Summer Sounds concerts offer younger kids an introduction to music at the Hollywood Bowl in a lively and engaging format without the logistical challenges of evening shows. The concerts have an international flare, introducing little ears to sounds from around the world.

The Hollywood Bowl has always been one of my favorite venues in LA: the finest music offered in an open air, festive environment.  But as a parent, I began to see the scope of the Bowl in a different way. The size of the crowds could be overwhelming, the hour past little ones’ bedtimes, the length of the show beyond little ones’ attention spans. How then to instill in my child the same excitement I feel for this most beloved institution?

Summer is the season when most people are on the prowl for fresh seafood, so enjoy these last few weeks donning a plastic lobster bib with your shell cracker in hand. The Jersey Shore offers everything from upscale seafood dining (places you may not want to bring an unruly toddler) to place with newspaper on the table. There are a lot of family-friendly places to get a great seafood feast. So, avoid Red Lobster and check out my picks for the best places for the whole family to enjoy a fresh seafood meal.

#familytravel

Traveling with a family can be hard. You have to negotiate everyone's needs, children don't always adjust to new surroundings or schedules easily and have frequent and sometimes finicky eating and other needs, and it's just plain expensive. The easiest way to solve many of these problems is to rent a home rather than staying in a hotel. While hotels are lovely, houses give you a lot more room and comfort and amenities that families really need, like a kitchen and possibly laundry, toys, and other kid-friendly gear. Renting a home can be less expensive than a nice hotel, but it could also be costly. One way to get all the comforts of a home without the expense is house swapping. I'm a big fan of house swapping and have done several vacations this way. House swapping is more than a form of accommodation, it's a way of life. Here's what I love about traveling this way:

My family and I are making the most of these last few weeks of summer break and we hope you are, too. On our agenda this weekend: a FringeJr. show, a trip to Rockaway Beach and dressing up for the Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island. We're the family that never sleeps.

In anticipation of the back-to-school season, we updated our Classes Guide this week. We've got the scoop on some of the coolest kids' programs around, from sports (basketball, tennis) to enrichment (Spanish and Chinese language, animal care) to the offbeat (trapeze, DJing), and even FREE classes. If you're looking for extracurricular activities this fall, the guide gives you a multitude of quality options.

We're also gearing up for our next Mommy Poppins Family Cruise next Tuesday, August 20 and if your kids are pirate-obsessed you won't want to miss it. In addition to enjoying incredible views of New York Harbor on Manhattan by Sail's Clipper City Tall Ship, families will be treated to David Engel's uproarious interactive show Pirate School!, where he teaches kids how to walk, talk and act like buccaneers. We have two sails from South Street Seaport on Tuesday and we hope you can join us. Click here to book tickets.

Our regional sites are full day trip inspiration like the best places to get wet in Westchester, great places to camp in central Connecticut and the top parks on Long Island. Much as we're addicted to NYC, there's nothing wrong with going out of town for a day or two.

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

It’s mid August, and our calendar features a full slate of summer festivals in and around Boston this weekend, from the Boston GreenFest on City Hall Plaza to the Fisherman’s Feast in the North End and the West End Children’s Festival; from Verrill Farm’s Corn and Tomato Festival in Concord to the Marshfield Fair and the Gloucester Waterfront Festival. Read on for details about these and other weekend activities, and be sure to check our Events Calendar for more ideas.

Is your family is trying to get the most out of the last few weeks of summer vacation? We continue our Weekend Getaways series with our Fun, Family-Centric and Free on Nantucket, from our friends at Nantucket Bucket. And for an adventure closer to home, Kristin offers 10 Tips & 10 Things To Do with Kids on Castle Island.

Dealing with back-to-school jitters (kids and parents!)? Check out our Back to School Guide for ways to help ease the transition, including Tara’s own DIY Fashions and Supplies post.

Enjoy!

I don't know how it happened. Once we were united, a single people.  But the divide between us has started to grow. We are now two factions staring each other down through the hole in the schoolyard fence. On the outside chewing gum and wearing flip flops we have Still Loving the Summer.  Sitting at their desks with hands folded neatly in their laps are the Back in School bunch. Still Loving the Summer stays out past sundown, catching movies and concerts under the stars. Back in School is trying to learn a trade and wondering if Superhero Shakespeare counts for extra credit.

But there's hope. We can still find common ground. Everyone can agree on some things, like, no one likes jury duty, right?  And on a more positive note, everyone loves birthday cake. Right?  See, despite our differences, underneath we're really the same! We're one big happy family again, even if some of us can still sleep in.

Keep reading for some of our favorite picks for this weekend, whether you're back to school or not...

These gorgeous (though fall-like) temperatures are a reminder that we've only got a few more weeks before back to school madness begins. Even so, there's lots of summer fun still to be had in Westchester, both indoors and out!

If you're looking for a good show, Oliver! and Into the Woods are playing this weekend. The East Coast National Baseball Card Show is going on now through Sunday, for all you baseball fans. On Friday, you can check out Mamaroneck Shares Summer Block Party, which we mentioned earlier this summer, or check out Annie at Hudson River Museum's new amphitheater. Saturday, head to Hudson Highland's Nature Museum for Fascinating Fossils. On Sunday, walk the gangplank to the Science Barge in Yonkers for their Art & Science series or check out a 50's doo-wop concert in Yorktown. And don't forget, the New York Renaissance Faire continues this weekend.

If you see something you like, click on to the listing for full details and contact information. As always, there's even more to do this weekend and beyond in our calendar of events!