Playtime for the whole family. One more trip before the summer ends, please!
Alas! Summer is coming to an end, and, as always, it was too short. Kids are dreading the approach of the school year, and their parents are wishing they had one last opportunity to escape the stresses of work and enjoy the beautiful weather. Fortunately, there is still time to book a perfect family getaway and end the summer with a bit of playtime for the whole family. Below, we have listed some of our favorite cities, each with one amazing playground for the kids and a nightlife event for the adults.
New York City
A section of the larger Tribeca, Manhattan, this is not a traditional playground, with swings and jungle-gyms, although there is a large slide that is sure to leave your kids laughing. Teardrop Park is marked by heaving rock formations that help to hide the surrounding city, giving this place an atmosphere of calm seclusion amid the hustle-and-bustle of the country’s busiest city. Along with the slide, the park features a large sandbox area, a tunnel under one of the rock formations, a reading circle, multiple sitting greens, and the “water rocks,” a fountain built into one of the rocks.
Founded in the Alphabet City neighborhood of Manhattan in 1973 to give the city’s large population of Puerto Rican writers a venue to showcase their talents (“Nuyorican” is a term for a New Yorker of Puerto Rican descent), this is one of New York’s best performing arts venues. Striving to give voice to artists who would otherwise be underrepresented in mainstream culture, the Nuyorican hosts a diverse array of events, from theater and music pieces to slam poetry every Friday night.
San Francisco
Adventure Playground (Berkeley)
Wow! This is a one-of-a-kind playground, located in Berkeley across the bay from San Francisco, and is sure to make parents envy their children. It features forts, boats, and towers, all designed by children, for children. Kids can go wild on the zipline, or get in touch with their creative sides by painting. It is recommended to wear sturdy shoes (no sandals or flip-flops!) and clothes that can get wet and dirty. See the park’s website for a full list of rules and other information.
Held at San Francisco’s Exploratorium, a facility showcasing “how the world works” through engaging, interactive scientific exhibits After Dark is a nighttime series for adults only that mixes science, art, cocktails – a winning trio. Each night focuses on a different topic, with names like “Tricks Are Treats” and “Decay.” This show offers it all: live performance, film, music, technology, alcohol, stimulating conversation – there is something for everyone. Visit the Exploratorium website for a full event schedule and a list of After Dark themes.
Boston – Harvard Square
A newly redesigned playground that still retains the look of an older, wooden playground, Kemp Playground, north of Harvard Square, has structures built on small hills and sand that facilitate climbing, swinging, and sliding, with areas suitable for all young ages from toddlers up. The mission of its designers was to create a space that incorporated both playing and learning about the surrounding world.
The second stage of Cambridge’s American Repertory Theater (ART), Oberon mixes theatrical performance into a nightclub setting, featuring many shows, both temporary and regular, that usually would not get the same attendance on the ART’s mainstage. Many of these shows are interactive, such as the highly popular “Donkey Show,” a disco-reimagining of William Shakespeare’s beloved play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, complete with divas, roller skates, and glitter, held every Saturday Night. Visit the ART’s website for a full event schedule and other information.
Don’t miss out on your chance to be the “cool parent” and book an awesome trip to one of these cities, or any of the other destinations you can find on GotoBus.com, where you can easily book both your bus tickets and hotel stay together to save even more!
