Welcome to the first full month of summer! Our monthly GoList of the absolute best things to do with kids throughout July includes some of our favorite FREE annual events—happenings my family and I mark on our calendar every year. Enjoy the always FREE Fourth of July fireworks spectacle and no-cost boat rides thanks to City of Water Day. There's also Bastille Day on East 60th Street, Come Out & Play Family Day, and the  — all are FREE, too!

In addition to family-friendly festivals, we're also looking forward to some spectacular performing arts—from dance to theater to music—as well as the world's biggest bounce house, so get your calendars ready! Here are the top 18 things to do with kids in New York City this July—most of which are 100% FREE.

Somehow, summer is already about halfway over. But the good news is July is full of fun things to do around Houston for the whole family. You can still catch a free (or cheap) outdoor movie, or see a flick for cheap at an area theater in the comfort of air conditioning, or roam through a candy wonderland at Candytopia. This month is also full of kid-friendly shows like "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing," "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown," and "Annie," the latter performed at the historic Crighton Theatre in Conroe.

There are lots of options for dazzling Fourth of July fireworks across Houston as well as celebrations without fireworks at the children's museum downtown and Fort Bend locations. Read on for more family fun in Houston this month.

Every year, the Navy Pier fireworks over the lakefront are a highlight of summer in Chicago. While sparklers light up the night sky over Navy Pier every Wednesday and Saturday from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the extra-long, super-sized Fourth of July display is one not to miss. With July 4 falling on a Thursday in 2019, you'll want to make plans in advance for how and where your family will catch the big sparkler show. We've rounded up a few of the best ways to watch the Fourth of July fireworks downtown, plus a list of well-worth-the-drive fireworks displays in the near suburbs.

Princes and princesses take note: Following a comprehensive 15-month restoration project, Belvedere Castle reopens to the public today in Central Park, bringing with it structural and decorative upgrades and familiar views waiting to be explored, just in time for summer. For families, new kid-friendly nature programs encourage exploration of the castle's lovely grounds. For a look at what's new (and renewed) at this treasured Central Park landmark, read on.

Get out your red, white, and blue gear for fabulous 4th celebrations and summer fun! School is out, festival season is charging along, and all the spraygrounds and splash pads are open. This month there is plenty to do to enjoy the summer weather. Check out events that are free or maybe sit down to enjoy a cold brew while the kids play, there are so many fun and unique ways to spend July in Philly. We've gathered 10 of our favorites here, but head over to our event calendar for a full listing of nearby events.

Looking for some everyday fun for the littlest members of your family? Try a visit to Dutch Wonderland or Sesame Place, both of which also include water park areas. Or head to the Jersey Shore for some much needed rest by the sea.

Need to beat the heat? Then try out any of these 25 indoors crafts and activities your family is sure to enjoy.

Independently minded almost from our inception, we Long Islanders have come to appreciate the month of July. After a lengthy winter and a dreary spring, it’s an annual call to celebrate all we cherish about our country and our Island.

And yes, we will celebrate this year, with a thank-you to the 2019 calendar, which placed July 4 near the end of the work week. With school out and the holiday on a Thursday, we have the benefit of an extra-long Fourth of July weekend. That gives us plenty of time for fireworks, barbecues, beach days, and parades. What a great way to usher in a month chock full of family fun. 

July is all about barbecues and fireworks, sure—but that's just the start of the fun happening throughout the Garden State this month. You can take a ride with Thomas the Tank Engine, dig for dinosaur bones, and rock out at Maplewoodstock. Watch hot-air balloons take to the sky at the QuickChek Festival of Ballooning, and celebrate blueberry season at NJ's many pick-your-own farms and festivals.

But wait, there's more! July is packed with free summer movies and tons of family-friendly festivals. And of course, it's prime season for beaches, boardwalks, and water parks. Find all of this and more in our Summer Fun Guide, and don't forget to check our Event Calendar, updated daily with summer happenings across NJ.