We Went Bananas Over Universal Orlando’s New Minion Land—And It’s Perfect for Young Kids

by Carly CaramannaAugust 14, 2023

Bananas—and so much more—are on the menu at Universal Orlando Resort’s brand-new Minion Land

The red carpet has been rolled out—just watch for banana peels—because Universal Orlando Resort is celebrating the grand opening of a brand-new Minion Land. The exciting addition to the central Florida theme park resort is part of an overall initiative to offer more attractions geared toward families with younger children—and we were one of the first to explore the colorful streets inspired by the beloved characters.

Minion Land at Universal Studios Florida occupies the resort’s original park and features an entire block—now known as Illumination Avenue—adorned with attractions, whimsical eats, and meet and greets all centered around the Despicable Me franchise, the highest-grossing animated film franchise of all time. The new land is a collaboration between Universal’s award-winning creative time and Illumination’s acclaimed filmmakers.

Let’s take a look at the mischief and mayhem that awaits.

This is a game-changer for families with younger kids

The banana-loving, mischief-making Minions have long been a part of the park, from parade appearances to the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ride—and the decision to expand upon that footprint was simple. “People love these characters, and they love these films,” Mike Aiello, senior director of entertainment creative development for Universal Orlando Resort, shared with us.

Immersive, family-friendly simulator attraction Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, was the park’s first large-scale foray into the adorable world of the Minions and is a surprisingly heartwarming ride that’s been overwhelmingly received. Now the theme park destination which is known for high-level thrills is putting the focus on families with the creation of even more experiences targeted towards the younger park goers.

“Everyone knows we do thrill rides, and we do intense experiences, but we also do family really well,” Aiello shared at the land’s preview event. “Being able to increase the portfolio that offers something for everybody, that is what this is about. It truly is something that you can experience together. It just speaks towards the want and need to keep families engaged as a family together.”

Villain-Con Minion Blast is a brand-new attraction

new Minion Land at Universal Resort Florida

A pioneering new attraction joins the existing Despicable Me Mayhem as the heart of the land. Inspired by Minions: The Rise of Gru, Villain-Con Minion Blast is Universal’s most customizable ride ever built, impressively marrying interactive game-based technology with immersive practical set pieces. It’s both familiar and unlike anything we’ve ever seen. The concept is simple: Blast to earn points and all the glory on the attraction’s leaderboard—but it’s also much more than that.

Players compete in a showdown to become a member of the Vicious 6, a supergroup of villains from the film. Never before done, riders aren’t aboard traditional attraction vehicles but instead a moving conveyor belt. With this new system, there is no height requirement making this a true family-friendly ride. Guests are equipped with self-supported blasters, called E-Liminator X, with a smaller blaster available for younger guests.

Unlike other straightforward blaster-style attractions, like Universal’s MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack and Disney’s Toy Story Mania, this is a layer-filled, choose-your-own-adventure of sorts.

Villain-Con Minion Blast is Universal Orlando’s first leap into a truly connected experience where the mobile Universal Orlando Resort app enhances and works in real-time with the attraction. This means that every ride can be a completely new experience.

With the ability to customize, it offers that desired ride-ability factor. On each mission, the objective and the villains represented may be different. Universal creatives also shared that guests can expect seasonal content to be incorporated into the attraction, like pumpkins during Halloween and even flaming turkey legs during the Thanksgiving season.

The app extends the fun beyond the attraction itself, and into the ride’s queue and land, with the ability to unlock new content visit after visit and earn more powerful blasts during gameplay. A collectible loot feature mimics a classic scavenger hunt and sees app users exploring the land to uncover the bounty. With one scan of a phone, it connects to your virtual collectibles and is a fun way to experience the land from a different vantage point.

For those adverse to technology, the attraction can be enjoyed at face value as a next-generation blaster-style ride without ever turning on the app as the player’s score will appear on the blaster itself.

Simply put, this is a clever attraction that’s a load of fun no matter at what level you commit to playing it.

Whimsical eats await in Minion Land at Universal Resort—and it’s way more than bananas

Universal Studios Florida excels with wildly inventive eats—from Harry Potter-themed, snow-capped pubs, to The Simpsons’ Fast Food Boulevard—but Minion Land raises the bar on both creativity and execution.

The new land houses four new options, from grab-and-go snacks to sit-down dining. Bake My Day is an adorable cupcake shop serving up a hefty dose of whimsy with Minion-fueled sweets. Insider tip: We recommend that you try the standout banana cream Swiss roll. Two snack stands dishing fun eats to parkgoers, including Minion-themed ice pops at Freeze Ray Pops and banana-flavored popcorn at Pop-A-Nana, have already proved ever so popular.

Its marquee dining location, Minion Café, is perhaps the land’s most ambitious feat, fusing elements of fast casual dining with table service in an immersive setting. Amongst its three highly themed dining rooms, diners can soak up the air conditioning while getting a glimpse of colorful art pieces and eye-catching details.

The menu is a merry mashup of kid-friendly eats and inspired foods with global flair—but it’s all far beyond the expected theme park eats. The food delivers the fun to the fork, from a green tomato bisque topped with crispy pork belly and basil oil to a delightful salsa roja braised beef. There are also plenty of familiar eats with a playful twist for the pickier eaters, like addictive Minion-shaped tots and a stuffed pizza. With all eats under $20, it also offers affordability and elevation in the theme park culinary landscape.

Illumination Theater is where you can meet your Minion friends

While the land itself is a bounty of colorful photo ops and murals, Illumination Theater serves as the main hub for character meet and greets—because you can’t come to Minion Land and not meet one of the adorable yellow friends!

The art deco-inspired theater features screen-based, digital posters offering the ability to switch out the characters throughout the day. Here, guests can meet the characters like Gru, Margo, and Agnes, but also other popular characters from hit Illumination films.

What else can families expect in the future?

The good news for families with younger kids? Universal Orlando Resort will be welcoming another kid-centric land in 2024 inspired by beloved movie characters from DreamWorks Animation. Its focus will be attractions and interactive play spaces that bring popular franchises like Shrek and Trolls to life.

Kids and adults alike will love Minion Land at Universal Resort, Florida

Rich with storytelling, Illumination films have resonated with people of all ages—and that sentiment is evident in Universal’s newest land. It’s a place where parents won’t just take a backseat to watch their kids at play, but they, too, become active and engaged participants.

In many ways, Minion Land accomplishes what so many other kiddie lands do not: it’s a destination-worthy land that can hold a candle to the likes of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It’s not tucked away in a back corner but instead, seamlessly blends in with the rest of the park as a transportive experience unique to its own. It’s truly tailored to the younger parkgoers but with broad appeal for guests of all ages.

—images courtesy of the author

Not Fake News: Fascinating Facts About Chicago That Every Kid Should Know

by Maria ChambersMarch 6, 2023

What was the original filling in the Twinkie? How fast can an L train go?

Breathtaking skyline with never-ending Lake Michigan views, freakishly unpredictable weather, sports-hungry locals. . . these are some of the obvious well-knowns about Chicago. But what about the lesser-known or forgotten facts? From super helpful or delicious inventions to fascinating Chicagoans, here’s a Chicago history lesson to share with the family over dinner.

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1. Chicago got its name from the French translation of the Native American word shikaakwa, known in the plant world as allium tricoccum. Which is a reference to the wild garlic that grew in abundance in the area. Yikes! Anyone have a mint?

2. How about some gum? While gum has been plentiful for thousands of years, the first to sell it flavored and packaged the way we know and love was Chicago-based Wrigley's. The originals were Wrigley's Spearmint and Juicy Fruit in the 1890s.

3. When we get one of those beautifully clear days in Chicago, shoot to the tippy-top of Willis Tower (Sears Tower to the loyalists). You can see Lake Michigan and 4 states Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Hi-de-ho, neighbors!

4. The Ledge at Willis Tower's Skydeck is the highest observation deck in the United States, standing 1,353 feet in the air and extending 4.3 feet from the Skydeck.

5. The L train travels at speeds of up to 55 miles per hour and carries over 800,000 people per day.

6. Kids likely never heard of Josephine Cochrane, but their lives are made easier by her existence. Frustrated that her circa 1600 heirloom China kept getting chipped while being hand-washed, she threw her brains into developing a cleaning mechanism that used water pressure and was safe on dishes: a.k.a. the dishwasher. Thank you much, Josephine!

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7. Our city's skyline wouldn't be the same without the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier. Designed by George Washington Gale Ferris to rival the majesty of France's Eiffel Tower, the first Ferris Wheel in the world debuted December 16, 1892, as part of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. While the original was destroyed by dynamite in 1906, we get to enjoy Navy Pier's nod to the wheel's original Chicago roots.

8. Speaking of the Eiffel Tower, a time capsule at the top of the building formerly known as John Hancock contains a piece of the Tower.

9. This lil tidbit is for the parents. Pabst's Blue Ribbon used to be Pabst's Best Select until it won an actual blue ribbon at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. In a show of marketing genius, Pabst's started selling their bottles with silk blue ribbons attached, and the name PBR stuck.

10. The Chicago World's Fair is the gift that just keeps on giving. Do you know that zipper on your pants, your jacket, your backpack? Came from the Chicago World's Fair and was originally called a "clasp locker". Glad they went with zipper.

11. Okay, maybe don't share this one with the kids, but Chicago was also home to the first serial killer, H.H. Holmes, and he opportunistically used the Chicago World's Fair to lure his victims by building a hotel with soundproof rooms. We recommend reading Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City for all the fascinating details and a healthy dose of Chicago history.

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12. Not only is Barack Obama the first Black President in U.S. history, but he was also previously an Illinois State Senator who laid roots with his family in the Hyde Park neighborhood.

13. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed over 17,000 buildings and 2,000 square feet and many locals like to hold on to the utterly tall tale that it was caused by Catherine O'Leary's cow knocking over a lantern in her barn. But the fact is, the true cause has never been determined.

14. At the point of the Great Chicago Fire's origin now appropriately sits a training facility for Chicago firefighters and a bronze sculpture entitled Pillar of Fire.

15. As a show of sympathy and kindness for the Great Chicago Fire, Londoner A.H. Burgess suggested England present a free library to Chicago. The first Chicago Public Library opened on January 1, 1872, in a circular water tank that survived the fire at the southeast corner of LaSalle and Adams Street and consisted of 8,000 books. Cheerio, England!

16. Grant Park, a.k.a. Chicago's front yard, is home to big-time notables Millennium Park, Buckingham Fountain, Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum Campus and plays host to some of our most-attended fests. It was named after the 18th President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant, who along with former President Lincoln, led the Union Army to a victory over the Confederates in the American Civil War.

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17. The centerpiece of Grant Park, Buckingham Fountain, uses up to 15,000 gallons of water per minute and runs Apr.-Oct. Visit after sunset and you'll be treated to a spectacular light and music display that runs every hour on the hour.

18. Many a joke is made about the longevity of a Twinkie. But, did you know, they were invented right here in Chicago in 1930? They were first filled with banana cream, but that was replaced with vanilla flavor during WWII when you couldn't slip on a banana peel even if you wanted to because of the scarcity of the yellow fruit.

19. A researcher at Schaumburg-based Motorola was the first to successfully develop the cell phone. The first brick-sized phone weighed close to 2 1/2 pounds and 10 hours of charging bought you 30 minutes of talk time. Next time your kids complain about how fast their devices lose power, drop that little info nugget on their brains.

20. Born in the Lakeview neighborhood, Jane Bryne became the first female elected to the office of Mayor in the U.S. in 1979, at a time when Chicago was the second largest city in the country. Absolute legend!

21. Chicago Bulls mascot "Benny" the Bull is one of the longest-tenured and most recognized mascots in sports history, getting his name from Ben Bentley, the Bull's first Public Relations Manager and Stadium Announcer.

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22. The Chicago River runs right through the city and is one of the reasons Chicago is of geographic importance, as it is a link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River Basin, and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico. It has a place of honor on the Flag of Chicago represented by two horizontal blue stripes. It's also a feat of civil engineering, as the direction of its flow was reversed in 1900 in an attempt to protect the city's water supply.

23. Black Chicagoan and physician, surgeon, and medical researcher Charles Drew worked with Red Cross on critical discoveries around blood transfusions and played a major role in developing the first blood banks and blood plasma programs.

24. My bologna has a first name, O-S-C-A-R! German immigrant, Oscar Mayer made his way to Chicago and laid the groundwork for one of the most well-known names in the food industry on the near-northside. And, blessed the USA with hot dogs, the super dope Weinermobile and the longest-running tv commercial to date that starred a 4-year-old singing about bologna. Just don't forget to ALWAYS forgo the ketchup on your hot dog, please.

25. Not only did Chicago gift the world with the hot dog, but we're also responsible for deep-dish pizza. Thanks to Pizzeria Uno for your contribution to the history of deliciousness.

26. The beloved brownie was invented in Chicago at Palmer House Hilton. And, good news! We have the recipe.

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27. The Field Museum is home to SUE, the most complete T-Rex skeleton in the world. And, SUE got a new home at Field a few years ago to help make room for Máximo. At 122 feet across and 28 feet tall, it's modeled after a titanosaur (the largest animal that ever lived) excavated in Argentina. Fun tip: If you go to the second story of the Field, you can snap a selfie with the remarkable Máximo.

28. M-I-C-K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E! The pioneer of American animation who holds the record for most Academy Awards won by an individual at 22, Walt Disney was born in the Hermosa neighborhood.

29. Lake Michigan is the third largest of the Great Lakes (when measured by surface) and the only Great Lake located entirely in the U.S. It touches 4 states: Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan, and is sometimes referred to as the "third coast", behind Atlantic and Pacific Coasts.

30. Chicago has a ton of nicknames (some of which highly annoy the natives): The Windy City, Chi-Town, City of Big Shoulders, The Second City, The White City, The City That Works—just to name a few—but our favorite name to call it is: HOME! (Insert block of cheese emoji.)

27 Kid-Friendly Baking Recipes You Can Pull Off

by Susie ForesmanDecember 9, 2022

These kid-friendly baking recipes are easy for kids, even toddlers can bake

It’s never too early to get your kids involved in the kitchen. Baking helps kids develop their motor skills and introduces them to new flavors. Not to mention they’ll learn such an important skill. But best of all, they’ll get to find out firsthand how their favorite sweet treats are made. These easy baking recipes ideas for kids are the next best thing to putting everything into your KitchenAid and walking away. From banana bread to sugar cookies, get easy, kid-friendly recipes you’ll bake again and again.

Sugar Cookie Trees

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Who doesn't love a sugar cookie covered in frosting? These Christmas tree cookies are easy to make, and the kids will have a blast decorating them.

Jam-Filled Cookies

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These jam-filled goodies are always such a treat around the holidays. Let your kiddo get creative and choose the jam that goes inside.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

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If you and the family love peppermint and chocolate, you'll love these delicious and sweet cookies!

Cardamom Snickerdoodle Cookies

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Enjoy these cardamom snickerdoodle cookies warm out of the oven! The kiddos will definitely be able to help with this one, and we promise they'll love the taste.

Christmas Funfetti Cookies

easy baking recipes for kids — Lord Byron’s Kitchen

Break out the sprinkles, because these gorgeous cookies from Lord Byron’s Kitchen are about to become a yearly family tradition. They’re easy to adapt to any holiday, too—we’re dreaming of pink sprinkles for Valentine’s Day, green for St. Patrick’s Day, and so on.

Pumpkin Butter

For the true pumpkin heads out there, pumpkin butter is a dream come true. This version from Koti Beth is made with pumpkin puree, a little sweetener, and spices, and tastes great spread on toast, swirled into yogurt or oatmeal, or dolloped on top of pancakes or ice cream. It also makes for a delicious edible gift around the holidays.

Mason Jar Ice Cream Cake

To give kids a taste of baking without actually having to turn on the oven, we love this sweet and simple idea from Evermine. They’ll get to crush cookies, melt butter and assemble the mini “cakes” with ice cream and other goodies.

Banana Cream Pie with Nilla Wafer Crust

Your budding chefs will love diving into this easy recipe from Oh, Sweet Basil. The crust is made from classic Nilla wafers, while the filling is super easy to make using a packet of instant pudding and a few other ingredients.

Applesauce Cake

How cute is this cake from Perchance to Cook? Get the little ones involved in stirring together the batter and arranging the apple slices on top. An added bonus: it’s gluten-free for sensitive tummies and paleo for diet-minded parents.

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

These zesty cookies are perfect for holiday baking! Be sure to use fresh cranberry to really bring out the taste of this winter fruit. Get the recipe over at The View from Great Island.

Jello Poke Cake

Introduce your kids to a retro favorite with this recipe from Spaceships and Laser Beams. If you’re not already familiar with the concept of a poke cake, you’re in for a treat!

Chewy Brownies

So your kids have mastered the art of the brownie mix? That means it’s time to up the ante by making them from scratch. This recipe from Spoonful of Flavor is super easy to put together—you’ll just need to supervise the melting chocolate part.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

We love this delish twist on Rice Krispie treats from The Anthony Kitchen. A dollop of salty-sweet peanut butter gives the classic dessert a little something extra, and it’s a breeze to make, even for the youngest of cooks. This recipe comes courtesy of Kelly Anthony, a Texas-based food blogger specializing in homemade family meals and easy desserts like this one.

Banana Mini Muffins

If you’ve got a few bananas that are past their prime, these banana mini muffins are the perfect way to use them. Kids can help mash up the bananas and mix the batter, and you can bake them up in a mini muffin tin or a regular one.

Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

You can’t go wrong with classic chocolate chip cookies, and this crunchy version is sure to be a hit.

Frank’s Apple Pie

If your kids are ready to move on to more involved recipes, you’ve got to try this classic apple pie. They’ll get to roll out the crust, mix up the apple filling and watch eagerly as their creation bakes.

Candy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Give your chocolate chip cookies a colorful twist with this fun recipe. You can add peppermint bark during the holidays, Reese’s Pieces at Halloween and pastel M&Ms at Easter.

Simple & Moist Banana Bread

Moist, flavorful and simple, this is the only banana bread recipe you’ll ever need. If you’re feeling fancy, throw some chocolate chips into the mix!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

These tasty muffins will make a great breakfast, snack or even dessert. Since they’re made with healthy ingredients like coconut oil, applesauce and oats, they’re a great way to get your littles excited about eating well.

Quadruple Chocolate Cupcakes

What’s better than chocolate? More chocolate packed in a grain and gluten-free cupcake! This paleo recipe is super tasty and works great if you’ve got gluten sensitivities in your family.

Chunky Monkey Cookies

For a healthier sweet treat, you’ve got to try these chunky monkey cookies from Veggies Don't Bite. They’re filled with good-for-you ingredients like oats, banana, dates and flax.

Easiest Blueberry Muffins

It doesn’t get much tastier (or easier) than freshly baked blueberry muffins. Frozen berries work just as well as fresh ones so you can bake these up all year long.

Apple Turnovers

This recipe is perfect for beginner bakers since it makes use of frozen puff pastry. Just fill the pastry with cooked apples, then fold them up and bake!

Basic Sugar Cookies

Make sugar cookies a holiday tradition in your family with this fantastic recipe. Kids will get to help out from start to finish, including (of course) decorating the cookies with frosting and sprinkles.

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are a holiday classic, and they’re simple enough for the kids to make themselves. You don’t need a mixer, you don’t have to refrigerate the dough, and the end result is absolutely delicious with a chewy, soft inside.

