Most Hoboken residents go out of town on three-day weekends. They head to the Jersey Shore, the Poconos or the Hamptons, to enjoy the sun and some much-needed nature. For my family, holiday weekends represent a rare chance to relax and really enjoy all that Hoboken has to offer without the bustle of the usual crowds.

My husband and I always stay home because we view three-day weekends as a chance to relax and get some down time in the comfort of our own home. We spend Saturdays tidying up our condo after a week of whirlwind toddler mayhem, and taking care of chores like grocery shopping and folding laundry. On Sundays we barbecue with family and friends or take a trip into Manhattan to Central Park Zoo and Columbus Circle.

That free Monday is really a bonus: a day without an itinerary. 

I really enjoy our holiday weekends in a deserted Hoboken because of the rare sense of peace engendered by the empty streets. We can drive anywhere and find parking easily, a rare luxury. My husband infrequently gets to experience the kids' normal weekday activities, so what is routine for me is a source of wonderment and delight for him. He will take the kids to Puppetonia on Monday morning to give me a break, and return marvelling at how our two year old sings along with the puppets. After the puppet show, he takes them to a playground where they can play in the sprinklers, which are gently populated, unlike usual summer weekends. 

On most weekends, we go to playgrounds near our home, like Madison Park, Church Square, or Pier A (we are eagerly anticipating the opening of the Pier C park, it looks really exciting from a distance), followed by lunch at Grimaldi's Pizza, Biggie's Clam Bar or Leo's Grandevous. We venture farther afield on bonus Mondays to Maxwell Place Park and Elysian Park, followed by lunch at Elysian Cafe. We love the pressed-tin ceilings and 1920s fabric wall coverings of the back room, and the staff are incredibly friendly and patient with the inevitable toddler messes on and around our table.

After lunch, we walk home in the late afternoon sun while the kids fall asleep in the double stroller. We lift them into their beds after we arrive home and take a nap ourselves, waking in the early evening for a lazy dinner, bath and bedtime. It's a very nice and relaxing way to to start the work week. We are always refreshed and recharged rather than exhausted and stumbling in the door after sitting in holiday traffic for hours.

To read more about what makes Kathy Zucker tick, check out her blog at http://hobokenmomcondo.com/momblog and follow her at http://twitter.com/zhobokenmom