It’s that time of year again! We just made our first camping trip of the season and wow was it cold! We camped with some friends of ours who we’ve done lots of play dates with over the last couple of years but never much more than that. Well,... Read more
Fortunately you don’t have to get vaccinated and travel to Africa for your family to experience an animal safari. A 90 minute drive from NYC, Jackson, NJ has a 350 acre preserve located in adjoining grounds to Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park. This is even accessible via public... Read more
This year for Mother’s Day I went to Legoland. Truth is, my favorite part of Mother’s Day is all the empty kid destinations. Brooklyn, my four year old daughter, and I went on this adventure with friends – another mom and her four year old boy. The Westchester, NY... Read more
If you’re looking for a fun day trip to get out of NYC, Poughkeepsie, NY in the Mid-Hudson Valley should go to the top of the list! This adorable little town has a huge attraction, The Walkway Over the Hudson. This 1.28 mile bridge is dedicated specifically to walkers,... Read more
One of my favorite places to hike with my family is in the sweet little town of Garrison, NY, about an hour north of Manhattan (even accessible by public transportation + short taxi ride). Constitution Marsh Audubon Center & Sanctuary is a 270-acre tidal wetland along the Hudson River.... Read more
One step onto these grounds gets your instincts screaming there’s a lot of history that’s gone down here. Untermyer Gardens is a public park, just 20 minutes north of Manhattan. While parts of the gardens are perfectly manicured, they are surrounded by a crumbling facade. Criss-crossing canals with clean... Read more
Crap. I took my daughter to Build-A-Bear Workshop and now I’m addicted. The whole thing kind of happened on accident. A routine cold afternoon running errands in a mall turned into an impulsive decision to step inside the ridiculously cute storefront. And here’s what happened next: As you walk... Read more
We had a unexpected encounter with butterflies while running errands after gymnastics yesterday. NYC Butterfly is a traveling butterfly exhibit which tours the tri-state area. The one we visited was a pop up tent in Paramus Park Mall. For $5/person we were each given a q-tip dipped with sugary... Read more
Taking little kids fishing is one of those ideas that often sounds better than the reality of it. And then there’s the version where you take your kids to a stocked pond, rent fishing poles and leave with 1/2 dozen fresh fish all caught within about an hour. That’s... Read more
It’s not often I visit a destination with plans on writing travel tips and walk away with none! Rocking Horse Ranch is a delightful all-inclusive family resort, located about 90 minutes from NYC. In fact, it’s even accessible via train (Metro North). This little resort in Highland, NY was... Read more
Bouncy houses, where your kids can go crazy so you don’t. Here’s a roundup of the best bouncy houses near NYC. We’ve been visiting these indoor romper rooms since our daughter, Brooklyn, was about a year old. These giant inflatables are a lot of fun and an awesome way to burn off energy while practicing motor skills and gaining confidence for little ones.
Stepping Stones Children’s Museum is like a fun emporium for kids. My 4 year old daughter has been begging to go for weeks. This past weekend we made the one hour drive from NYC to Norwalk, CT and paid a visit. We used to be members here and would... Read more
Hands down, the best family getaway 90 minutes from NYC is Camelback Resort in the Pocono Manor, PA. Last week my boyfriend, Monte and our four year old daughter, Brooklyn, did an overnight there and our takeaway was simply, WOW! This is a brand new hotel with a massive... Read more
Feels like we just went to the tropics during February but we only drove 90 minutes from NYC. Kalahari Resort is a new mega resort in the Poconos, PA. It’s an African themed hotel, named after the Kalahari Dessert, with a massive indoor waterpark and enough indoor activities we... Read more
We officially know what it feels like to fly. We didn’t jump out of a plane, or bungee jump off a crane, we stood on the ground then took flight, just like superman. iFly, an indoor skydiving facility, just opened a location in Westchester. This brand new wind tunnel... Read more
After an afternoon at this nature center, a 40 minute drive from Northern Manhattan, we felt like we spent the day in Vermont…or Connecticut 🙂 This not-so-little estate has a crazy range of offerings! Set on 118 acres, Stamford Museum & Nature Center has a pond, a working farm,... Read more
It’s too windy and rainy to play outside, I’ve got a hacking cough, and my kid is jumping from couch to couch…I know I’m not the only one. My top pick for rainy day adventures is a visit to the Palisades Mall, about 30 minutes from Manhattan. My view... Read more
One of my favorite indoor play spaces to visit is Billy Beez, located in the Palisades Mall in West Nyack, NY, about 30 minutes north of NYC. This is really a remarkable facility in size, range of physical activities and cleanliness. All week schools in the area have been... Read more
WOW. I still can’t believe I did this. This week my four year old daughter and I conquered the ropes climbing course, Palisades Climb Adventure. We were suspended 85 feet in the air and navigated a dozen or more obstacles while harnessed and tethered to a secure metal structure.... Read more
Yesterday afternoon I took a step back in time, visiting Florham Park Roller Rink, NJ. This roller rink is as nostalgic as it gets with 80’s colors, a disco ball and staff to match the decade. The few signs you’re in current times are roller blades and current pop... Read more
Last night we visited Turtle Back Zoo for their annual holiday lights spectacular. We enjoyed it so much it’s definitely one my family’s top picks for holiday fun with young kids this year. When we arrived we were greeted by costumed Frosty, Rudolph and a Turtle. As we entered... Read more
Last night we drove 1.5 hrs from NYC to Jackson, NJ to check out Six Flag’s version of Christmas, Holiday in the Park. They did a stellar job. It was a gorgeous 55 degree night, the park was filled with millions of twinkling lights as well as what felt... Read more
My family has been season pass holders to Six Flags every year since Brooklyn turned two. I’m always surprised how many people ask if there are things to do for little kids. She’s four now so clearly what she can enjoy has changed, but there’s been tons of fun... Read more
Brooklyn and I typically head to NJ to run errands after her gymnastics class on Tuesdays. But yesterday our errand run turned into much more. We decided to visit Van Saun County Park. Van Saun is a sweet little park in Bergen, NJ, just 20 minutes from NYC. We’ve... Read more
Okay we’re definitely going stir crazy in our house from all the rain. Brooklyn is probably the most active 4 year old I’ve ever met. She’s climbs the walls in our apartment…really. It’s best for all of us to get out as much as we can. Yesterday we visited... Read more
Ahhh the rain is finally here. It looks like the first hurricane of the season is going to effect us over the next few days. I’m thankful for the rain, it’s been such a dry summer, but now I need get creative with some indoor fun. Our top 5... Read more
After hearing about this place for decades, I finally made my first visit to Storm King. Holy Amazeballs! Yesterday Monte, Brooklyn and I packed up a picnic lunch, borrowed our 3 year old neighbor Oscar (because according to Brooklyn adventures with her friends are more fun) and hit the... Read more
Last year my dear friend invited us to join her family for the day at Barton Orchards in Poughquag, NY, about an hour north of NYC. It ended up being a perfect day and one my daughter spoke about throughout the year. So this year when my friend picked... Read more
This beautiful Indian summer Thursday we decided to pack the car and hit the closest camping spot where we could bring Brooklyn’s canine sister, Bertha. We picked Clarence Fahnestock which happens to be only 45 minutes away from NYC. It’s our fourth time camping here, we absolutely love this... Read more
I always perk up when someone starts by saying ‘have you ever been to…’ A friend of mine recently told me about a short hike with both a marsh and waterfall and I’ve been waiting for the right time to go. Today was the day. Constitution Marsh Sanctuary and... Read more
