Lido Beach West

Long Beach, N

Parking Fee

Optimum Seasons:  Summer

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I love this beach for it's short distance from the parking lot to the water, its concession stand, the crowd, how clean the water is, and how private it is. This is by far the best of all the beaches on the Long Beach strip.  Tip:  if you are going on a weekend, make sure you arrive before 11am as the parking lot fills up fast!

For a list of other beaches, click here.

Click on the gallery above to view pictures (best viewed on desktop for captions), the videos below to get a better sense of the area, and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below!  Follow me on instagram and facebook for live adventures.  And share this page with your friends if you appreciate!

 

Forest Hills

Forest Hills, NY

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One day, I decided to go on an adventure with my children to the place I used to live spent my entire childhood!  It took me a solid half hour to find parking in the area (Austin Street is nearly impossible, Queen Boulevard is your best bet), but it was all worth it in the end! Austin Street is super charming, especially during the Christmas season with its decorations.  It has lots of commercial as well as boutique shops.  

The neighborhood of Forest Hills, which you can access from any street off of Austin Street, is an upper middle class neighborhood modeled after the garden communities of England.  There are many old Tudor-style homes and some of the streets are made entirely of cobblestone.  The West Side Tennis Club here hosted the US Open until 1978!  I particularly love the area around the neighborhood's elevated train station.  If your children love "Thomas & Friends", be sure to take them upstairs to see the train track and marvel at the beauty of the station.  This neighborhood is the closest you'll get to Europe in all of New York City!  Tips:  Go here during the last week of October or first week of November and just walk around the neighborhood (peak of fall foliage) and then go stroll on the hiking paths in nearby Forest Park.  

Click on the gallery above to view pictures and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below!  Follow me on intagram and facebook for live adventures!  And share with your friends if you appreciate.

 

Chuck E. Cheese's

New York, NY

Buy tickets for arcade games

Optimum Seasons:  Winter

www.chuckecheese.com

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See Dave & Buster's.  Same idea!  I buy minimum tickets here and stay for hours!  I have only been to the one in Flushing, where you have to pay for indoor parking.  Twice was more than enough for my eyes and theirs to see! This is a great time killer when the kids are off from school, but not really my cup of tea!  Tip:  If you want to avoid paying for parking, go to the Chuck E Cheese's in Hicksville.

Kill two birds with one stone:  Shop around the mall if you go to the one in Flushing. 

Click on the gallery above (best viewed on a desktop for captions), the videos below to get a better sense of the area, and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below!  Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see my next adventure!  And share with your friends if you appreciate this page!

 

Broadway Shows

New York, NY

Tickets

Optimum Seasons:  Winter

www.broadway.com

I am way too cheap to even attempt a broadway show with my young children!  If they nag or whine for one minute, no $200 per person ticket is worth the Lion King or any other show.  But then again, there are always very rich parents, and very cultured parents, and very obedient children, or parents who are really good at ignoring their annoying children!  So this really depends on your mental strength, and the depths of your pocket!  I prefer lying down in bed and napping while they watch free Barney concerts on youtube than lugging them into the city to sit down still for two hours!  But, when they are older and more appreciative, I will most definitely take them to The Lion King!  

The best time to purchase tickets is when some shows offer 2 for 1 tickets during Broadway week.  Visit www.nycgo.com for more information.  Or check www.todaytix.com which lets you search for and purchase last-minute discounted tickets for Broadway, off-Broadway, and other theater performances around the city.  People have also suggested going to the ticket booths the day (an hour prior to the show they start giving 50 percent off tickets), www.broadwaybox.com, www.broadwaytix.com, and the Broadway Lottery.

 

Local Library

New York, NY

Optimum Seasons:  Winter

You can always kill an hour or two at the local library with your children! Increase your childrens' awareness of books and gets them interested from a young age to read, read, and read some more!  Nothing brings me more joy than watching my child independently choose a book and sit down on a chair in the library and read it out loud!

For an added bonus, some libraries offer free tickets or discounted tickets to places to go to with your children.

For residents of Great Neck check www.greatnecklibrary.org for a list of Free Museum Passes offered.  Passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis for a three-day loan.  Passes cannot be reserved or renewed.  Many of the places on this list I have gone to in the past.  Had I known that I could have gotten a free pass, I would have been up at least $500 in my bank account today.  I want to die. Take advantage of this great resource.

For residents of other towns, call your local library and see if they offer something similar!

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Dave and Buster's

New York, NY

Buy tickets for arcade games

Optimum Seasons:  Winter

www.daveandbusters.com

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My children are extremely low maintenance!  And perhaps, not too bright!  I can walk into any arcade and have them sit on a driver's seat with a steering wheel, and they actually think they are playing the game.  I don't spend one dollar whenever I go here, and my children experience joy all the same!  Also, the Dave and Buster's located in the Source mall is wonderful because it has a Carousel ride for children!  

Check the gallery above for pictures (best viewed on desktop for captions) and add your comments below.  Follow me on instagram and facebook for life adventures.  And share this page if you appreciate!

 

Bowling

New York, NY

Fee for Bowling Lane

Optimum Seasons:  Winter

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Any local bowling alley should get the job done here!  Or if you want to go on a real adventure, head to Manhattan's Chelsea Piers or the super hip Bowlmor Times Square.  Always look out for groupon deals as well! 

Check the gallery above (best viewed on desktop for captions) add your comments below.  Follow me on instagram and facebook for live adventures. And share with your friends if you appreciate this page!

