Sometimes the hotel pool is the highlight of the trip.

I've been to Long Beach like most Angelenos—but until recently I had never considered taking a weekend getaway there. Mainly, my family was excited to visit the beloved Aquarium of the Pacific. We quickly learned that the aquarium, while wonderful, is not the only attraction for kids in the area. 

Long Beach is packed with family-friendly fun, all at a consistent forecast of "sunny and 75" (well, most of the time!). Keep reading for more suggestions on maximizing a trip with kids in Long Beach. Take a look at some of the activities for kids in Long Beach in our Instagram Reel! 

While you're in Long Beach, take the ferry to Catalina Island with kids, discover more exciting road trips from Los Angeles for a weekend family getaway, and plan all the family adventures with our Weekend Getaway and Day Trips for Los Angeles Families Guide. 

Nothing says autumn like a trip to the pumpkin patch. Getting out on a beautiful fall day to pick a pumpkin, enjoy some apple cider, and have fun on a hayride is the perfect way to celebrate the fall season in the DC area.

We've put together a list of our favorite pumpkin patches near DC to help you find the best pumpkin patch to visit with your family. Many of these pumpkin patches are part of local farms with fun fall festivals, elaborate corn mazes, playgrounds, and other fun activities.

Read on for our list of 15 great pumpkin patches in Maryland and Northern Virginia for families. For even more ways to celebrate autumn, check out our Fall Fun Guide for Washington, DC kids and our Halloween Events and Activities Guide for Kids in Washington, DC.

Pumpkin patches near Atlanta open up this fall and offer a million ways to carve, decorate, pie, seed, and lots of other verbs you can apply to pumpkins. An Atlanta pumpkin patch allows local families to welcome fall, bond with each other, and spend time outdoors. Many of these Atlanta pumpkin farms offer additional attractions like corn mazes, petting zoos, playgrounds, slides, and more to keep kiddos entertained the whole day.

For more fall farm fun, check out our guide to Atlanta Farms for Apple Picking. Read on for our list of the best pumpkin patches near Atlanta, and get more seasonal ideas by visiting our Atlanta Fall Guide!

It's the quintessential way to welcome the harvest season: a family pumpkin patch adventure! There's no shortage of pumpkin picking patches near Philadelphia: the Philly suburbs abound with places for kids to load up a wagon with their top pumpkin picks and enjoy a whole host of family-friendly activities. 

Wherever you choose to get your pumpkins, you're bound to spend a couple extra hours hanging around once the picking is done. Discover even more for Philly kids in our Fall Activity Guide, where you can find amazing apple picking, our Fall Bucket List, and more.

Nothing beats hitting a pumpkin patch in the Hudson Valley for fall fun. At these nearby farms, you'll find top seasonal activities like hayrides, petting zoos, and plenty more.

Check out our Westchester & Hudson Valley Halloween Guide and our Fall Fun Guide for the best things to do with kids in the area this autumn.

The best pumpkin patches on Long Island are jam-packed with interactive fall fun and adventures the whole family will love. From Nassau County to the East End, destination farms are brimming with pumpkin patch excitement.

The farms often have festivals, fall treats, and family-friendly activities for kids of all ages. Some farms have an admission fee, particularly on weekends or for certain activities. Check the pumpkin farm sites for the latest details before a visit. We've rounded up a list of as many locations as possible of Long Island's best pumpkin patches to enjoy this season with kids.

Find more seasonal adventures check out our Fall Day Trips with Kids on Long Island Guide and our Long Island Halloween Guide. 

This year, skip the grocery store pumpkins and head to a New Jersey pumpkin patch, where you're sure to experience other fall fun, including barnyard animals, corn mazes, and plenty of juicy apples that are ripe for the picking. 

Find more Halloween activities in our New Jersey Halloween Guide and check out our New Jersey Fall Fun Guide for the best things to do with kids this autumn.