Issue link: http://hvparent.uberflip.com/i/986750
6 Hudson Valley Parent n June 2018 Publisher TERRIE GOLDSTEIN tgoldstein@excitingread.com Editor CASSIDY BRIGHTON cbrighton@excitingread.com Dir. of Business Development KATHLEEN MERZ kmerz@excitingread.com Executive Assistant LESLIE CORTES lcortes@excitingread.com Media Advisors CHRISTY OLIVIER colivier@excitingread.com MATTHEW SILVERMAN msilverman@excitingread.com Layout & Design ENGLE PRINTING also publishers of MY TripPlanner.com family MY TripPlanner.com family Hudson Valley Parent is published monthly by: The Professional Image Marketing & Public Relations Inc. 174 South Street • Newburgh, NY 12550 Phone: 845-562-3606 • Fax: 845-562-3681 hvparent.com This publication is copyrighted by the publisher. Reproduction without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Hudson Valley Parent welcomes submissions, although we cannot accept responsibility for work submitted nor guarantee publication. W hen I was growing up, there was nothing better than summer. Countless lightning bugs danced in Mason jars to the sounds of a crackling fire pit and my family's laughter. Gooey marshmallows charred from the fire pit and melted Hershey bars that dripped down our hands and chins were the markings of a successful evening. Summer days spent jumping around our Crazy Daisy sprinkler in the lawn were amazing but the best part of summer was our family vacation. My brothers and I would pile in the back of my mom's Chevy Trailblazer and take the long drive up to the Adirondacks year after year. The three of us would fill the car ride by singing along to our Radio Disney CD's and playing intense games of I Spy. This week was always the best of the summer for all of us, but I think it meant the most to my dad. He worked a lot and a week of quality time together away from screens and distractions was his favorite time. He would wake up much before the sun and peel my sleepy brothers and I out of bed for some time on the lake while it was calm. We filled our days with the same lakeside fun every year. We would grab our towels and race down to the pontoon boat. My mother and I would bask in the sunshine at the front of the boat while my brother's took turns steering. We would take pool noodles and hop off of the sides of the boat to cool off in the dark water. Instead of scampering down the hallway to our separate bedrooms at the end of the night, we would all gather around the dining room table in the cabin. Uno games could last for hours and would always end with tears of laughter. This tradition is an important one to my family. To this day, when the summer sun starts shining, the lake begins to call my name. What is your family's favorite place to visit during the summer months? Is a backyard staycation your idea of the perfect recharge from the day-to-day chaos? Maybe your crew has a park or trail they love to hit when the weather warms up. Your family doesn't have to drive for hours to get away from the hustle of your busy everyday schedule. In fact, you don't even have to leave your hometown to make lasting memories with the ones you love the most. The Hudson Valley is chock-full of exciting places to go and things to do to fill the hazy days of summer. This month, we picked places for day trips that everyone in your family will enjoy. There are even five hidden gems right in your Orange County backyard that you won't want to miss. Add these five stops together for the perfect day trip around your area. Whether you walk down Main Street to hit your family's favorite spot or plan to pack the car for a weekend trip to another county, the memories you'll make this summer will last a lifetime. While you're planning the ultimate summer of camp, vacations and super fun day-trips, check out our calendar page for some weekend inspiration. Street fairs and fairy festivals? Sign me up! Here comes the sun CASSIDY BRIGHTON Editor's Journal