After two years of pandemic-era closures and restrictions, DC opened back up in full force in 2022, and families flocked to enjoy all of the new goings-on. Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum reopened in October after a seven-month closure, four years into a seven-year, $1 billion remodel. The new Museum of Illusions came to CityCenterDC, and several buzzworthy exhibits—including a Yayoi Kusama exhibition at the Hirshhorn and an immersive King Tut experience at the National Geographic Society—drew crowds.

Families also enjoyed several new parks, playgrounds, and indoor play spaces in Maryland and Northern Virginia, as well as a massive new fitness and wellness center in Baltimore. And beloved holiday events Boo at the Zoo and ZooLights finally returned to Smithsonian's National Zoo.

Read on for our favorite kid-friendly openings and happenings of 2022. Here's looking forward to more exciting openings in 2023!

2022 in Atlanta has been making news for all the great, kid-friendly spots that have opened this year. In fact, as we speak Atlanta is still making headlines for 2022 with Winter Storm Elliott's freakishly cold temperatures (Christmas weekend 2022 is the coldest it has been in years in Atlanta). Stay cozy by curling up to your device and reading about our favorite openings and new events that made Atlanta children smile this year!

We at Mommy Poppins love a good recap, so we've rounded up awesome things in Atlanta this year. From engaging exhibits to delicious eateries, 2022 was a great year for Atlantans to try some fabulous new options. Take a look at just some of our favorites!

2022 in Chicago was a fun year. From museum openings to new exhibits and play spaces, there were some great additions to the Chicago kids space this year. To help ring in 2023, we’ll take a look back at some of the top openings, happenings, and other stuff we loved about 2022 in both Chicago and the rest of the country.

If you didn’t get to visit some of these great new spaces, they are great additions to your bucket list in 2023. For more kid-friendly fun in the new year, check out our round-up all things family in Chicago here.

There are so many great attractions in Houston, but if your kids are easily bored or complain they've seen it all before, you might want to read on! If you’re wondering what’s new for kids in Houston, we have rounded up some 2022 openings that have family appeal. Whether you want to visit a new park, a new exhibition, or a new restaurant, we have the list of the 10 best new kid-friendly things and places that opened or upgraded in 2022 in Houston.

It’s been a great year for new attractions in Central Florida! New in 2022 in Orlando were the openings of a brand new amusement park – Peppa Pig Theme Park – as well as new coasters such as Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot and Ice Breaker at Sea World. We’ve rounded up a "best of Orlando" list of what was new in 2022.

Who doesn’t love a “best-of” recap? And what a time to be a Philly family. 2022 was an epic year in the City of Brotherly Love, from the Phillies World Series run to the Eagles' current 13-2 record…and that’s just the sports. This year saw the opening of new museums, restaurants, play spots, and experiences that make Philly more kid-friendly than ever. So browse our top 22 new additions in 2022 and see how many you’ve hit, or let us know what we missed!

Keep an eye on our events calendar to see what’s to come in 2023, and don’t miss our Winter Break Bucket List for all the ways to keep busy between that last opened present and the ball drop. 

Don’t let a lack of a car keep you from skiing near NYC this winter. There are a variety of public transportation options to get you to the slopes, from hopping aboard a ski bus to catching a ski train, many of our favorite ski resorts near NYC are accessible without a car. These car-free ski bus packages from NYC are convenient, and more wallet-friendly than a car rental. They often include perks like discounted lift tickets and equipment rentals.

Even if you own a car, these ski bus deals are worth considering: After a hard day on the slopes, you can kick back and let someone else battle the traffic home. So, book your tickets well in advance, then consult our curated list of road trip essentials to ensure you have enough snacks and entertainment for the road, and get ready for a fun family day on the slopes. We've got more ideas for powder sports in our Family Ski Guide, which covers the top resorts in the tri-state area and beyond.

If the hassle of air travel is keeping you from booking that beach vacation or has you dreading a trip to visit Grandma and Grandpa, hear me out. Hop-on jet service JSX may be the answer to parenting prayers, offering the perks of flying private, but at prices that are comparable to regular commercial travel.

As someone with a lot of far-away family, I've done my fair share of flying since my son was born, and I've never seen it done quite like this. With private crowd-free airports, quick contact-less check-in, and planeside luggage retrieval, imagine flying without wrestling your shoes off at security or waiting an hour at baggage claim with squirmy little ones. Add family-friendly amenities and non-stop flights from Westchester to Orlando and Miami, flying semi-private with JSX is amazingly easy, even with kids, and bags, and even pets, in tow.

I'm here to give you the inside scoop on this life-changing option for air travel, from a full list of perks to ticket pricing, and all your other questions about flying with JSX.