Rose Sala

Rose Gordon Sala is a mom to three but also a longtime editor and journalist. She's covered all the capital 'P' subjects, including pets, politics, PR, and parenting. She's written for MSNBC.com, TODAY.com, the New York Post, and Mom.com.

Latest posts by Rose

100 Things To Do in New York State with Kids Before They Grow Up

Submitted by Rose Gordon Sala on Thu, 09/22/2022 - 4:38pm

The Ausable Chasm has been described as the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks and it's one of our top 100 things to do in New York State with kids. Photo by Anna Fader

We might be biased, but we think the family-friendly things to do in New York state are second to none. From the gorgeous Hamptons beaches to the rugged state parks of the Hudson Valley, serene Adirondack lake regions, and deafening Niagara Falls to the culture and arts found in New York City and on up through the Hudson Valley river towns and beyond—we feel pretty lucky to live and raise our kids here.

New Yorkers are pretty good at making delicious food items, from ramen burgers and bagels to ice cream, and even wine at family-friendly vineyards on Long Island and through the Finger Lakes. There are children’s museums galore. Kids have no shortage of water and theme parks, cool playgrounds, zoos, parks, and nature, of course.

And yet, the thing about childhood is that it’s finite. The kids grow up and move away. We want to soak up every moment. So we put together this list of 100 things to do in New York state, from upstate and the Adirondacks to East End of Long Island. We collected suggestions from Mommy Poppins contributors, past and former, to fuse it all together just for you (OK, for us, too). Whether you're planning a long weekend getaway or a family day trip, you're sure to find some ideas here.

Essex North Pole Express Train Tickets on Sale for 2022

Submitted by Rose Gordon Sala on Thu, 09/08/2022 - 3:31pm

All aboard the Polar Express! Photo courtesy of Bob Gunderson

The ever-popular Essex North Pole Express train ride is back for the 2022 holiday season! It's arguably one of the most popular Polar Express holiday train rides in the country and certainly in the Northeast, so we expect tickets to sell out fast.

Tickets are for sale online only this year, with no phone or in-person sales. Partial and full car tickets are available starting Tuesday, September 13 at 9am and all remaining tickets go on sale Thursday, September 15 at 9am—so set your alarms now.

Visiting Field Station Dinosaurs with Kids: Tips for a Family-Friendly Expedition

Submitted by Rose Gordon Sala on Tue, 07/19/2022 - 12:20pm

Come face-to-face with T. rex and other fearsome, live-sized dinosaurs at Field Station: Dinosaurs in New Jersey's Overpeck County Park. Photo by Katherine Dhurandhar

Calling all pint-size paleontologists: Field Station: Dinosaurs, New Jersey's dinosaur-themed adventure park celebrates its 10th anniversary this season and is celebrating with some fun new additions to a park that already included 30-plus animatronic dinos, including Tyrannosaurus rex, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, and Spinosaurus.

Read on for our review of this seasonal dinosaur attraction, which makes a great day trip from the tri-state area. Find more places for prehistoric fun on this list of local dinosaur destinations.

37 Summer Day Trips from NYC to Take as a Family

Submitted by Rose Gordon Sala on Sun, 06/26/2022 - 10:47am

Take a drive to the 42-acre Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ. Photo by David Howarth

Summer road trip season is on the horizon, and that means it's time hit the road for one of these summer day trips from NYC. We're itching to get out and explore, from beaches and water parks to cool nature spots and pick-your-own fruit farms, we’ve rounded up three dozen of our favorite summer day trips from NYC. All of these day trip destinations are less than two hours away because, well, who wants to day trip for longer than that with kids in the backseat?

Find more ideas in our full Day Trips and Getaways Guide, or try checking something off our list of 100 things to do with kids in New York State.

50 Dad Jokes Just in Time for Father’s Day

Submitted by Rose Gordon Sala on Tue, 06/14/2022 - 12:00pm

Laugh, or cringe, together with these dad jokes!

The best dad jokes are sometimes the silliest or most cliché jokes around. The cringier the better, right? But we’re showing up for you, Dad. We've rounded up 50 of our favorite one-liners, puns, and corny dad jokes sure to make someone in the family chuckle this Father's Day and all year long. Maybe.

Read on for 50 funny dad jokes, from sports and Star Wars jokes to parenthood jokes and gags. Once Dad has gone through all this new material, it's the kids' turn with our list of 40 jokes for kids that will keep the whole family in giggles.

NYC Opens Applications For FREE Summer STEAM Programs

Submitted by Rose Gordon Sala on Mon, 04/04/2022 - 5:22pm

Choose from a wide range of STEAM programs during the STEAM Matters summer programs. Photo courtesy of the NYC DOE

New York City has opened applications for its Summer STEM Matters NYC program, which includes FREE STEAM summer camps for elementary school students and hands-on internships and classes for high schoolers. Don't delay: Applications for all programs are due Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The popular annual summer day camps are available to NYC kids entering kindergarten through ninth grade in September. Students entering grades 10-12 can apply for STEM courses and internships.

The programs occur at more than a dozen popular NYC institutions known for STEAM programming, including popular family-friendly spots like the Bronx Zoo, the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum, the Queens Botanical Garden, and more museums, gardens, zoos, and maker spaces. Public, charter, and home school students in NYC may all apply.

Read on for all the details on the STEM Matters NYC program. Find more summer camps in New York City, including our picks for free and affordable summer camps, in our Summer Camp Guide and Camp Directory, where you can search for summer camps by type, age, and neighborhood.

A New Christmas Village Opens in Central New Jersey

Submitted by Rose Gordon Sala on Mon, 12/06/2021 - 4:55pm

Anne-Ellen Tree farm has been a long-time Christmas destination and its walk-through village adds to the allure.

My family relishes checking out the many holiday displays and Christmas lights in New Jersey. It’s one of our can’t-miss holiday traditions, so we couldn’t wait to see the brand-new Christmas village decked out with holiday lights, Santa, a gingerbread house, and more holiday activities at the Anne Ellen Christmas Tree Farm in Manalapan, New Jersey.

We’ve enjoyed the drive-thru Christmas lights popping up, but we also love the chance to get out of the car for an in-person stroll. The Village at Anne Ellen allows kids to do just that all while sipping hot chocolate, walking along an outdoor trail, and popping into different experiences from a North Pole post office to a model train room.

Magic of Lights Drive-thru Dazzles in New Jersey

Submitted by Rose Gordon Sala on Thu, 11/18/2021 - 3:39pm

Drive through a transfixing wonderland of lights at the Magic fo Lights Drive-thru at the PNC Bank Arts Center.

The Magic of Lights returns to New Jersey’s PNC Bank Arts Center on Friday, November 19, and runs through the holiday season until January 2, 2022.

Desperate for some pandemic-era holiday merriment, my family tried out the Magic of Lights drive-thru in Holmdel for the first time last year. Naturally, our young kids (all under age 8) were antsy on the 40-minute drive south on the Garden State Parkway. But –– upon reaching the gates of this outdoor, drive-thru holiday village, they were beyond thrilled and dazzled by the seemingly millions of lights, dancing elves, cheery Santa figures, blinking holiday trees, sweet illuminated scenes, and the eye-popping tunnel of lights.

Find more seasonal fun in our Christmas and Holiday Guide for New Jersey Kids.