Forget grocery store bouquets—by mid-summer, Connecticut fields are bursting with sunflowers and other brightly colored flowers, and many farms allow families to cut their own bouquets to bring home. Kids can enjoy selecting the most beautiful blooms to carefully arrange in vases, press into books, or weave into hair crowns. Bonus fun: One of these sunflower farms has a flower maze, too! 

For more PYO fun, see our list of Connecticut farms where kids can pick berries, summer fruit, and veggies.

The Florida Keys and Key West region of Florida is the perfect family vacation spot to get that tropical island setting without leaving the US. The islands of the Florida Keys are known for a relaxed vibe, watercolor sunsets, and endless family-friendly water activities. The local Florida Keys resorts and hotels don't skimp on all that island charm either.

Read on to discover the top resorts and hotels in the Upper Keys, Middle Keys, and the Lower Keys/Key West. 

Houston has a long list of major attractions to visit with kids, but spending all that cash on admission tickets can add up fast. Luckily, many of the best places to visit offer FREE admission for kids under a certain age. This comes in super handy for families with kids of multiple ages. Whether you want to see animals up close at the zoo, head to a museum, or see a Houston-area landmark like the San Jacinto Monument or Space Center Houston, you can save some money by taking your kids to one of these amazing places.

And even if your kids are past the age when their admission is free, there are plenty of times when local museums offer FREE admission on select days.

Ropes courses, adventure parks and zip lines abound for big kids near Long Island, but did you know there's a tot-sized destination perfect for preschool thrill-seekers? Located on the grounds of The Adventure Park at Long Island, you'll find The Adventure Playground, a miniature version of the action-packed attraction where kids ages 3-6 can scale ropes, traverse log bridges, and even zip line.

This destination is a step up from your typical toddler playground, and its location, nestled in the woods, lends it some cool cred, while allowing tiny climbers to safely explore. Read on for details on our visit and find more outdoor destinations in our Guide to Parks and Playgrounds on Long Island.

Situated on the Long Island Sound, the town of Mamaroneck offers waterfront recreation and a hearty downtown, all of it walkable and destination-worthy. Whether you’re living here or just visiting, this desirable suburban community, encompassing the villages of Mamaroneck and Larchmont, packs plenty of family-friendly things to do.

The primary artery of Mamaroneck's business district is L-shaped: Mamaroneck Avenue, or the Avenue to locals, runs east to west and is loaded with shops and multicultural eateries. It intersects with Boston Post Road, which runs north to south along the Long Island Sound. While new businesses frequently arrive, a fair number have been entrenched for 50 to 100 years. The Mamaroneck Recreation Department offers inventive family programming year-round, and its harborfront park provides tons of summertime fun.

Read on for our favorite things to do in this charming waterfront town and find highlights of other local spots in our Guide to the Best Places to Live in Westchester and the Hudson Valley.

A family camping trip is fun anytime, but a getaway to the great outdoors is especially appealing this summer. We have found several Connecticut campgrounds with fun weekend themes and great kid-friendly amenities for families to enjoy on a camping trip.

Don't forget to check out Mommy Poppins' Day Trip Guide for Connecticut, our list of short hiking trails and longer hiking trails, and our entire summer fun guide for more outdoor adventures.

The best thing to come out of the past year has got to be the flood of creativity in event planning. As quickly as we lost some activities we loved, other new family-friendly, socially distanced experiences sprang up, from drive-through dinosaur museums to walk-through candylands (with a few of hands-off haunted houses and holiday displays in between). The latest innovative addition to the LA event scene is Clue Live!— an in-person, open-air version of the classic board game. Attendees solve a familiar murder mystery: was it Colonel Mustard in the library with a candlestick? Mrs. Peacock in the kitchen with a lead pipe? The walking adventure in Century City brings all of these characters to life this summer so you can play detective.

There is nothing quite like immersing yourself in the pages of a good book. We scoured summer reading lists, book reviews, librarian suggestions, and personal picks to create this list of our top 100 kids' books — page-turners that we hope will transport kids to that state where they lose all sense of time and enter a world filled with imagination. From early readers to young adults, classic books to picture books, check out these top kids' books for a great read any time of year. Find even more great books in our guide to children's books and literature.