July is all about barbecues and fireworks, sure—but that's just the start of the fun happening throughout the Garden State this month. You can take a ride with Thomas the Tank Engine, dig for dinosaur bones, and rock out at Maplewoodstock. Watch hot-air balloons take to the sky at the QuickChek Festival of Ballooning, and celebrate blueberry season at NJ's many pick-your-own farms and festivals.

But wait, there's more! July is packed with free summer movies and tons of family-friendly festivals. And of course, it's prime season for beaches, boardwalks, and water parks. Find all of this and more in our Summer Fun Guide, and don't forget to check our Event Calendar, updated daily with summer happenings across NJ. 

Independently minded almost from our inception, we Long Islanders have come to appreciate the month of July. After a lengthy winter and a dreary spring, it’s an annual call to celebrate all we cherish about our country and our Island.

And yes, we will celebrate this year, with a thank-you to the 2019 calendar, which placed July 4 near the end of the work week. With school out and the holiday on a Thursday, we have the benefit of an extra-long Fourth of July weekend. That gives us plenty of time for fireworks, barbecues, beach days, and parades. What a great way to usher in a month chock full of family fun. 

July makes a grand entrance with Independence Day celebrations in and around Boston, including daytime July 4th festivities and fireworks filling the night sky. The family fun keeps going all month with lots of events and activities, and below are our top 10 picks.

This summer, Westchester families can take a spin on Playland Park's brand-new ride—the park's first new addition in more than a decade. Described as part roller coaster and part spinning ride, the new amusement park attraction is expected to be ready to roll in July, according to Park officials. 

You've either seen the imposing Victorian mansion on Franklin Avenue or you've heard about it—Hollywood's Magic Castle, perhaps LA's best insider secret and one of the many places you might want to take your kid in Hollywood. But discovering the Castle is just the beginning. It's invitation-only—so how do you get in?

As much as the kids might beg, not every summer day can be a pool day. That's why water playgrounds with jets, misters, and refreshing splash pads are essential to summer survival in NYC. Kids (and their grown-ups) can frolic in sprinklers and spray showers, many with nifty features like footbridges, geysers, and themed settings. We've told you about some of our favorite playgrounds with water features citywide, but the Bronx deserves a shout-out all its own. Read on for details on nine of our favorite splash pads in NYC's northernmost borough.

Find more water fun in our Beaches, Pools, Water Parks Guide, or cool NYC activities in our Summer Fun Guide.

Summer is the season for road trips with kids, and we’re lucky because New England is full of so many fun spots to visit that are only a few hours away by car. One family favorite is Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. From bustling Meredith, NH on the west side of the lake to quaint Wolfeboro, NH on the eastern edge, there’s plenty of water sports, casual restaurants, and natural beauty that make for a great family vacation. Here are 25 of the best ways to enjoy everything on and surrounding this sparkly blue, 72-acre lake affectionately known as "Lake Winni."

When the sticky NYC summer heat sets in, kids need fun things to do to keep cool (bonus points if the kiddos also get a chance to burn off some energy). There’s no better solution than water playgrounds—get cool in the water, dry off to hit the other playground equipment, rinse and repeat. All afternoon.

And best of all, hitting a water playground is a FREE summer activity you can do every day. We’ve rounded up the best water features and playgrounds around Brooklyn so that you and the little ones can try a new place to spray and play every day of the week. 

It's a long summer! Find more ways to keep cool with our NYC Beaches, Pools, and Water Parks Guide, which includes splash pads in other boroughs too!