Apple Picking near Atlanta in 2025: Best Apple Farms and Apple Festivals for Kids

B.J. Reece Orchards is a great place to spend a weekend picking apples with the family. Photo by author

Atlanta apple picking checks every box for an enjoyable fall outing—get close to Mother Nature, let children frolic in an apple farm, take home delicious apples, and enjoy autumn weather. Besides the actual apple picking, many Atlanta apple orchards and apple u-picks feature attractions for families.

Apple picking near Atlanta may include hay rides, petting zoos, and of course, filling one's face with as many apple-related baked goods as possible from the on-site bakery. There are no rotten apples in this bunch of wonderful Atlanta orchards!

Visit Island H2O Water Park with Kids: Experience Waves of Family Fun in Orlando

Candy Stripe Cove offers exciting rides and slides for younger kids at Island H2O Water Park. Photo courtesy Island H2O

Cool off and keep Central Florida kids happy at Island H2O Water Park! This Kissimmee water park is an aquatic adventure full of slides, pools, and family fun. With attractions for all ages, social media-themed rides, and seasonal events like foam parties and tailgate weekends, Island H2O Water Park puts a playful twist on the classic water park experience. Toddlers and little kids will enjoy the gentle water play zones and lazy river; tweens can tackle mid-level slides and the wave pool; and teens and adults will find plenty of thrill rides to keep the adrenaline flowing.

Visit the New Play Street Museum in Gaithersburg, MD with Young Kids

The LEGO DUPLO train table at Play Street Museum Gaithersburg is a huge hit with little ones. Photo by author Catie N.S. Misleh

Play Street Museum has officially opened the doors to its newest DC-area location: The Kentlands in Gaithersburg, Maryland! Play Street Museum offers a fresh twist on children's play spaces where families with young kids can explore and engage with an immersive city-themed museum and educational hands-on exhibits, bringing imagination to life. The new location joins existing ones in Ashburn, VA and Columbia, MD.

Read on to find out all of the fun to expect at Play Street Museum Gaithersburg. Then visit our Guide to Indoor Play Spaces for more indoor fun in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia, from the best kid-friendly arcades to fun bowling alleys.

The Ultimate Parent’s Guide to Southern California’s Best Theme Parks

Get ready for these thrilling family adventures! Photo courtesy of LEGOLAND California

Discover the best theme parks near Los Angeles for a thrilling day with kids! 

LA is not starving for entertainment. Instead, we're the ones creating it. Often, when we think of entertainment, we think of the movie industry, but the LA area also has a giant footprint in the amusement park space. From the legendary Disneyland to Legoland, Southern California is a vacation destination for adrenaline junkies and magic seekers from all over the world.

Whether you are an out-of-towner planning your family vacation in Southern California, or a local parent trying to figure out where the best theme parks for toddlers in SoCal for toddlers in SoCal, we've got all the information you need to make an informed decision on which family theme parks near Los Angeles are best for your family. 

Dive into the best outdoor water parks in Los Angeles for kids and discover more amusement park details in our SoCal Theme and Water Parks Guide

Best FREE Hidden Gems & Secret Spots for Kids in Philly

Magic Gardens. Photo courtesy of Liz Baill, @creativishmom

Stuck in a rut bringing your family to the same old places in Philadelphia? Step off the beaten path and discover Philly’s best-kept (and completely free) secrets. From quirky museums to unique non-touristy attractions to awe-inspiring nature spaces, we’ve compiled our favorite free family-friendly spots in Philly that you (probably) didn’t know existed. Avoid crowds — and admission fees! — with these kid-approved hidden gems that reveal the history, culture, and wonder of Philadelphia.

Looking for more free fun? We've got you covered with our Free Activities Guide.

Unleash the Fun on These Jaw-Dropping Zip Lines and Ropes Courses in New Jersey

Explore the Mountain Creek zip line course in Vernon.

Buckle up for a soaring ride on a zip line through the treetops in New Jersey, or gear up for an outdoor adventure at one of our exhilarating obstacle courses. Swaying bridges, wobbly balance logs, cargo nets, high wires, and rope ladders are among the features at these sky-high ropes courses, along with tree climbers and platforms built right into tree trunks.

Many treetop courses are best for older kids and teens, but some also offer tyke courses closer to the ground.

We've rounded up some of the coolest zip lines and ropes courses in New Jersey, plus a few in Pennsylvania, and added a couple options just over the border in New York, including one year-round pick.

Check out our New Jersey Amusement Parks and Water Parks Guide for more thrills, which includes our rundown of the state's best amusement parks

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