An unlikely victory for the Mexican army over French forces in the Battle of Puebla led to the celebration known as Cinco de Mayo (the 5th of May). Although not considered a major holiday in Mexico, it has become an extravagant affair in America. Check out this list of family-friendly events, restaurants and DIY options to celebrate this year. And take a look at our Long Island Calendar for more activities.

All month long we have been featuring the charming town of Eastchester and it’s villages Tuckahoe and Bronxville, highlighting the best things to do, places to shop and family-friendly restaurants to visit. We wrap up our month long focus on Eastchester with a look at the best places to play in the area. In a town full of parks, gyms, libraries and more, families needn’t worry about finding something fun and educational to do all year round. Read on for our top picks on where to play and where to learn in this great town!

We finish up our series of posts about Astoria, Queens with a roundup of our favorite family-friendly restaurants in the area. While Astoria is rightfully known for its Greek eateries, you'll find lots of other awesome ethnic cuisines in this diverse neighborhood, too. Our list includes Czech, Japanese, Cajun, Middle Eastern and good ol' American burgers spots, plus two of our top ten destination family restaurants in all of Queens. Here are 13 kid-friendly restaurants to check out in Astoria.

Westchester is chock full of beautiful places to enjoy nature--it’s one of the reasons so many families choose to live here. From historic sites like Kykuit and Sunnyside with lush gardens to explore, to huge parks like Rockefeller State Park and Croton Point Park, there's more than enough green space to go around. We previously wrote about great places to go hiking with kids, however some of the most gorgeous spots to commune with nature are not the most commonly known. If you're looking to blaze new trails, here are three great places to start.

Nestled in the northern most part of Somerset County, Bernardsville is a charming town that boasts scenic landscapes and a peaceful ambiance.  Rich in historical significance, the town has had several notable residents including Brook Astor, Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis and Meryl Streep.  Today, abundant parks and playgrounds as well as annual events and a lovely downtown make Bernardsville a great destination year round. Below are a few great reasons to check out this wonderful little town.  For more great small towns in New Jersey, check out the rest of our Great Small Towns series including posts on Chester and Nutley.

This weekend I'll be speaking at NY TravFest. On Saturday I'm sharing my secret formula for planning the perfect family vacation and on Sunday I'll be part of a panel discussing how to balance travel with kids, careers and stability. There are tons of amazing speakers at this event and opportunities. Check it out. I'd love to see you there.

As part of the festival I've created a Travel Babel video sharing some of my personal travel inspiration and some of my own childhood travel experiences that changed my life. I think traveling with kids is so important and taking longer vacations where you can really become immersed in local culture is a gift that never gets old. Take a look: