The two words that I hate to hear the most in the summer are, "I'm bored." Here are 50 ideas of places to visit or things to do this summer. From parks, to beaches, to amusement parks ... there is something for everyone on this list. I know I am going to take my boys to check out a couple of these places next week. Just click on the link (highlighted in pink) and it will take you to their website for more information.
Boscobel. You can tour the manor house and walk the grounds or visit on special event days such as their 2nd Saturdays program for kids.
Bronx Zoo. Only a half-hour from our area, this world-class zoo has 265 acres of wildlife exhibits and attractions.
Brownstone Adventure Park. Ziplines, rock climbing, wake boarding, cliff jumping and more! Located about 90 minutes away in Portland, CT.
Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, Katonah. Caramoor isn't just for adults...they have terrific concerts and events for families including their Dancing at Dusk series.
Croton Point Park, Croton-on-Hudson. This 508 acre park is located on the Hudson River and is a great place to go camping, hiking or swimming.
Cultural Heritage Celebrations at Kensico Dam in Valhalla (some at alternate locations). Celebrate different cultures with fun family festivals.
Farmers Market -- Visit one of the great Farmer's Markets in our area. Pleasantville and Chappaqua both have great Farmers Markets every Saturday and often have free kids events.
Field Station Dinosaurs -- Go back in time to 90 million years ago and see over thirty life-sized, realistic dinosaurs come to life! Located in Leonia, New Jersey (about an hour from our area)
Fishkill Farms, Hopewell Junction, NY. Pick your own fruit and vegetables at this farm which is about 45 minutes from our area.
Grand Prix New York -- race a go-cart, play in the arcade or bowl a few games at Spins Bowl. Plenty of indoor fun to get out of the summer heat!
Greenburgh Nature Center, Scarsdale. This 33 acre nature preserve has extensive trails, a pond and gardens. They host many special events this month including a Live Butterfly Exhibit.
Hike the Hudson Valley. There are many great hikes in our area including Anthony's Nose (Bear Mountain) and Fahnestock State Park (Carmel).
Hudson River Museum, Yonkers. Planetarium shows on Saturday and Sunday at 12:30, 2 and 3:30 p.m. Museum is open Wednesdays - Sundays from 12 - 5 p.m.
Hudson Valley Renegades, Wappingers Falls. Minor league affiliate (Single A) of the Tampa Bay Rays. Great family atmosphere and lots of fun promotional nights.
Jacob Burns Film Center -- check the schedule for special kids films and activities.
John Jay Homestead -- pack a picnic and visit on Fridays for their weekly Play Days at Jay.
Katonah Museum of Art -- plenty of kids programs to check out.
Lake Compounce, Bristol, CT. It is the oldest, continuously-operating amusement park in North America, having its genesis in 1846! Among other famous attractions, Lake Compounce is home to Boulder Dash, which has been voted the world’s #1 wooden roller coaster.
Legoland Discovery Center, Yonkers. Family fun with 2 rides, 10 LEGO build & play zones, a 4D cinema & much more!
Long Island Beaches -- plenty of ocean beaches to choose from including Jones Beach, Robert Moses and Long Beach.
Maritime Aquarium, Norwalk, CT. The Maritime Aquarium features 75 live exhibits featuring more than 2,700 marine animals of 300 species. The sharks, seals, river otters, sea turtles and other animals, carefully tended in re-created natural settings, serve as ambassadors both for their species and the Sound’s natural environment. The Maritime Aquarium also boasts Connecticut's largest IMAX Theater, with a movie screen that's six stories high.
Mini Golf. There are a couple of places that you can play mini golf in Westchester including
- Saxon Woods (White Plains)
- Rye Playland
- Fun Fuzion New Roc City (New Rochelle)
- Tibbetts Brook Park (355 Midland Avenue Yonkers)
Movies with dinner. Visit the Alamo Draft House in Yonkers or iPic Movie Theater in Dobbs Ferry to watch a movie and eat dinner. Alamo has special Kids Camp movies as well over the summer for reduced prices.
Muddy Puddles Mess Fest. Great annual fundraiser benefitting pediatric cancer on August 3rd. Your kids WILL get muddy!
