To Chill in Style in The Hamptons: Gurneys Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa

For a relaxing escape closer to home, try Gurneys Montauk Gurneys Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa the only resort in the Hamptons open year round, that happens to be located on prime oceanfront property. Choose from five dining options (from fancy to casual), take a dip in the ocean-fed indoor seawater pool, and sign the kids up for cooking baking at the Kids Club (while you sweat it out in the sauna or grab a massage). For indoor fun, check out the Childrens Museum of the East End in Bridgehampton. Dont miss the chance to hang out in an igloo with an ocean view. Book a two-hour slot to snack and sip in one of these transparent geodesic domes, each of which is done up in a fun and festive theme including Santas Workshop, cozy Log Cabin, Roaring 20's, Astrology and Aprs Ski. Heads up: A Harry Potter-themed igloo is coming after the New Year. (P.S. the Gurneys Kids Club is running special holiday activities from December 23-28 if youre looking for a short escape stat.)

Gurneys Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa
290 Old Montauk Highway
Montauk, NY
631-668-2345
Online: gurneysresorts.com

For Festive Fun in the Sun: Baha Mar

A tropical escape that feels farther away than it is (the flight in under three hours from NYC), Bahamian resort Baha Mar pulls out all the stops for the holiday season. Its called Festive" here, and happening include an original glice-skating show (faux ice that can take the heat), junkanoo (holiday) dancing and parades, family cooking classes and jam-packed activities at the resorts Explorers Club for kids. (For a look at all the Festive events at Baha Mar, click here .) The holiday happenings go all the way until January 5, but Baha Mar is a great option past that, with Explorers Club fun year-round, cool pools for kids, complimentary beach floats, boats and equipment, and an on-site nature sanctuary with up-close-and-personal encounters with flamingos, stingrays, sea turtles and others. Read our full review here!

Online:bahamar.com

For Winter Fun with a French Twist: Quebec City

We recommended Quebec City as a fun, year-round family vacation spot this fall, and were back to remind you that this Canadian town embraces winter with style and gusto. (Case in point, the city's Winter Festival, which runs February 7 -16 this year, and is one of the biggest seasonal celebrations of iots kind in the world!) The already beautiful city is stunning in snow, and there are both indoor and outdoor activities to keep you and the kids busy. Get a thrill on the ice slide at Terrace Dufferin, or head to a nearby park for skiing. For a unique experience, check out the areas ice hotel, where you can grab a hot cocoa or stay the night if youre feeling adventurous. Indoor fun includes the Museum of Civilization (which includes a fun make believe dress-up exhibit); the Muse National des beaux-arts du Qubec, where theres a dedicated Family Gallery and kids under 12 get in free, and the Quebec Aquarium, located 15 minutes from downtown. For Quebec's answer to the Mall of America, head to Mega Parc, an 18-attraction amusement center inside shopping Mall Galeries de la Capitale.Quebec City is a great place to eat in the winterenjoy fondue, hearty dishes of comfort food, and all kinds of real maple syrup treats. We recommend La Buche or the log where the menu includes pork ribs, shepherds pie, poutine with a topping of the day and more, in a cozy, wood-filled dining room meant to recall Canadian sugar shacks. There's a special kids' menu here, complete with games and puzzles. And, you can't visit Quebec City without taking in the magical Fairmont Le Chteau Frontenac, the late-nineteenth century beauty in Old Quebec that anchors the city. (Grab a table at eatery Bistro Le Sam while you're there and take in the views of the St. Lawrence and Terrace Dufferin.)

Online:quebec-cite.com

For a New and Improved Water Park: Great Wolf Lodge

A perennial favorite, this Poconos indoor water park recently wrapped up a major upgrade and renovationthe most extensive since its debut in 2005. Improvements include an overhaul of all guest rooms, new attractions (such as the interactive mining experience, "Oliver's Mining Company") and fresh food and drink options.

The indoor water park provides over 80,000 square-feet of fun, including both extreme slides and mellow slides, chutes, a wave pool, water fort tree house and hot springs. When everyone's worn out by all that swimming and sliding, there's a bowling alley just for toddlers plus story times, rope courses, and game centers. Other diversions: PJ parties, dance parties, and character breakfasts, as well as dry play "Paw Passes" for an extra fee, which include a MagicQuest game, a Creation Station (make-your-own-stuffie), glitter tattoos, and more. To call this place cozy and kid-friendly is an understatementjammies in the lodge-like lobby are allowed and enouragedfor everyone!

For the ultimate in indulgence, unwind with your little one at the ice-cream-themed spa, designed especially for kids. Decked out in a tiara and candy pink robe, the princess in your life can enjoy a flavored manicure and pedicure with a sherbet scrub. Then escape to the lodges Element Spa Salon for some much needed R&R and time for yourself! Win, win.

