In the midst of New Jersey's Union County's busy highways lies a grassy, spacious retreat known as Echo Lake Park. The sprawling park offers an escape from the bustling surrounding towns and truly provides something for everyone, even the family pet.

At the heart of the park is the scenic Echo Lake, home to activities such as boating, fishing, and ice skating, as well as several peaceful walking paths. Surrounding the lake are green hills, ball fields, playgrounds, a dog park, and a snack bar. Echo Lake hosts a variety of seasonal activities, from sledding to Halloween fun to summer concerts. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing getaway or a day of activity, you can get the best of both worlds here.

This weekend is all about you, Westchester and Hudson Valley moms! We know how hard you work, how many balls you juggle, how many diapers you’ve changed, and we want to help you savor the moment when your family puts on their best manners and honors the lady who holds it all together. The tried-and-true Mother’s Day brunch is a popular way to celebrate, but we've also rounded up 35 ways to spend Mother’s Day that don’t involve a restaurant reservation. 

For live entertainment, kick up your heels with Laurie Berkner, or wag your tail with The Stunt Dog Experience. Looking for free events? More performances await at the 10th Anniversary of the Science Barge, where there will also be games, kites, giant puppets, robotics, and more; the White Plains Comic Fest will offer workshops, crafting, special appearances, and other comic-y attractions; and the Albany Tulip Festival will showcase more than just loads of beautiful blooms, but also Dutch traditions and festival-type fun. There are also carnival rides at the Hudson Valley Fair and at the season-opener of Rye Playland!

Looking for more ideas? Read on for all our top picks, head to our Event Calendar for additional options, and plan the rest of the month with our May GoList. For more seasonal activities, be sure to check out our Spring Activity Guide. Then, after polishing off your breakfast in bed, get out and enjoy all the fun ways you can spend this special weekend with your family.

From all the parents at Mommy Poppins: Have a very happy Mother’s Day—we know you deserve it!

Hurray for Hollywood! It all happens here, baby. For better or for worse, our LA kids are growing up in the thrum of movie shoots, celebrity buzz, and giant billboards. If your child's mom or dad isn't in The Industry, her aunt, neighbor, or friend's father most likely is. Ever get stuck in traffic, or have to slow to a crawl because a caravan of white Craft Services trucks is lining two blocks of your commute? Yep, they're everywhere. Well, we say if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. This summer, if you haven't yet found the perfect camp from our Summer & Vacation Camps Guide, consider a movie making or animation camp. If any city has them, LA has more. That's a wrap.

Note that summer camp information for the 2020 season is changing daily. Please click the links to the individual camps below to see which ones are offering programs this year.

Outdoor food markets and indoor food halls seem to be popping up everywhere in NYC, but the Queens International Night Market is different from others. Fashioned after night markets in Asia, it focuses on the incredible diversity of global flavors that have been making Queens famous as one of the best places to eat in the world.

I’m surprised how many people don’t know about this foodie market. It’s one of my favorite things! The event is family-friendly and even pet-friendly. There’s live entertainment, games, and food stalls representing 80 different countries. Best of all? It's inexpensive. It truly is like traveling the world in one night, although it’d be hard to taste everything in one evening.

Read on for details on the 2018 lineup for this seasonal Flushing Meadows Corona Park food festival.

Pasadena is home to one of the world's most famous outdoor markets—a destination both tempting and daunting to bargain hungry parents. But guess what: a Sunday morning at the Rose Bowl Flea Market doesn’t have to mean dragging bored, sweaty, whining kids around rows and rows of breakables. A treasure-hunting expedition can be fun for the whole family! Picking through this renowned Pasadena flea is my absolute favorite thing to do, and, while I sometimes go solo so I can focus on finding great vintage decor and clothes, my toddlers and husband enjoy coming along, too. It just takes a little bit of refocusing to make this LA must-do locale a family-friendly day out.

Hear ye, hear ye! After much anticipation, the Legoland Castle Hotel has opened to young knights, princesses, and wizards of all sizes at the Legoland California Resort. Families now have two choices for staying overnight when visiting the brickiest of theme parks. We attended the opening ceremony for the new hotel and were royally impressed. 

With all the crazy thrill rides found in theme parks these days, there’s something simply magical about taking a spin on an old-fashioned carousel. Often one of the first rides a child gets to experience, carousels have a special way of making even the most timid tiny ones crack a smile, and they’re a treat for all ages. New Jersey is home to both traditional and turned-up-a-notch carousels, and you don’t have to trek far to find one. Hop on a carousel at one of the area malls for a year-round shopping distraction, go for a spin in a park or zoo, or catch views of the Atlantic from a Jersey shore carousel on the Boardwalk.

We’ve rounded up 15 of the best and most unique carousels in and around NJ, so pack up your little ponies and give them a whirl.