With school in session (or beginning very soon), Anni has whipped up some amazing back to school lunch recipes. Her easy approach to colorful cooking (she advocates eating food in “rainbows”) fits perfectly with our approach to fitness: make it simple, make it fun. Bon appétit!

-Tracey Frost Rensky, CEO and Co-founder, Citibabes

For most of us with kids, September means back to school, and that usually means figuring out what is going to be for lunch! The mornings in my house are hectic to say the least. I have 4 kids and 3 of which need lunches made, which means I have to be organized, prepared, and quick. It also doesn’t help that all of my children like different types of foods in their lunches, but preparing good healthy tasty meals for my kids while they are away at school is very important to me. I know my children, and yours too, expend a lot of energy throughout the day and therefore need to have lunches that are filled with rejuvenating foods that give them the energy they need to play and learn throughout the day.

Lunch Leads: Take time to prep anything you can the night before. I like to chop vegetables for a stir fry or whip up a pasta sauce for instance the night before, so I can just quickly make it in the morning. It is also important to make sure to have all of your containers ready to go and your child’s lunch basket, bag or box all set to make sure the morning routine goes smoothly.  There are some great companies that make eco-friendly containers and reusable carriers that I love and recommend including Eco-Ditty, Sanctus Mundo, Life Without Plastic, Eco-Bags, Graze Organics, Kids Konserve, and Laptop Lunches.

Keep a lookout for a new book I am writing on organic lunches for kids, but in the meantime, check out the following recipes to help give your kids lunches a fresh start to a new school year!

Grace’s Daring Sesame Noodle Oodle

This recipe is named after my super daring niece. She gave it her stamp of approval, so you know it’s good! I often serve this dish with an Asian-inspired salad and baked pears for dessert. Feel free to play with the recipe by adding different vegetables. Remember to cut up the noodles for any little toddler who is just getting the hang of chewing.

Makes 4 servings

• 1 package linguine noodles
• 4 tablespoons safflower oil
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Juice of 1 1/2 limes
• 5 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon liquid amino acids (such as Bragg Liquid Aminos)
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon wheat germ
• 2 pinches ground red pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh snap peas
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh broccoli
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro

 1. Prepare the noodles according to package directions. Drain and pour the noodles into a serving dish. Set aside.

 2. Combine the safflower oil, vinegar, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, amino acids, agave, sesame oil, chili sauce, wheat germ, and red pepper in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add the snap peas and broccoli. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Pour the sauce and vegetables over the prepared noodles. Mix well.

4. Top the dish with the scallions, sesame seeds, and cilantro. Garnish with an additional lime wedge, if desired. Serve warm with a side of mandarin oranges and a refreshing mint herbal tea.

Tennie’s Spanish Veggie Burger Bites with Flaxseed

Veggie burger bites are a perfect dinner. Kids go crazy for the flavor, and flaxseed provides extra nutrition. This dish is named after my children’s grown-up godfather because he can’t eat enough of these! The burger bites are full of bean protein and dietary fiber. You can serve them anytime of year, but they are great in the summer at barbecues and go well with sweet potato fries. Serve them chopped up for your toddler or on a bun with other fixings for an older child.

Makes 5 servings

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the baking sheets
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• Grated rind of 1 lemon
• Fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) kidney or black
• beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup dried panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with oil.

2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic, mushrooms, celery, and bell pepper until lightly browned. Add the flaxseed, soy sauce, lemon rind, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 minutes and then remove the mixture from the heat.

3. Mash the beans and tomato paste together with a fork or potato masher in a large bowl. Mix in the onion mixture, egg, bread crumbs, cheeses, cilantro, and thyme.

4. Form small patties with approximately 2 tablespoons of the bean mixture. Place the patties on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until crisp. Flip the patties halfway through cooking.

By Anni Daulter, author of Organically Raised: Conscious Cooking for Babies & Toddlers and founder of Conscious Family Living

•             Nearly one in three children are considered obese. 1
•             Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the last 30 years. 2
•             Obese children are more than twice as likely to die prematurely than thinner youngsters. 3

While there’s no easy answer to the epidemic, the key to winning this battle is engendering support and empowering your community. Whether it’s swapping nutritious dinner recipes with other moms or urging your school to start a veggie garden, get involved. You can start right here – on our blog – by sharing your thoughts, tips and experiences in celebration of our healthy family initiative, CitiFit. Throughout the month of September, we will be writing about getting active with your children and making choices that nourish families’ bodies and spirits.

