This coming weekend brings a flurry of fun things to do, from visiting with beloved characters like Curious George and Daniel Tiger to exploring the great outdoors and learning about the creatures that make their home here in the winter. You can find more activities in our Event Calendar, and our January GoList is your go-to source for the very best things to do throughout the month. 

When I was a kid, going to a performance of The Nutcracker was one of my favorite Christmas traditions. Like many little girls, I would sit in the theater and imagine that I was Clara, waking up on Christmas Eve to find a Nutcracker prince battling a mouse king in my living room, and then getting whisked away to a magical land where snowflakes, candy, and flowers danced just for me. 

From the look of the crowd at Mayo Performing Arts Center, where NJ Ballet is performing The Nutcracker through Christmas Eve, kids are still really into it. And this grown-up loved it, too. 

A giant panda has made himself at home at Westchester's Ridge Hill, which is once again teaming up with DreamWorks Animation to take families on an Adventure to Santa. The panda is none other than Po from DreamWorks' Kung Fu Panda, and he and his friends are part of a holiday attraction that takes kids on a journey to the North Pole to meet Santa.

This is Adventure to Santa's third year at Ridge Hill, though it's the first year that Po and the Kung Fu Panda gang are making an appearance (the two previous years featured Shrek). I recently made the hour-long journey from my home in New Jersey with my 4.5- and almost-2-year-old boys to check it out. 

We have some important tips to know before you go, especially if you're making the trip from NYC, upstate or New Jersey.