*** 5,500th review ***…read more I don't know what took me so long to check out the Hudson River Museum. The views, alone, would be reason enough to visit. I was initially drawn to the impressive dollhouse, but there are also so many other cool paintings, sculptures, and photographs here. The museum building itself is very bright and welcoming. Check out the courtyard, too, where there were some lawn games over the summer. We also explored the education center, which seems to have an ongoing activities for kids. Next time I visit, I'll check out the planetarium!

Mark Twain called the late 19th century the "Gilded Age." It saw the creation of a modern…read moreindustrial economy, a national transportation and communication network. In the HBO drama "The Gilded Age," the characters are keenly aware that they live in interesting times, and this establishment was featured as Mrs. Astor's home. Built for millionaire banker John Bond Trevor and his family, Glenview Mansion has been painstakingly restored by the Hudson River Museum, which is a hidden gem located in Yonkers. Guided tours are offered to six fully restored rooms (Great Hall, Sitting Room, Parlor, Dining Room, Ebony Library, and Billiard Room), which my partner and I had the pleasure of today at $20 per adult and can be purchased on their website. Since his primary residence was in NYC, this 19th-century seasonal home was used from April to December each year and sits on a 23-acre estate. The owner commuted into his office on Wall Street in New York City, about 23 miles away. Upon entering the mansion, it showcases late Victorian with the colorful tiles on the floor, the high ceilings, and the furniture and fixtures such as the Tiffany and Co. grandfather clock, a Victorian recliner chair, or the storybook tiles over the fireplace in the Great Hallway. The original home featured a wraparound balcony that could be accessed through the Sitting Room, but it was later removed in order to lower maintenance costs. Besides the mansion, the museum is a complex of galleries that present changing art exhibitions, a permanent Hudson River School collection, a planetarium, an amphitheater, and educational spaces for all ages. The staff was friendly. The interior was very well kept and organized. With great views of the Hudson River, this is a relatively short day trip, which we can recommend.

I found Skyscape museum while walking in the area and trying to get out of heavy snow. I wasn't…read morefully sure what to expect but I left really happy we got to experience it. Skyscape is a really engaging and a well designed experience. Theres a lot to see and do, with interactive spy style missions that kept both me and my son entertained the entire time! My son was completely locked in the whole time and I was right there pretending I definitely understood the instructions on the first try. It's mostly a hands on experience, you're not just walking through exhibits, you're actually participating, solving challenges and learning as you go. Even better, it didn't feel crowded, which made it comfortable to move through at our own pace. We were able to go back and redo some of the exhibits we enjoyed, which made the experience even more fun the second (and third) time around. Overall, a great mix of entertainment and learning, especially for kids but enjoyable for adults too. 10/10. My son loved every second. I loved pretending I knew what was going on.

What a fun and interactive place with friends or a date night! The husband and I came here as a…read moreswitch from a typical dinner and drinks date night. On weeknights, it's cheaper than the weekends, which made this experience more worth it at $27pp. Plus, you also save a couple dollars by purchasing your tickets beforehand online. We participated in the Spygames portion, which was worth doing. Once we got a wristband and setup an account, we got to start the games. They also offer free lockers (you'll want to remove any purses, bags, jackets, etc) as you'll be moving a lot. There's 10 rooms of a variety of games although some are similar or duplicates. You'll be very active jumping, climbing, and running around. The hour went by pretty quick but we were both sweating and exhausted by the end of it, so an hour is really all you need.

Mahwah, NJ - this is a sweet little local history museum that's home to the Donald Cooper Model…read moreRailroad as well as the Les Paul in Mahwah exhibit which includes a display of his guitars. You can also visit the Old Train Station and Erie Caboose, all part of the permanent exhibits. Guitar lovers and Les Paul fans can even book a session to play on one of the guitars owned and played by the legendary Les himself! We came especially to see the model railroad with our kiddo which is only open on Saturdays from 1-4pm, but checked out the other galleries too. The museum holds some changing exhibits as well as talks and events from time to time. Admission is a modest $5 and free for children under 18 and students under 20. Worth a visit if you're a local or just passing through.

