Restaurants Open on Christmas Day in Houston

The Black Bear Diner in Houston offers Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. Photo courtesy of the restaurant

Many great restaurants are open on Christmas in Houston, so why not de-stress and leave the cooking to others? The restaurants we've rounded up below offer both dine-in and take-out options; be sure to check ahead to confirm hours and reservation policies.

While you're here, be sure to check our Holiday Fun Guide for Houston Families, which has been updated with plenty of yuletide fun.

Restaurants Open on Christmas Day in Los Angeles

Steaks, seafood, and ocean views—what could be better? Photo courtesy of the Chart House  Restaurant

Sometimes, the best Christmas presents are restaurants open on Christmas Day. Leave the oven turned off and create a new Christmas tradition by dining in or taking out at one of the many highly regarded and scrumptious establishments in Los Angeles.

Sit back in holiday splendor and spend more quality time with your family while you leave your Christmas dinner to the professionals in the kitchen. Extra spare time might even appear on the Christmas clock since you won't need to prepare your mise en place, so embark on an exciting adventure after opening gifts from Santa and explore LA's fun things to do on Christmas Day

From the best holiday lights in Los Angeles to free LA holiday and Christmas events, we've got loads of other ideas for yuletide fun this holiday season in our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events for Los Angeles Families.  

Christmas in New York: Ultimate 3-Day Itinerary for a Magical Holiday with Kids

During Christmas in NYC, Midtown Manhattan is chock-full of glittery eye candy. Photo by Ally Noel

Christmas in NYC is the most magical time of the year. It's no accident the Big Apple takes the top spot on our list of the best Christmas towns and Santa Villages in the US. During the holidays, New York City absolutely sparkles.

Whether you're a lifelong New Yorker, you live nearby and are planning a holiday day trip, or you're coming from afar to cross a few items off our NYC holiday bucket list, read on for all the best things to do during Christmas in NYC. We've pulled our can't-miss Christmas and holiday must-do's into a holiday magic-filled three-day itinerary, and if this tinsel and cheer-filled plan leaves you craving more Christmas in NYC, be sure to check out our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events in NYC for Families.

Best Snow Tubing in Connecticut for Families

Get those snow pants ready for the best snow tubing in Connecticut for families! Photo by Ally Noel for Mommy Poppins

The best snow tubing in Connecticut is zooming your way for the winter! When you live in New England, the fun begins once the snow starts falling. New Englanders love flying fast down snowy slopes on skis, boards, and (especially) tubes. These snow tubing parks in Connecticut (and spots to go snow tubing near Connecticut) have it all. Kids and adventurous parents can fly down a well-groomed trail in a soft-sided inner tube. Most locations offer a generous time-slot, and reservations are encouraged. Make sure to confirm the age and height requirements for each location before heading out. Then bundle up and hit the best snow tubing spots around Connecticut!

For other ways to enjoy the snow, check out our list of 25 Winter Activities with Kids or our list of Best Snowshoeing and Cross Country Skiing Spots in Connecticut.Our Connecticut Winter Fun Guide can always be relied on to get kids off their devices and families out in the fresh winter air.

Best Snow Tubing Near Boston for Families

Get out for wild winter fun with the best snow tubing near Boston for families! Photo courtesy of Gunstock Mountain Resort

Easier than skiing and more thrilling than sledding, the best snow tubing is a wicked big deal here in Massachusetts! Snow tubing provide a low-stress, relatively low-cost family day set at a giggle-inducing pace. It also helps you earn major points with the kiddos. For the best snow tubing near Boston, kids (and adventurous parents) have their choice of several well-groomed trails to launch down on a soft-sided inner-tube. Go a little further and be rewarded with lengthy runs and breathtaking views. All of these tubing parks are located within 3 hours of Boston, and many are also open on winter holidays!

For other ways to hit the slopes, check out our favorite Boston-area sledding hills, a roundup of New England ski resorts that cater to families, and list of more ski resorts in the Northeast. Also, our Boston Winter Fun Guide can always be relied on to get kids off their devices and out in the fresh winter air.

Best Snow Tubing near New Jersey for Families

Snow tubers hurtle from top to bottom at exhilarating speeds at Shawnee Mountain Ski Area.

When it comes to winter activities, snow tubing is one of our favorites, and New Jersey has several great slopes to choose from. 

No experience or equipment is necessary, and you can go snow tubing alone or in groups. Snow tubing is a lot like sledding, but easier. You can barrel down the snowy slopes at thrilling speeds without having to hike back up the hill.

Read on for a list of local ski resorts that offer snow tubing in New Jersey and in nearby Pennsylvania and New York. Most slopes are open from roughly mid-December through mid-March.

Find lots more active winter fun in our Skiing, Snowboarding, and Snow Sports Guide

Best Snow Tubing near NYC for Families

Hunter Mountain’s snow tubing hill is nearly 1,000 feet long.

When there's no snow to be found in NYC, or your favorite neighborhood sledding hills are worn down to dirt, you still can find perfect slopes for snow tubing near NYC. So bundle up the kids and hop in the car for a short drive because snow tubing is one of those fun winter activities that, unlike skiing, requires no skill or gear. Everything you need—a tube, a hill, and snow—is provided by the parks. Just dress warmly, and you're good to go.

Here are 10 ski resorts in upstate New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania that offer snow tubing. Most are less than a 2-hour drive from Midtown Manhattan. They typically open in late December or early January, depending on the temperature, so be sure to click through to the listing to read about the day's conditions. If you're looking for more than a day trip, we've found 15 destination-worthy ski resorts for your next vacation and have plenty more spots to seek out fresh powder in our Skiing, Snowboarding, and Snow Sports Guide.

Best Snow Tubing near Los Angeles for Families

Some of the tube lanes at Mt. Baldy are as long as 150 feet! Photo courtesy of Mt. Baldy Snow Play Park

Snow tubing near Los Angeles? Why not! Living near the beach doesn't mean sand sledding is our only winter sport. A short drive up into the mountains allows our SoCal kids the magical mixture of snow, cold air, velocity, and hot cocoa that makes sledding and snow tubing near Los Angeles endlessly enticing. Skiing is great, but there's nothing quite like good, old-fashioned sledding and snow tubing.

Now, if you've got a kiddo like mine who gets nervous and a little motion-sick on the steep hills, you might prefer our roundup of places where you can find snow near Los Angeles for some (stationary) snowball fights and snowman-building. Plus, find skiing day trips near Los Angeles, and more winter adventures in our Winter Activities Guide for Los Angeles Kids

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