Donut Muffins

Good news: you can enjoy all the delicious flavors of donuts without the hassle of deep-frying (or driving to the donut shop). These muffins are dipped in butter after baking, then rolled in cinnamon sugar.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Your little ones will love making these yummy chocolate crinkle cookies. Just mix up the dough, let it chill overnight, then roll the dough balls in plenty of powdered sugar.

Your Must-Save List for the Coolest Ice Cream Shops in Chicago

by Debra FlanaganSeptember 1, 2022

Want the scoop on the coolest ice cream shops across Chicago? These 19 spots serve up creative cones and tasty treats your kids will not soon forget

Going out for an ice cream is a simple and relatively affordable way to celebrate life’s little milestones. Although you don’t need a reason to treat yourself, whether it be the first day of school, a good report card, or a dance recital, a cold, creamy reward helps say, “cone-gratulations.” It’s also a great way to cone-sole (sorry, we couldn’t help ourselves!) a scraped knee, a lost soccer game, or even a bad day. Forget chicken soup: ice cream soothes the soul.

And the options are endless, particularly in Chicago, where cool ice cream shops pop up often. From a single scoop to a banana split, from hard serve to soft, and from traditional flavors to avant-garde taste combinations, this sweet treat gets a new spin seemingly anywhere you go. In fact, even the lactose intolerant and plant-based vegans can indulge in some of our nearly 20 recommendations for the best, most unforgettable ice cream shops in the city.

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Eli’s Ark
If you want your ice cream cone to have a cute face before you devour it, head to Eli’s Ark. The process? First, pick the number of scoops you want, then choose your animal—or animals. Do you want animals to piggyback each other? Picture a unicorn, on top of a pig, on top of a koala. The end result is a delicious, artistic creation almost too adorable to eat.

1843 W. North Ave.
Wicker Park
Online: instagram.com/elisarkchicago/

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
Jeni’s carries some of the most interesting flavors you will find, so it makes sense that the Ohio founder, Jeni Britton, started out mixing scented oils with different foods before she began experimenting with ice cream. Where else will you find cream cheese ice cream with everything bagel gravel or goat cheese with red cherries? If the saying didn’t already exist, Jeni’s would have certainly inspired, “Don’t knock it ’til you try it.” They even have dairy-free and gluten-free flavors.

Insider Tip: Keep a steady supply by joining their subscription pint club.

Various city locations, plus you can buy at many local grocery chains, including Mariano’s, Whole Foods, and Target
Online: jenis.com

Kilwins
One of the newer entrants to the Chicago ice cream scene, Kilwins originated in Michigan. In addition to some of the kids’ favorite flavors like Superman and Blue Moon, they have an abundance of rich, hard-serve flavors and sorbetto. While you wait for them to scoop your ice cream, watch as they hand-craft Mackinac Island fudge and caramel apples. You’ll undoubtedly want to bring some of that home as well.

3519 N. Clark St.
Wrigleyville
Online: kilwins.com

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Kurimu
Kurimu puts an Asian spin to its ice cream flavors, from Thai ice tea to lychee pearl and purple yam. The exotic flavors are matched by the colorful, artful cones. Aside from the vibrantly color-blocked handheld desserts, you can also enjoy beautiful bubble teas.

1159 W. Taylor St.
UIC

1632 W. Division St.
Wicker Park

601 N. Martingale Rd.
Schaumburg
Online: kurimuchicago.com

Vaca’s Vegan Creamery
Vegans certainly need not miss out on the joys of ice cream, and Vaca’s is making sure of it. The creamery uses high-quality, certified gluten-free oat milk for their vanilla and chocolate soft serve and have designed four specialty sundaes. They ensure all of their ingredients align with vegan values, which means there are no animal sources whatsoever, and they also have a strong commitment to social responsibility and paying their employees fairly.

1436 W. Blackhawk St.
Wicker Park
Online: vacascreamery.com

Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream
Enjoy delicious ice cream while supporting a black-owned, woman-owned small business. Shawn Michelle’s signature flavors include banana pudding, bourbon butter pecan, strawberry cookies and cream, Blue Moon, Caribbean sunset (mango), Superman, lunchroom butter cookie, chocolate peanut butter and jelly, and chocolate harmony. She also has a vegan menu and five signature sundaes. Join their loyalty program and enjoy BOGO single size scoops on Saturdays and Sundays—but, heads up, both scoops must be the same flavor.

46 East 47th St.
Bronzeville
Online: smhmicmenu.wordpress.com

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Pretty Cool Ice Cream
Pretty Cool Ice Cream launched in 2018 by founders Dana Cree, author of Hello, My Name is Ice Cream, and Michael Ciapciak, founder of Bang Bang Pie and Biscuits. They specialize in hand-made treats reminiscent of what you might find on an ice-cream truck. However, their skilled artisans work with the best ingredients to create edible works of contemporary art on popsicle sticks.

2353 N. California Ave.
Logan Square

709 W. Belden Ave.
Lincoln Park
Online: prettycoolicecream.com

Museum of Ice Cream
For the ultimate ice cream experience, visit the Museum of Ice Cream in the former Chicago Tribune building. Learn about the history of ice cream through 14 multi-sensory installations, take a dip in the sprinkle pool, and ride on the Chicago Sprink-L Line. Multiple ice cream treats in five different shapes and forms are included with your ticket.

Insider Tip: Reservations must be made in advance.

435 N. Michigan Ave.
River North
Online: museumoficecream.com

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Sugar Factory
It’s not simply an ice cream shop, but the Sugar Factory cannot be ignored. After all, it is home to the World Famous Sugar Factory King Kong Sundae—a 20-scoop mountain of ice cream covered with hot fudge, caramel, and strawberry sauces and topped with bananas, marshmallows, chocolate chip cookie chunks, a donut, a cupcake, gummy bears, sprinkles, graham cracker crumbs, all sorts of candy, whipped cream, and cherries. The $99 masterpiece serves 12! Of course there are also their “Insane Milkshakes” and other desserts as Instagram-worthy as they are delicious. Plus the club-like party atmosphere will be a sure hit with the kids.

55 E. Grand Ave.
River North

5445 Park Place
Rosemont
Online: sugarfactory.com

Lickity Split Frozen Custard & Sweets
Does anything say summer more than a peach cobbler concrete? It is one of the many rotating flavors available at Lickity Split. Along with ten other concrete concoctions, you can design your own using the various retro candy on sale. That’s right: with a base of either the chocolate, vanilla, or featured custard flavor, you can get anything from a simple cone to five sundae recipes, or a shake or malt. They even have warm treats including hot chocolate and affogato.

6056 N. Broadway Ave.
Edgewater

7000 N. Western Ave.
West Rogers Park
Online: lickitysplitchicago.com

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The Original Rainbow Cone
The Original Rainbow Cone is a 95-year-old Chicago tradition: it’s a tower of five flavors that include orange sherbet, pistachio, Palmer House (otherwise known as vanilla with cherries), strawberry, and, of course, chocolate. Although you could enjoy each layer individually and work your way down, if you start from the bottom, it is the perfect lick up to the top! Also available are tiered cakes and cake rolls, as well as additional flavors like black walnut and mint flake, a perfect addition to sundaes and shakes.

Various locations in Beverly, Lombard, Darien, and Navy Pier (as well as roaming ice cream trucks, which are often parked near Shedd Aquarium and the Lincoln Park Zoo.)
Online: rainbowcone.com

Margie’s Candies
Another Chicago institution, this ice-cream parlor and candy shop has been in the Poulos family since 1921 and is known to have been visited by the likes of Al Capone and The Beatles. The 57 different sundaes on the menu come with a side of hot fudge for you to drizzle yourself—so there’s a little fudge in every spoonful. Bring your children in with an “A” on their report card for a free cone. And don’t forget to bring home some decadent confections from their candy counter.

1960 N. Western Ave.
Bucktown

1813 W Montrose Ave.
North Center

Banana Cream Ice Cream
Looking to support a woman-owned business? Step right up to Banana Cream Ice Cream, whose specialties include coconut ice cream served within a coconut shell, five wild milkshakes, hot cinnamon waffle rolls, ice cream cookie sandwiches, vegan ice cream, and—of course—banana splits. Promotions include $1.50 scoops every Wednesday.

6305 N. Clark St.
Edgewater
Online: instagram.com/bananacream_icecream/

Cone Gourmet Ice Cream
Owner Sean McGuire hails from Ireland and thus infuses little Irish twists to Cone’s menu with toppings such as Irish chocolate flake bars, Lucky Charms, and salt ‘n’ vinegar chips. Cone offers European-style soft serve in both dairy and non-dairy options. As an added bonus, Lil Cones for kids 5 years old and under are only $2! Cone is also an excellent venue for a party with its spacious indoor party room or outside patio. Birthday party options include a build-your-own sundae bar, character visits, an ice cream cone piñata, homemade frozen bananas dipped in Irish chocolate, and more. Don’t forget to grab your Lucky You card which will get you a free cone or sundae after nine cone or sundae purchases.

1047 W. Madison St.
West Loop
Online: conechicago.com

Black Dog Gelato
For those who prefer gelato to ice cream, there is no better place than Jessica Oloroso’s Black Dog Gelato. Flavors can vary month to month, but expect to find their signature Italian custard, which is inspired by the Italian dessert Zabione with additional yolks added for a richer custard base and finished with a Marsala wine. Their bold mint cookie is another signature flavor, while banoffee praline (bananas and coffee) and cassatta (Ricotta gelato, maraschino and dark cherries, candied orange peel, and chocolate), are featured periodically. Dairy-free flavors rotate on and off the menu as well, and you’d never guess they are free of milk, cream, and eggs. Try all their flavors by joining the Pint Club.

