Tis the season for fall festivals and Halloween fun in New York City, and what better place to celebrate the changing seasons than beautiful Governors Island? Its season runs through Halloween, and its October calendar is scarily packed with plenty of fun.

For the third consecutive year, the Friends of Governors Island and Trustees for Governors Island have teamed up to put on a classic, daytime, small-town Halloween at Pumpkin Point. If you prefer your Halloween fun to fall in the post-dusk hours, exciting news: The Night of 1,000 Jack O'Lanterns returns for its second run in three years. For all the details about Halloween events on Governors Island this year, read on.

Not only is Newark home to several popular venues and attractions—namely the Prudential Center, New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), and the Newark Museum—but the restaurants in this part of the city are particularly family-friendly. With the impending arrival of hockey season and a host of upcoming performances, including Disney on Ice and Sesame Street Live!, we’ve rounded up the best kid-friendly Newark restaurants where everyone can find their fill.

We've also included a few extras you can’t miss while you’re in town, including two Ironbound gems and the best diner in NJ. So the next time you're in Newark for a concert or show, check out one of these spots to lunch, brunch, or dine with your crew. 

Art museums and kids aren't always a natural pairing. But here in Boston, cultural institutions like the Museum of Fine Arts and the Institute of Contemporary Art go out of their way to be welcoming to children, providing them with special guides at the door and recurring educational programs. But our family's favorite is one that remains relatively under the radar, tucked away as it is in the farmland of Lincoln: The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, which reopened on October 6 after a month-long closure as new exhibits were installed. Here are some tips for making a perfect day of it–and helping children appreciate the art and nature that surrounds them.

For little kids, Halloween is usually more about the treats than the tricks. The excitement is in getting dressed up for a costume parade, making decorations, and hitting the trick-or-treat trail with a pillowcase or pumpkin bucket in hand.

For fun, not-so-scary Halloween happenings in and around Boston this month, read on. While big brothers and sisters may want to be spooked (or even scared silly), these activities are for kids and families who just want the Halloween festivities to be sweet.

Muscoot Farm is a Westchester gem and a great day trip destination, especially now that we're in prime fall fun season. The 777-acre Somers farm offers enough to keep kids having fun without feeling overwhelmed.

In fact, Muscoot Farm is a great farm introduction for younger children, because it allows them to see animals up close without it being as daunting as say, a trip to the zoo might be for that age group. The best part? Admission is FREE.

Santa may be known for his sleigh, but when he's here in Connecticut, the big guy is all about trains. Starting in November, he can be found on several Polar Express and other Christmas-themed trains in Connecticut, including the ever-popular North Pole Express and Santa Special Train Ride in Essex.  In between munching on cookies, sipping on cocoa, and chatting with Santa, there is nothing like watching the steam roll and waft in front of the train's headlights—it's a magical holiday experience for kids and parents alike!  

But act fast: Tickets for some of these trains become available in the early fall and sell out even before Halloween. But even if a certain train is sold out, there's likely an available one around the bend, so read on—it's a special holiday experience worth waiting for!