Submitted by DebRA on
The months of July and August offer us 62 long, sunny, perfect days to get out, explore, and enjoy the beauty of the East End of Long Island. From picturesque quaint towns on the water and homegrown music to Long Island history, hands-on fun, and the quiet beauty of an unspoiled beach, the East End is THE place to be this summer!
Here are 62 ideas of to help you get your summer on! How many have you done already?
Submitted by Denise on
We've seen some of the great programs that Long Island libraries have to offer, and have highlighted some of Suffolk County's top libraries. Now: Nassau's libraries. While we love our local library in Oyster Bay, this past week, we thought we'd venture beyond our city limits and see what other libraries have to offer. We were quite surprised by the diversity in programming, activities and artwork we found and think you will be too.
Submitted by Karlyn on
The Upper West Side is already jam-packed with wonderful indoor play spots, and now there's a brand-new one for families to try. After months of planning, popular Chelsea play space and kids' classes spot, apple seeds, has opened its second NYC location on West End Avenue between 69th and 70th Streets. My son and I had a blast exploring the members-only apple seeds UWS at a press preview last week.
Submitted by Anna Fader on
While the Macy's fireworks are the envy of many Fourth of July celebrations around the country, small towns across America have something that big cities like New York just can't duplicate—good old fashioned Norman Rockwellian charm. We shared a past Fourth of July with some friends in Kinderhook in New York's Hudson Valley and were smitten by how celebrating America's birthday in a small town brings out the Yankee Doodle in everyone.
Small town celebrations tend to be old fashioned fetes where you'll find parades, ponies, brass bands, games, and, of course, lots of red, white and blue bunting. Kinderhook, NY celebrates July 4th with a picture perfect "People's Parade", but you can find similarly perfectly patriotic celebrations in other small towns too.
In addition to this photo slideshow of July 4th in Kinderhook, check out our round-ups of small towns with charming Fourth of July Celebrations in NJ.
Do you know of a great small town July 4th Celebration? Share it with us in the comments.
Submitted by Brandee Gilmore on
Take it from a summer birthday kid -- just because the weather and water's fine, doesn't mean your birthday will be unforgettable. It can actually seem like you're getting the shaft with friends away on vacation, off at camp, or spending the summer at dad's house. No cupcakes at school, no teacher putting a paper crown on your head announcing exactly where the center of attention is. Parents of summer babies have a tougher job than it seems when it comes to party planning! Here are some fun ideas in Fairfield County. For more party ideas check out our Party Guide!
Submitted by cristin on
Some of the best fun and free events this summer are being held in your own backyard at your local library. Library calendars are jam-packed with both fun and educational programs that cater to a wide variety of kid's interests from animals and outer space to American Girl and LEGOs. We've rounded up five Suffolk County libraries that not only offer wonderful programming to their own patrons but also generously open their doors to neighbors all over the Island for some very special free events. Also check out Great Free Fun at Long Island's Libraries and The Best Long Island Libraries.
Submitted by Erica Hartman on
Looking for summer educational fun in New Jersey or while traveling this summer? There is an app for that! Besides Summer Reading, another way to prevent the “Summer Slide” is educational apps. I try limiting the amount of time my children spend on devices in the summer, but rainy days, killing time in doctor waiting rooms, and long car rides are great opportunities to review core math and language arts skills.
Submitted by Raven Snook on
We've had a really explosive week. Not only did summer break arrive, we also rounded up spectacular fireworks displays— in New York City and beyond. Although Macy's spectacular takes place on the Fourth of July, many towns in New Jersey, Connecticut and Long Island celebrate Independence Day this weekend with their own awesome fireworks shows. If you're out of town over the holiday, don't worry: We've also rounded up free fireworks displays throughout the summer so you can still get a bang for no bucks.
Speaking of no-cost fun, we also posted a list of 100 free things to do this summer so you can have a fun-filled but budget conscious staycation. If you're looking for vacation inspiration, try browsing our Travel site. We just shared a slide show of our trip to Beaches Negril Jamaica, an all-inclusive Caribbean resort.
Here's what else we shared this week on our NYC site.
