Diana Kim

Latest posts by Diana Kim

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Tips for a Magical Experience in Orlando

Submitted by Diana Kim on Sun, 04/09/2023 - 11:59am

Use our visitors guide to navigate The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando.

At The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, experience magic and adventure in Orlando! Explore Hogsmeade, Hogwarts Castle, Diagon Alley, and other fictional locations that come to life in our world. While visiting Universal Orlando may be daunting for Muggles, we've got the scoop on how to make your visit a magical success.

I recently visited The Wizarding World of Harry Potter with my two kids, and we had a blast! From butterbeer and wand shopping, to casting spells and riding hippogriffs, there so much fun to be had at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando. Don your robes, pack your wand, and read on for all our expert tips.

Visiting Urban Air Adventure Park in Brooklyn with Kids

Submitted by Diana Kim on Thu, 04/06/2023 - 4:31pm

Urban Air Adventure Park goes way beyond a typical trampoline park, with ropes courses, climbers, mega playgrounds, VR, and more.

Sunset Park's Urban Air Adventure Park gives Brooklyn kids a whole new place to play. This new trampoline park gives kids space to jump, bounce, fly, and play to their hearts' content in a safe environment. While Brooklyn families are fortunate to have a number of indoor places to play from climbing gyms and ninja warrior courses to indoor playgrounds, there hadn't been a trampoline park in the borough for a few years. Urban Air Adventure Park, which opened in late 2022, changed that bringing with it a variety of all-ages attractions. It's one of those rare destinations where a preschooler and a tween can run around and have fun.

Read on for our visit to this ultimate indoor playground and find more places for action-packed playtime in our Guide to Sports Centers, Gyms, and Fun Zones in NYC.

Coolest Vintage and Thrift Stores for Teens in NYC

Submitted by Diana Kim on Mon, 03/20/2023 - 1:14pm

L Train Village offers a micro-chain of well-stocked and well-organized thrift stores in NYC. Photo by the author

These thrift stores in NYC are the perfect antidote to teens changing style whims. Seasoned parents can tell you that shopping for kids becomes a lot harder as they age. Teens are still trying to find their own unique style, so there's no need to spend a fortune on trendy items they will outgrow or that go out of style quickly. Kicks, rocker tees, jeans, funky bags, and accessories are all in high demand and easily found in multiple at vintage stores and thrift shops in NYC. Teens have a blast browsing racks hunting for that perfect T-shirt or pair of jeans.

NYC abounds with vintage and thrift shops. We've rounded up a selection of thrift stores in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx that offer a large and varied selection of clothes, shoes, and accessories for teens. Have some cash on hand and get ready for a vintage shopping spree. Find more age-appropriate activities and destinations in our NYC Tween and Teen Guide.

Best Things To Do in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn with Kids

Submitted by Diana Kim on Tue, 03/14/2023 - 3:48pm

Bay Ridge's American Veterans Memorial Pier is a communal gathering place and offers an NYC Ferry landing to connect the neighborhood with the rest of NYC. Photo by Katherine Fox/NYCGo

Filled with family-friendly things to do, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn is the perfect compromise between city and suburban living making it a great place to raise kids. Bay Ridge is ethnically diverse, relatively affordable, and easily accessible. There are quaint townhouses on its side streets and lots of cute mom-and-pop shops and good restaurants on its commercial avenues, plus a strip of big chains on 86th Street. Though many residents have cars, they aren't necessary. The neighborhood's top things to do are all just a short walk away, and the R and N trains offer a direct commute from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to or from Manhattan.

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn also boasts tons of green space, playgrounds, and epic sledding hills, plus fun annual family events, and awesome views of New York Bay and Lower Manhattan.

Here are our top picks for things to do in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn with kids. Find more unique NYC enclaves to explore in our Guide to Family-Friendly Neighborhoods in NYC.

