Raven Snook

Raven is a writer, editor, performer and mom, who was born and bred in NYC, just like her husband, her mother and now, her daughter. As a writer, she's contributed articles to New York Magazine, Time Out New York, The Village Voice, the New York Post, TV Guide, Better Homes and Gardens, iVillage, AOL TV and Moviefone, Parents.com, and worked as an in-house editor for ParentsConnect.com and TimeOutKids.com. As a performer, she's appeared on many downtown stages (sometimes even for pay!), a couple of obscure films and TV shows, and The Maury Povich Show as a female drag queen. She's also the founder of Hot Mama Burlesque, the world's only all-moms burlesque show. After being the NYC editor from March 2011-March 2015, she is now happy to just be a blogger as she pursues additional writing opportunities.

Latest posts by Raven Snook

This Week: Great Family Weekend Trips, Walking with Dinosaurs Ticket Giveaway, 50 Fun Science Experiments for Kids

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 06/19/2014 - 12:00pm

Even though the beginning of summer is an exciting time, I always find the end of school to be bittersweet. Yes, the kids are psyched about going to camp and traveling to fun places, but they're also saying goodbye to their friends as classes change, or heading off to a new school entirely. And for us parents, it's another milestone that reminds us that our kids are growing up—fast.

That's one of the big reasons we try to make every summer the best one ever, and there are plenty of ways to do that in NYC and beyond. Beautiful beaches beckon like Short Beach Park in Connecticut and Cape May in New Jersey, as do fun-filled festivals like the New Jersey State Fair at the Meadowlands, which kicks off this weekend. Or how about a day trip to a nearby theme park like these family favorites on Long Island or New Jersey's brand-new Diggerland USA? If you're looking for a longer getaway, Pennsylvania's Dutch Wonderland, which recently opened a new Exploration Island dinosaur attraction, is a great weekend trip and Asheville, North Carolina makes for an awesome vacation destination.

Speaking of dinos, seeing Walking with Dinosaurs - the Arena Spectacular at Brooklyn's Barclays Center in July is also on my family's list of must-do summer activities. This week, we're giving away a family four-pack to the show and even if you don't win, we've got a discount on tickets to select performances, too.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

Save Big on Summer Camps, Family Shows, Classes, Personal Training & a Great Central Park Membership Deal

Submitted by Raven Snook on Sun, 06/15/2014 - 10:00am

Summer is right around the corner, which means it's your last chance to sign the kids up for enriching seasonal programs. Our June deals post features discounts on all kinds of cool camps where kids can enjoy performing theater, playing chess, learning languages and even sailing on the Hudson. Plus, snag a great Central Park Conservancy Family Membership deal, and save on an all-kid production of Seussical, preschooler classes and even personal training sessions for mom and dad. If you see a bargain you can't pass up, act fast: Many of these deals will expire before the month is out.

This Week: Summer Vacation Ideas, Diggerland USA & NY Hall of Science's Design Lab Open, Discount to Walking with Dinosaurs

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 06/12/2014 - 4:00pm

The countdown to the last day of school has begun—my daughter has been crossing out dates on the calendar with extra zeal. Over the past few weeks, we've gotten a jump on all of the FREE fun summer has on tap by visiting the just-opened Interactive Sculpture Garden and mini-golf course on Governors Island, and enjoying no-cost outdoor movies, kids' concerts and festivals.

If you're planning a NYC staycation this season like we are, you'll find plenty of things to amuse the whole family in our Summer Guide. However, if you're hoping for a vacation or two, our Travel site has in-depth posts about family-friendly travel spots around the country, like our just-published profile of laid-back California beach town Carmel-by-the-Sea, as well as international destinations like Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort in the Caribbean. Looking for a getaway that doesn't involve a plane ride? Our tri-state area sites are full of ideas, like the brand-new construction-themed amusement park Diggerland in New Jersey, the quaint waterside town of Captain's Cove Seaport in Bridgeport, Connecticut and Long Island's activity-packed East End. With all of these cool possibilities, I think I may be as impatient for summer break to arrive as my daughter.

Here's what else we covered in NYC this week:

This Week: Free NYC Culture Festivals, Awesome Day Trips Ideas, Best Things to Do for Families in June & Beyond in the Tri-state

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 06/05/2014 - 4:00pm

If you're a fellow NYC public school parent, I know you share my stress this week. Between the half day on Tuesday, the whole day off on Thursday, Monday's upcoming half day and all of the end-of-the-school-year events, we're so busy we need to schedule time to breathe. But the (comparatively) lazy days of summer fun are coming, and there are plenty of memorable experiences to be had in NYC and beyond.

If getting out of town is at the top of your list, our Westchester, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut sites all rounded up the best family events this June, and many of them make for great getaways like this weekend's Fol de Rol County Fair in Armonk, NY, the New Jersey Renaissance Faire in Bordentown and the Strawberry Harvest Festival in Chester, NJ. Or how about a trip to the amazing Adventure Park at the Discovery Museum in Bridgeport, CT or the 42-acre outdoor art installation Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ? And don't forget, we have an entire guide dedicated to the Hamptons and North Fork if that's where you're headed.

