25 Reasons Westchester Is a Great Place To Raise Kids

5/9/15 - By Christi O'Donnell

With its wonderful schools, diverse housing market, and myriad things to see and experience (not to mention its proximity to NYC), Westchester County is understandably one of the most desirable places to live in the entire country. So it's a given that it's also an incredible place to raise (or be) a kid!

Whether you’ve lived here all your life, moved here after realizing that 2.5 kids and a dog in a one-bedroom apartment wasn’t your idea of bliss, or stumbled upon our corner of suburbia completely by accident, welcome! Here are 25 reasons why you'll never want to leave.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

  1. The annual Clearwater Festival takes place in our own backyard.
  2. Muscoot Farm is always FREE.
  3. Historic Hudson Valley’s amazing events--Lightscapes, Sheep to Shawl and, of course, The Great Jack O'Latern Blaze (just to name a few).
  4. We can see the stars both indoors and out.
  5. Sanity saving (and kid-friendly) coffee shops in nearly every charming little town.
  6. Hiking and walking trails are always nearby.
  7. Ice cream made with locally sourced ingredients in summer…
  8. And unbeatable hot chocolate in winter.
  9. Fall foliage that draws visitors from miles around.
  10. Spring means local farms start making (and sampling!) maple syrup.
  11. Miles of parkland  where you can boat on, fish in and even SWIM in the Hudson River.
  12. Shopping! From small businesses to massive complexes, we have it all.
  13. Rye Playland. ‘Nuf said.
  14. Kids can relive the winter olympics every year.
  15. Summer festivals at Kensico Dam.
  16. We have the original Sleepy Hollow.
  17. There’s a summer camp for every interest.
  18. The Paramount Theater and Tarrytown Music Hall have big name performers and engaging children’s performances year round.
  19. Our art museums were pretty much made for kids.
  20. Year round farmers markets.
  21. Spending the 4th of July at the West Point Military Academy is just a thing we do around here.
  22. They shut down an entire section of the Bronx River Parkway on Sundays just for bike riders.
  23. Our county parks have built in water-parks.
  24. The Westchester Library System is unparalleled in the number of  kid-friendly activities it offers and the variety of books you can find.
  25. We’re so close to New York City that we can SEE it on a clear day. 

For more reasons to love our county, check out our list of 100 things to do with kids in Westchester.