Marisa Iallonardo

Latest posts by Marisa Iallonardo

Where to Play Mini Golf in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

Submitted by Marisa Iallonardo on Sun, 08/06/2023 - 8:29am

Enjoy some quality family time at the Castle Fun Center's mini-golf course.

Looking for the best mini golf in Westchester and the Hudson Valley? Read on for our top picks.

Nothing says summertime family fun like a round of miniature golf. And there’s no need to limit this fun to the boardwalk; Westchester and the Hudson Valley offer numerous local destinations for whimsical putt-putt fun.

Read on for the roundup of our favorite mini-golf destinations, and for even more great activities, consult our Ultimate Westchester and Hudson Valley Kids Summer Vacation Guide, which includes our roundup of the best sprinkler parks and splash pads in the area.

Best Beach Towns for Weekend Getaways from NYC

Submitted by Marisa Iallonardo on Thu, 06/29/2023 - 6:57pm

Fire Island. Photo courtesy Discover Long Island

When it comes to summer weekend getaways, there's nothing better than a beach town. There are lots of great family beach towns for tri-state area families to visit. From the many beach towns along the Jersey Shore to picturesque beach towns on Long Island and cute Connecticut spots, these beachy weekend getaways are all easy to visit from Midtown Manhattan, and a few are even reachable by public transportation.

Once there, you’ll find kid-friendly beaches, of course, as well as lots of options for fun—from family-friendly restaurants and amusement park rides to mini golf, ice cream shops, and quaint downtowns to stroll. And, while we’ve compiled this list of beach town getaways with weekends in mind, you can opt for a day trip or even extend your getaway to a week or more.

Looking for more summer travel ideas? Bookmark our Guide to Day Trips and Weekend Getaways and our Ultimate Kids Summer Vacation Guide for all our top picks.

Camping at North-South Lake with Kids: Top Tips for a Family-Friendly Getaway

Submitted by Marisa Iallonardo on Tue, 05/30/2023 - 4:50pm

Camping at North-South Lake is an all-ages pleaser, with entertainment, safe room to roam, and creature comforts like bathrooms on-site.

Whether you’re a seasoned camper or a newbie, an overnight camping trip with the kids can be a great experience for the whole family. It was visions of tent camping and afternoon hikes that prompted my husband, two children, and I—plus our friends and their two kids—to book an overnight stay at North-South Lake Campground in Haines Falls last summer.

One of our favorite family-friendly campgrounds for families, this New York state-run facility offers plenty of creature comforts (bathrooms!) and had enough to keep kids occupied (playground! lake!), but not so much that they’d get overwhelmed.

Here’s a closer look at what we did during our family camping trip to North-South Lake Campground. Find more picks for exploring nearby in our Outdoor Fun Guide.

Best Aquariums to Visit from the NYC Metro Area with Kids

Submitted by Marisa Iallonardo on Thu, 05/11/2023 - 4:47pm

The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk has 75 animal exhibits and is home to more than 7,000 animals. Photo courtesy of the aquarium

These aquariums near NYC make for a fun under-the-sea day trip destination where families can see colorful fish up close, be entertained by a variety of undersea animals, and get a kick out of interactive exhibits, feedings, and shows.

There are a number of great aquariums within an easy day trip from the tri-state area, so the next time your kids request a trip to the aquarium, consider visiting one of these regional picks, which each offer a truly unique undersea experience. At these local aquariums in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, you can see everything from Beluga whales at the Mystic Aquarium to the East Coast's largest collection of sharks at the Adventure Aquarium.

Find more day trip-worthy destinations in our Guide to Day Trips and Weekend Getaways and find all our top picks for animal fun in our Guide to Local Zoos and Gardens.

50 Magna-Tiles Games and Building Ideas for Kids

Submitted by Marisa Iallonardo on Tue, 04/25/2023 - 11:05am

What treasures will you find at the end of this Magna-Tiles rainbow? Photo courtesy of Magna-Tiles

Magnetic tiles—whether they're the classic Magna-Tiles brand or one of the many other variations—are one of the most beloved and versatile toys for kids of all ages. After all, there are so many fun Magna-Tiles games to play, interesting learning activities to do, and awesome structures to build.

Playing and building with magnetic tiles teaches kids STEM skills, helps them learn their shapes and colors, fosters their creativity, and so much more. I recently asked my third-grader and kindergartner to create whatever came to mind using their magnetic tiles and they had lots of inventive ideas, including a monster and a rainbow tower.

If you need some inspiration on how to have fun and learn with magnetic tiles, here are 50 Magna-Tiles games and activities, Magna-Tiles building ideas, Magna-Tiles printables and video tutorials, and more. For more at-home STEM and art ideas, check out our lists of easy science experiments for kids and 100 awesome art projects for kids.

What's New at Legoland New York for 2023 Season

Submitted by Marisa Iallonardo on Wed, 04/05/2023 - 10:11am

Sensory guides posted outside rides and attractions are one of the resources Legoland New York offers as a Certified Autism Center. Photo courtesy of Legoland

Legoland New York is open for the 2023 season and there are lots of great updates for families. One of the most noteworthy: The resort, currently in its third year, is now a Certified Autism Center.

With specific autism-friendly features, Legoland New York joins Sesame Place Philadelphia as a day trip-worthy Certified Autism Center (CAC) for tri-state area residents.

Read on for what the certification means plus what else is new at Legoland New York in 2023. Hot tip: Start planning now for a cool summer vacation when its water playground opens! We've got more wet and wild fun in our Guide to Theme Parks and Water Parks for Families.

Best Kid-Friendly Coffee Shops in Westchester

Submitted by Marisa Iallonardo on Sun, 01/22/2023 - 8:18am

Kids can start off their morning with a delicious waffle at Peekskill Coffee Shop.

Family-friendly coffee shops are among the many reasons I love living in Westchester—a list that also includes world-class outdoorsy activities and a huge range of things to do with kids every day of the week. As someone who works from home and also has two young kids, though, checking out the many great coffee shops near me is particularly close to my heart. Tea plus a treat is a win-win for me and them!

So whether you want a place to hang with your baby where you can read a book or two, or a spot to stop after basketball practice for a muffin with your little athletes, there are plenty of mom-and-pop shops to choose from throughout the county. The places on this list are all local—many owned by local families, too—and all offer delicious dishes, family-friendly hangs, and lively events that kids can take part in. Read on for a few of our favorite coffee shops in Westchester.

Looking to go out to lunch or dinner with the fam instead? Check out our Guide to Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Westchester.

Best of 2022 Westchester Kid Edition: Top Openings, Happenings, and Other Awesome Stuff We Loved

Submitted by Marisa Iallonardo on Sun, 12/25/2022 - 11:00am

Local kids could immerse themselves in the Wizarding World this year thanks to the Harry Potter Forbidden Forest experience in FDR State Park. Photo by Katherine Dhurandhar

The end of the year has us waxing nostalgic for the year that was and spotlighting the best new kid-friendly openings of 2022 in Westchester and the Hudson Valley with this look back at eight awesome openings, events, and things to do Best of all? Many of these new-to-the-scene family fun spots are either open all year or still going strong.

Whether your outings this year took you to one of these new openings, or you revisited old favorites like the region's beautiful farms, hit up a festival or two, or simply enjoyed local hikes, and explored destination parks, it's a perfect time to look back on the family-friendly memories made all around and appreciate the kid-friendly fun in our own backyard.

As we turn the calendar to 2023, we wish you and yours a very Happy New Year and thank you for being a reader. Cheers to a new year filled with more family-friendly fun.

Latest posts by Marisa Iallonardo

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