859 N. Damen Ave.
Ukrainian Village

1012 W. Lake St.
West Loop

2662 N. Sawyer Ave.
Logan Square
Online: blackdoggelato.com

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JoJo’s Shake Bar
Visitors to the city flock to JoJo’s Shake Bar for their out-of-this-world Biggie Shakes, certain to impress kids of all ages. They are less about the ice cream blend, and more about the over-the-top toppings. For instance, The Gold Digger is a caramel toffee shake with a toffee dodo, a gold star marshmallow, a toffee pretzel, and a full size white chocolate macadamia nut cookie. The Rocky IV is a banana Reese’s Pieces shake with a toffee marshmallow, a white chocolate boxing glove, and a full size peanut butter cookie. Kids also love the Milk and Cookie Flight which includes four fresh-baked cookies paired with four house-made milks.

23 W. Hubbard St.
River North

916 W. Fulton Market
Time Out Market

5 Jackson Ave.
Naperville
Online: jojosshakebar.com

Hooyahs Ice Cream Shoppe
It might be a bit of a drive or a long ride on the Metra, but Hooyahs is worth the trip. Located within the Great Lakes Metra train station and a short walk from the Great Lakes Naval Base, the family-owned and operated shop has a naval theme. Patrons rave about the Barge, a nine-flavor sample or the Ships and Dip ice cream nachos. Kids will love their flavors from Playdough to Pirate’s Bounty and Elephant Tracks. Breakfast foods and hot dogs are also offered.

3000 Sheridan Rd.
Lake Bluff
Online: hooyahsicecream.com

Scooter’s
Believe it or not, although it only opened in 2003, Scooters is the oldest frozen custard shop in Chicago. Vanilla, chocolate, and a custard flavor of the day are made fresh, daily, on-site. Although they have numerous concrete and sundae suggestions, you are welcome to create your own. They also serve Italian ice parfaits (half custard, half Italian ice.) Hot dogs are also on the menu. Because Scooter’s has become part of the fabric of Roscoe Village, residents often congregate outside the take-out window, while their toddlers, and even their dogs, enjoy free cones with their purchase.

1658 W. Belmont Ave.
Roscoe Village
Online: scootersfrozencustard.com

Oberweis Ice Cream and Dairy Store
Serving both hard serve and soft serve, shakes, cakes, and frozen lattes, Oberweis has it all. The shop is very kid-friendly with chess and checkers on the tables and more games available upon request. Plus, colorful balloons are up for grabs to any kid who wants one. If you’ve got errands to run, it’s worth noting that you can pick up some light grocery items—like milk, butter, and eggs—while you are there. Oberweis also offers a HappyLicious loyalty program and great fundraising opportunities for local sports teams and school groups.

3055 N. Sheffield Ave.
Lakeview
Online: oberweis.com

Get Your Licks In: NYC’s Best Ice Cream Shops for Kids

by Yuliya GeikhmanJuly 11, 2022

Get your sugar fix with everyone’s favorite summer treat: ice cream, NYC style! Sure, you could get a pint from the grocery store—or you could make magic by grabbing a cone (or a cup, or a fish pancake!?) at any one of NYC’s delightfully unique ice cream spots. From extravagant creations to responsibly homemade allergen-free treats, the ice cream shops we’ve highlighted below will surely be a hit with the whole family.

Sugar Hill Creamery

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The Harlem-based, family-owned small business ice cream shop might have expanded to three locations, but you can expect the same thoughtfully curated and sourced goods at all three. The creamery specializes in small-batch cream and non-dairy ice cream with flavors heavily inspired by Caribbean, Midwestern and Halem cultures. You can always get a scoop of the classics, like Andy Griffith (vanilla, of course) and Nunu’s Peach Cobbler, or stop by for a rotating menu of seasonal, quirky flavors like Mrs. Robinson’s Neighborhood — a zucchini bread and pickled ginger swirl masterpiece. The menu details not only what to expect from each flavor but also where the key ingredients are sourced from, down to the cows that made the cream.

Sugar Hill Creamery also has other treats like floats, ice cream sandwiches, push pops, sundaes and a Nicaraguan and Guatemalan coffee blend roasted by Gotham Coffee Roasters. You can now get a hold of Sugar Hill’s signature flavors anywhere in the country: As of 2020, the Creamery ships nationwide. And, it’s pet friendly!

184 Malcolm X Blvd
Harlem

3629 Broadway
Hamilton Heights

Time Out Market, first floor
55 Water St.

Online: sugarhillcreamery.com

Stuffed Ice Cream

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Hear me out: Ice cream in between glazed donuts with cereal toppings. It’s technically a sandwich, right? The over-the-top concoctions here might be a bit extra, but they’ll certainly leave you full and satisfied! The donut in question is a toasted, glazed donut called a “cruff” and it’s the perfect companion to Stuffed Ice Cream’s flavors. Choose from signature cruffs like the Mint Monster (mint and cookie monster ice creams topped with oreo pieces and Captain Crunch cereal) or the Unicorn Poop (white chocolate lavender and Thai tea flavors with Fruity Pebbles and condensed milk). If a cruff is not your thing, you can get a cone—which is available as a seven- or 21-scoop creation dubbed a bouquet if you so choose. (Like we said, extra.)

139 1st Ave.
NoHo

6805 Bay Pkwy
Bensonhurst

Online: stuffedicecreamnyc.com

Davey’s Ice Cream

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Unlike the crazy flavors and over-the-top creations of some other ice cream spots, Davey’s Ice Cream brings ice cream back to its roots. You’ll find classics like vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, as well as new favs like speculoos, Nutella and salted caramel. You can also get ice-cream-topped waffles and beautiful ice cream cakes for bigger occasions. All potential allergens are listed clearly, and ingredients are locally sourced. the result is a down-home, classic taste.

This year, Davey’s closed up shop at its first location, 137 First Ave, but don’t worry: The fan fav is bringing the goodness to three other neighborhoods with two new stores and one reopening. Still too far from you, or get a hankering for some Davey’s while away from the city? No problem: The spot now ships nationwide!

74 Meserole Ave.
Greenpoint

Opening summer 2022:

Moynihan Train Hall (midtown)
421 8th Ave.
Btwn. 8th and 9th Ave.

Riis Park Beach
16702 Rockaway Beach Blvd
Rockaway Park

(Reopening)
309 9th St.
Btwn. 1st & 2nd Ave.
East Village

Online: daveysicecream.com

Blue Marble Ice Cream

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Blue Marble prides itself on being all natural, but it’s also organic, fair trade, woman owned and striving to use the most high quality ingredients possible. The rich scoops come from local organic sources and feature flavors from the humble vanilla to banana cream pie and “bread and roses” (a mix of rose and shortbread). Vegan options are available. Blue Marble’s Prospect Heights location has a kid’s play space and outdoor garden, and is steps from Prospect Park. Take note: With each scoop you buy, you and your family are supporting Blue Marble’s not-for-profit organization, Blue Marble Dreams, the mission of which is to use ice cream to inspire joy, spur economic growth and employ and empower women in places like Rwanda and Haiti.

This year, Blue Marble celebrated opening its second UWS location, in place of the Big Gay Ice Cream (don’t worry — that one’s still alive and thriving in NYC and still on our list!).

186 Underhill Ave.
Prospect Heights

2578 Broadway
Upper West Side

2058 Broadway
Upper West Side

Online: bluemarbleicecream.com

Rolling Cow

This lesser-known spot is as fun to watch as it is to eat: After you make your order at this Kings Plaza ice cream spot, step to the side and watch the ice cream artists do their thing. Raw ingredients transform into thin sheets of ice cream loaded with chopped fillings like fresh fruit, nuts, oreo cookies or whatever your order calls for. They’re then rolled up into ice cream tubes and topped with toppings of your choice, from more fresh fruit to sprinkles, gummy bears or soft popping boba. Ask for the marshmallow as a topping and they’ll toast one for you before placing it on top of your creation.

Kings Plaza, first floor
5100 Kings Plaza
Online: kingsplazaonline.com

Taiyaki NYC

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Taiyaki is a sweet Japanese treat in the shape of a fish that tastes somewhere between a donut and a pancake. They’re often filled with creams, pastes and, yes, ice cream! At Taiyaki NYC, you, too, can eat swirled soft-serve ice cream from the mouth of a cute warm fish pancake treat filled with red bean or custard. The store goes the extra kawaii step and turns creations into unicorns, adds little candy garnishes and generally makes these delightful treats as photogenic as possible. The various stores around NYC often has seasonal specials like its spring sakura-flavored ice cream and the current Rilakkuma collaboration (just when you thought it couldn’t get any cuter!). You can build your own taiyaki ice cream or get treats like huge and fluffy souffle pancakes (topped with a small taiyaki, of course).

119 Baxter St.
Chinatown

294 Bedford Ave.
Williamsburg

Queens Crossing, first floor
136-17 39th Ave.

Online: taiyakinyc.com

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

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No NYC ice cream list would be complete with a mention of the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. This hole-in-a-wall family-owned spot has been a Chinatown staple since 1978, and connoisseurs of ice cream flock to this place for their rich and thick ice cream (there’s nearly always a line, but it generally goes super fast). There are three locations now but the OG Chinatown spot has been serving up mango and matcha ice cream before other ice creams caught on. Today, you can choose from a huge selection of flavors, from the tame — rocky road, strawberry cheesecake, coconut — to the Asian-inspired — pandan, red bean, durian — to the downright intriguing — caramel bacon swirl, lychee rose. New flavors are often added to the lineup, in case you needed an excuse to visit more than once. Need a hand choosing? After discontinuing it for a while due to covid, you can now once again ask for a sample before you commit.