Muscoot Farm, Katonah. Come see cows, goats, chickens and horses on this historic farm in Katonah. Muscoot Farm has free admission and many special events including an art show and farmers market this month.
Music in the Park @ Lasdon. Catch an outdoor concert at Lasdon Park on Friday nights.
NY Renaissance Festival - Later this summer head back to Elizabethan England at the NY Renaissance Festival. Turkey legs for all! Opens August 17th and runs through October 6th.
Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Red Hook, NY. This living museum of antique aviation is home to weekend air shows at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting).
Orange County Fair -- Annual event held in Middletown, NY runs from July 18 - 28th.
Outdoor Concerts in Chappaqua, Mt. Pleasant and Armonk. Plus annual Pleasantville Music Festival on July 13th.
Overlook Drive-In Movie Theatre, Poughkeepsie. Watch a current movie the old-fashioned way ... at a Drive-In Movie Theater!
Putnam County 4H Fair -- July 26-28 in Carmel. Animals, Food, Entertainment, Games, Horse Show, Country Pig Roast & Chicken Barbecue, Touch a Truck and more.
Rockland Boulders, Pomona. Minor league baseball team that competes in the Can-Am league. They have many promotional nights including fireworks.
Rockin' Jump -- escape the heat and let the kids bounce their energy out at this Mt. Kisco trampoline park.
Playland Park, Rye. A Westchester landmark amusement park, Playland is home to the legendary Dragon Coaster plus many other rides and attractions. They have fireworks every Friday night and a variety of ticket specials.
Rye Town Beach. Non-resident fees are $15 weekday parking fee, $20 weekends; $10 beach admission on weekdays, $15 on weekends.
Screenings Under the Stars at Kensico Dam in Valhalla. Watch Hotel Transylvania 3 on July 12th and How to Train Your Dragon 3 on August 2nd.
Stamford Museum and Nature Center. Catch one of their Summer Stars Planetarium shows or other fun kids events.
Splashdown Beach. Closest water park to our area (about 50 minutes away in Newburgh, NY). Features fun water rides such as the Humunga Half-Pipe and Artic Mammoth. Plenty of fun for kids of all ages.
St. Augustine's Italian Festival in Ossining. Catch this annual summer church fair in July with rides, great food and games.
Stepping Stones Museum for Children, Norwalk, CT. Hands on, kid-powered learning and fun! Open Monday - Sunday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills. Take a family friendly tour of this farm to see the animals they are raising and vegetables they are growing. Tickets required.
Teatown Lake Reservation, Ossining. Teatown offers 15 miles of hiking trails ranging from beginner to difficult. Teatown is also host to many educational events such as Summer Saturday Adventures and a Butterfly Walk in July.
Trailside Museums & Zoo at Bear Mountain State Park. Trailside Zoo only houses animals native to New York State. All of the animals are either permanently injured or orphaned and would not be able to survive in the wild. Animals to see include black bears, foxes, beavers, porcupines plus a variety of birds, reptiles and amphibians.
Turkey Mountain Nature Preserve, Yorktown. This 125 acre preserve has a terrific 3.4 mile hike to the top where on a clear day you can see as far as NYC.
Walkway Over the Hudson, Poughkeepsie or Highland. This linear walkway spanning the Hudson River is 212 feet tall and 1.28 miles long. It is the longest, elevated pedestrian bridge in the world. Access to the walkway is free of charge but there is a $5 fee to park.
Westchester Children's Museum, Rye. Interactive exhibits and programming space features Toddler Beach, the KEVA Planks construction exhibit; the Build Your Own Roller Coaster exhibit and two Makerspaces. Open Wednesday - Sundays from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (summer hours adds an extra hour on Wednesday and Saturday - open until 5 p.m.)
Westchester Broadway Theater -- Catch On Your Feet through August 4th.
Westmoreland Sanctuary -- hike the trails at this beautiful sanctuary in Mt. Kisco. Over 640 acres provide a variety of activities for families.
Wolf Conservation Center, South Salem. The WCC’s mission is to promote wolf conservation by teaching about wolves, their relationship to the environment, and the human role in protecting their future. WCC has children's programs including Story Time with the Wolves and Nature Play for Toddlers.
Enjoy your summer!
