Castle Spa
www.nyspacastle.com
131-10 11th Ave
College Point (Queens), NY 11356
Phone: (718) 939-6300
Weekdays: $35/person; Weekends: $45/person
For Valentine’s Day, my husband and I wanted to try something new. As the parents of two small children, we rarely have time together as a couple except of the odd dinner out here and there. We saw an article in Time Out New York for Castle Spa and decided it would be an adventure as well as break us out of our usual dinner out rut. We had an amazing time! The spa is a huge Korean bathhouse with four different levels. You enter on the main level and pay. Here you receive your watch-like bracelet that allows you to pay for everything else in the facility. At this poing, we went our separate ways to the locker rooms. The women’s side had lots of comfy sofas full of lounging women enjoying masks and taking naps. There was a small locker for shoes that you unlock via your bracelet. You also pick up your spa uniform here: pink/orange shorts and t-shirts for women and blue/gray for men. Next you go to your larger locker where you can store all the rest of your things and change into your swimsuit and uniform. In locker rooms, there are single sex baths and saunas. On the upper floors are the mixed baths and saunas along with a food court and Korean restaurant. My husband and I met up on the next level and quickly made our way to the outdoor pools on the third floor. It was a chilly 40 degrees outside but the baths were really warm. They are large pools with many different stations with massaging jets that target all different parts of your body. There are also indoor pools as well for those that prefer to avoid the cold dash back inside. On the second floor, the spa also has many different saunas, each with different theme like Jade, Gold, and Mineral Salts that potential help with every health problem you could imagine. The spa does offer the usual services like massages, manicures, etc but we didn’t try any that day. While we went as a couple, this would also make a fun day out for a family. It’s very kid friendly with many families around. Our children our young, but I could see this being a great outing for kids kindergarten and older who enjoy water play. I would recommend reading the reviews on Yelp for perspectives from a lot of different people (http://www.yelp.com/biz/spa-castle-college-point. Overall, it’s not super cheap, but when taken as an unusual NY experience that is fun for a special occasion, it’s pretty amazing! - submitted by Carolyn, www.mamathreads.com

Philadelphia, PA

submitted by Alison Lowenstein
Looking for a family friendly weekend? Head to Philadelphia.  You don’t have to rent a car since trains leave from Penn Station and drop you in the center of Philly. Like NYC, they have an amazing public transit system or you can hail a cab.

Book a room at the Doubletree Hotel, located in Center City, where kids can chow down on their famous chocolate chip cookies upon check in (there are economical rates for top tier hotels through www.gophilla.com). There are so many kid-friendly places in Philly. Starting this May you can check out the Star Trek exhibit at the Franklin Institute Science Museum. Kids and parents will love the new digs for the Please Touch Me Children’s Museum. If you’re hungry head to Reading Terminal Market for lunch and some great treats like Amish baked goods. For a unique ice cream experience head to the Franklin Fountain, where the staff serves up old fashion soda and various ice creams dressed in retro garb.

There are tons of parks in Philly, a world class art museum, the country’s first penitenary where you can take Steve Buscemi’s guided audio tour,  a museum of medical oddities, an aquarium that you can access via ferry, and a notable zoo. There is so much to see beyond the Liberty Bell and Betsey Ross’ house. Enjoy a fun weekend in this historic city. For more info on Philly and other getaways, check out City Weekends: Greatest Escapes and Weekend Getaways In and Around New York City

South Beach
Father Capodanno Blvd. & Sand Lane, Staten Island, NY
http://www.statenislandusa.com/pages/south_midland.html
(link to map: Map here)
718-816-6804
South Beach is a fun, family-friendly beach just over the Verrazano Bridge from Brooklyn. It’s has a free decent parking lot, long board walk, nice stretch of beach with clean sand, playground, sprinklers, clean bathrooms and snack stands. It’s a quick drive from the Bococa neighborhoods and makes a fun day trip for little kids and families who find Jones Beach or Robert Moses too far. The waves are very light so it’s perfect for getting little kids used to the ocean. This is one of our favorite places to cool off in the summer. During the summer the beach and boardwalk host regular festivals and fireworks in the evenings.- submitted by Carolyn, www.mamathreads.com