So, get up, get out and get moving! (Right after you read this post!)

When we here at Citibabes heard that September was designated Childhood Obesity Awareness month by congress (not to mention, First Lady Michelle Obama’s admirable fitness campaign, Let’s Move!), we felt compelled to create our own health initiative – CitiFit – all month long!

The back-to-school season is perfect for starting a more active family routine. Here are some of my favorite healthy spots around New York City to combat a case of the couch potatoes this fall:

Mohr’s Explorers

A literal breath of fresh air to the afterschool program scene, Mohr’s Explorers gets children outdoors with adventure programs featuring hiking, climbing, fishing – even fort building – all in nearby Central Park.

Union Square Green Market

It may be a green market, but there’s a rainbow of fruits and veggies at this NYC institution. Look out for regularly scheduled events from cooking instruction to kitchen scrap collection for an afternoon as healthy for the family as it is for the planet.

Bumble Bee Tennis

With locations near Columbus Circle, SoHo and the LES, Bubble Bee Tennis camps offers instruction for children ages two and up. Indoor courts in some locations mean children can practice rain or shine so their backhand is ready next summer.

Adeline Adeline

This Tribeca “bicycle boutique” showcases a selection of smart, classic bikes for grown-ups and Early Rider bikes for children. Nantucket baskets and Nutcase helmets make this a stylish one-stop-shop for free-wheelin’ tikes on bikes.

Animal Haven

Studies show families with pets are more active, but if a fulltime furry friend isn’t in your family’s cards, stop by this SoHo animal rescue and check out their volunteer opportunities – including dog walking.

Trapeze School New York

Fly through the air with the greatest of ease at this warehouse turned circus featuring classes and workshops for children and adults. While there is no specific age minimum, be aware: if your child doesn’t want to complete the class because they get a case of cold feet, you’re still charged.  Instead, sign up for a birthday party to test the water – or more appropriately, the air!

At its best, this phase of your child’s education can feel as daunting as an adult job search: a never ending cycle of  “resumes” (a ridiculous reality for a three year old) and interviews. At its worst, the experience can hearken ­­back to high school with “top tier” schools picking who, quite literally, gets to sit at their lunch table next fall. During the school admissions process a couple years ago with our eldest daughter, Natasha, I learned a lot through trial and error.

Below we have compiled a list of my observations, as well as first-hand advice from Citibabes’ CitiSchool Liaison and exmissions expert, CZ Zuckerman, for any family about to embark on this stressful – but, ultimately, satisfying – next step.

-Tracey Frost Rensky, CEO & Co-founder, Citibabes

• Get organized early. Create a spreadsheet with all of your top choices and then see which ones are open for spring tours. This can help enormously as the fall schedule can get a bit hectic with tours, interviews, and play dates.
• If you and your partner use a electronic calendar, synchronize your appointments – there are so many to keep track of.
• Study up on the school before you go; it shows enthusiasm. However its probably smart not to ask too many controversial questions. Always be positive.
• One good question to ask is what is expected of the parents and how they can participate. You will be surprised how different it is in each school.
• Contact friends from each school to give you some background on the school so that you can go to your appointments as educated as you can be.
• Listen to your friends, but remember, everyone has different parenting styles and values.
• Don’t visit your first choice school first. You and your family need to get into the groove and feel more at ease so you really have some time to warm up for the interview and the play date.
• Remember to also try to spread out your play dates as it can be quite overwhelming for your child.
• Don’t be afraid to change an appointment for a sick child- just make sure you call as soon as you can.
• Discuss the process with your child. They will figure it out when mommy and daddy are suddenly taking them to play dates in their nice clothing!
• One important tip that worked wonders for me is to tell your child that you are visiting a friend’s school. This makes them feel more at ease if they think one of their friends is down the hall.
• Turn off your cell phone! And BlackBerry… and iPhone… and iPad!
• Keep an open mind. I promise you what you think of schools before the tours will be different after you go through the process.
• Be realistic about the location of the school and what it will mean to your family to have a significant travel time.
• Use your preschool. The admissions exmissions department is there to help .

