November brings plenty of things to do in Orlando, as we gear up for holiday events from Veterans Day to Thanksgiving and full steam ahead to Christmas. Don’t miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in Orlando this month!

We are so excited to kick off the holiday season this November with amazing light displays at Leu Gardens' Dazzling Lights, Asian Lantern Festival, and Magic of Lights Daytona. Festive celebrations will also light up the theme parks, including SeaWorld Orlando's Christmas Celebration, Holidays at Universal Orlando Resort, Disney Jollywood Nights, and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Plus, families can continue enjoying the best of fall with fantastic fall festivals, such as Lake Eola's Fall Fiesta in the Park, Oviedo's Great Day in the Country, and Orlando's Fusion Fest.

We’re adding more events to our family activity calendar every day, so don’t forget to check it frequently. Get our picks for every weekend in your inbox—sign up for our newsletters!

November brings loads of things to do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley as the area gears up for holidays from Veterans Day to Thanksgiving—and then it's full steam ahead to the holiday season!

November kicks off the season of holiday celebrations with the opening of Christmas exhibitions and light shows, including Holiday Lane at American Christmas, the Westchester Winter Wonderland Drive-Thru, and the return of the Polar Express-themed train ride through the Catskills.

Other kid favorites this season include holiday train shows such as the Holidays on the Hill Train Show at Lasdon Park & Arboretum. 

November brings loads of things to do in the Garden State as New Jersey gears up for holidays that include Veterans Day and Thanksgiving—and then it's full steam ahead to the holiday season!

If you're hoping for a mellow month following Halloween's sugar high, that's just not going to happen! Holiday performances take the stage this busy month, like Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical and A Charlie Brown Christmas: Live on Stage. Plus, holiday lights illuminate the season at favorite holiday light shows like the PNC Arts Center Magic of Lights, Orchard of Lights at Demarest Farms, and the new 2024 LuminoCity Holiday Lights Festival: Wonder Journey

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

November brings plenty of things to do in NYC as we gear up for holidays from Veterans Day to Thanksgiving and full steam ahead to Christmas. Don’t miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in NYC this month.

November ushers in the holiday season in NYC and now's the time to book tickets to our most anticipated holiday events. We're counting down the days to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Balloon Inflation and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade at the month's end. But, there's plenty of fun for city kids before those giant balloons take flight.

Families can check out the annual Canstruction exhibition at Brookfield Place or run away to the Big Apple Circus. Sparkling holiday light shows brighten the evening sky, including the brand-new Tianyu Lights Festival at Citi Field.

These are just a few of our favorite things to do in New York City this November—we're adding more events to the New York City Family Event Calendar every day.

November brings plenty of things to do in Los Angeles as we gear up for holidays from Veterans Day to Thanksgiving and full steam ahead to Christmas. Don’t miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in Los Angeles this month. 

It's a good thing that November starts with an extra hour of sleep. With our LA calendar jam-packed with fun things to do, that extra hour will be much very much needed. Step into a favorite childhood toy at the immersive Lite-Brite Worlds of Wonder in Santa Monica. The Natural History Museum's new wing opens with a day-long celebration. You'll find NHM Commons at the intersection of science, nature, and culture, with new outside and inside spaces, free experiences, and a green-boned dinosaur named Gnatalie. And the countdown to the holidays begins with tree lightings, holiday trains, and twinkling lights! 

For more fun things to do in Los Angeles this November, see what's open in LA on Thanksgiving, start planning those holiday outings with the best holiday activities and Christmas events for kids, and prepare for more than just a turkey with our Thanksgiving Activities Guide for Families. 

'Tis the season for Polar Express train rides in San Francisco! Here in Northern California, it's not a secret that we have an impressive amount of kid-friendly train rides. Whether you're looking for steam trains with history or smaller trains for tiny tots with their eyes all aglow, the Bay Area has Polar Express train rides aplenty. 

Festive train rides bring the Polar Express story to life, little ones can give their Christmas lists to Santa, and the holiday decor and train cars dressed up in lights will help enhance the magic of the holiday season. Some Polar Express train rides on this list go beyond the Bay Area and extend to the northeast (we're looking at you, Sacramento). Keep reading below for the best Polar Express train rides near San Francisco, and book them early, as they sell out quickly! 

Have a holly jolly holiday with the top holiday and Christmas activities in San Francisco, find more festive fun on the best day trips from San Francisco, and celebrate the most magical time of the year with the help of our Christmas Activities and Holiday Guide for San Francisco Bay Area Kids.