This Week: Best Summer Getaways, NYC's Free Pools and Renn Faire

8/6/15 - By Raven Snook

Every year around this time of summer, I start to wonder if my family and I are the only New Yorkers left in town. Judging from my social media feeds, everyone I know is away! If you too are suffering from vacation envy, there's an easy cure: take a family day trip. Hit a nearby beach, explore a quaint upstate town, go peach picking, get doused at a recently expanded New Jersey water park or see how many rides you can stomach at a Pennsylvania amusement park. Don't worry if you're car-challenged, many of these destinations are accessible via public transportation.

Can't get it together to get out of the city? Go on a virtual vacation to Kiawah Island, South Carolina courtesy of our Travel site. Once you click through our slide show of the Kiawah Island Golf Resort Sanctuary Hotel, you may be inspired to put in for some real time off, not just a weekend.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Take a journey back in time at the annual New York Renaissance Faire in Sterling Forest, just an hour's drive from NYC.

Or how about a modern weekend getaway to a charming town like New Paltz, NY, or NJ's Wildwoods?

It's peach season and you can pick your own at these tri-state-area farms.

We rounded up five nearby beaches that are super family-friendly to help you survive these final dog days of summer.

Too much of a schlep for you? Try one of NYC's FREE public pools. If you're going with a baby or toddler, we have some important tips to keep in mind from our reviewer who tested out Williamsburg's McCarren Park Pool.

FREE outdoor movie season wraps up this month with more than 50 flicks for families screening throughout the five boroughs.

Our weekly news post includes info on BAM's big expansion, renovations in Prospect Park and other tidbits of interest to NYC families.

Best bets for the weekend include the 25th annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in Queens, the opening of a new section of Brooklyn Bridge Park and a retro drive-in movie experience on Staten Island.