Ever since my son could read, he's been a history buff. Our family tree is filled with brave men who have served our country, so military history has always been a subject close to his heart. We've loved exploring the city's National Parks and Monuments and learning about the storied military past of Governors Island together, but nothing has sparked his curiosity or inspired as many return visits as the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

A decommissioned Essex-class air craft carrier, the Intrepid is a floating museum docked in the Hudson River at Pier 86. It was commissioned in 1943 and served a varied history spanning from WWII to the space age. During WWII, it survived a torpedo strike and five kamikaze attacks. Later it was used in the Cold War, as a NASA recovery vessel in the 1960s and as a "special attack carrier" in Vietnam. Decommissioned in 1974, the Intrepid was saved from the scrapyard and converted into a museum in the early 80s. It was remodeled between 2006-08 and returned to Pier 86 as the museum we know today.

With that bit of history under your belt, read on for 10 reasons we love to visit the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

Looking for an easy family road trip around the tristate area? Scranton, Pennsylvania, might be your solution. It's less than three hours from the New York City area and Philadelphia and is filled with classic family vacation fun.

It’s easy to add a stop in the Electric City if you’re planning a trip to the Poconos with the kids or a stay in one of its many family-friendly resorts. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by all that Scranton has to offer.

Though most people associate the city with the TV show The Office, this area boasts lots of year-round fun: skiing and tubing in winter, minor league baseball in spring, water slides in summer, hiking in fall—and plenty of unique cuisine.

When my daughter was in fourth grade, she was struggling socially and academically—but I noticed that any free time she had was used typing away on the computer. Eventually, I took a peek into her writing folder. There were several compelling short stories and poems, way better than the writing assignments she was turning in for school. With the hope that positive affirmation from a source outside of school would inspire her, I sought out kid-focused writing initiatives that might encourage her to develop her budding skills.

As children get older and their interests and personalities develop, special opportunities and internships can foster their passions and develop their strengths. If you have budding artist, writer, or future game designer in your home, take note of these contests and opportunities from the likes of Scholastic and Time to help kids, tweens, and teens explore and showcase their creative work, while boosting their skills and confidence—including two amazing opportunities with deadlines that are right around the corner! 

Where can animal-obsessed kiddos improve their cat selfie skills, help pups perfect fetch and roll over, and interact with adorable adoptable pets every day? On its mission to strengthen the bond between people and pets, LA's new Annenberg PetSpace is hosting a series of week-long summer camps (for kids ages 9 to 12) that are filled with demonstrations, crafts, educational games, and of course loads of animal encounters.

For more than 60 years, Land of Make Believe in Hope, NJ, has entertained and amused families and kids of all ages. Designed as an amusement park where kids and adults can have fun together, there’s literally something for everyone. And the best part is that it’s affordable. The Pay-One-Price policy covers both the amusement park rides and water park, giving you the convenience to move from attraction to attraction without the hassle of endlessly having to reach into your pocket. Parking is also free, and you can even bring your own food and drinks to picnic right inside the park.

Perhaps you visited Land of Make Believe when you were a kid. I know I did. That’s why I was eager to talk a walk down memory lane and introduce my 5-year-old daughter to the thrills and adventures of my own youth. While I found that a lot has changed since then, the essence of this charming amusement park remains.

Read on to experience a bit of this magical-sounding amusement park for yourself.

We’re sure you’ve heard about the cool factor of Bushwick, home to an abundant artistic community and boldly graffitied streets, but the latest hipster neighborhood, bordering Williamsburg, Bed-Stuy, and Ridgewood, actually offers loads of family fun. The once-abandoned warehouses have been transformed into artist studios, galleries, and pizza spots, making the vibrant streets feel like one big adventure.

The rapidly-changing, post-industrial neighborhood of Bushwick offers numerous parks, playgrounds, destination restaurants, and cultural experiences. Plus, it's easily accessible by subway from the L, J, M or Z trains, so even if you don't call Bushwick home, you can still experience this colorful and cool destination. Here are some of our favorite things to do in Bushwick with kids.

Good news for families in and around Westchester: The Westchester Children's Museum has broken ground on a much-anticipated expansion to its already popular space.

Phase 1—now called the Hoch Laager Boardwalk Galleries and spanning approximately 6,500 square feet—opened in 2016 with interactive exhibits, play spaces, and a book nook where children can explore, play, and create. The current capital improvement and renovation project will transform the remainder of its 22,000-square-foot space into a haven for learning and creating.