Stretching from southern tip of Westchester and up to the small town of Beacon, a string of small villages, towns and cities dot the eastern shore of the Hudson River. These villages, collectively known as the Rivertowns, are some of the county's most charming and picturesque places to live and visit. In February we'll be taking a closer look at this combined area, including the villages of Hastings-on-Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Tarrytown, Ossining, Croton-on-Hudson and the small city of Peekskill (Yonkers, we'll get you next time!). Originally home to the Lenepe of the Algonquien Tribe, the Rivertown area was first settled by the Dutch in the 1600s. For such a small area, the Rivertowns have played a tremendous role in the history of both New York State and the nation as a whole. 

Today these towns remain connected by far more than their shared past. For starters, there's the MetroNorth Railroad's Hudson Line which stops in each of the Rivertowns, making for easy day-trips into and out of New York City. By car, New York Route 9 runs right straight from Hastings to Peekskill and (without stops or traffic) takes less than 45 minutes. For a more outdoorsy travel experience, there is the Old Croton Aqueduct State Park. Following the path of the Old Croton Aqueduct, which brought water down from Westchester County to Manhattan from 1842 until 1965, this walking/jogging/biking/XC skiing path stretches over 26 miles and winds through all of the villages listed above. And there is, of course, the majestic Hudson River with marinas and docks all along the way.

This month we'll look at all the Rivertowns have to offer Westchester families. We've already highlighted some of the best coffee shops in the Rivertowns; now we're rounding up the top things to do in the area. Read on for 40 ideas for experiencing the Rivertowns with kids!

If you are looking for a winter getaway that offers a variety of outdoor activities, Lake Placid is an excellent option.  Though famed for twice hosting the Winter Olympics, you don’t need to be a super athlete to have a great time. Nestled high in the Adirondack Mountains, this scenic town offers lots of frosty family adventures plus some low-impact and arts-oriented choices.  It is located a five hour drive from New York City, and a bit closer to Boston, so East Coast families can get here without too much hassle.  Though called Lake Placid, beautiful Mirror Lake is actually the village centerpiece and a bustling hotspot even on the most frigid days. Here are 20 fun things to do with kids in Lake Placid this winter.

IEarlier this week we made art using capillary action to paint with salt. Today we have a fun way to inject a little science into the romance of Valentine's Day using capillary action to color flowers. Of course you don't have to understand how it works for this project to wow 'em, but we're going to use that principal to turn ordinary white flowers into sweetheart pink flowers for your Valentine.

Winter Olympics may come only every four years, but winter and snow sports are available to our California kids every year, almost year round. Even so, while figure skating, skiing, and hockey draw fans fairly reliably each winter, there's nothing quite like the excitement of Sochi (or Vancouver, or Salt Lake) to get kids interested in speed skating, ski jumping, freestyle snowboarding, ice dancing, and even curling. These are the sports that only get our attention when broadcast from exotic locales every fourth year; but this may be just the chance you're looking for to experiment with - and perhaps embrace - a new and off-the-beaten-path winter sport.