The Mountain View Cemetery is a large 226-acre cemetery in Oakland, California. It was established in 1863 by a group of East Bay pioneers under the California Rural Cemetery Act of 1859.
Contact no: (510) 658-2588
Location: 5000 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611
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USS Potomac (AG-25), formerly USCGC Electra, was Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s presidential yacht from 1936 until his death in 1945. It is one of only three still existing presidential yachts
Contact no: (510) 627-1215
Location: 540 Water St, Oakland, CA 94607
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Yes, there are a lot of ordinary pigeons in New York, but Central Park is also a busy place for migratory birds. Over 200 different species of birds either live in or pass through the park during the year, making it one of the richest bird sanctuaries on the East Coast. Bring your children to the Henry Luce Nature Observatory at Belvedere Castle to pick up your free “Discovery Kit Backpacks.” The packs contain binoculars, a guidebook, maps, and sketching materials, so you’ll be fully prepared to see the warblers and songbirds at the best birding spots in the park like the Ramble, The North Woods, and The Great Hill. You might even catch a resident red-tailed hawk, which nests on Fifth Ave., flying between feeding spots.
Contact no: (212) 772-0210
Location: Central Park at 79th Street, New York, NY 10021
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Visit the home that spawned the famous Prairie style of architecture. Wright and his family of eight lived in this Oak Park residence during the first 20 years of his career. During this period, he and his associates experimented with and developed the horizontal lines, open interiors, natural ornamentation, and craftsmanship that evoked the native prairie-landscape its structures would eventually grace. Choose a guided or self-guided walking tour for you and your grandchildren and peer together through the geometrically-astounding stained-glass windows of one of Wright’s masterpieces.
Contact number: 708 8481976
Location: 951 Chicago Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60302
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You and your grandchildren can step into 19th-century farm life on the grounds of this “living museum.” There are loads of demonstrations in weaving, blacksmithing, sewing, and pottery to inform, entertain, and make your grandkids appreciate the modern conveniences of life. Diversions like carousels, hayrides, and train rides are available, and when you’re ready to just kick back and nosh in the shade, the picnic grove is the perfect spot.
Contact number: 630 8921550
Location: 100 South Barnes Road, Aurora, IL 60506
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If you’d like to incorporate time on the ice with other outdoor fun, Wollman Rink offers gleeful gliding out in the open air.
Contact no: (212) 439-6900
Location: 59th Street and 6th Avenue, New York, NY 10019
Learn more here.
These enormously popular scavenger hunts are held in different locations like Central Park, Wall Street, and Midtown and happen to be one of the coolest ways to explore some of Manhattans historic locales. Themes range from finding spots immortalized in movies and television by quintessential New York films, to finding the former sites of major mafia violence in Little Italy. The family-friendliest is the “Secrets of Central Park Family Hunt,” where you find Stuart Little, decipher secret codes, unscramble messages, and search for a witch whose been turned to stone. Recommended for ages 7 and up.
Contact no: (877) 946-4868
Location: New York, NY
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Putting on a pair of skates and attempting a triple lutz could be fun, but putting some skates on your kid and enjoying a rink-side hot cocoa might be more your style. Public rinks can be a bit crowded, but the pace on the ice is slow enough to suit a beginner. For kids coming from out-of-town especially, nighttime skating at Rockefeller Center, under the blinking cityscape and gi-normous Christmas Tree, is one of those idyllic New York experiences that won’t ever be forgotten. If you’d like to incorporate time on the ice with other outdoor fun, there are two rinks in Central Park, Wollman and Lasker that offer the same gleeful gliding, out in the open air. If you miss the winter-only window for these seasonal rinks, indoor mainstay “Sky Rink” at Chelsea Piers offers at least a few public skating hours every day of the week. Matching rhinestone studded costumes are not required.
Contact no: (212) 332-7654
Location: 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10020
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Miniature Golf on Randall’s Island is a sizeable, recreational land mass that sits in the East/Harlem Rivers between The Bronx, Queens, and Manhattan, Randall’s Island is the perfect destination for families craving sunshine, open air, and a variety of outdoor activities. Whether your children like soccer, tennis, or bicycling, Randall’s island is a guaranteed score. In addition to their state-of-the-art driving range, the large island boasts not one, but two miniature golf courses as well as a driving range, which is probably the safest bet for good fun with your children. Teach them putting basics and the intricacies of the final windmill, or just practice swinging and breathing the island air.
Contact no: (212) 427-5689
Location: 1 Randall’s Island, New York, NY 10035
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Although New Yorkers frequently boast that their city “has everything,” they must concede the lack of mountains. Enter the City Climbers Club: a small gym that fills the void with its giant, climbable rock walls, which perfectly simulate a mountainside. Founded and maintained as a nonprofit city program, the center offers instruction for all ages older than 7, and for every skill level. You and your youngest can try your hands (and feet) at this extreme sport in a safe environment and have fun in the process. If you’re a seasoned pro, it’s a great way to teach your children how to belay and rappel with little chance of accident. If you’re more of a spectator you can watch kids tire themselves out by literally climbing the walls while you kick back with a soft drink from the ubiquitous vending machines.
Contact no: (212) 974-2250
Location: 533 West 59th Street, New York, NY 10019
Learn more here.
