We continue our month-long focus on Washington Heights and Inwood with a look at our favorite places to eat with kids in the area. While both neighborhoods are known for their hundreds of acres of parkland and fun things to do with kids, neither is considered a culinary hot spot. But there are some delicious kid-friendly restaurants if you know where to look, and many are owned and operated by local families. From a new soda fountain serving up retro treats, to a 24-hour Dominican mainstay to fine-dining with incredible views in Fort Tryon Park, here are a dozen family-friendly restaurants in Washington Heights and Inwood.

When drug stores and supermarkets start selling sweets right at the checkout counter, an honored American tradition starts to die - the local candy shop. Luckily, the geographical pockets of the Hamptons that cling to nostalgia still boast small, independently owned stores. Jars of colorful penny candy and homemade fudge are available. Nothing says summer like a little bag of sweets after dinner. Here are our picks for the best candy shops in the Hamptons and North Fork to satisfy every sweet tooth.

#subaruforester
In the 90s my father was in a fender bender on the Henry Hudson Highway. His little car was totalled, but the SUV that rear ended him was completely fine. My dad wanted to be the SUV guy next time, so he went and got a Subaru Forester. We loved our boxy Forester and when it died my stepmother got another one that was exactly the same. So, when I was offered a brand new 2014 Subaru to test drive, I was thrilled to check out the complete makeover of our beloved Foresters. Would I love it even more or would the new fangled Subaru Forester not live up to my loving memories?

This weekend has lots of fun in store with music and cultural festivals, a pop concert, family science fun and Legos! Peekskill hosts their annual Jazz & Blues Festival this weekend and Legoland Discovery Center's Lego Legends of Chima event is going on all weekend. On Saturday, Gate Hill Day Camp opens its doors to give you a taste of their camp experience and Rye Playland continues their concert series with pop band R5. On Sunday, Hudson River Museum hosts their Family Sunday series with Spin, Pop...Boom! science demonstration and the annual Jewish Heritage Festival is happening at Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla.

If you see an event that piques your interest, be sure to click through to our calendar of events for all the details. And remember, our event calendar has info on lots more happening this weekend.

The big news this week (besides the fact that we no longer feel like we're melting) is the announcement of our new series of Mommy Poppins Family Cruises—and we have you to thank for it! Back in June, we hosted an outing in New York Harbor on Manhattan by Sail's Clipper City Tall Ship. Tickets sold out quickly and many readers were disappointed they got shut out. That inspired us to organize four additional fun-filled family cruises, each with a unique theme and enriching kids' activities. Check our post for more info and if a sail piques your interest, book your tickets so you don't miss out this time around.

Summer fun continues to be our primary focus on all of our sites. In NYC, we rounded up restaurants with backyards where kids can play. New Jersey's got a list of natural swimming holes and a post about this weekend's awesome-sounding hot-air balloon festival (both things you can't find in NYC). Our Boston site has a parent review of DreamWorks' new animated flick Turbo, and if you're off to the Hamptons, our Long Island site has lots of great weekend event picks as well as the best places to catch family theater in the area.

Since the big vacation month of August is coming up, be sure to check our Travel site for inspiration. We just posted about the fabulous Fairmont Southhampton family resort in Bermuda. If you can't get there for summer break, there's always the holidays.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

This week we celebrate the birth of a great son of England. His arrival was most definitely magical, and celebrated across the wizarding world. Harry Potter is one year older, and the folks at Whimsic Alley are throwing him a shindig befitting a prince.

But perhaps you were thinking of another Brit who’s been getting a lot of attention: the Bard of Avon is as fresh as ever 449 years after his birth. The renowned wordsmith has productions going all around town: you can see free Shakespeare in Griffith Park or A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the VA’s Japanese Gardens, there’s even a superhero version of Twelfth Night coming up in Culver City.

But of course I jest. The big news across the pond is the birth of HRH George Alexander Louis, the 8 pound, 6 ounce bundle of royalty. Congrats to the happy family, and welcome to the parenting club. If you ever make it out this way, be sure to check out our events calendar for the inside scoop on what to see and do with your little one in La La Land. (But for now, just try to get some sleep!)

Keep reading for some of our favorite picks for this weekend...

There are plenty of fun and free things for families to do in and around Boston during this, the last weekend in July. Circus Smirkus comes to Gore Place in Waltham, and Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys, the Airborne Comedians, and Ben Rudnick & Friends perform at the Summer Arts Festival on Copley Plaza. Newburyport’s Yankee Homecoming Festival kicks off with Old Fashioned Sunday, and Figment Boston brings large-scale art making to the Rose Kennedy Greenway.

For more outdoor fun, why not get the family together for a round or two of mini golf. Family movie night? Read Tara’s review of Turbo and find out if it’s right for your kids. And if you’re headed to the Cape and find yourself facing a rainy day, we’ve found some places to explore that you may have otherwise overlooked.

Our best bets for the weekend are below. You can find additional things to do in our Events Calendar. And follow us on Twitter or Facebook for more updates and information.