With a new school year starting in just a couple of weeks, we decided to ease our kids back into the learning game with a fun and informative trip to the San Jacinto Battleground. Filled to the brim with Texas history, this state historic site is home to the iconic San Jacinto Monument and museum, the USS Texas Battleship, and tons of green space to explore with historical markers and informative plaques. It's often challenging to find a family activity that all four of our kids (ages 3, 5, 8 and 11) will enjoy, but we were pleasantly surprised by how much there was to see and do at the battleground. 

The malls of Los Angeles want you to visit, and they’re willing to do you a favor or two to get you there—including free workout classes. It may seem counterintuitive to head to the mall in search of free stuff, but, in the spirit of reeling us in, many malls offer kid-friendly, free workouts for moms. In other words, the mall is one of very few places where you can exercise without dropping a wad of cash. I can’t promise that you won’t end up splurging on lunch or a new pair of skinny jeans (that’s the whole point of the free workout, isn’t it?), but the sweat sessions listed below are free to anyone with an iron will.

Pregnant New Yorkers often seek out their OB or midwife based a few key factors, including where that doctor delivers babies. You might sort through hospital c-section rates, get recommendations from your local mom group, and check various doctor reviews and ratings before narrowing down your list. But if you're looking for birthing center, the choices in NYC are more limited, though a small handful of venues do exist in both Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Birthing centers provide a more home-like environment, where moms-to-be are given the encouragement to labor in their own way, free from medical intervention. There is often a tub available as water is known to ease labor pains, full-size beds, and more perks to make mom more comfortable. It can be a great option for those not ready for a home birth, nor interested in a traditional hospital childbirth. Just know that birthing centers don’t offer epidurals, so you'll need to come to terms with that idea early on.

We’ve rounded up the birthing centers currently serving New York City, including both freestanding and in-hospital centers.

Although not a new playground location, Clifton H. Lee Memorial Park, or Rocketship Park, in Port Jefferson is brand new. Opened to the public in late June, this playground has undergone a $900,000 renovation nearly two years in the making. It was worth the wait with many fun features for toddlers to big kids. So get ready to blast off to Rocketship Park with our playground review.

Long Island has so many playgrounds to enjoy. Check out our list of the beach playgrounds, and toddler playgrounds. And take advantage of what’s left of summer with our Summer Fun Guide.

For more fun things to do in Port Jefferson, check out our day trip guide to this kid-friendly North Shore community. 

In New York City, there are playgrounds—the kind you can step out the front door and find in your local neighborhood—and then there are playgrounds—these go beyond the basic jungle gym and include things like super-sized climbing structures, expansive sandboxes, or fancy water features. But, get this: Nelson A. Rockefeller Park has all that and some extra special features that make it truly destination worthy in my family's book.

Located in Battery Park City this playground provides enough entertainment for your whole family to while a day away, no matter your ages. Find more great playgrounds in our NYC Parks & Playgrounds Guide.

With more than 400 community gardens, 80+ neighborhood parks, and acres of national park land, Philadelphia is positively booming with green space and touches of nature. You don't have to walk far to escape from the city sights and sounds and feel like you are in an urban oasis, but there are several parks and spaces that stand out as spots to hit if you are craving a more down-to-earth vibe. You can kayak, hike, fish, picnic, and swim in freshwater pools, all within the city limits.

Check out our list of parks and playgrounds for even more green spaces to explore.

Updating for 2018.

There are two types of Halloween Train rides: those that are cute and take you on a scenic tour to a fun pumpkin patch and those that are spooky. Depending on the age of your children (and your "scary" tolerance) you will probably be choosing one or the other. We've rounded up some great Halloween Train Rides of both varieties here... and you can also check out our CT Halloween and Fall Fun Guide, which is filled with great information, activities and events throughout the season. 

From trying on a real space suit, to jumping into a the cockpit of a full-size helicopter, to touching a shark, Fairfield County offers some top-notch museums when it comes to science, nature, and machines. Featuring authentic and original equipment, imaginative and creative displays of abstract scientific concepts, and a variety of hands-on, interactive engagement, kids are sure to love exploring these Fairfield County museums. And so will their grownups!

Looking for more STEM fun? Consult our Event Calendar and sign up for our newsletters. And we've also rounded up Science Museums in the Hartford area.