 Most importantly, don’t forget to embrace the process! The school admissions process can be a fun, interesting learning experience that can help you focus on your child.

By Tracey Frost Rensky and CZ Zuckerman, Citibabes CitiSchool Liaison

10 Things to Jumpstart the Private School Admissions Process in 2010/11: 

1. Research as many schools as possible.
2. Attend spring tours/open houses as offered. Get ahead of the game.
3. Keep an open mind about all schools.
4. Steer away from “park-bench gossip.”
5. Set up a support system with only “genuine” friends and/or an educational consultant you trust!
6. Jot down the five important attributes that you value in a school.
7. Get organized early by setting up a calendar or an excel spreadsheet.
8. Think about your application essays during the summer; what would you want a school to know about your child?
9. Make a list of all connections you may have to any school no matter how small.
10. Stay cool, calm and positive!

From PEAS (Private Education Advisory Services)

As we shopped for a new backpack and crayons, markers, etc. I asked her what she thought each supply was going to be used for and how she thought it would help her do well in school. The crayons were for art, a backpack to carry everything to school, a ruler to measure objects – all of which she indicated would help her “learn new things and have fun.”

Without these basic supplies, it is often difficult for students to succeed in school. I used this opportunity to talk to her about other children who were not able to buy the supplies they need for school. She listened intently before quietly offering to give her new pack of crayons to a child in need. We then looked at her school supply list and picked out a few additional supplies that we could also donate.

Citibabes is proud to participate in the Coalition for the Homeless’ Third Annual Project: Back to School by hosting a school supply drive. From August 23^rd to September 7^th, stop by Citibabes to drop off any extra school necessities you purchase to help homeless children in NYC get the supplies they need to succeed this school year.

-Tracey Frost Rensky, CEO and Co-Founder, Citibabes

As fall rapidly approaches, so too does the back-to-school season for your little ones. The anticipation of making new friends and catching up with old friends, the look of that brand new school outfit, and the delight in opening a new box of crayons adds to this exciting season. That enthusiasm, however, is often noticeably absent for the more than 240,000 children experiencing homelessness across the country.*

In New York City, approximately 14,000 children are currently living in temporary, emergency shelters – about half of these children are school-aged. With over 8,000 families with children living in temporary shelters across the city, everyday stability – much less school stability – is lacking. For many, even access to basic school supplies like pens, pencils, crayons, and backpacks is limited.

In addition to the need for school supplies, homeless children face other difficulties when attending school. Not being able to meet enrollment requirements (such as proof of residency and proper health records), constantly moving from place to place, and not having a reliable source of transportation are just a few problems that can lead to this feeling of instability.

While shelters are not permanent, they do provide a temporary sense of security, which according to the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) can help children “stay focused on their educational goals and maintaining a sense of normalcy in their lives.” This is extremely important because research has shown that 3 out of 4 children who were consistently absent in the sixth grade never graduate from high school.

In New York City, Mayor Bloomberg announced a new “Every Student. Every Day” program aimed at reducing chronic absenteeism during the school year. The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) and organizations such as the Coalition for the Homeless are also important in helping homeless families and children. Through advocacy, partnerships, and education as well as “back to school” drives to collect school supplies and clothing, these and other organizations work to help provide homeless children the proper resources needed to succeed in school.

For more information on organizations that help homeless youth in your area, please visit the National Center for Homeless Education’s (NCHE) state and local resources page.

*Statistics recorded by NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS).

By Jayme Taylor, Co-Editor, CitiScoop

Feeling thirsty? Our favorite reusable bottles from Sigg just got a whole lot cooler! Upload a favorite photo and message on Cafe Press to keep you green, organized – and quenched. $24 – $28. Available at Cafe Press.

Your toddler’s first meltdown, on the other hand, can represent a whole new game and one that is often without rules. Suddenly, what were basic tears with a shortlist of corresponding needs and (relatively) easy soothing strategies can become a complicated tangle of tantrum triggers – and suddenly a lot less endearing.

Angie, Citibabes’ Citischool 4s teacher, shares with us her experience and advice in the classroom for parents managing tantrums and keeping tempers cool.

