The days finally have a real fall crispness to them, the leaves are turning, and front steps are flickering with the glow of carved pumpkins at night. There’s lots of spooky fun to be had, from costume parades to pumpkin festivals, and there's plenty to do for free. Take the kids to a few of these no-cost Halloween activities for families—and save your pennies for goodies to give to trick-or-treaters.

Benjamin Franklin and Philadelphia go hand in hand. Franklin’s fingerprints are all over the City of Brotherly Love, from the nation’s first hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital, on the east end of the city to the University of Pennsylvania on the west. Franklin helped found both institutions and, unsurprisingly, the city is full of public art paying tribute to one of its favorite sons. The Association for Public Art has put together a wonderful interactive map of “Benjamin Franklins” in the city, and there is no better way to spend a crisp fall day then a walking tour to check some of them out.

There are 14 potential sites to visit, which may be a bit ambitious for all but the most dedicated Franklinophiles. Read on for some kid-friendly highlights of the Ben Franklin statue tour of Philly.

Think your kid is the cutest? Well, baby food maker Gerber just opened its annual Gerber Baby photo contest, so it’s time to take your best shot.

Parents can enter newborns to children up to age 4 in the photo search contest that selects a child ambassador for the brand. Simply post a photo of your cutie to Instagram with the hashtag #GerberPhotoSearch2018 between October 1 and October 20 to join in the fun. Remember to make your profile public, so Gerber can see your photo.

If, like many Angelenos, you were once a resident of another state—or even if you can remember to way back before 2009—you may be experiencing your annual attack of Columbus Day confusion. Is there school on Monday? Is it a holiday? Should you be picking something to do from the Mommy Poppins events calendar? And what about Indigenous Peoples Day—is that a thing? Go ahead and check your school district’s calendar if it makes you feel better, but we can end the mystery for you right here: yes, your public school kids have school on Monday.

Warning: It may take just one visit to fall seriously in love with Westfield. This Union County town off the Route 22 corridor is known for its beautiful tree-lined residential streets and smart downtown with great restaurants and shopping. Though Westfield is just 6.29 square miles, families have a host of options for enjoying this great town with a sophisticated but homey feel.

Raising kids in New York City isn’t without challenges, but it’s certainly never dull. Each weekend, we have the luxury of choosing between a variety of playgrounds, museums, and events—and lately, it seems like the city has been awash in Instagrammable popups. In the past six months alone, new museums and experiences devoted to dreams, candy, color, tea, and even optical illusions have opened here.

But it's New York, which means there's always room for one more cool thing to do. Since my family is always on the hunt for dog-friendly activities, we were excited to check out Human’s Best Friend, a new pop-up experience for dogs and the people who love them, located in the West Village. Read on for an inside look at NYC's latest pop-up for pooches—and their paparazzi.

One of the great things about Houston's "fall" is that temperatures typically hover in the 70s and 80s in the evenings; it's the prime time for outdoor activities. And there's nothing better than stretching out on a blanket to watch a movie on the big screen (especially when it's FREE). Here are your options for free outdoor movies this fall around Houston.