65 Bayard St.
Chinatown

135-15 40 Road
Flushing

Essex Market
115 Delancey St
Lower East Side

Online: chinatownicecreamfactory.com

Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream

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This classy establishment pulls off a retro vibe with a modern style. It serves up a variety of classic and unique flavors in cones, cakes, sandwiches, pretzels and more, as well as a full all-American menu of burgers, fries and beer for the adults. Along with the regulars, Morgenstern’s is often putting out interesting limited-time options. Right now, you can get a hold of four flavors inspired by Rick and Morty (they’re out of this world!), or try one of the Flavors of Singapore collection, which features package designs by moo.inks, a tattoo artist from Singapore and flavors like pandan and egg custard.

Kids will love their own menu with special cup and cone sizes and sundaes that are sure to please like the Butterscotch Banger — vanilla ice cream with caramel and cream. Morgenstern’s now ships pints to anywhere in the US.

88 W Houston St.
SoHo

Online: morgensternsnyc.com

A La Mode

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Do you or the little ones have allergies? If you’ve ever struggled to find an ice cream that’s safe to enjoy, then A La Mode is about to become your best friend. All of the ice cream at this store and the facility where the magic happens is nut-free, sesame-free, egg-free and all-natural. And with flavors like Partly Cloudy (blue cotton candy with marshmallows) and Pink Sprinkle (pink vanilla with rainbow sprinkles) for the kids and Wired (coffee with chocolate chips) for adults, everyone at A La Mode has something to smile about. More good news: the shop just launched its online business so now you can order the stuff from the comfort of your couch — pints, bars and cups can be delivered right to your door.

360 E 55th St.
Midtown East
Online: alamodeshoppe.com

Ample Hills Creamery

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This Brooklyn-born brand is famous for irresistible combinations like Snap Mallow, Pop, (marshmallow ice cream with toasted Rice Krispie clusters ) and The Munchies (pretzel infused ice cream with clusters of potato chips, pretzels, Ritz crackers, and mini M&Ms). And with seven locations city-wide, you’ll be spoiled for choice!

The shop is always surprising customers with truly unique and unusual flavors. Corn ice cream with cornmeal crumble and blueberry swirl, anyone? Plus, Ample Hills Creamery has declared this summer the Summer of Love (again) and partnered with Baked by Melissa to create ice cream with cupcake bits and a tie-dye design that’s delightfully 60s. On top of all this, the flavors have fun names and often nostalgic names (“Coffee Toffee Coffee,” “I Wanna Dance with Some Berry”) that are just plain fun to say!

623 Vanderbilt Ave.
Prospect Heights

305 Nevins St.
Gowanus

192 Prospect Park West
Windsor Terrace

421 Van Brunt St.
Red Hook

Dekalb Market Hall
445 Albee Square West
Downtown Brooklyn

141 8th Ave.
Chelsea

34-02 30th Ave.
Astoria

Online: amplehills.com

Mikey Likes It

Mikey Cole started his business selling ice cream out of a pushcart, and today it’s a source of both delicious ice cream and pop-culture references. Most recently, Mikey collaborated with Microsoft to create the Windows 11-inspired flavor, Bloomberry (a naturally colored bright blue blueberry ice cream with pound cake pieces and blue chocolate candies, and a blueberry pie swirlBeyond Microsoft, Mikey’s flavors include Ice Ice Mikey (a blend of three types of vanilla), Foxy Brown (mocha with crushed wafer cookies and a sea salt caramel swirl) and the deceptively healthy Incredible Hulk (spinach, kale, spirulina, green apple, mango, banana, bigger melon and sea moss. Woah!). You can also order a waffle topped with your choice of flavor ice cream, milkshakes (dairy-free options available!) and floats. Mikey’s flavors are small-batch, there are vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free varieties, and you can order them for your next event or just buy a pint to enjoy at home.

199 Avenue A
Lower East Side
212-673-0199
Online: mikeylikesiticecream.com

Odd Fellows Ice Cream Co.

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Brought to you by a gastro-molecular pastry chef and a husband and wife team that admired said chef’s skills, this ice cream shop features super fresh flavors in way outside-the-box combinations. This funky shop is the place to go if you crave saffron passionfruit with bits of apricot and pistachios, or grape jelly, cake and Bostom cream in your ice cream (and why wouldn’t you?). Odd Fellows has even partnered with Penguin Random House for six flavors inspired by book genres, so you can eat your ice cream and read it, too.

60 Water St.
DUMBO

Domino Park
40 River St.
Williamsburg

334 Furman St.
Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 5

334 Furman St.
McCarren Park

Online: oddfellowsnyc.com

Big Gay Ice Cream Shop

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Big Gay has made a splash on the NYC scene since coming out full of style and personality. The store has rotating weekly flavors (right now you can catch the blueberry crush and the cherry Kool-aid soft serve flavors) as well as a selection of beloved options, from the Dorothy (vanilla ice cream with a dulce de leche center and crushed nilla wafer cookies around the outside) to the Mermaid (Key lime pie with chunks of pie in every bite). Big Gay’s egg-based soft serve is flavorful and creamy, and toppings are made in-house for a totally fresh treat. The shop also offers ice cream sandwiches, shakes and paletas — non-dairy Mexican fruit pops that won’t run out of flavor. Keep an eye out for the BGIC truck roaming the city streets adorned with its signature rainbow cone, as well as new flavors rotating every week.

207 Front St.
Midtown West

516 Columbus Ave.
Upper West Side

4 Pennsylvania Plaza
Madison Square Garden

Online: biggayicecream.com

Il Laboratorio del Gelato

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Tucked inconspicuously next to the Lower East Side’s famous Tenement Museum, the atmosphere at Il Laboratorio del Gelato HQ is spare and industrial, but don’t let that fool you. On any given day customers can choose from over 50 artisanal and vibrant flavors like kid-friendly banana chocolate chip or concord grape, alongside more unusual offerings like rose petal, tarragon pink pepper and cucumber. Everything at Il Laboratorio is fresh and made at the shop, and the kids will love watching the ice cream makers hard at work in the “lab” through the glass windows on Ludlow Street.

The Ludlow
188 Ludlow St.
LES
Online: laboratoriodelgelato.com

Taste the Tropic

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Taste the Tropics has been around for over 40 years and is an authentic, family-owned ice cream and dessert spot inspired by Caribbean culture and flavors. You’ll find coconut and rum raisin alongside Irish moss, guava and soursop — ice cream flavors you’re not likely to find anywhere else. The spot has “shakes, cakes and cones” as well as some food items like fresh-baked patties and Jamaican buns and cheese. Not sure which flavor to choose? Come in for a taste!

1839 Nostrand Ave.
Little Haiti
Online: tastethetropicsusa.com

Van Leeuwen

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Stylish and delicious, Van Leeuwen started as an ice cream truck and now has three spots where you can enjoy the creamy goodness. It’s a must if you love ice cream — and especially if you love vegan ice cream, as many vegan options are available in delicious flavors from all-natural ingredients. The flavor combinations are mouth-watering, like the hazelnut fudge cookie or the pumpkin cheesecake, though there are also some more… interesting options, like honey French vanilla and Kraft macaroni and cheese.

550 Vanderbilt Ave.
Prospect Heights

81 Bergen St.
Cobble Hill

304 5th Ave.
Park Slope

Online: vanleeuwenicecream.com

Soft Swerve

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Soft Swerve is self-described as “whimsical” and its artistic soft serve cones certainly are. The spot specializes in Asian-inspired flavors, which means you’ll find flavors like ube (purple yam), black sesame and matcha, in a variety of cones, topped by drizzles and “crunchies and chewies.” Make your own or choose from a selection of pre-made sundaes named after NYC nabes and famous locations.

85B Allen St.
LES

379 3rd Ave.
Kips Bay

Online: softswervenyc.com

Sam’s Fried Ice Cream

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If you’ve never had fried ice cream before, you’re missing out. The combination of cold, gooey ice cream center and crispy, warm fried panko outer crust is a treat for the senses and the taste buds! Sam’s takes the simplicity of fried ice cream and adds an even more delicious twist to it with toppings like oreo crumble, powdered sugar, various cereals, whipped cream and more. Make your own fried ice cream creation with a flavor of your choice (ranging from vanilla and strawberry to birthday cake and strawberry or blueberry cheesecake), and finish it off with a customized crust and toppings.

37B Orchard St.
LES
Online: samsfriedicecream.com

Egger’s Ice Cream Parlor

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Egger’s has been around since 1932, so you could say they know a thing or two about ice cream. Batches are homemade and no-frills: butter pecan, banana, mint chocolate chip and all the regulars you’d expect as well as some vegan, dairy-free and sugar-free flavors. The toppings are also packaged in the signature Egger’s style, and include chocolate chips, caramel, marshmallow fluff, waffle cone pieces and many more. There are also floats, shakes and sundaes in sizes from a kids Junior size to a huge Banana Royale and Double Scoop Sundae that are a whole-family affair. There’s plenty of seating, though, so get comfortable and start eating!

There are also adorable ice cream kits that come with everything you need to make your own ice cream sandwiches or sundaes as a fun afternoon activity with the kids. Egger’s is an especially great choice if you have an event or a birthday coming up: They’ll make you a fully customized cake with up to three ice cream flavors inside. Kids will love the beautiful rainbow upside-down cone cake, in particular. And if you want a treat for the furry children in your family, Egger’s makes doggie cakes, too.

1194 Forest Ave.
Staten Island

Inside Historic Richmond Town
441 Clarke Ave.
Staten Island

Online: eggersicecream.com

Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices

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In spite of the name, Ralph’s is about much more than just Italian ices. You’ll also find milkshakes and smoothies, ice creams in classic flavors and multi-layer ice cream creations like the Hot Fudge Brownie, which stuffs vanilla ice cream between warm fudge brownies and hot fudge and the Apple Cobbler, which has layers of vanilla ice cream, caramel, apples and graham crackers. The newest addition to the menu is the Doughnado: a sensory delight in the form of ice cream with a ball of edible cookie dough.

