If you have a little historian on your hands, plan a visit to Historic Richmond Town on Staten Island, where guests immerse themselves in rich American history in Historic Richmond Town's living history village and historical museum that springs to life with seasonal programs, workshops, and year-round special events.

Read on for details on our visit to this Staten Island gem and learn about more living history day trips nearby. We've got more picks for great local museums in our Guide to Museums, Galleries, and Exhibits in NYC for Kids.

As your child becomes a teen, creative birthday party ideas become more of a challenge. You can't satisfy them with balloons, ice cream, and pizza like in the early years. Bringing in the clowns won’t work, and you can forget about face painting and bouncy houses too! So, how do you engage them and create birthday memories? My teen loves the city for her birthdays; she can walk around the fabulous neighborhoods with her friends after the party. So check out these ideas for teen birthday parties in Boston, and find the right celebration for your not-so-easily-impressed teen.

See out our Top Attractions in Boston: Best Things To See and Do with Kids for more ideas on having fun in the city on their special day. And check out our Birthday Party Guide for Boston Kids for cake recipes, fun ways to connect virtually with loved ones, and much more.

Teens and tweens are in that - interesting, shall we say - stage of life between being a go-with-the-flow kid and an independent adult. Sometimes they love anything and everything you do for them, and other times, they absolutely can't stand the sight of you. Parenting teens and tweens can be hard, but planning their birthday party doesn't have to be, because there are plenty of birthday party places near Houston.

With growing independence, the occasional energy for days, and the ability to safely participate in activities that may be just a bit too extreme for younger children (i.e., go-karts and paintball), teens and tweens are at the perfect age to venture out from indoor play spaces and parties at parks and plan a party at a Houston venue that offers a bit more adventure.

Here is a list of birthday party ideas for teens in Houston. For more Houston-area birthday party ideas for kids of all ages, be sure to check out our Birthday Party Guide for Houston families.

With more than 900 animals, a water park, and carnival rides, Lion Country Safari in Loxahatchee is a must-see attraction for visitors and locals in south Florida. Located 90 minutes north of Miami (30 minutes outside West Palm Beach), Lion Country is the kind of place where a family can spend the entire day and still not see everything this park has to offer. Its drive-through wildlife preserve is one of our favorite drive-through zoo experiences. Visitors can expect to see rhinos, giraffes, and lions up close. And I mean close. Last time my family visited, an ostrich approached our car and started pecking at a parking pass in the window (much to my daughters' delight!)  Even more animals are on display in the park's walk-through zoo. And if you visit on a warm day, which is likely in south Florida, be sure to pack swimsuits; the splash pad and water slides here are some of the best in the area.

Here's more on what to do at Lion Country Safari—and for more ideas on Miami family activities, check out our South Florida and Miami guide.

Teen birthday party ideas in Westchester may seem tougher to come by than the princess- or pirate-themed fiestas that work for the younger set, but there are lots of options, including parties centered on art, games, rock climbing, or–believe it or not–skydiving.

Read on for the full list sure to please your older kid. And if you’re looking for more birthday ideas, check out our Kids' Birthday Party Guide for Westchester Families, which includes info on where to get a great cake.

Long Island has some great beaches and beach communities beyond the ever-popular Hamptons options.

On both coasts of Nassau and western Suffolk counties, many communities boast gorgeous seashores and so much more. Attractions include bustling boardwalks, picture-perfect marinas, tons of shopping options, excellent dining spots, playgrounds and parks, and free outdoor music and events.

Read on for a rundown of a dozen Long Island beach towns not on the East End–plus a quickie guide to Fire Island. These communities are so charming you could check out a different one each week and still have a few left over to visit come fall. For more fun things to do this season, check out our Summer Fun Guide, and be sure to bookmark our frequently-updated Family Activity Calendar.

If you are looking for an exciting family adventure while exploring native wildlife and vegetation, Everglades airboat tours are a MUST! While the Florida Everglades are a few hours from Orlando by car, the gateway to the Everglades is in Central Florida's backyard, and only accessible by airboat rides. Orlando is fortunate to have a variety of airboat tour companies, each specializing in specific airboat experiences to give your family the adventure of a lifetime.

For those who don't know, airboats, also known as fan boats, swamp boats, or plane boats, are powered by motors or engines that move massive propeller. The above-water propeller engine allow these flat-bottom boats to skim shallow waters, ideal for the Florida Everglades and other swamps. The airboat tours are loud, fast, and exciting, plus riders may get to see alligators, turtles, wild hogs, birds, and other native animals.

When it comes to birthday party ideas for teens, NYC kids are a discerning bunch. Luckily for you—and your kid—we've found 15 birthday party ideas for teens at venues new and old, all of which are sure to be a hit with the guest of honor and their (equally judgmental) friends. With party packages this cool, it's a shame you celebrate but once a year.

Find more awesome birthday party ideas for teens in our jam-packed Guide to NYC Birthday Party Places and more picks for any time teen fun in our Tween and Teen Guide.