will you spend Sunday celebrating La France at the free Bastille Day Festival on the Upper East Side or enjoying Wave Hill's free Mow-Down Hoedown in the Bronx? Your Saturday decision may be a little easier since two of our top picks, the annual City of Water of Day fest and the first-ever Come Out & Play Family Field Day, both take place on Governors Island (and they're also both free). Or maybe you prefer to move and groove at Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing Kids Dance or the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival’s Family Day?

If you're still planning your summer vacation, be sure to drop by the Soho Apple Store on Saturday morning to hear Mommy Poppins' founder, Anna Fader, talk about the best travel apps for families. Or you can plan the perfect staycation with our brand-new Water Fun Guide, which includes info on NYC's best beaches, pools and sprinkler playgrounds.

All of our best bets for the weekend are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Summer Fun Guide.

Puppets aren’t really our thing. Well, at least I thought they weren’t. We kept hearing about the delights of the Puppet Showplace Theater in Brookline, but we never understood the appeal. However, we’re up for almost any adventure this summer, so when a friend invited us to see Pinocchio last Friday, we said, “Sure, sounds good.” The kids were actually excited from the start, but I wasn’t sold until I heard the theater is air-conditioned. Little did I know, we were going to have the most fun we've had in ages.

As the weather really heats up, take your family into the great outdoors! If you are looking for some fun family events this weekend, Mommy Poppins New Jersey has you covered! Try a fantastic seaside seafood fest, digging for fossils, celebrate Bastille Day, go for an evening hayride on a working-farm, hop on a train or even go for a sail! Read on for our top weekend picks and remember, you can find a listing of all NJ activities for kids in our Event Calendar.

One of the things I love about Connecticut is the variety of terrain in such close proximity. From hiking in the Litchfield Hills, to frolicking on the beaches of New London County; the activities are endless and it is feasible to enjoy more than one in a single day. This weekend is packed with wonderful events, so your family can be adventurous exploring the state. 

Does you child have an interest in trains? Do they love science or art? Consider having their next birthday party at one of the many interesting museums throughout Connecticut and you'll be sure it will be a party they will not forget. In fact, there are many children’s museums in the Hartford area alone that are not only fun to visit, but are also a great location to celebrate. For even more great party ideas check out our Party Guide.

New York State just announced a new literacy screening program for students, which means now's the time for your kids to start putting a dent in their summer reading lists. Other tidbits in this edition of our biweekly links post include info on new adult playgrounds, the last days of a beloved bookstore, an opinion piece about why American kids are so spoiled, and trouble at the brand-new McCarren Park Pool and on the Coney Island boardwalk.

A few years ago, we made it to the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival for a hilarious production of The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged), a show that condensed all of the Bard's major plays into a 90-minute farce that even had my six-year-old quoting Shakespeare for a week. In a similar vein, Potted Potter, now playing at the Little Shubert Theatre on 42nd Street, compresses the entire Harry Potter saga into a 70-minute romp that's fun for fans young and old.