Summer is officially here, and that means the kids are home from school. What fun adventures do you have planned with the kids in your life? Days by the pool? Trips to the beach? That all sounds like fun, but when you get tired of hanging by the pool, there are some awesome places right here in the Hudson Valley that are both educational and fun.

We have a couple of cool zoos and nature centers where kids can see animals and learn all about them. The Trevor Zoo in Millbrook is well known for its lemurs. Where else around here is a kid going to get to see a lemur in person? And it’s not all about the lemurs. They’ve got lots of cool animals at Trevor Zoo, and they often do special days and weekends. Forsyth Nature Center in Kingston also has cool animals that the kids can check out up close. They’ve got special events throughout the year, too.

Hudson Highlands Nature Museum in Cornwall has wildlife, trails, hiking, special programs and fun events for kids and the whole family. They’ve even got special camps that your children can attend. There is so much going on at HHNM, you’ll definitely want to plan a visit this summer. You might even decide to become a member. Another great Orange County Museum is Museum Village in Monroe. It was one of my all time favorite places to go when I was a kid. It’s a living history museum with demonstrations and special events throughout the year.

And if you’ve got kids, you should make time to check out the Mid Hudson Children’s Museum in Poughkeepsie. The Museum just reopened a couple of months ago after undergoing a major renovation. It was great before, but now it’s even better. If you’re kid is into science, this is the perfect place to go. Here’s a list of five fun and educational spots for kids.

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Swimming and playing is fun, but a visit to one or more of these Hudson Valley spots is both fun and educational. Here’s to a great summer, no matter how you choose to spend it.

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