Visited the Mahwah Museum today for the Les Paul presentation by Professor Sean McClowry who gave…read morea very informative session on the technical achievements of Les Paul - inventor of many innovations in the field of recorded music. From multi track recording, use of echo, solid body guitar development. On and on. Looking forward to the next presentation on Saturday, May 21st, where Sean will explain and show the process of cutting a disc using some of Les Paul's original equipment. Also, exhibits on Palisades Amusement Park, Mahwah History and downstairs. A huge train exhibit. Well work visiting this gem. All the volunteers were warm and friendly.

New Bridge served as a battleground, fort, encampment ground, military headquarters, and…read moreintelligence-gathering post in every year of the American Revolution. The Steuben House is the only extant building from the 1776 Retreat through Bergen County. For 2 weeks in 1780, the Steuben House was Washington's HQ and it has been the Bergen County Historical Society's HQ since 1939. Open for events. Grounds open dawn to dusk.

Three stars or so…read more This science museum is mainly catered to children. Most of the exhibits are interactive and hands on, which is cool but I don't think it's a museum to visit as an adult without kids. I also think they don't have many exhibits and some of them were closed. I did like the math exhibit they had. IMO, the price of entry is a little too expensive for what you get. But it's a great place for families with younger kids.

Love going here with the kids because there are so many things to explore. Their favorite area is…read morethe bubble section. With so many stations and different variations of bubble making, we spent a lot of time here. The city area on the top floor was another special spot. They were able to virtually drive a city bus, check out the train system, see how sanitation works and explore many other systems in the city. Now my favorite is the interactive digital waterfall room. Everything from the walls to the floor were interactive. If you have the Cool Culture pass, general admission is free

I did not know what to expect but this is a solid museum for anyone interested in military…read morevehicles. I was impressed with the number, diversity, and condition of the vehicles. There were a lot of tanks but also some really unique vehicles that you can't see anywhere else. Also, the museum appears to be staffed by volunteers who really enjoy and are skilled at restoring and keeping these pieces of history alive. From what I saw during my visit, most (all??) of the vehicles actually run and drive. This museum is a must-see if you are interested in military history, particularly of the vehicular type. Pro tip: While in this area, also check out the American Airpower museum in Farmingdale. Very similar vibe, but all about planes instead of wheeled/tracked vehicles.

It's been almost a year since I've visited this iconic amazing museum. And my oh my the museum has…read moredoubled in size and I'm guessing some they are renting out part of their land to a movie studio, at least it looks like a movie or a tv show set, they must have more funds to make this space even greater and I ain't complaining! The only thing I wish they would offer is allowing the public to pay to drive the tanks and other military vehicles that are there since all are actually operational but I digress. All of the vehicles on display are either owned by the museum or by private citizens who are members of the museum. It's really a great time for everyone of all ages. Love that they have Vet volunteers who run everything here and will take the time to speak to you about certain vehicles, Machinery or their time during which war they served in. It's quite a place to visit!

We had a fabulous time at the Color Factory in NYC. Color Factory is an interactive museum and…read moreevery room is informative or an activity. I love that they have a coach check so you don't have to carry your coats around the experience. Another plus is you can move throughout the experience at your own pace. My favorite rooms were the confetti, silent and birthday room. They also offer gelato and ice cream. I love the wrist bands you get to take pictures during the tour.