Many locations, see website for full list.

Eggloo

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The waffle topped with ice cream combo might be well-known now, but Eggloo takes is a step further: it just altogether replaces the cone with a waffle. These are delicious Asian egg waffles, which kids might love just for the pop-it-like shape. Classic flavors and toppings get a new spin thanks to the soft texture of the waffle (though some more unusual flavors can be found too, like lychee rose and black raspberry). Like these? You can make them at home, too! Eggloo sells waffle-making kits that come with everything but the ice cream (yes, including the waffle maker!).

60 Mulberry St.
Chinatown
Online: myeggloo.com

Grace Street

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This chic bakery and cafe is a great date spot and is usually full of friends and couples out on the town for the day, but its chill atmosphere and incredible cold creations are sure to be a win with kids, too. The shop makes a giant mountain of shaved snow (the fluffier, ice-creamier type) in fun flavors like mango and matcha, with an equally impressive number of toppings. (This is seriously huge — one is definitely enough for two or even three people). There’s a wide range of other sweets to choose from in addition to this, including waffles with ice cream, Ho-Dduk (a Korean donut), matcha beignets, mochi or churro waffles, burnt basque cheesecake, brown sugar bubble tea toast and more. And don’t worry: The teas and treats here are just as tasty as they are beautiful!

17 W 32nd St.
Midtown South
Online: bygracestreet.com

Paczki Day! Where to Buy Your Favorite Limited-Time-Only Treat

by Amy BizzarriFebruary 14, 2022

Get your kids in on the super sweet Fat Tuesday fun. Start at local bakeries that sell paczki (pronounced “poonch-key”), the traditional must-eat Polish donut that symbolizes the start of Lent. But, you have to act fast: They’re typically available for an extremely limited time. This year Paczki Day is Tuesday, March 1, and we’ve got you covered with a guide to great bakeries from Downers Grove to Bridgeport so you can stock up and go wild.

Delightful Pastries

Owner Dobra Bielinski and her team are frying up thousands of paczki using a beloved, generations-old family recipe with a few modern-day twists when it comes to the filling: Apricot Jelly, Plum Butter, Salted Caramel with scratch-made caramel using sea salt, Fresh Strawberry, German Chocolate with pecans and coconut custard topping and more. They're famous for the booze-filled options as well: vodka and vanilla bean custard, Jameson Whiskey with chocolate custard and moonshine and lemon. Walk-ins are welcome, but pre-ordering is recommended and must be completed by Feb. 21. The minimum order is a dozen.

5927 W. Lawrence Ave., Jefferson Park; Online: delightfulpastries.com

Bridgeport Bakery

It’s Fat Tuesday 24/7/365 at this no-frills but much-loved Polish/Lithuanian bakery. They specialize in paczki and serve them year-round. You’ll always find at least four types, but on Fat Tuesday they go into overdrive with over 20 different fillings from cheese to pineapple. There will likely be a long line of local families looking to load up on this traditional pre-Lenten treat.

2907 S. Archer Ave., Bridgeport; Online: bridgeportbakerychicago.com

Stan’s Donuts & Coffee

Available in all 16 Chicagoland locations, Stan’s Donuts & Coffee are offering four pazcki offerings that will please chocolate and fruit lovers. Guests can choose from vanilla pastry cream, chocolate pastry cream, cannoli cream and cherry paczkis. Stop into your favorite Stan's, Feb. 26-Mar. 1, or order online.

Locations all around Chicagoland, find the one nearest you online.

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Roeser’s Bakery

Fat Tuesday is one of the busiest days of the year at Roeser’s Bakery, one of Chicago’s oldest family-owned bakeries. This year’s Paczki menu boasts over 24 varieties! Since they tend to sell out fast, we recommend ordering in advance. While you’re there, grab a loaf of Roeser’s famous bread, available in rye and buttercrust white.

3216 W. North Ave., Humboldt Park; Online: roeserscakes.com

West Town Bakery

West Town Bakery is offering raspberry, chocolate and vanilla paczkis in their West Town, Wrigleyville and Financial District locations. Avoid lines by pre-ordering through Feb. 24 at noon for pick-up on Mar. 1 or visit them in person.

Three Chicagoland locations; Online: westtownbakery.com

Kurowski’s and Rich’s Bakery

Located in the heart of Avondale, the northwest side neighborhood nicknamed “Polish Village” for its large Eastern European population, Kurowski’s and Rich’s Bakery is an emporium of all things Polish and yummy. You’ll feel as if you’ve stepped into babcia’s kitchen thanks to the sweet smells of kielbasa and paczki that waft through the air. The paczki lean toward the more traditional here, with plum, poppyseed and sweet farmer’s cheese among the top three requests. Take home a kielbasa to make your Fat Tuesday even fatter: You’ll find more than 20 varieties, all freshly smoked on the shop’s second floor.

2976 N. Milwaukee Ave., Avondale

KD Market

This local polish grocery store offers a variety of baked breads, pastries and fresh meals, all made from scratch year-round. But this time of year it’s all about the paczki. They’re proud of maintaining the old baking tradition of frying the paczki with the filling inside, making them unforgettably delicious. Order by Feb. 27 for guaranteed pick-up on Mar. 1.

Locations in Schiller Park, Schaumburg, Wheeling & Mount Prospect; Online: mykdmarket.com

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Firecakes Donuts

Firecakes Donuts, the delicious artisan donut shop now with four locations as well as Billy, the donut truck, are ready to delight you with Chicago’s tastiest paczki. This year’s lineup included four different varieties: Housemade Raspberry-Blood Orange Jelly with Powdered Sugar, Malted Chocolate Cream with Chocolate Sugar, Lemon Curd with Lemon Glaze, and Apple Bourbon with Sugar, but it’s the other Mardi Gras donut delight that steals the show here, the baby topped King Cake Donut!

5 locations in River North, Lincoln Park, Naperville, Oak Park & the Billy the Truck; Online: firecakesdonuts.com

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Bennison's Bakery

Bennison’s has been baking up European-style pastries, cookies, and custom-decorated cakes on Chicago’s North Shore since 1938. If you haven’t stepped into the small, Old World-style bakery, perhaps you’ve peered through the big glass window that gives a peek into the cake decorating room. They started celebrating early this year, so go in anytime between now and Mar. 1 to get your paczki.

1000 Davis St., Evanston; Online: bennisonscakes.com

Oak Park Bakery

Family-owned for over 30 years, Oak Park Bakery offers a wide selection of homemade-from-scratch baked goods. Polish baked goods are a mainstay here, with over 12 types of kolacky offered daily, and Paczki Day is a big deal. The pre-Lenten Polish treats are fried fresh and filled with different flavors, with lemon and cherry being the most in-demand. This bakery is small and old-school. But while it could be lost in the modern, glossy age, its retro-Americana vibe and service is what makes it remain a favorite.

904 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park; Online: oakparkbakery.com

Ingram’s Busy Bee Bakery

The yellow and black awnings of Ingram's Busy Bee Bakery have always been beacons of happiness for west suburban families looking to satisfy a sweet tooth. Unfortunately, they had to close their doors after the owner, Chuck Kalousek, lost his months-long battle with Covid-19 in Jun. 2021, leaving behind a loving wife and two kids. Chuck's dedication to his community is greatly appreciated and it didn't feel right removing them from this list just yet. If you'd like to support his family, please consider donating to the GoFundMe in Chuck's honor.

5126 Main St., Downers Grove; Online: ingramsbusybee.com

— Maria Chambers & Amy Bizzarri

7 Local Restaurants Offering Takeout & Delivery Right Now

by Annette BenedettiApril 29, 2020

Covid-19 may have families housebound, but you and your hungry youngsters can still eat out–while staying in. That’s right, the Portland restaurant community doesn’t give up easily, and you might be surprised to find out that many of your favorite family-friendly eateries deliver delicious meals right to your doorstep. Read on to find out where you can order up your dinner-in tonight.

photo: Mike F. via Yelp

Either/Or

Pick up breakfast lunch or dinner at this awesome spot where you can order breakfast sandwiches, pastries, rice bows, and wonton and meatball soup! If you are feeling thirsty you’ll want to get one of their awesome coffee drinks or a bottle of wine for mom and dad.

Order: menu items are available for takeout as well as deliver via GrubHub and Caviar.
4003 N Williams Ave
Online: eitherorpdx.com

Miss Delta

Enjoy a little southern comfort food from this cool joint. Brunch and dinner include beloved dishes like biscuits and gravy, a southern stack featuring a buttermilk biscuit with fried chicken, chicken fried chicken and chicken fried steak, catfish, meatloaf…and don’t forget a side of fried pickles. There’s even a kid’s menu for young ones who like to keep it simple. They’ll appreciate the grilled cheese and cheese burger.

Order: pick up your order curbside or have it delivered via Caviar.
3950 N Mississippi Ave
Online: missdeltapdx.net

photo: Andy H. via yelp

Ecliptic Brewing

Pretend you are sipping a brew on the patio of your favorite local brewery when your order food, beer and wine from Ecliptic. This favorite brewpub launched a delivery website for takeout and delivery. You can order burgers, sandwiches, and they even offer a family package that includes fried chicken, slaw, potato salad, cookies and beer! The perfect family meal for celebrating spring.

Order: orders available for both pickup and delivery
825 N Cook St,
Online: toasttab.com/ecliptic-brewing

Von Ebert Brewing

This brewery is all about serving the family. From favorites like smoked wings, pizzas and steak bites, to dad and mom’s favorite beer, you can still get it all. But Von Ebert also offers an excellent family meal options which includes an entired smoked adobo chicken, cowoby beans, a house salad, tortillas and salsa.

