New York City

25 Fun Things to do in San Francisco with Kids

Submitted by Dore Duhaime on Sat, 08/18/2018 - 1:00pm

With its famously steep hills, iconic sights, and many kid-friendly attractions, San Francisco is chock full of family fun. Unique thrills like a ride on the clanging cable cars, a ferry trip across the bay to visit a fabled island prison, amazing experiential food spots are some of the only-in-San Francisco experiences that kids and adults will love. Hands-on museums, a bayside aquarium, and enormous parks round out the family fun.

Read on to discover our best bets for family fun on a trip to San Francisco. And for more Bay Area fun, check out our list of things to do in Silicon Valley with kids.

11 Perfect Fall Weekend Getaways Near NYC for Families

Submitted by Allison Tibaldi on Fri, 08/17/2018 - 3:01pm

Fall in the Northeast is a lovely time of year as the trees explode in a kaleidoscope of red, orange, and gold. The crisp air and outdoor activities are hard to resist for most kids (and grown-ups). New Yorkers can experience that magic right in the city's gorgeous parks, some of which feel almost like a countryside retreat during a foliage walk. But for a weekend away, perhaps over those fall school holidays, consider a weekend trip to fully immerse the family in fall fun.

We’ve rounded up 11 options, from a luxury retreat in Connecticut to glamping in New Hampshire to an Adirondack wilderness retreat where you can really unplug.

Candytopia Arrives in NYC for Hungry Fans: Is It Worth a Visit?

Submitted by Sydney Ng on Fri, 08/17/2018 - 10:16am

There’s always something exciting and exclusive going on in NYC – something a little more special than another trip to the playground. Whether it be an outdoor concert, a Broadway show, or a special pop-up museum event, there’s an endless supply of something "new."

Candytopia, made famous during its run in Los Angeles, has made its way to New York City. Tucked inside Penn Plaza, over a dozen rooms are lined up for your candy-filled enjoyment. The tasty extravaganza opened on August 15 and runs through November 15. Read on for details of my family’s Candytopia NYC visit.

Best Brooklyn Bridge Park Playgrounds (Ranked!)

Submitted by Katie Nave Freeman on Thu, 08/16/2018 - 4:44pm

Few city playgrounds can compare to what Brooklyn Bridge Park has to offer. Running 1.3 miles along the East River on a defunct cargo shipping and storage complex, the 85-acre waterfront space is host to a water paradise, Tarzan swings, slides, tunnels, and the city’s largest sandbox. Plus, the Lower Manhattan skyline view never fails to give me major city feels.

If you’ve packed your sunscreen and stamina, you can take the family to experience them all, but if you want to prioritize, we’ve ranked them for you. All of the Brooklyn Bridge Park playgrounds are fun, but our faves at the top of the list offer the most equipment, most variety, amenities, and wow-factor.

Destination Playground: Chelsea Waterside Park in New York City

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 08/16/2018 - 7:30am

Chelsea Waterside Play Area has been a mainstay on our list of the city's best playgrounds for years, and thanks to its recent $3.4 million overhaul, the aging play area has a whole new look that just opened to the public on Tuesday.

Once known for funky, chess-like, blue structures that spewed water sky-high, Chelsea Waterside Play Area has a colorful new star: A 22-foot, rainbow-hued pipefish who winds through the multi-level playground bringing joy to kids of all ages. Read on for more features that cement this spot's place among our favorite destination playgrounds.

Weekend Fun: Math Fest, Kites, Sand Sculptures, and Harlem Week

Submitted by Drew Kristofik on Wed, 08/15/2018 - 4:01pm

Statistically speaking, we're due for a dry weekend, and that would be an excellent thing, since we're counting on having a great time at the third annual Math Festival hosted by MoMath on Saturday. Laser cutting, giant mazes, music, and roller coaster design make STEM as exciting as sunshine after a long, soggy stretch.

Also this Saturday: Watch the colors fly at the Upper West Side's annual Kite Flying Festival. Bring a good kite and some string, or take advantage of the materials supplied on site (while supplies last). Down at Coney Island, enjoy the sunshine and artistry at the annual Sand Sculpting Contest, and learn some sand sculpting tricks of your own at Kaiser Park on Neptune Avenue, where the NYC Parks and Rec team awaits with a sand creature building program from 11am-12:30pm on Saturday.

Harlem Week romps through uptown all weekend long, with a children's festival on Saturday and Sunday. Daily performances run from hip hop to poetry to tap dance. And do visit our favorite new art installation, dusk.space, at the Seaport. It's magical to lie under the grid as the sun goes down and smell freshly mown grass, listen to crickets, and watch the "fireflies."

All this, plus over a hundred other events (50+ each day) are baked into the Mommy Poppins Calendar. Check out our list of the 50 best places to cool off this summer, and don't forget the fun-packed August Go List. And the outdoor movies that were canceled due to all the rain are now being scheduled through September—follow our August Movie page, updated frequently, to see what's playing (for free!) near you.

35 Things to Do with Kids in Soho and Little Italy

Submitted by Amy Meader on Tue, 08/14/2018 - 1:45pm

Spend the day roaming around Soho and Little Italy with kids and you'll realize just how kid-friendly NYC can be. Of course there are tons of shops and restaurants, but if you look closer you can see that the area is teeming with tons of fun activities for the whole family: You just need to know where to look! Here are 35 of the best places for families to visit, shop, and eat in Soho and the adjacent neighborhoods of Little Italy and Hudson Square, including family-friendly restaurants, must-see museums, playgrounds, and neighborhood institutions.

NYC's First Interactive Museum of Tea Celebrates Tea Culture...and Bubble Tea!

Submitted by Rosalind Muggeridge on Tue, 08/14/2018 - 8:22am

We've already filled you in on the Color Factory, Flow Separation, and Candytopia, and now the summer of the Instagram-ready, immersive art pop-up continues, with the first tea-themed interactive art space in NYC. Room For Tea is brewing, and is set to open in Tribeca on August 28. Read on for an advance look at photos of the imaginative space celebrating the diversity of tea cultures around the world (and especially bubble tea), plus everything you need to know to plan your visit.

Where to Find Awesome Classes for NYC Kids This Fall

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Mon, 08/13/2018 - 12:00pm

Back to school season isn't just new backpacks and long lists of school supplies. It's also time to get your little New Yorkers signed up for fall classes!

Thankfully, this city's got something for kids of all ages, from babies and tots to tweens and teens. Whether you're looking for a morning mommy-and-me class or an awesome after school program, there's no shortage of sports, dance, art, theater, and academic options to keep everyone happily busy.

You can search through dozens of classes by type or location in our Classes Guide and Directory Listings, but we've also rounded up some of the top options for fall 2018. Take a look at these family favorites!

Destination Playground: Pier 25 Playground Is Action-Packed for Kids of All Ages

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Mon, 08/13/2018 - 9:26am

On a hot summer day, the cool river breeze is hard to beat. But one thing that takes the summer fun up a notch is an ultra cool destination playground right on the river, with killer downtown and river views, proximity to free kayaking, reasonably priced mini golf, and plenty of free family-friendly programming. Think this all sounds too good to be true? Then you'll want to get reacquainted with the Hudson River Park's Pier 25 Playground in Tribeca.