Is Mardi Gras kid-friendly? If you think of Mardi Gras as a raucous, bawdy, booze-fest, you might not think it’s a very family-friendly event. But, for locals, Mardi Gras is for families.  

I took my nephew to New Orleans for Mardi Gras to celebrate his tenth birthday and I think it’s safe to say that he had the best 10th birthday weekend imaginable. Everywhere we went, we were surrounded by other families and saw first-hand how much people cater to kids at Mardi Gras to make sure they have a great time. Not only did we see anything “adult”, but it was actually an educational trip where we learned a lot about New Orleans and the history and culture of Mardi Gras. 

If you want to plan a Mardi Gras vacation for your family, I’ve created a three-day itinerary that will give you the best of kid-friendly Mardi Gras, plus many other kid-friendly activities to explore New Orleans and its history and culture.  For more New Orleans fun, check our other article, The Best Things To Do in New Orleans With Kids.

At the newly opened Brooklyn Museum education center, kids don't just look at art—they actually become the artists. Named the Toby Devan Lewis Education Center, this large welcoming space invites kids of all ages—and their adults—to get hands-on and contribute to the museum's exhibit.

Guided by friendly museum workers, kids can try their little hands at everything from crafting with clay to making their own zines. Check out what the Brooklyn Museum's new education center has to offer visitors, and start planning your trip to the Brooklyn Museum to explore this newly renovated space.

Finding summer camps in NYC can be especially stressful for your family's finances, and while we want our children to have a fun, rewarding, and safe experience, we don't want to dig into our retirement fund to pay for it. New York City families are lucky because free and cheap summer camps abound all across the five boroughs, where arts and education funding subsidizes some excellent New York City programs so all children can enjoy fantastic summer camps in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.

Read on for all our picks for free and affordable summer camps in NYC. Find more summer camps in New York City, including preschool summer camps, great sleepaway summer camps in the Northeast, and STEM summer day camps in our Summer Camp Guide and NYC Camp Directory, where you can search for summer camps in NYC by type, age, and neighborhood.

Fun summer camp options abound in Westchester and the Hudson Valley, from traditional day camps to STEM-focused programs to a variety of sports camps. But no matter your child's interests, camp can be a pricey proposition. If you're looking for especially budget-friendly options, we’ve rounded up a selection of the most affordable day camps in the area.

For this 2024 list, we've capped the cost at $500 per week, but most of these are well below that. Many of these camps offer half-day sessions as well as early-bird or sibling discounts. Plus, there are often options for financial aid or scholarships. Even if you don’t see that information listed, you can always ask to see if it’s a possibility.

For even more options, check out our Summer Camps Guide for Westchester & Hudson Valley Kids, or search our Camp Directory. 

Baltimore, Maryland is an incredibly kid-friendly and walkable city full of history, culture, and fun. The famous Inner Harbor offers the impressive National Aquarium, the fantastic Port Discovery Children's Museum, family-friendly restaurants, museums and science centers, and more. And the city is heaven for transportation lovers, with train museums and boats galore.

Baltimore's proximity to our nation's capital doesn't hurt, either. With only about 40 miles separating Washington, DC from Baltimore, it’s easy to visit both cities in one weekend.

Here is our list of 50 fun things to do in Baltimore with kids, including family-friendly Baltimore hotels and restaurants. Check out our Family Travel Guide for even more fun cities to visit across the US and beyond.

When it comes to birthday party places in Brooklyn, local tots have plenty of choices. Entertaining the under-age-5 crowd, plus a small army of their closest friends (and parents), can be tricky. Lucky for us, the borough of Brooklyn is filled with perfect birthday party places to please the diverse interests of enthusiastic toddlers and preschoolers.

Animals, arts and crafts, and even just tumbling around for a few hours are all options at these birthday party places in Brooklyn for preschoolers and toddlers. Read on for our list of 19 top toddler birthday party places in Brooklyn, and find even more birthday party inspiration in our NYC Kids' Birthday Party Guide. You can also use our directory to find more venues, plus party entertainers and supplies.

For DC kids celebrating birthdays in the winter, chances are they'll be having their birthday party indoors. But Washingtonians know the weather in DC can be unpredictable in any season. Luckily, the area is chock full of indoor birthday party places perfect for kids of all ages.

From indoor playgrounds to art studios to fun museums, there's no shortage of spots in and around DC to have some indoor birthday fun. Read on for 21 fun indoor birthday party places in DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland for toddlers through teens.

For even more inspiration, check out our Kids' Birthday Party Places Guide for DC, where you'll find great birthday party ideas for everyone from preschoolers through teens.

Throwing a toddler birthday party is special, memorable, and let's be honest, chaotic! Your own preschooler is energetic enough and now you're tasked with entertaining their equally enthusiastic friends (and parents). Fortunately, many Atlanta birthday party venues for toddlers and preschoolers make the process easy. 

Atlanta toddler birthday spots have something for every interest and budget when it comes to epic birthday celebrations. And best of all, most of these Atlanta birthday spots allow parents to relax while the staff sets up, cleans up, and most importantly, keeps kids busy. Read on for our toddler birthday party favorites and find even more birthday party inspiration in our Birthday Party Guide for Atlanta Kids!