Of course you don't need to leave the city to go on an adventure. This weekend brings some of our favorite annual family outings including the Figment arts fest on Governors Island, which feels like a day trip. And a few of NYC's major FREE summer performance festivals kick off this week including SummerStage and Celebrate Brooklyn! and we highlighted the best bets for kids. Plus Friday is National Doughnut Day, which means FREE treats at participating doughnut shops.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

Chancellor's Day Fun: Things to Do with Kids on June 5 When NYC Public Schools Are Closed

Submitted by Raven Snook on Tue, 06/03/2014 - 11:00am

Every first Thursday of June, New York City public school students have the day off for Chancellor's Conference Day. What's that you ask? Well originally it was known as Brooklyn-Queens Day, an obscure religious holiday most folks knew little about that was only observed in those boroughs. But somewhere along the line the name and meaning changed, and suddenly kids throughout NYC got a secular public school holiday.

If you're lucky enough to be able to take the day off with the kids, we have some ideas for how to make the most of it, from cool summer fun (that may get rained out unfortunately) to the kickoff of the public library's summer reading program. But if you've got to work on Thursday like the teachers (it's used as a school staff development day), there are a handful of drop-off holiday camps where your kids can have a blast while you do what you've got to do.

Free Outdoor Summer Music Festivals & Concerts in NYC: Best Bets for Families

Submitted by Raven Snook on Sun, 06/01/2014 - 4:00pm

Although some New York City outdoor music and performance series are created specifically with children in mind, there are lots of grown-up ones that families can enjoy, too. At these wonderful alfresco events—most of which take place in parks and plazas—families can pack a picnic, stake out a spot, lay down a blanket and soak up some culture at no cost. Don't worry if the kids aren't totally into it; sit along the perimeter and let them run around, dance and play and they'll be happy.

While many series including SummerStage, Celebrate Brooklyn! and Lincoln Center Out of Doors host dedicated family days, it's worth browsing their full schedules. There's no minimum age to enjoy jazz, classical or rock, right?

We've rounded up NYC's best FREE outdoor music and performance series and highlighted the events we think will be of particular interest to families. You can find even more family fun in our jam-packed Summer Guide.

This Week: Best June Family Events in NYC, Summer Camps That Still Have Space, Hamptons Family Guide, Free June Festivals

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 05/29/2014 - 1:00pm

My family and I had Coney Island practically to ourselves on opening day last Saturday thanks to stormy skies. While in Luna Park, we got a sneak peek at its newest ride, the Thunderbolt roller coaster, tentatively scheduled to open next weekend. Also coming soon: a brand-new mini-amusement park at Staten Island's Midland Beach. Looks like this summer is shaping up to be a fun and dizzy one.

This week we launched our Hamptons and North Fork Family Guide for the season, in case you're planning on a weekend getaway or perhaps a whole summer on Long Island's East End. Be sure to check our LI site for frequent posts about the best things to do in the area with kids, like family-friendly fishing charters and the best weekend events. You'll find other great summer day trip ideas, like New Jersey playgrounds with free mini zoos or boating in Westchester, on all of our regional sites, and more far-flung destinations such as San Antonio, Texas on our Travel site.

If you're sticking around the city this season like my family, make sure you check out our roundup of the best things to do with kids this June and our list of more than 50 NYC summer camps that still have space. Speaking of camp, we're currently giving away a FREE week of Summer Media Camp at Queens' Museum of the Moving Image. Enter now.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

This Week: Memorial Day Weekend Kicks Off Summer Fun in the City, Best Things to Do with NYC Preschoolers, World Science Fest

Submitted by Raven Snook on Thu, 05/22/2014 - 4:00pm

Every year at this time, I feel as distracted as a toddler in a roomful of bubbles. It's hard to focus on anything because I'm so excited about the Memorial Day holiday. (And if this is happening to me, I don't even want to imagine how my eight-year-old is acting in school this week.) My family and I are looking forward to a fun-filled Memorial Day weekend NYC staycation—the beach, Governors Island and a Bronx backyard barbecue are all on our agenda. Lots of big seasonal attractions open for the season this Saturday so be sure to check our just-updated Summer Fun Guide to see all of your options.

Of course this is a big weekend for leaving town, too, and you'll find great family getaway ideas on all of our regional sites, from beaches with playgrounds on Long Island to outdoor water adventures in Connecticut to pick-your-own flower farms in New Jersey. If you'd like to teach your kids about the significance of the holiday, there are patriotic Memorial Day parades throughout the tri-state area and military ship tours right here in NYC.

Before any of us can lose focus again (it's hard, right?), we want to wish you and your family a happy holiday, whatever you end up doing. Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week: