Best Travel of 2023: Our Favorite Cities, Beaches, Hotels, and More for a Family Vacation

Head overseas to breathtaking Seoul, South Korea and make a stop at the Coex Aquarium. Photo by Diana Kim

Here at Mommy Poppins we've definitely got the travel bug, and we love to share our favorite family travel destinations with all of our readers. Luckily, we went to some pretty awesome places in 2023. We soaked up the sun on beaches from Florida to Belize; explored amazing US cities in the South, Midwest, and West; caught thrills at some great theme parks and water parks; and even went abroad to Seoul, South Korea and Oslo, Norway.

We shared some less-conventional types of travel, too. Outdoorsy families will love our lists of the best US glamping spots, family-friendly river rafting trips, and even some fabulous kid-friendly wineries in Napa, Sonoma, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Here are our favorite family vacation destinations of 2023, including some great hotel and resort suggestions. Check out our Family Travel Guide for even more great places to visit with your family—we've got big plans in store for 2024!

Fun Free Activities for Kids in January 2024: Free Things To Do in CT with Kids

The top things to do in CT this January are free, so get out and enjoy the winter! Photo by Andy Hart, courtesy of Winterfest in Hartford.

Free things to do in January are perfect for Connecticut families after a busy (and probably expensive!) holiday season. There's plenty of time left to see the Holiday Lights Spectacular at Olde Mystic Village and the Festival of Silver Lights at Hubbard Park in Meriden. But if you are ready to move on to New Year's fun, try a First Day Hike at Fort Griswold. Winnie the Pooh fans will the Hunny Pot Glitter Slime Workshop. And January 2024 brings plenty of chances for Bald Eagle Viewing at Shepaug Dam.  

These are just a few of our favorite things to do in Connecticut this January—we're adding more events to the Connecticut Events Calendar every day.

Fun Free Activities for Kids in January 2024: Free Things To Do in Boston with Kids

The best things to do in Boston with kids in January 2024 are fun and free! Play outside photo courtesy of the Massachusetts Office of Tourism.

Free things to do in Boston this January will give your wallet a rest after a long December. Suit up in hats, scarves, and long underwear for First Day Hikes Cape Cod or a Free Entrance Day in the Naional Parks with the family. Plus, you can check out a Family Dance Party or pop over to the Boston Library in Charlestown for the free Evan Haller: Music Performance for Kids.

These are just a few of our favorite things to do in Boston this January—We’re adding more events to our Boston Events Calendar every day.

25 Best Things To Do in NYC January 2024 with Kids

The Three Kings Day Parade takes over the streets of East Harlem on Friday, January 5. Photo by Mommy Poppins

From New Year's Day to MLK weekend, January can be a great time for indoor and outdoor activities. Don't miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in New York City this month.

Our January forecast of fun lights up the winter gloom. Start the new year by watching Coney Island Polar Bear Club members plunge into the freezing Atlantic, catch up with the Three Kings as they hand out gifts on the Lower East Side, and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at BAM's always-moving tribute. The Thunderbird Dance Concert returns to the Theater for the New City, and you can close down the first month of 2024 with FIAF's brilliant annual Animation First Film Fest.

We’re adding more events to our Family Activity Calendar every day, so don’t forget to check it frequently.

Best Things To Do in New Jersey January 2024 with Kids

Disney stars bring their latest magical ice adventure Find Your Heroes to Prudential Center. Photo courtesy of Disney

From New Year's Day to MLK weekend, January can be a great time for indoor and outdoor activities. Don’t miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in New Jersey this month.

A brand new year brings a brand new roster of warm and cozy post-holiday fun. Escape the cold and treat the family to live entertainment with performances of Disney on Ice: Find Your Hero and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood Live: King for a Day. Or, layer up and brave the outdoors for maple sugaring demonstrations or the Mount Holly Fire and Ice Festival.

Best Fun Free Things To Do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley with Kids January 2024

Visit the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum after hours to explore its Family Free Nights. Photo courtesy of the museum

Looking for FREE things to do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley this January? Read on for dozens of great options.

As spectacular as the holidays are in Westchester and the Hudson Valley, all of the celebrations can take a toll on the family budget. So we've rounded up tons of free activities in January, ranging from live animal programs at the Pound Ridge Library to toddler-friendly nature treks at the Sheldrake Environmental Center, and even a free magic show at the FASNY Museum of Firefighting. January is also the start of the maple-sugaring season in the area, and you can kick it off with a Muscoot Farm backyard sugaring workshop.

Fun, Free Activities for Kids in January 2024: 14 Free Things To Do in Atlanta with Kids

Braves fans hit The Battery to celebrate their 6-time National League East Champions. Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Braves

Coming off the holiday season, Atlanta parents truly appreciate free things to do in January. After all, creating holiday magic isn't cheap and our bank accounts could use a month to catch up. Luckily, we've found free events and activities in Atlanta throughout the month of January—from MLK Day celebrations to Braves Fest at the end of the month and free storytimes in between. 

Besides our list of fun, free events in January 2024, we also have an entire guide dedicated to saving money and having fun: Free Things to Do in Atlanta with Kids. This Atlanta catalog has the best scoop on Free Museum Days in AtlantaFree Things to Do on Cold and Rainy Days, and much more! Happy savings for the New Year!

Fun, Free Activities for Kids in January 2024: 25 Free Things To Do in Orlando with Kids

Visit Disney Springs for a special Kids Club event each Saturday in January, featuring interactive family fun. Photo courtesy of Disney

From New Year's Day to MLK weekend and beyond, January is packed with free activities for Orlando kids. Don’t miss our favorite FREE things to do in Orlando with kids this month!

Our wallets are in need of a breather for January after the great spending sprees of December. Here are fun, FREE events in Orlando this January to enjoy memorable experiences without straining your budget. These awesome, free activities in January 2024 include Three Kings Day in Osceola, Cops 'N Cars for Kids in Oviedo, Get Hook'd on Lake Monroe in Sanford, and more. MLK parades and events are taking place in Downtown Orlando, Kissimmee, Eatonville, Winter ParkOcoee, and Winter Garden. And that's just the beginning!

These are just some of our favorite free things in January for Orlando kids—we're adding more events to our Orlando Events Calendar every day.

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