Order: pickup and delivery are available
131 Northwest 13th Ave.
Online: vonbertbrewing.com

The Waiting Room

This local restaurant earns a special place in our hearts for its “Family Meals” option. Feed your family a meal of brich chicken, mashed potatoes, blackeye pea falafel and brownies. But, if you prefer to pick and choose menu items check their site for dishes that include fried chicken, hushpuppies, biscuits and yummy deserts like banana cream pie. Don’t forget to ask about the booze-to-go.

Order: Grab your meal curbside or order for delivery through Caviar and Grubhub
2327 NW Kearney
Online: thewaitingroompdx.com

photo: starleigh via flickr

Mi Mero Mole

For some excellent Mexican food look to this spot for tacos, burritos and more. But you don’t have to limit yourself to one meal, they also offer delivery for the freezer. Order frozen burritos, rice boles, tamales and enchiladas and pretend like you are on vacation in Mexico all week long!

Order: You can pick up or enjoyed meals delivered right to your doorstep
5026 SE Division S
Online: mmmtacospdx.com

Mother’s

Mother’s Bistro & Bar has long been a family favorite, and Covid-19 can close them down. Enjoy mom’s meatloaf & gravy and chicken and dumplings, or slow-cooked pulled pork. Want to make the kids (and mom) smile? Then you’ll want to order mothers signature macaroni & cheese. You can keep it simple with plain mac 7 cheese or have it with bacon and cheddar added or roasted garlic and prosciutto ham.

Order: Food items avialable for takeout, curbside pick-up, and delivery within a ten-mile radius of downtown Portland.
121 Southwest 3rd Ave
Online: mothersbistro.com

–Annette Benedetti

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Iconic San Francisco Desserts You Need to Try at Least Once

by anitachuSeptember 18, 2018

Just like the Golden Gate Bridge and cable cars, there are desserts that make San Francisco uniquely special and memorable. It’s not surprising that such a food-loving city would have beloved local favorites; many of these sweet treats can only be found by making a visit to the city. Some of the desserts on our list have been part of San Francisco tradition for years, while others are recent newcomers eagerly embraced by foodies. Read on for the most iconic desserts of San Francisco.

Ghirardelli's Hot Fudge Sundae

Ghirardelli Hot Fudge by Lorraine P — Lorraine P via Yelp

When you imagine a classic ice cream sundae, you’re probably envisioning Ghirardelli’s famous sundae: vanilla ice cream, handmade hot fudge, tons of whipped cream and a cherry on top. Although there are several Ghirardelli stores around the city now, go to Ghirardelli Square for the full experience of eating an ice cream sundae in an old-fashioned ice cream parlor with gorgeous bay views just steps away.

900 N. Point St.
San Francisco, CA
415-775-5500
Online: ghirardellisq.com

Mr. Holmes Bakehouse Cruffin

CLOSED as of 8/2021

The two main goals when going to Mr. Holmes Bakehouse are 1) get there early enough to snag a cruffin before they sell out and 2) take a victory photo holding the cruffin in front of their “I got baked in San Francisco” sign. Their cruffin, a croissant baked in the form of muffin, is a flaky, sugary sweet delight. They start selling them at 9a.m. so your best bet is to arrive a little before then.

1042 Larkin St.
San Francisco, CA
415-829-7700
Online: mrholmesbakehouse.com

Tartine Bakery's Banana Cream Tart

Pretty much anything at one of San Francisco’s most famous bakeries is guaranteed to be delicious. But the banana cream tart has a devoted fanbase for good reason: it’s a fancy take on classic banana cream pie with banana pastry cream over a chocolate and caramel filled tart shell. Try it once and you’ll be back again.

600 Guerrero St.
San Francisco, CA
415-487-2600
Online: tartinebakery.com

B. Patisserie's Kouign Amann

It’s a testament to chef Belinda Leong’s talents that she took a relatively unknown pastry called kouign amann and turned it into the hottest sweet in town. This supercharged cousin of the croissant is buttery, sugary addictiveness. B. Patisserie offers kouign amann every day and in special seasonal flavors throughout the year.

2821 California St.
San Francisco, CA
415-440-1700
Online: bpatisserie.com

20th Century Cafe's Russian Honey Cake

Russian Honey Cake by Julia Y — Julia Y via Yelp

The charming 20^th Century Café gives you a taste of Eastern European café culture, with an array of Austro-Hungarian classics like linzertorte, sachertorte, knishes and pirogies. What you’ll see most customers eating, though, is their signature Russian Honey Cake, a towering confection of delicate cake layers sandwiched with honey cream. It’s richer than it looks and utterly scrumptious.

198 Gough St.
San Francisco, CA
415-621-2380
Online: 20thcenturycafe.com

Bi-Rite Creamery's Ice Cream

Bi Rite Creamery by Shelley Z — Shelley Z via Yelp

Standing in the ever-present line at Bi-Rite Creamery and then triumphantly walking with your ice cream cone to nearby Dolores Park is a time-honored San Francisco ritual. It’s a fun dilemma to choose between the flavors of the day, but don’t forget to check out the popscicle and soft serve options too.

3692 18th St.
San Francisco, CA
415-626-5600
Online: biritecreamery.com

Dandelion Chocolate's S'more

Dandelion Smore by Lisa I — Lisa I via Yelp

Dandelion Chocolate’s beautiful, modern pastries are a perfect showcase for their bean-to-bar chocolate. Their s’more is a delicious example: a toasted-to-order marshmallow on a crisp graham cracker, with a dollop of chocolate ganache in the center. It’s an ideal accompaniment for their hot chocolate or coffee.

740 Valencia St.
San Francisco, CA
415-349-0942
Online: dandelionchocolate.com

Golden Gate Bakery's Egg Custard Tarts

Egg Custard Tarts by Ann S — Ann S via Yelp

Temporarily closed as of 8/2021

Be warned: lines regularly form outside Golden Gate Bakery when a fresh batch of egg custard tarts is about to come out of the ovens. They are worth the wait. Golden Gate Bakery has perfected this traditional Hong Kong pastry of creamy, eggy, golden yellow custard in a flaky pastry shell. Check before going as they sometimes close unexpectedly for the day or for vacation.

1029 Grant Ave.
San Francisco, CA
415-781-2627
Online: goldengatebakery.com

Zanze's Cheesecake

Sam Zanze only sells one item in his shop and he’s been selling it for almost 40 years, which tells you all you need to know about how good his cheesecake is. Its very soft, almost soufflé like texture is its claim to fame. Your best bet is to call ahead to make sure they are open and to reserve a cheesecake for pickup—they’re that popular. Once you’ve tried it though, you’ll hope he never closes shop.

2405 Ocean Ave.
San Francisco, CA
415-334-2264

Bob's Donuts Giant Donut

A girl bites into a giant chocolate sprinkle donut — Ciara Lene G via Yelp

Donuts may be practically a dime a dozen in SF, but a donut bigger than your hand is a true rarity. A giant (almost 10″ across) donut covered in glaze and sprinkles may be your kid’s wildest sugar-filled dreams come true. Although Bob’s Donuts has a standing challenge to finish a giant donut in three minutes for immortalization in their Hall of Fame, it’s probably a more reasonable strategy to take the donut home and let the kids enjoy it slowly over the week.

1621 Polk St.
San Francisco, CA
415-776-3141
Online: Bobsdonutssf.com

—Anita Chu

featured photo courtesy Ghirardelli

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Cloud Nine Creamery: The Coolest Ice Cream Shop to Hit Seattle

by Kristina MoyFebruary 22, 2018

For ice cream lovers, it doesn’t get much better than a seriously sweet scoop of handcrafted ice cream. But what if we told you there was a place in town where you could get an exceptionally smooth and creamy scoop made to order right in front of your eyes? Say hello to Cloud Nine Creamery, Westfield Southcenter’s first liquid nitrogen ice cream shop. If you’re ready to give this latest science experiment turned dessert craze a lick, read on for the scoop.

photo: Cloud Nine Creamery

How It Works
The fun begins the moment you walk up to Cloud Nine’s floor-to-ceiling glass wall. Peer through the glass and feast your eyes on the scientist-like clouds of fog billowing over the counter, onto the floor and out of the shop’s door thanks to the infusion of liquid nitrogen. Once inside, this is where the fun really begins. Start by selecting your base: milk, yogurt or vegan coconut and your container: waffle bowl, cone or cup. Then, choose your flavor. Cloud Nine offers 18 different flavors, including Strawberry, Raspberry, Lychee, Coconut, Mint, Cherry, Green Tea, Vanilla, Cookie ‘N Cream, Double Chocolate, Cake Batter, Nutella, Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter, Butter Pecan, Coffee and Pistachio. Next, it’s time to add your mix-ins which range from candy and nuts to cookie crumbles and fruit. Choose from 27 different options, including popular kid faves like cookie dough, whipped cream, gummy bears, Nutella, brownies, strawberries, marshmallows, chocolate chips, Oreo cookies, peanut butter, sprinkles, Teddy Grahams and white chocolate or candies such as M&Ms, Snickers, Heath Bar, Kit Kat, Twix, Reese’s Minis and Butterfinger.

From there, your personalized concoction is handcrafted right in front of your eyes using the magic, err science, of liquid nitrogen. And once the fog lifts, your delicious and oh-so creamy concoction is ready to eat. Want to make your ice cream even sweeter? Add on a Sauce Syringe ($1 each or four for $3) and top your Cloud Nine creation off with chocolate fudge, sweetened condensed milk, cherry, caramel or seasonal flavors.