- Tracey Frost Rensky, CEO and Co-founder, Citibabes

Two year-old Mia held the jack-in-the-box tightly in her arms. When the teacher said that it was time for clean up, Mia screamed, “No,” and began stomping her feet. The teacher walked over to Mia, knelt down in front of her and said in a calm voice, “Mia, we are putting our toys away because we are going into the music room now.” The teacher reached for the jack-in-the-box and Mia began to scream; giant tears poured down her cheeks and she began choking out the words, “No, mine! No! Mine!”

If the scene above sounds all too familiar, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Many parents of toddlers have experienced similar episodes. The temper tantrum is a common manifestation of the toddler’s struggle for autonomy and independence. Toddlers see things from only their point of view. If a toddler wants something they cannot comprehend that anyone could want it more. Your toddler wants to make decisions for himself.

The reason two’s are thought of as “terrible” is because a two-year-old finally has the capacity to protect herself when she feels that she has been disrespected and that may take adults and parents by surprise. As the parent of an infant you get to make all the decisions for your baby: what to wear, what to eat, when to sleep. But now, our infant is a toddler who has language and more advanced motor control. She now has the ability to tell you what she wants and when she wants it. And, boy, is she going to let you know!

Here are a few things to consider about temper tantrums before you throw your own next time your mini-me has a major meltdown:

Be your child’s own BlackBerry: We’re not advocating getting little ones PDA’s, but the best strategy to avoid tantrums is to make sure you are reminding your child of the day’s schedule at every transition – just like a smart phone calendar or alarm setting. Reflect back on the times when your child has had a tantrum. Are you giving your child warnings and updates about what is coming up next in their day? Are you explaining to your child what you are doing next and why it is important? Are you giving him/her choices? All of these things can show respect for the toddler and, thus, minimize tantrums. 

Team up with teacher: If your toddler is enrolled in a daycare or school environment, it is important to talk to the child’s teacher about your views on independence and interdependence. Depending on the culture at home, your toddler may be striving for more independence, or on the converse, you may be focusing on your child’s embeddedness rather than individuality. If your child’s teacher knows your family’s values she can help manage a tantrum in the classroom in the specific way that you would want it to be handled.

Get so emotional, baby: Sometimes showing a child how to express her feelings can calm her down. You may need to state the feelings over and over, until the child realizes that you understand her. For example, you might say to Mia, “Mia, I know that you are angry because you want to keep playing with the jack-in-the–box.” We know this dialogue may feel slightly silly – like you’re a therapist in a Woody Allen flick – but trust us, validation works. It can also be helpful to read stories about emotions to toddlers. This helps your toddler begin to understand her feelings and how to express them.

Check the list: It is important to remember that your child is more likely to have a tantrum when they are tired, hungry, lonely, bored, or cannot express themselves. Go through the checklist so you can deduce what might be the cause. Finally, listen to your child, respect how they are feeling, and help them to verbalize and understand their emotions.

By Angie Blocher, CitiSchool 4s Teacher, Citibabes

Here are our top three tips – from teachers – to help make the change from summer to preschool successful:

Mornings can be mayhem in a family, we know this better than anyone. But try, oh try, to get your child to school on time. Transitioning back to school after a summer of lazy mornings can be tough, but your child will have better success at feeling part of the group and focusing on tasks at hand when they begin school on time with the teacher and all of their friends.

Tip #2: Shy? Share!

For children that may be having a tough time separating at the classroom door, politely ask the teacher if your child could bring in an item from home to share. A quick show and tell can sometimes inspire a reluctant student to join the class; holding something familiar makes them feel safe and often the toy sparks conversation as children connect over a topic or interest they share. Finding out three of your friends love Dora the Explorer as much as you do is the perfect icebreaker for uneasy tots.

Tip #3: In Case of Emergency

Pre-K life is packed with hazards: from pee to paint there’s a lot that ends up on outfits, so it’s best to send your child to school armed with supplies. We suggest a full change of clothes including underwear and socks, extra diapers or pull-ups, an umbrella, plastic bags (for rainy days when teachers send you home with arms of artwork), a cozy cardigan in case they get cold, and a snack pack (for grumbling tummies or bouts of bribery). Make sure to put them in an accessible bag that zips closed and label everything with initials so they don’t get lost.

