Family destinations really upped their game in 2017. We saw amazing new attractions at some of our favorite amusement parks, the opening of the largest indoor water park in the US, and the opening of the brand new Dr. Seuss Museum. LEGOLAND's new Beach Resort is so awesome it went right into our list of mind-blowing kid-friendly hotels, and technology brought us a whole new way to go camping. Our writers have been busy checking them all out and sharing insider tips. Speaking of insiders, our new Disney experts gave us the scoop on visiting California's Disneyland with a baby or without. 

Read on for our top travel reviews of family-friendly resorts and beaches, great cities, theme parks, and attractions of 2017. Want more family travel inspiration? Read our top travel spots of 2014 and 2015 or check out our Family Travel Guide. 

Kids love horses; this we know. We can indulge their fascination with a quick round on the ponies at Griffith Park or a stint at horse camp—or we can think outside the box and remember there are more ways to appreciate horses than sitting on one. How about cheering them on as they run? If hanging out at the track is not part of your world, you may not think horse racing sounds like a family activity, but guess what? It absolutely can be. Not only that, it can be totally free.

As we close out the year, we're looking back at all the wonderful new cool kid attractions we gained in New York City in 2017. There was massive new development in the Midtown area, with two big family destinations added to Times Square, Gulliver's Gate and National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odysessy, and a completely revamped American Girl store at Rockefeller Center.

We gained new Broadway shows, including SpongeBob SquarePants and Anastasia, and even a new museum downtown, Choco-Story New York: The Chocolate Museum and Experience. Outdoor destinations weren't neglected either. The city tripled its number of zip lines with additions on Governors Island and at the Bronx Zoo, and continued to revamp neighborhood playgrounds, bringing new or improved romping spots to a number of favorite parks.

A handful of new play spaces opened in Brooklyn, Queens, and on Roosevelt Island. Read on to catch up on all these exciting new offerings, and Happy New Year to you and your family!

For parents, New Year's Day is a time to focus on the 3 Rs: rest, resolutions, and—finally!— routines, which we can all finally get back to now that holiday "break" has passed. But even for those of us who couldn't be more eager for the rhythms of school and work to start again, it's a treat to take one last day to close out the holiday season and officially welcome winter. Here's what's happening—or simply open—on January 1.

Whether your kid bedazzles like a future Betsey Johnson or just likes to make a mess with paint, glue or glitter, there's an artistic option out there for his or her next birthday party. Yes, I said his. Pottery is obviously gender-neutral, but even some of the others on our list consider the fact that boys have a right-brain, too. Add in the fact that arts & crafts-based parties have built-in party favors, and something to focus that boundless energy on...just add cake and WHA-LAH!! For more fun party ideas check out our Party Guide! Here's some fun in Fairfield County.

New Year's Eve with kids can be a totally different experience. Instead of staying up until midnight, you might be skipping the cocktails to check out a countdown to noon event and early fireworks. Or maybe you're lucky enough to have a sitter and spend NYE with your spouse or significant other! Either way, New Year's Day is the perfect time to relax and get in some extra family time before heading back to work. Check out these great events in the area on New Year's Day for some family fun.

While typically considered a holiday largely for adults, ringing in the new year isn't solely for the 18-and-up age group. In fact, Houston has quite a few festivities lined up for kids and the whole family on New Year's Eve. Whether it's making a special trip down to Kemah Boardwalk to watch fireworks over the water, or heading to the ever-popular Children's Museum of Houston to enjoy a more traditional balloon drop and "Noon" Year's countdown, there's something for everyone on this list of family-friendly New Year's Eve activities. 

Dewberry Farm is an easy favorite when it comes to planning fall activities, and once the holiday season hits it becomes a choose-n-cut Christmas tree chopping destination. However, this year the farm has added another layer of holiday cheer to the festivities: the brand new Trail of Lights and Christmas Village, touting it as a "Christmas Adventure as Big as Texas!" Christmas lights become a bigger and bigger deal each year as our kids get older, and when we had the opportunity to check out the Trail of Lights I knew it was a holiday activity we had to add to our list.

Spoiler: it was a BIG hit... dare I say... (drum roll...) as big as Texas?