We spent a nice, chilly afternoon at this spot and the kids loved it. This is similar to the selfie…read moremuseums out there like the Ice Cream Museum, Museum of selfies, etc. But I enjoyed the explanation of all of the colors, and shades. There were so many interactive elements and we all loved the confetti room. You're also given a QR code where you can scan it and get copies at the end (after purchasing them). The location in Soho is fun, with so many great shops and restaurants nearby. The hit of the place was the ball pool at the end (again, similar to the sprinkle pool at the Museum of Ice Cream). My kids spent hours here. The ball pool kindof smelled like poop. Not gonna lie, it was definitely a stinky spot. There was a sign nearby that explained the balls were disinfected by some type of filtration system. Okay! Regardless of the poop smell, we all had a great time! And used lots of hand sanitizer afterwards.

Got to give it five stars because it is a classic New York City institution. We got here literally…read morea half hour after they opened on a Saturday morning and there were two giant security lines going out the door and going down the block a bit. By the time we left those lines were still just as long if not longer. There is so much to see here though! It's not organized as great as I would like because it's an old museum and they did things differently back then. But it's super cool with so many good things to see and totally worth every bit of it! Hoping to take my kid here someday.

It isn't very often that I walk into a space and have my breath taken away. This was my experience,…read morehaving walked into the Metropolitan Museum of art in New York City for my very first time. I found the ticket purchasing and overall check-in process very smooth. I happened to go on a very busy day, so it was crowded, but nothing that distracted from my actual experience. There aren't very many words to describe the abundance of international treasures on display. And the amount of history you learn while walking around is truly overwhelming. My favorite sections are the Egyptian and Greek and Roman wings of the museum. I saw many famous piece there that I previously saw in textbooks. As far as some of the cafés there offer really basic American fair, but with a fresh twist. Because it was so close to the lunar new year when I visited, there were special lychee drink s available for purchase. This museum is enormous and really needs a dedicated 5 to 6 hours to truly enjoy it so don't pack in too many other museum visits on the same day. I made that mistake.

I love watching movies on a big screen with a tub of popcorn and some fizzy pop…read more I also love local NJ history, vintage treasures, museums, and old Hollywood--all packed into this art deco space, the BFC. Things to note: It's one theater with a disconnected parking garage around the corner. General admissions tickets for a film are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and kids. Live event general admission varies, maybe around $30-$35 depending on the event. You can head to their website for a full calendar schedule of what they're showing. Adjacent to the lobby you can visit the art gallery and see the upcoming and rotating exhibits. Head up the red carpet staircase to the Streichler Gallery and you'll see digital screens along the wall, a Steinway piano, and the entrance to the VIP lounge and private viewing box. It's a real treat for locals who take pride in living around so much history. Did you know they'll be showing When Harry Met Sally on New Year's Eve? That sounds like a lovely way to ring in the new year. So calling all cinephiles, history buffs and Film/American Studies majors, let's go to the movies!!!!

If you want to go to a movie; one you haven't seen, one you never heard of or maybe one you want to…read moresee again....The Barrymore is the place for you. One theatre, general admission and reasonably priced. Stop by their museum and have Karen show you around. I learned a lot about films in the Fort Lee area, and some surprising facts about the area. Free parking behind the theatre in their garage makes it easy.

My 4 yr old grandson was totally engaged the 3 hrs we were at the museum. Age wise: this is perfect…read morefor 3.5-5.5 children. Staff is attentive, it's pristine, lots of manipulatives, and well kept. A friendly site for exploration of some basic scientific principles and lots of space for children to explore& repeat tasks to perfection. Pack a lunch for a nice relaxing afternoon on the boardwalk & re-entry is permitted. An older child may be bored, but go engage those toddlers. The 2-3 yr olds will be busy as well as the more mature toddlers who will thrive! Enjoy-

If you get the Groupon deal, I don't see any reason to have qualms about this spot. There's enough…read moreto spend a good hour here - or longer or shorter. There are ample bathrooms. Activities are kept in good order. Parents of kids are different ranges of attentive, but overall, most are doing a good job watching their kids. My favorite spots were the foam rollers on dowels on a wall and the foam mat with shapes to climb on (more for younger kids). Right on the boardwalk! You could make a morning of the whole excursion even if you don't go to Playland.