By Erika Thormahlen, teacher & creative consultant, Citibabes

Aside from Mommy and Daddy’s peace of mind, getting your child to sleep on their own has important implications. As the fall school year looms, establishing a non-summer sleep routine is imperative. Here, Diana Gonzalez Blanco from Smooth Parenting offers up some great tips for helping your child become an “independent sleeper.”

-Tracey Frost Rensky, CEO and Co-founder, Citibabes

The image most parents have of sleep training is a baby crying until he succumbs to exhaustion and falls asleep. However, sleep training does not have to be like that.

The main goal of sleep training is to help our children become independent sleepers. An independent sleeper is that who falls asleep on his own and puts himself back to sleep when he wakes up.

I would also add that a ‘real’ independent sleeper is so ‘for life.’ This means that real independent sleeper will not need to be ‘retrained’ to sleep when he is moved to a toddler bed, starts preschool, is potty training, etc. In order to create ‘real independent sleepers,’ we need to help them establish the right, positive sleep associations.

Our children shouldn’t associate sleep with feelings of abandonment, fear, desperation, anxiety, punishment, excitement, or stimulation. Sleep should be associated with feelings of tranquility, relaxation, love, trust, restfulness, empowerment and peace. Here are some simple tips to help our children create those positive associations:

• Establish and maintain a soothing and calming bedtime routine.
• Use bedtime for bonding.
• Help your child feel safe, secure and comforted in his crib/bed.
• Make your child’s room a soothing and calming place: dark, quiet, organized and safe.
• Avoid active playing, television, videogames and other exciting activities before bedtime. Do not use the crib/bed for time-outs or disciplining.

Children model our behavior, so make sure you get a good night’s sleep!

By Diana Gonzalez Blanco, Smooth Parenting

Subscribe to CitiScoop by August 20th for your chance to win a complimentary Smooth Parenting sleep seminar class (held at Citibabes on August 25th at 6:30pm) courtesy of MomPrep! Sleep challenges are without a doubt the number one topic of conversation among parents! MomPrep & Smooth Parenting will help answer all of your sleep questions & guide you in teaching your baby how to sleep… after all, sleep is a learned skill!  You will leave with the tools you need to achieve your sleep goals! For more information, please visit Smooth Parenting and MomPrep.

Luckily, our friends at Scribble Press are here to help capture all those tall tales young children tell at their “make your own book” stores in Santa Monica, CA and now NYC. Citibabes is excited to be incorporating SP’s publishing prowess into some of our own favorite classes, including portfolios for art workshops and a printed and bound books for our newest edition of CitiSchool Masters, focusing on classic children’s authors. 

Here, Scribble Press’ CEO and co-founder, Anna Barber, shares some practical advice on how to get little ones thinking like young authors. Move over J.K. Rowling – there are some new kids in town!

-Tracey Frost Rensky, CEO and Co-founder, Citibabes

We are all storytelling creatures. Since cave paintings we have wanted to describe, explain, and put our own personal spin on the world around us in words and pictures. And none of us enjoy making up a story more than a child does. From the moment she can scribble with a crayon on the back of a menu, a child tells stories.

I founded Scribble Press with Darcy Pollack two years ago in order to make it fun and easy for kids to do what they are already doing – writing and drawing – and turn their stories into professionally bound books. Scribble Press is a retail studio where kids write and illustrate books that are “published” while you wait. It’s great to see the pride and joy on the faces of the young published authors holding up their new books!

These creative muscles benefit from exercise. Getting kids in the habit of writing their own stories from the time they can draw a stick figure is a great educational gift. Here are some ways to encourage your kids to make up stories or write at home:

1) Make up stories for them. There’s nothing more exciting for a child than the words “once upon a time…” spoken by mom or dad. You don’t have to be great at making up stories; you can borrow liberally from classics, movies, and books you read recently. An awful lot of the stories I tell my boys seem to feature giant fruit and talking animals. I’m never going to be a published book author, but my kids don’t care. And they’ve begun to take the characters I created and make up their own stories. 

2) Use books you’ve read together as a starting point. You can also borrow the structure of a favorite picture book and add your own personal details. This shows kids it’s okay to copy (all writers start out by copying), and gives them an easy way to structure their own stories.