Driving time from NYC: 2 hours

1 Great Wolf Drive
Scotrun, PA
570-688-9899
Online:greatwolf.com

For an Immersive Ski Experience: Belleayre Mountain SkiCenter, NewYork

Sure, there are tons of slopes in the Tristate area, but Belleayre Mountains Kidscamp teaches little ones ages 4 to 12 how to ski or snowboard in a no-pressure group setting (kids 4 to 6 $102, 7 to 12 $112). The camp includes four hours of lessons, rentals, a lift ticket, and a filling lunch. Need to brush up on your slope stylings? Lessons for adultsgroup or privateare available as well. Once everyone is up to speed, there are 50 trails to choose from, as well as a terrain park, and six miles of cross-country skiing trails. If making the trek back to the city seems like too daunting of a task after such an action-packed day, there areSki and Stay packagesavailable for nearby lodging.

Driving time from NYC: 2.5 hours

181 Galli Curci Rd.
Highmount, Ny
845-254-5600
Online:belleayre.com

For a Trip Back in Time: Mystic Seaport,Connecticut

If you're going to leave the city, why not go all out and leave this century, too? The Mystic Seaport Museum allows you to step back in timetoa recreated 19th century seafaring village and a working shipyard in this quaint seaport town. You and your little sailors can climb aboard and explore historic wooden vessels dating all the way back to 1841. At the Children's Museum designed for kids seven and under, visitors can experience the life of a sailor. Show your little seafarers what real chores are by having them swab the decks, move cargo, cook in the galley, and sleep in sailor bunks. Additionalfamily activitiesare offered seasonally.

Then head over to the Mystic Aquarium to see African penguins, beluga whales, sea lions and seals, dazzling tropical fish, and more. Then crash at the nearbyHyatt Place featuring new, regionally-inspired breakfast menus and rooms with separate living and sleeping areas so parents can have some alone time after the little ones finally fall asleep.

Driving time from NYC: 2.5 hours

75 Greenmanville Ave.
Mystic, CT
860-572-0711
Online:mysticseaport.org

For a Great Museum, History, and Food: Philadelphia

A true getaway awaits in the City of Brotherly Love. Thats because youll get everything hereculture, history, Greenwich Village-like shops, boutique hotels and a burgeoning food scene. And, yes, you could spend your entire time at tourist spots like the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross House, the Benjamin Franklin Museum and Independence Hall, but thats just the one facet of this awesome city to our south.

A favorite destination for kids seven and younger is the Centennial District's Please Touch Museum, which (you guessed it) encouraged kids to explore, learn, and play with interactive exhibits. Stop by and meet the new mascot Squiggles, and then check out theThomas & Friends "Explore the Rails" exhibit,which is there there until early January. Also of note: the museum will host a special Family Festival on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

No trip to Philly is quite complete without eating a cheesesteakthe overstuffed local faves wit onions and Cheez Whiz at Pats King of Steaks are a great place to startand then youve got to watch as your kids run the 72 steps brought to life in the Rocky films right outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Driving time: 2 hours

Please Touch Museum
Tickets: $19/adults and kids one and older; free/kids under one year old
4231 Avenue of the Republic of Philadelphia
215-581-3181
Online:pleasetouchmuseum.org

To Go Spelunking: Howe Caverns

Stay warm exploring the underground attractions at the stunning Howe Caverns. Here, visitors go 156 feet undergroundfor an adventure through a six-million-year-old cave. The Flashlight Tour is afavoritewith families: Kids are givensouvenirhelmets andheadlampsand get totravel through a living limestone cave, which finishes with a boat ride on anunderground river. The Howe Caverns Motel on the estate has rooms and once you've graduated as a pro spelunker, there's plenty more entertainment above ground including zip wires, climbing, rope courses, and bungie fun.

Driving time from NYC: 3 hours

255 Discovery Drive
Howes Cave, New York
518-296-8900
Online:www.howecaverns.com

For Amazing Art in the Berkshires: Mass MoCA

For cultural enrichment and cool digs, consider a trip top Mass MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts. The massive contemporary art center is home to 250,000 square feet of open gallery space filled with thought-provoking and often large-scale works of art. (The center houses several works by light artist James Turrell, and its three floors of Sol Lewitt galleries are impressive. Also: don't miss the Laurie Anderson VR experiences, which you need to sign up for in advance.) Mass MoCA also has a Kidspace with rotating exhibits and programming, allowing kids to get in on the art-making action. Lots of performing arts events such as concerts, film fests, and talks happen here, too, as well as free days; check the calendar to see what's on tap.

A new arrival to the area, The Williams Inn in nearby WIlliamstown, Mass is a good choice for a relaxed yet refined stay, with the added bonus of elevated comfort food on site at the property's restaurant and bar, The Barn. More traditional art can be found right in town at the newly-reopened Clark Institute and the Williams College Museum of Art.

Another option is The Porches, a Berkshires boutique inn with retro-industrial architecture and modern comforts located right across the street from the Mass MoCA. The revamped mill workers' homes are connected by (you guessed it) porches, and have all the comforts of home as well as an all-season pool with a heated deck, hot tubs, saunas and a fire-pit for s'mores.

Further afield ion the area, but perhaps worth a trip isTheEric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst (about 90 minutes away). Dedicated to the author and illustrator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, this art center has three galleries, a hands-on studio, films, lectures and live theatre running inthe auditorium and a library full of favorites.

