7 Great Bike Paths in Atlanta for Family Rides

The Stone Mountain Path begins in Atlanta, winding past local historic sites. Photo courtesy of the  path

Whether you're a serious cyclist or a toddler on training wheels, riding a bike is an activity to enjoy with the whole family. Just like President John F. Kennedy famously said, "Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride."

Luckily, the Atlanta area is filled with designated bike paths that incorporate our city's beautiful trees. We scoped out the best ones for families--flat, fun and doable for all ages (restrooms required). These trails are a perfect addition to our outdoors guide. After a ride, why not pay a visit to one of these Atlanta destination playgrounds?

15 Great Stroller-Friendly Park Walks on Long Island

Winter, spring, summer, or fall, Belmont Lake State Park offers a delightful stroll with baby.

They might be too young for the playground, but Long Island babies (and their caregivers) can still enjoy our great parks. Spring is the perfect time to strap the baby in the stroller and get out to explore one of these 15 stroller walks along Long Island.

Of course, not all parks are created equal, especially when it comes to taking your baby out for fresh air. Some parks are aesthetically beautiful, but the trails are rocky and covered in sand, making pushing a stroller nearly impossible. Others are smoothly paved but have nothing for you and your little one to see. Here are our picks for Long Island walks with the best terrain and scenery for a springtime outing.

Find more things to do in our Spring Fun Guide and plenty of age-appropriate activities in our Baby Guide for New and Expecting Parents.

Brooklyn's Betsy Head Park Gets Mega Makeover

Playgrounds, sports equipment, a performance and event space, athletic fields, and more make Betsy Head Park a neighborhood gem.

Betsy Head Park is the latest NYC green space to get a multi-million dollar overhaul. Renovations have wrapped up on the $30 million Anchor Parks project and the Brownsville, Brooklyn, park, and it's welcoming visitors just in time for the springtime temps.

Read on for the details of this multi-year renovation, which brought tons of upgrades to the 10.5-acre park, including state-of-the-art athletic fields, event spaces, a large skate park, the first parkour fitness course in the city, and more amenities. Find more destination-worthy outdoor spaces in our Guide to Parks and Playgrounds for NYC Kids.

Rides Return to Coney Island With Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park and Luna Park Opening

Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park is the first Coney Island amusement park to announce its reopening date. Photo courtesy of the park

After a year-long shutdown, two of New York City's favorite amusement parks are ready to roar back to life. Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park and Luna Park, the heart of Coney Island, are set to reopen on Friday, April 9.

To mark the occasion, Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park is holding its annual "Blessing of the Rides," that day, with locals gathering for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in an event honoring the city's essential workers and ushering in a belated birthday celebration for the namesake Wonder Wheel, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2020. Look for more centennial celebrations later in the season.

Keeping with time-honored traditions, Luna Park will celebrate with its annual egg cream christening of the Cyclone. It will also honor essential workers by giving 500 frontline heroes free admission for the day and offering local hospital workers the first chance to ride the Cyclone. 

LACMA: Why You Should Visit, Even Though the Museum Is Gone

Where existing art meets a whole new museum.

A lot of things have changed in the last year. Many shops and restaurants have closed, a few new things have opened. But only one thing completely disappeared: LACMA. Okay, technically the museum is still there. It’s even opening up again on April 1. But the main buildings (the Bing Theater, along with the Ahmanson and Hammer buildings and the Art of the Americas building) have all vanished.

I recently visited to see what’s happening at Hancock Park and learned that while a vast majority of the art is in storage, there are actually lots of reasons to visit the LACMA campus—including outside art, inside art, scientists at work, cocktails in the courtyard, and a whole new museum. Read on to find out why a family trip to LACMA should be in the cards this (or any!) weekend.

Turn a Highchair into a Baby Activity Center with These Ideas

Keep babies occupied with highchair activities at their own baby activity center.

Sometimes, mama (or daddy) just needs a minute to get something done! If you need to keep your baby or toddler occupied while you work, cook, or finish a project, we’ve rounded up ten highchair activities that keep little ones both busy and happy. The best part is that everything on our list gets attached to the highchair—you won’t need to constantly pick things up off the floor. 

From ice cubes to masking tape to toy cars, these baby activity center ideas are all made from things you already have in the house. These activities are both no cost and no mess, as well: you won't pay for 20 minutes of entertainment with an hour-long clean-up. These baby and toddler activities are also great for helping your little one explore all five senses, learn colors, and figure out cause and effect. 

Looking for more baby activities? Check out our list of 99 Sensory Activities for Toddlers, Infants, and Kids of All Ages, plus tons more activities for little ones in our At-Home Guide for Families.

Sleepaway Summer Camps for Houston Kids

Image courtesy of Camp Cullen/YMCA

If there's one thing I remember distinctly about my childhood summers, it's summer camp. Sleepaway camps are great for fostering independence in children, who will leave with lifelong memories and hopefully at least summer-long skills. Houston families have a lot of options for sleepaway summer camps where kids can stay overnight, and most of these are just an hour or two away from the city.

We rounded up a bunch of sleepaway summer camps that are all about two hours or less from the Houston area. Most of the camps offer week-long stays for campers, with a couple offering shorter or longer stints as well. All of them promise to give your kids a hefty dose of fun and memories to last a lifetime. And for more summer and vacation camp ideas, check out our comprehensive camp guide and full directory of camp listings.

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