3) Keep a one-line journal with your child.  She can write (or dictate to you) one sentence a day about something that happened. This is easy to do and has the added benefit of creating a great keepsake. I like to use an old-fashioned composition book for this, with wide lines. We also have a great one-line journal available on our website. This can be a part of your bedtime routine.

4) Make “books” out of construction paper. Take 3 pieces of copier paper and a colored piece of construction paper for the cover, fold in half, and staple.  It’s very tempting to create a book when presented with the empty pages. You can paste a photo of your child on the back and write a little author bio every time they create a book.

5) Make a library of their work. If you put all the books your child makes in school and at home on the same shelf, they’ll have a real sense of accomplishment, and also be able to see their progress.

For more ways to inspire your children to love writing, visit the Scribble Press blog.

Ask about making books with Scribble Press at Citibabes this fall! And don’t miss Scribble Press at Citibabes’ Bubbles, Baubles, and Babes Hamptons Family Fun Day!

By Anna Barber, CEO and Co-founder, Scribble Press

No matter what city you live in, road trips with your family are guaranteed to create memories that last a lifetime. CitiScoop travel expert Christina Ohly Evans shows just how easy it is for New Yorkers to find beautiful and fun destinations within short distances of their homes. If you don’t live near Coastal New England, don’t worry – there are exciting nearby locations all around you. All you have to do is get in your car and explore!

-Tracey Frost Rensky, CEO and Co-founder, Citibabes

Looking for great summer escapes that don’t involve the LIE, JFK, or lost luggage?  Then head north to coastal New England for beautiful beaches, a taste of history, and regional delicacies of every kind.

Going to Guilford

Make your first stop the quintessentially New England town of Guilford, Connecticut. With its central Village Green, quaint shops, and nearby rocky beaches, there is something for everyone in the area.  Pack a delicious picnic of sandwiches, local berries, homemade gazpacho, and freshly baked cookies from Bishops Orchards (1355 Boston Post Road, 203-453-2338) before heading to the Henry Whitfield State Museum (248 Old Whitfield Street, 203-453-2457), the oldest stone house in New England that offers a glimpse into 17th century Puritan life. All ages will enjoy hiking Guilford’s network of nature trails before a swim at Jacob’s Beach (passes are $6 on weekdays, $8 on weekends).  Finish your day with a dinner of fresh fish at the Stone House Restaurant  on Guilford’s scenic Marina.

Rhode Trips

It’s hard to beat the charm of Watch Hill, Rhode Island, with its’ 1856 lighthouse, the Flying Horse Carousel (the oldest operating carousel in the country, complete with brass rings), and idyllic harbor filled with sail boats of every size.  Check in to the newly renovated Ocean House (1 Bluff Avenue, 401-584-7000), a classic grand hotel that features a pristine private beach, a sprawling spa, and every amenity a lucky kid could ever hope for.  After a day spent in the surf, venture down to local hot-spot, St. Clair Annex, for lobster rolls and the most amazing homemade Black Raspberry ice cream you’ll ever taste. Other must-sees include Napatree Point, a 1.5 mile stretch of beach that features an old fort and beautiful views of Little Narragansett Bay and Fisher’s Island. No trip to Watch Hill is complete without a stop at the Cooked Goose (92 Watch Hill Rd., 401-348-9888), a restaurant and gourmet deli offering everything from hearty breakfasts to homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Great Cape Escape

Further north you’ll find even more Americana in Chatham, Massachusetts, at the southeast tip of Cape Cod. Nest at the sweet Chatham Gables Inn (364 Old Harbor Road, 508-945-5859), a 170 year old former sea captain’s house, complete with Chart Room and sprawling gardens.  For ocean-front luxury, opt for the Chatham Bars Inn  (297 Shore Road, 800-527-4884) where families can play tennis, sail, and take advantage of kid-friendly activities such as a Dune Buggy Derby, Wacky Beach Olympics, talent shows, scavenger hunts, and more. Take a whale watching trip (508-945-0096), explore nearby Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard for some seafaring history, or stay local and watch a Cape Cod Baseball League game.  Hit the Lazy Lobster (247 Orleans Road, 508-945-0032) for their signature lobster rolls and thick chowder before heading home.

by Christina Ohly Evans, CitiScoop Travel Expert