Driving time from NYC: three hours

Mass MoCA
1040 Mass MoCA Way
North Adams, MA
413-662-2111
Online:massmoca.org

The Porches
231 River St.
North Adams, MA
413-664-0400
Online:porches.com

For a Taste of the Sweet Life: Hershey Lodge,Pennsylvania

Oh, chocolate. This #1 favorite treat has its headquarters in Hershey and, while many families only think to visit Hershey in the warmer months (when its not just open on weekends), Hershey Lodge, which is part of Hersheypark, is our idea of a perfect winter getaway. Here, kids can catch a sugar rush atHersheys Chocolate World, where they get to see, smell, and of coursetaste chocolate before heading into the kitchen to create their own custom candy bar. Then at the hotel, which features an indoor water park, kids get to feel like grownups when they check in at the kids conciergebefore enjoying a game of Chocolate Bingo, of course.

Driving time from NYC: 3 hours

325 University Drive
Hershey, PA
844-330-1802
Online:hersheylodge.com

For a Breath of Fresh Air: Mohonk Mountain House, NewYork

While kids will get a kick out of Mohonks uncanny resemblance to a castle, adults will be impressed with the fact thatfiveU.S. Presidents have stayed here since it opened its doors in 1869. Perched by a mountain lake and surrounded by acres of nature, little ones and grown-ups alike will instantly relax and sigh with relief at the beauty and openness the area has to offer. Of course, if exploring and wandering around aimlessly for hours on end isnt your familys thing, theres also skiing, snowshoeing, tubing, and ice skating. And making your life easier, two to three meals and most activities are included in the cost of an overnight stay.

Driving time from NYC: 2 hours

1000 Mountain Rest Rd.
New Paltz, NY
855-883-3789
Online:mohonk.com

For LEGOs and Luxury: Legoland Discovery Center and The Ritz-Carlton New York, Westchester

Something for them, something for you: Head just 30 minutes from Manhattan to Westchester, where the kids can get their brick on at Legoland Discovery Center and you can relax in style at the Ritz-Carlton. The hotelabout a 20 minute drive from Legolandoffers a variety of five-star services and amenities, and most importantly, an indoor rooftop pool. Another fun feature for budding young cooks: Junior Chefs Academy, where on certain dates (as posted online) kids ages 11 to 18 can participate in a series of seasonal baking workshops with Ritz-Carlton pastry chefs. An added plus: Classes take place in the hotels pastry kitchen and kids will learn everything from kitchen safety to technique.

Driving time from NYC: 30 minutes

Legoland Discovery Center
Tickets: Starting at $15.95/person; free/kids under2 years old)
39 Fitzgerald St.
Yonkers, Ny
Online:legolanddiscoverycenter.com

3 Renaissance Square
White Plains, NY
914-946-5500
Online: ritzcarlton.com

For Horsing Around: Rocking Horse Ranch Resort, NewYork

Giddy up to thisall-inclusive dude ranch.Junior wranglers can visit the resorts pony ride areawhile kids 7 and up can take part in theyear-round trail-riding program. Theres so much to do on thie 500-acre spread in the heart of the scenic Hudson River Valley so, if you'd rather a professional take the reins, there arehorse-drawn sleigh rides, and for those who prefer two legs over four,ski lessons and ice skatingor put your feet up entirely with some tubing action. A favorite spotat the resort is the fun barn, decked out withclimbing walls, a bounce structure, and air-powered Nerf Cannons. After a full day of fun,the evenings are packed with entertainment fromjugglers, magicians, Wild West shows, and circus acts. Its ideal for cooped-up kiddos looking to get the wiggles out.

Driving time from NYC: 1.5 hours

600 State Route 44/55
Highland, NY
845-691-2927
Online:rockinghorseranch.com

For an Active Winter Mix: Skytop Lodge,Pennsylvania

Skytop Lodge in Pennsylvania is another spot for active families wanting to get their winter on. Activities at the luxury resort include skiing (both downhill and cross-country), snowtubing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing, as well as ice skating, and even ice-fishing! (Many activities are for kids four and up.) Tackle the outdoors then unwind from it all with High Tea at 4 p.m. each day, then head to the indoor pool and spa for more chillaxing.

Driving time from NYC: 2 hours

1 Skytop Lodge Rd.
Skytop, Pa
855-345-7759
Online:skytop.com

For Non-Stop Action: Woodloch Pines Resort,Pennsylvania

To say that Woodloch Pines Resort boasts an impressive roster of family-friendly activities would be an understatement. You and your little ones will be busy from morning til night at this all-inclusive Poconos retreat. Anything from pony rides at the petting zoo to wiffle ball to family bake-offs to go-karting is at your disposal when you stay here. And of course, theres an indoor pool if youre not up for the winter sports available here. Were talking endless trails for skiing, sledding and tubing. Sweetening the deal, Woodloch offers all-inclusive packages, and on certain days, kids even stay for free. The evening entertainment is packed withthemed characters, jugglers, comedians, music and magic. Just make sure to make time for your own R&R atthe spa down the roadat The Lodge at Woodloch.

Driving time from NYC: 2.5 hours

731 Welcome Lake Road
Hawley, Pennsylvania
570-685-8000
Online:woodloch.com