New Year's Eve Weekend in Philly with Kids: Count Down to 2026

Submitted by Nicole O'Donnell on

Ring in 2026 by attending the annual Mummers Parade on January 1! Photo by J. Fusco for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®

Looking for the best things to do in Philly on New Year's Eve and New Year's Weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list.

Skate into the New Year with a bang! Bid farewell to 2025 and join the fun at the New Year's Eve Fireworks Celebration, complete with views of the fireworks presented by Rivers Casino. Enjoy early countdown celebrations, plus more fireworks displays at Peepsfest or Sesame Place.

New Year's Day brings the time-honored tradition of the Mummers Parade, a celebration that has delighted and entertained Philly for more than 120 years. After the New Year's ball has dropped, a lot of the holiday events come to a close, so check your list twice and make sure you don't miss a thing.

New Year's Eve Weekend 2025 in Westchester and the Hudson Valley: Fireworks, Balloon Drops, and Noon Year's Eve

Submitted by Katherine Dhurandhar on

Celebrate the new year before dark with crafts, confetti, and a dance party at the Westchester Children's Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum

Looking for the best things to do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley this New Year's Eve weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list.

Families can have a bricktacular New Year's Eve at Legoland New York, featuring an early countdown and Lego ball drop, plus all the other festivities throughout the day. Or enjoy cupcake decorating, a DJ dance party, and a confetti-filled ball drop and countdown to 2026 at the New Year's Eve Kids' Countdown at the Westchester Children's Museum. 

If you're not too tired after all the fun, explore the outdoors on a guided First-Day Hike through Rockwood Hall in Rockefeller State Park Preserve, or kick off maple sugaring season at Muscoot Farm's FREE Backyard Sugarin'.

New Year's Eve Weekend 2025 on Long Island: Fireworks, Ball Drops, and Noon Year's Eve

Jaime Sumersille's picture Submitted by Jaime Sumersille on

Count down to 2026 with an early celebration at the Long Island Children's Museum. Photo courtesy of LICM

Looking for the best things to do on Long Island on New Year's Eve weekend to ring in 2026? From fireworks to drone shows to balloon drops, here are our top activities to add to your list this holiday weekend.​

Close out the year with some good, old-fashioned family fun. Marvel at a free holiday train display in Dix Hills or Babylon. Or wear your favorite pajamas and immerse yourself in a world of Grinchy mischief and holiday cheer at the Cradle of Aviation Museum.

New Year's Eve falls on a weekday, but you can pick whatever time works for your family. Ring in Noon Year’s Eve at the Long Island Explorium or Long Island Children's Museum. Or combine your celebration with a meal at the Fishes and Wishes New Year's Eve Dinner at the Long Island Aquarium, which includes meet and greets with cute animal ambassadors. 

And, through the new year, drive through the Magic of Lights Drive-Thru Show at Jones Beach. 

Happy 2026 Long Island families, from all of us at Mommy Poppins. We can't wait to keep exploring with you in the new year.

The Best Family-Friendly Openings of 2025—Plus What’s Coming in 2026 Across NYC, NJ & Beyond

Jody Mercier's picture Submitted by Jody Mercier on

Seeing the drones take flight at the NYBG last summer was a memorable family outing. Photo by author

The holiday hubub is mostly behind us—sugar cookie crumbs and piles of presents still waiting to be put away excepted—and that means it's time to look back at the year that was for families in New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, and New Jersey. So, today, we're bringing you this list of our top family-friendly openings of 2025, plus offering a sneak peek at the fun on the horizon in 2026.

As always, thanks for joining us on all the adventures we've encountered, and cheers to a new year and new openings in the tri-state area.

Dallas-Fort Worth's New Year’s Eve Guide 2025 for Families: Kid-Friendly Events, Fireworks & More

Submitted by Gabby Cullen on

Come to the Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden at the Dallas Arboretum for a Noon Year's Eve ball drop, bubble dance party, and winter STEM activities. Photo courtesy of the arboretum

New Year's Eve is almost here, and Dallas-Fort Worth has plenty of fun New Year's Eve celebrations perfect for families. You can head to a Noon Year's Eve celebration at the Dallas Arboretum or the Sci-Tech Discovery Center, spend all day riding waterslides and enjoying activities at Epic Waters, or head to a Taylor Swift tribute band concert at The HUB in Allen. If you've got night owls at home, Reunion Tower is bringing back the Lone Star NYE fireworks show, which is always a blast.

If you're looking for other fun things to do in Dallas with kids during the winter break, check out our events calendar or our round-up of the best activities in Dallas each weekend. 

That's a wrap on 2025! Happy Holidays from us at Mary Poppins, and we'll see you in 2026!