Seoul with Kids: 35 Best Things To Do in Seoul, South Korea

Submitted by Diana Kim on Sat, 03/04/2023 - 12:00pm

From its royal palaces to its quirky street art to its colorful cafes, Seoul is a great choice for family travel.

South Korean culture has exploded in popularity through its music, movies, and food, and Seoul (South Korea's capital city) is the absolute best place to experience the culture firsthand. While Seoul is large and bustling, it's a great city to visit with kids. Seoul's top-notch public transportation system makes it easy to travel around the city with kids. And the locals are very friendly, so even visitors with little or no knowledge of the language can easily find people to help them.

My family had a blast during two recent trips to Seoul, and we discovered all of its best family-friendly attractions. Here is our list of the top 35 things to do in Seoul with kids, including interactive museums, indoor play spaces, theme parks, cultural sites, and so much more. Check out our International Travel Guide for more overseas adventures with kids, including great places to visit in Canada, the Caribbean, and Europe.

The Roller Wave Puts a Fresh Spin on Roller Skating with its Brooklyn Pop-Up

Submitted by Diana Kim on Thu, 02/16/2023 - 12:35pm

Strap on your roller skates to hit The Roller Wave, a Black-owned roller skating rink in Brooklyn for a limited time.

Break out those roller skates because The Roller Wave, a Black-owned roller skating rink, is now open at the Atlantic Terminal Mall in Brooklyn. While there are a number of seasonal roller skating rinks in the city, The Roller Wave is unique because it revives the classic pastime with some modern twists.

I visited The Roller Wave roller skating rink on opening weekend with my tween daughter and her friend, and we loved the vibe, music, and overall energy.

Read on for all the need-to-know info before you go roller skating at The Roller Wave, and plan your visit soon: It's only open until June 4, 2023.

Top Sports Summer Camps in NYC

Submitted by Diana Kim on Wed, 02/15/2023 - 10:18am

Chelsea Piers sports summer camp offers instruction in a variety of disciplines from beginner to elite levels. Photo courtesy of Chelsea Piers

When it comes to sports summer camps, New York City kids can choose from a number of programs that help them build their athleticism in facilities outfitted with everything from massive rock-climbing walls to indoor ice rinks, outdoor ball fields, Olympic-sized pools, and more state-of-the-art sports complexes.

Read on for our picks for the best sports summer camps in New York City, from Brooklyn to the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island. Find more summer camp options in our New York City Summer Camp Guide, which has our picks for the best free and cheap summer camps in NYC, the best preschool summer camps in NYC, and even the top sleepaway summer camps in the Northeast. Don't forget to bookmark our Summer Camp Directory, where you can search for camps by interest, age, and borough.

37 Best Things To Do in Greenpoint, Brooklyn with Kids

Submitted by Diana Kim on Mon, 02/06/2023 - 6:26pm

Make sure to visit the India Street Murals on your next visit to Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of Groundswell

Greenpoint, Brooklyn is situated on the northernmost border of the borough and provides a delightful mix of old and new, trendy and vintage, traditional and hipster. While Greenpoint, Brooklyn has a large, established Polish community, newer restaurants, shops, and businesses are popping up and adding to the diverse and lively community. Artists and entrepreneurs have long been drawn to Greenpoint, Brooklyn for its creative vibe and its proximity to Williamsburg and Manhattan. So, you'll find traditional Polish restaurants next to art galleries, trendy boutiques, and upscale eateries.

Families flock to Greenpoint, Brooklyn for its cheaper rents, impressive green spaces, and lots of kid-friendly businesses and activities. Greenpoint lives up to its name with a number of well-kept green spaces like Monsignor McGolrick park, and the 35-acre McCarren Park, which spills over into Williamsburg and the revitalized East River waterfront. To help you get the most out of Greenpoint, Brooklyn we've rounded up the top 37 things to do in Greenpoint with kids. Find more fun neighborhoods to explore in our New York City Kids Neighborhood Guide.