Brave the Element
Wondering how Cloud Nine ice cream gets so creamy and what liquid nitrogen has to do with it? That’s all thanks to some weird (and totally cool!) science. Standard ice cream is made by freezing batches in a freezer for approximately 45 minutes. This process tends to cause ice crystals to form — which makes ice cream hard and icy in texture. This is where liquid nitrogen at -320 degrees comes in. Since it’s so cold, it freezes the creamy base immediately on contact and makes the milk particles stay small and not form into ice crystals. The result? Creamier and smoother ice cream that stays colder longer.

Partnering with Local Businesses
Being a family owned and operated business, Cloud Nine knows the importance and value of working with local partners. And that’s why the shop has partnered with several Northwest businesses to help make the magic and science of its liquid nitrogen ice cream even sweeter. West Seattle’s beloved Alki Bakery provides goodies such as cheesecake, brownies and apple pie for Cloud Nine’s signature dishes (psst…look for future announcements about delish new treats that Alki is whipping up exclusively for Cloud Nine); Off the Waffle, from Oregon, brings the aroma of authentic Liège, Belgium waffle cones to Cloud Nine which are made from dough balls instead of being poured on a hot iron; NORPA, a cooperative of family-owned Oregon farms, provides all the organic strawberries, bananas and mixed berries; and Caffé D’arte offers its espresso for drinks (caffeinated and decaf) as well as for Cloud Nine’s signature dishes such as the Caramel Affogoto – a shot of espresso, fresh cream, caramel, whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel over the top.

Signature Dishes
Can’t decide on a custom mix? Let the Cloud Nine Nitros serve you one of their signature dishes (9 in total), including Chips and Cream (chocolate or vanilla ice cream with a side of French fries); Ube Famous (Ube cheesecake, coconut ice cream and a fortune cookie garnish); Cookie Monster (cake batter ice cream, Oreo cookie crumbs, cookie dough and a Oreo cookie garnish); Scout OG (mint ice cream, Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies and Chocolate Chunk Girl Scout cookies); The Big Apple (vanilla ice cream, Alki Bakery apple pie, caramel sauce, whipped cream and a cinnamon dusting); Banana Cream Pie (banana ice cream, fresh bananas, Nilla wafers, caramel sauce and whipped cream); Caramel Affogoto (double shot of Caffé D’arte espresso, ice cream, caramel sauce and whipped cream); and Triple Chocolate Brownie (chocolate ice cream, Alki Bakery brownie, chocolate sauce, chocolate chunks, whipped cream and a cocoa powder dusting). Seasonally, Cloud Nine plans to celebrate with additional signature dishes like s’mores, pumpkin and pineapple.

Special Grand Opening Offers
Cloud Nine is kicking off its first week of business with nine days of deals. Pick a day or come in for all nine. You won’t be disappointed!

Friday, February 16 – Grand Opening Golden Tickets
Nine random winners will receive one year of free ice cream (one regular ice cream per week) if they are lucky enough to discover a golden ticket on the bottom of their cup!

Saturday, February 17 – Nine Early Birds
The early bird gets free ice cream. The first nine guests at Cloud Nine Creamery will receive a free regular ice cream.

Sunday, February 18 – Saucy Sunday
Get one free flavored sauce syringe to top off your ice cream purchase. Flavors include Chocolate Fudge, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Cherry, Caramel and seasonal offerings.

Monday, February 19– Nitro Upgrade
The only thing better than Cloud Nine Ice Cream is more of it! Get more on Monday when you upgrade your ice cream one size for free.

Tuesday, February 20 – Mix-in Mania
Go nuts, get fruity or satisfy your chocolate candy craving with one free mix-in when you buy a regular ice cream.

Wednesday, February 21 – Off the Waffle Wednesday
Experience the authentic, house made Belgium waffles at Cloud Nine when you get a free waffle bowl with any ice cream purchase.

Thursday, February 22 – Shake It Up
Ice cream bowls and cones are not the only items to get mix-ins. Shake it up by adding a free mix-in with any shake purchase.

Friday, February 23 – Date Night Bogo
Love and ice cream are made to share. Bring a loved one and buy one Strawberries & Cream Waffle and get a second one, for free!

Saturday, February 24 – Take a Chocolate Dip
On the ninth day of Cloud Nine’s grand opening, the Nitros will dip your waffle bowl in chocolate for free with any ice cream purchase.

Cloud Nine Creamery (located between Sears & and Din Tai Fung)
Westfield Southcenter
191 Southcenter Mall
Tukwila, Wa
206-466-4989
Online: cloudninecreamery.com and on Facebook

Have you tried liquid nitrogen ice cream before? What’s your favorite flavor? Dish in the comments below.

—Kristina Moy (all photos courtesy of the writer unless otherwise noted)

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19 Things You Must Do Around D.C. Before Your First Birthday

by Ayren Jackson-CannadyFebruary 17, 2015

Just when you thought you’d exhausted all of the story times, baby-and-me meet-ups, and infant-friendly restaurants around the District…we’ve dug up 20 essential city spots, hidden gems and quintessential locales that every bambino-under-one should check out.

Photo: Mosaic District via Facebook

1. Explore the Mosaic District.

Tuesday mornings are the best time to wander this NoVa alcove. There’s story time with Stories from Strawberry Lane. In the summer months the fountains turn on, and “Coffee and Cartoons”—lattes for you and animated shows like Scooby Doo for the tot—are a big hit with the entire family.

2. Cruise Canal Park.
With a splash fountain in the summer and a baby-friendly ice rink during the winter months—Canal Park is a year-round stop for the under-1 set.

3. Book tickets at the Adventure Theater.
Quality theater that’s great for even the littlest members of the family? Sign us up! Currently showing “Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood” until March 8th, other upcoming tot-friendly productions include “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” and “Garfield”.

4. Rock out at Jammin Java.
One of Java’s most popular events is the Tot Rock at this concert house. If the name is any indication, this weekly event is sure to have your bambino bopping around on your lap like a true music aficionado.

5. Have a playdate at National Harbor.
The Capital Wheel is the main attraction at the National Harbor (and babies are allowed on for free with their parents). But, there’s also a soft-ground playground, a huge sandpit, and a merry-go-round.

Photo: Janine and Jim via Flickr

6. Hang with BaoBao at the National Zoo.
She’s cute. She’s cuddly. And she likes to roll over from her belly to her back. Bao Bao the panda and your little one have a lot in common. Enjoy a day at the zoo, topping it off with a peek at the biggest tot on the block.

7. Visit the Virginia Discovery Museum.
Many of the museums in and around D.C. have a no-touch policy. But this kiddie hot spot located in Charlottesville, Va (baby’s first day trip!) is not one of them. Babies are free to touch and crawl all over the exhibits. Don’t leave without checking out the Treehouse Room, where babes can take a tumble on the mats or curl up with a teddy bear.

8. Go on a picnic at Gravelly Point.
Their strained peas and applesauce will play second fiddle to the airplane views at this popular park, which is super-close to Reagan International Airport.

9. Make a pit stop at the Air and Space Museum.
Boasting the largest collection of air and space memorabilia around, this will definitely be a hit for little ones. There’s just so much to see! A can’t miss exhibit: “Aerobatic Flight,” featuring twisty, twirly, colorfully-designed aircrafts dangling from the hanger ceiling.

10. Jump for joy.
With the extreme temps in the city, outdoor play can be overwhelming for tiny ones—indoor gyms solve that problem. JW Tumbles is chock full of mats, cushions, and many other toys to help your teenie tot get mobile. With multiple locations in the Maryland and Virginia area babies across the district can get in on the action.

Photo: piesisters.com

11. Share dessert at Piesisters.
How can anyone be upset when they’re holding a cupcake? By enjoying a mini cuppie pie (babies love the Banana Cream) from the wildly popular Piesisters, everyone’s day will be instantly brightened.

12. Steal a butterfly kiss.
Introduce your little to a bit of magic with the Butterfly Walk at the Butterfly Pavilion located in the National History Museum. Bonus: Tuesdays are free with an advanced purchased timed entry ticket.

13. Hop on the Metro.
Share the beauty of the city to your growing tot by riding the Metrorail. The baby-friendliest line? Quite possibly the red line, which starts and stops in Maryland and offers two major transfer stops—Gallery Place and Metro Center—where you can jump on or off any of the other lines. Tip: Do the metro when it is not rush hour; baby will love the window seat.

14. Spend a morning at Friendship Park.
Friendship Park (or Turtle Park as its affectionately known) is one of D.C.’s most popular hangouts for the baby demo. With a spray park, sandbox, and a whopping five play structures, it’s a must explore.

15. Nosh on pancakes at Eastern Market.
The famous (and oh so fluffy) blueberry buckwheat pancakes from Market Lunch inside of Eastern Market are not only tot friendly, they’re parent friendly too.

Photo: danielg628 via Flickr

16. Stop to smell the roses at the U.S. Botanic Garden.
With a conservatory, two outdoor areas, and over 65,000 plants, the beauty and green space of the Botanic Garden is something that your baby (and their newly realized sea legs) will appreciate.

17. Get down with the Boogie Babes.
Boogie down with the best of them weekly at Union Market. The Wednesday morning shows feature baby-friendly bands like Mr. Skip, Oh Susannah, and Ukulele Phil. If you and baby work up an appetite stop by one of Union Market’s food vendors for an afternoon snack.

18. Giggle (and giggle!) at a Tiny Tots Puppet Show.
Want to introduce Junior to the theater but know that he’s not quite ready for a full production? Enter Tiny Tots Puppet Show at Glen Echo Park, which features shorter 30 minute shows, no loud noises and the theater doors stay open for easy in-and-out access.

19. Have a dinner date at Ted’s Bulletin.

Ted’s Bulletin is an amazing family owned restaurant with a large selection of food for the entire fam. Cheese grits, chicken n biscuits, omletes…OH MY! A for sure babe fave would be the tomato soup with grilled cheese. Mmmmm…

What baby fun would you add to this list? Tell us in the Comments section below.

—Miller Jackson

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