Ally Noel

Latest posts by Ally

Spring Festivals and Fairs in Connecticut Families: Flowers, Baby Animals and More!

Submitted by Ally Noel on Sun, 03/17/2024 - 2:49pm

Spring festivals and fairs in Connecticut are here, with flowers, baby animals, and more! Baby Goat Snuggle Sessions, photo courtesy of Syman Says Farm

Bring on the sunshine all over Connecticut! Is your family as ready as mine to get outside and enjoy Spring? Enjoy blooming flowers at Daffodil Day at the Denison Homestead Museum or Annual Wooster Square Cherry Blossom Festival. Get your fill of cute, baby animals at a Baby Goat Snuggle Sessions at Syman Says Farm or enjoy special daily events at Spring Break & Earth Week at Dinosaur Place. In May, mark you calendar for the Daffodil Festival in Meriden and 28th Annual Frog Frolic Family Festival in Redding.

And don't forget, there are lots of Earth Day celebrations in our calendar!

There's so much fun in bloom all over Connecticut. For more ways to get into the swing of spring, visit our Spring Activities Guide. And be sure to sign up for our newsletters for the best of spring sent straight to your inbox.

Easy Easter Crafts For Kids and Preschoolers

Submitted by Ally Noel on Tue, 03/05/2024 - 10:01am

These bunny slime jars are adorable and icky. In other words, kids adore them. Photo by the author

There are loads of Easter crafts for kids that get kids of all ages excited for a visit from the Easter Bunny. These easy Easter crafts run the gamut from upcycled toilet roll bunnies to Easter bath bombs to deliciously icky Easter slime.

And, of course there's the best Easter activity of all: dyeing Easter eggs! There's more than one way to dye an egg, and we've got loads of cool suggestions. We've also got tons more ideas for Easter fun at home, from Easter Scavenger Hunts to Easter movies for the whole family, all in our Easter Activity Guide for Families.

Family Friendly Breweries in Connecticut

Submitted by Ally Noel on Sun, 03/03/2024 - 9:35am

Enjoy bevs for the parents and games for the whole family all these Connecticut breweries.

Solar Eclipse 2024: Book Now for an Upstate New York Getaway in the Path of Totality

Submitted by Ally Noel on Fri, 03/01/2024 - 1:43pm

Get your solar glasses and book your reservations now to see April's total solar eclipse in Upstate New York. Photo by Ally Noeltal eclipse

As the celestial spectacle of total solar eclipse 2024 approaches, families are anticipating the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness this awe-inspiring event together. During the solar eclipse 2024 on Monday, April 8, the moon passes in front of the sun, casting a shadow upon the Earth resulting in moments of complete darkness in the middle of the day for those in the path of totality.

While the solar eclipse 2024 cuts across a great swath of the United States, the path of totality—where complete darkness exists—crosses over eastern and northern New York state, giving local families the chance to take a day trip or long weekend to witness the excitement. But, take note: The solar eclipse 2024 is expected to draw huge crowds, so if you want to travel to the path of totality, book now.

We've got the scoop on all the best events and destinations to witness the solar eclipse 2024 in New York state, plus family-friendly hotels to stay in, and more fun to round out your trip. Find more family-travel destinations in our Guide to Day Trips and Weekend Getaways.

Bluebird Hunter Lodge's Chalets Provide Plenty of Room to Make Memories

Submitted by Ally Noel on Thu, 02/22/2024 - 12:00am

Apres ski means free hot cocoa and cookies in the cozy common area at Bluebird Hunter Lodge.

When the mountains are calling, a ski vacation in the Catskills is always the answer. Nestled amidst the breathtaking peaks of the Catskill Mountains lies Hunter; a winter wonderland that has beckoned adventurers and skiing enthusiasts alike for generations. The charming, amenity- and activity-filled town of Hunter, plus the cozy Bluebird Hunter Lodge nearby provided the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable group ski trip and some new memories this winter.

I grew up in a ski family, and have many fond memories of vacations just like this one. I have countless anecdotes of days spent learning how to turn my skis and carve through snowy slopes, followed by evenings spent nestled among loved ones who shared their own tales. Over the years, these memories have faded slightly, but what has remained is a feeling of “cozy” accompanied by a healthy dose of laughter and warmth.

Bluebird Hunter Lodge provided the perfect setting to rekindle some of those fading memories and recreate them with my family and friends. Enjoy a sneak peek at this lovely Catskills hotel, where we enjoyed apres ski spreads of cocoa and cookies, hung out around the fire, and spent our nights playing Pictionary in our pajamas, and find more local destinations in our Guide to Day Trips and Weekend Getaways.

75 Best Movies for Kids: Top Family Movie Night Ideas

Submitted by Ally Noel on Sun, 12/31/2023 - 11:00am

Looking for fresh family movie night ideas? Here are some of the best movies for kids of all ages, from toddlers all the way through teens.

Family movie night is always exciting... until you spend so much time choosing a movie everyone can agree on, it's already past bedtime. We are here to save family movie night by sharing 75 of the best movies for kids of all ages. From classic family-friendly movies we all grew up watching to popular Disney and Pixar flicks to movies that will thrill tweens and teens, there are family movies on this list to please everyone.

So get out the popcorn, grab a blanket, and check out this list of the 75 best movies for kids. Then visit our Guide to Boredom Busters for Kids for more ideas for family fun night, from the 100 best board games for kids and family game night to the 100 best kids' TV shows of all time.

Lake George’s Newest Winter Wonder: Ice Castles Become Winter Realms and Winter's Dream

Submitted by Ally Noel on Sat, 12/23/2023 - 12:00pm

Winter Realms is a snow-capped fantasyland on the shores of Lake George. Photo courtesy of the event

Winter in Lake George, NY transforms this picturesque destination into a snowy wonderland, offering a ton of family fun. And this season, Lake George, NY is getting even better as it debuts two new winter immersive experiences: Winter’s Dream and Winter Realms. Both are located in Lake George Village and offer families a way to bring a little light into the darkest months of the year.

So grab your snow pants, put on those mittens, and check out this list of the best things to do in Lake George, NY with kids during the frosty season, including some family-friendly Lake George hotels. See our Guide to Visiting the Adirondacks & Catskills for even more family fun in this beautiful part of the country, including our list of 40 things to do in the Adirondack Mountains with kids.

50 Thanksgiving Crafts, Games, and Activities for Kids and Families

Submitted by Ally Noel on Thu, 11/02/2023 - 11:56am

Make an easy and adorable pine cone turkey. Photo courtesy of the website Live Craft Eat

While the turkey is in the oven, you can set up a few of these easy Thanksgiving crafts for kids, including some place cards that will keep squabbling siblings from sitting too close. We've also got Thanksgiving games for everyone to play together, and Thanksgiving cookies that will tide kids over until the feast is ready. Because while Thanksgiving is all about spending time with family, sometimes you need to channel that togetherness time to keep everyone happy!

From traditional Thanksgiving crafts for kids like handprint turkeys to a Great Yam Race for the whole fam, stuff a little fun into your family dinner this year with these Thanksgiving crafts and games.

For more Thanksgiving fun from Thanksgiving jokes for kids to when and how to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, check out our Thanksgiving Activities Guide for Families.

Ally Noel

Latest posts by Ally

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