Update: Effective Monday, November 23, DC's Smithsonian Museums are closing again due to rising numbers of COVID-19 cases. No timetable has been announced for their reopening. We will share that information as soon as we have it.  

Washington, DC's most iconic museums and cultural centers are slowly, and carefully, reopening to the public. The crown jewel of these DC museums, the Smithsonian Museums, are offering timed admission (still free!) with safety measures in place.

What's open? What's on, exhibition-wise? What's worth seeing? We have all the answers you need. Read on.

Houston's urban sprawl may not bring the word "hiking" to mind when thinking about things to do with kids. But let me tell you, the city has many amazing pockets of forests, streams, and wetlands that can be accessed by some pretty great hiking (as well as biking) trails. And we're not talking paved trails in the middle of a tree-less park; the easy hikes below make you almost forget you live in one of the country's biggest cities.

All of these parks and hiking trails are easily accessible for small children, and many are stroller and wagon friendly. Be prepared to add hiking to your list of favorite family activities after checking out these kid-friendly trails and parks.

An enriching high-quality early education is such a meaningful start, and BASIS Independent McLean’s Early Learning Program brings exactly that to families in the Northern Virginia area. Situated on a sprawling 11-acre campus in Tysons Corner—less than 15 miles outside of Washington D.C.—the age 2 through grade 12 private school helps lay a foundation for success with a world-acclaimed curriculum that thoughtfully balances kids' natural tendency to question, explore, and create with more formal academic instruction. And at the heart of it all is a deep love of learning, instilled in students by nurturing and compassionate expert teachers.

If you'd like to learn more about the Early Learning Program at BASIS Independent McLean, read on or sign up for an upcoming virtual open house.

Beacon makes for a superb family-friendly New York day trip at just about an hour from downtown White Plains. This Dutchess County town features an artsy, bustling downtown—mostly centered along Main Street, home to many different shops and restaurants. There’s something for kids of all ages, and it's also close to other exploration-worthy towns like Cold Spring.

We’ve rounded up fun things to do when you visit, whether you head up this fall or during another season. If you're looking for even more day trip ideas, check out our Family Day Trips Guide.

While much of Long Island has opened up and returned to some sense of normalcy, my little family has continued to keep things close to home. With Halloween on the horizon, we decided to pack ourselves up to visit The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze Long Island.

The event at Old Bethpage Restoration is produced by the Historic Hudson Valley, the group behind the uber-popular, long-time running, sells-out annually Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze at Westchester's Van Cortlandt Manor.

Featuring more than 7,000 hand-carved pumpkins in scenes scattered through the pathways, orchards, and grounds, the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze Long Island is an amazing feat of artistry worth adding to your fall bucket list. Read on for the details on this must-visit attraction, which overflows with local history, artistic designs, and spooky Halloween fare.

A pandemic Halloween season needs creative solutions, and Los Angeles has met that challenge head on. We know trick-or-treating this year is iffy at best, parties are taboo, and theme park haunts are all canceled; but Halloween promoters and enthusiasts have hit October running with a variety of drive-thrus, drive-bys, and socially distanced Halloween activities. Most of these COVID-era Halloween experiences are new for 2020, and the highest profile of the bunch is the Hauntoween Drive-thru in Woodland Hills. We made a journey on opening night to give this celebration a test drive, find out how a rolling haunt works, and see if Hauntoween is worth the price of admission.

Lower Manhattan has 2.5 acres of brand new parkland to explore as Hudson River Park's Pier 26 is now open to the public. A long-time coming, it's the first new pier to open in the green space since 2010 and connects New Yorkers to the Hudson River in a whole new, educational way.

Read on to find out what makes this new stretch of waterfront worth adding to your fall bucket list.

Kids love to "time travel" through books like Magic Tree House, so it's no wonder their eyes light up when they step into Old Sturbridge Village, New England's largest outdoor living history museum. Located just an hour from Boston and just 45 minutes from Hartford, Old Sturbridge Village depicts a rural New England town in the 1830s, and invites visitors to interact with costumed historians going about their "jobs," from blacksmithing to beekeeping. On a recent day trip, my 8-year-old son and I watched a militia member fire a musket, a tinsmith craft a drinking mug, farmers (and their oxen) press apples into cider, and more—all over the course of three fun outdoor hours.

Read on for our family day trip guide to Old Sturbridge Village, which is offering free admission for kids through November 28, 2020. While in the region, be sure to see our picks for the top things to do in nearby Springfield, Hartford, and the Berkshires.