Take a stroll around Oak Park and learn all about architecture. 

Find family fun at New England's largest zoo!

A woodsy escape in the middle of the city.

Take a holiday train ride to see Santa at the North Pole with hot cocoa and holiday singing! Kick off the magical holiday season with real-life Polar Express and Christmas train rides near Atlanta. Our list includes holiday train rides in neighboring states since most are within three hours of metro Atlanta. You can combine your visit with one of these Atlanta winter day trips to the north Georgia mountains, Chattanooga, or surrounding areas. Bring your camera to take an Instagram-worthy shot of your kids on the train. FYI, Christmas train rides sell out fast, so buy tickets early! 

Just south of Anaheim, Irvine beckons LA families to come and play. This lovely city sits at the heart of Orange County. With 250,000 residents, UC Irvine, and the headquarters of many well-known companies, it is consistently rated as one of the safest and best cities to live in by national publications. With all this going on, there must be something to do, right? And is there ever!

If you're looking for an outing in your own backyard, things to do after a sports tournament (Irvine’s parks play host often), or if you fancy a drive somewhere new, there are lots of places to explore and lots of things to do in Irvine.

Looking for more OC fun? Check out our Best Things to Do in Orange County Guide, our list of things to do with kids in Newport Beach, or learn more about all the fun things to do in Anaheim (that aren't Disneyland). 

With its charming seaport and renowned aquarium, Mystic, CT offers year-round family fun.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee and its neighbor, Pigeon Forge, offer a wonderful mix of outdoor adventure, yummy Southern food, and tons of family fun (Dollywood, here we come). Just read our post about 73 Fun Things To Do in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN to see all of the kid-friendly activities in these eastern-Tennessee mountain towns. It's no surprise, then, that there are also a ton of family-friendly Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge hotels with amenities like water slides, playgrounds, kids' activities, and on-site restaurants.

Tip: Check Sevierville, TN, just north of Pigeon Forge for more accommodations options.  

Read on for our list of the best Gatlinburg hotels and hotels in Pigeon Forge, TN for families. While you're in vacation-planning mode, be sure to also check out our Family Travel Guide for more ideas for fun family getaways.

New York City teens are fortunate to have so many world-class museums at their fingertips. Beyond just visiting for fun, many NYC museums have programs, workshops, and internships to give teens hands-on experience.

From art workshops to science and history internships, NYC museums offer engaging and educational opportunities for high schoolers to explore their passions and learn new skills. Depending on your teen's interests, there are museum programs in art, curatorship, history, science, architecture, and community-building. We've rounded up the best museum programs for teens in NYC.

For more tips and suggestions on finding teen-friendly activities, check our piece on the best after-dark teen activities in NYC and our comprehensive Tweens & Teens Guide to Having Fun in NYC.