Pump It Up

Manhasset, NY

Admission Fee, free parking lot

Optimum Seasons:  Winter

www.pumpitupparty.com

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Pump It Up, or more fittingly, Suck It Up, is an indoor gym with different sized jumping castles.  Bring an oxygen mask (there is nothing resembling air in this place), a beach chair (or seating), and a bottle of water and snacks for your children.  Too bad my kids love it here!!!!!!  

Check the gallery above (best viewed on a desktop for captions) and add your comments below.  Follow me on instagram and facebook for live adventures.  And share with your friends if you appreciate this page.

 

Sesame Street Live

Madison Square Garden, NY

Price Varies

Optimum Seasons:  Winter

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Mark your calendars!  The show runs every year in February and may or may not have a groupon deal.  It is just a delight for young children!  I was shocked that my anxious son was able to sit through the entire show when I went years ago.  

Kill a few birds with one stone:  MSG is in the heart of Manhattan.  Just walk out of the building, and walk around with your children.  Madison Square Park has a playground for kids and Eataly is right across the street.  Bryant Park ice skating is around the corner!  Bowmar Times Square is blocks away!  Go to the top of the Empire State Building or 30 Rock!  There is so much to do with the children, you'll need more than one trip!

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San Gennaro Festival

Little Italy, NY

No admission fee

Optimum Seasons:  Summer

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"New York's older and biggest street festival.  Each fall, the streets of Little Italy host a lively eleven-day block party to salute the patron saint of Naples.  People of all ethnicities come to partake in the festivities, which include live concerts, servearl parades, religious processions, and the International Cannoli Eating Championship (the record in 2014: thirty-four cannolis in six minutes).  

For dates and a schedule of events, visit www.sangennaro.org

 

Once Upon a Tree Top

Plainview, NY

indoors witch children

Admission Fee, free parking lot

Optimum Seasons:  Winter

www.onceuponatreetop.com

If you want to experience hell before you die, but unfortunately, what seems like heaven for your children, this is the place to visit during winter break. And if you want a sure thing for either the flu, stomach virus, or common cold, definitely stop by here for a couple hours (one of which is just waiting on a line with screaming children).  With all that said, this is a great place for children to let their imaginations run wild!  So definitely visit at least once in your life and theirs!

Check the video below for a better idea and add your comments.  Follow me on instagram and facebook for live adventures.  And share with your friends if you appreciate this page.

 

City Rooftops

New York, NY

No admission fee

Optimum Seasons:  Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

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I stayed at Le Parker Meridien for my 5 year anniversary. This is a hotel located in the heart of Manhattan with an indoor pool on it's top floor.  The pool has panoramic views of Manhattan's East River, Central Park, and Hudson River.  It was an experience like no other.  

I was in the city another day with my mother in law and children and decided to rooftop hop from hotel to hotel.  In the gallery, I also have pics of boutique hotels' rooftops such as Ganseevort Meatpacking, Dream Downtown, Ganseevort Park Avenue, the NoMad, Trumo Soho, and the James Hotel.  Most of these have bars and all are worth seeing!  

I also recommend 230 5th Avenue rooftop (video below).  You can find images online of their heated igloos on their rooftop in the winter with breathtaking views of the Empire State Building! Highly recommend you bundle up, order a hot chocolate and snuggle in an igloo with friends!

And to get the best view of the city, and for the best price, visit the Observatory Deck at 30 Rock.  This cost $35 per adult and free for children under 6.  You get panoramic views of manhattan from smack in the middle of the city.  I'm sure Empire State Building and the Freedom Tower offer magnificent views as they are taller, but then who wants to see the city without a view of the iconic Empire State Building and Freedom Tower?

If you venture out of the city, you will get breathtaking views of the entire skyline. The single best view of all of NYC is by far and a way at the William Vale Hotel’s rooftop! Be prepared to pay a bit more for drinks, but well worth it!

Click on the gallery above (best viewed on a desktop for captions), the videos below to get a better sense of the area, and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below!  Follow me on instagram and facebook for live adventures! And share with your friends if you appreciate this page.

Hello, World!

Long Island Children's Museum

Garden City, NY

Admission Fee (free passes available at some libraries), free parking lot

Optimum Seasons:  Winter

www.licm.org

This is a wonderful place to go with your children on a Sunday in the winter or during school break.  You can stay here for hours...but note that there is just a vending machine with a few snacks.  Make sure you have fed your children before or you bring lunch.  

For acquiring free passes, contact your local library.  For Great Neck residents, click here www.greatnecklibrary.org.

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New York Hall of Science

New York, NY

Admission Fee (free on Sundays in winter from 10am to 11am), free parking lot

Optimum Seasons:  Winter

www.nysci.org

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This is the clean and updated version of the Children's Museum in Nassau county.  There is so much to do here for children of all ages!  Just take a look at their website for all the information.  I went here on a Sunday when the museum is free admission between 9am and 12pm.  It was a cold day with nothing else to do so this was a perfect option.  We spent a couple hours here but could have easily stayed longer!  

Click on the gallery above (best viewed on a desktop for captions), the videos below to get a better sense of the area, and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below!  Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see my next adventure!  And share with your friends if you appreciate this page!

 

Vanderbilt Estate Long Island

Centerport, NY

Admission Fee (some libraries offer free passes), free parking lot

Optimum Seasons:  Spring, Summer, Fall

www.vanderbiltmuseum.org/mansion

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I had been here once on a field trip in elementary school.  I decided to revisit nearly 25 years later with my child, mom, sister and aunt so I can have a better sense of what teachers were trying to make us appreciate. As an adult, you appreciate the architecture behind this Spanish-style mansion more than you could as a young child.  And you are much more interested in the stories that comes with the different rooms in the mansion!  Every inch and detail is fascinating!

For acquiring free passes, contact your local library.  For Great Neck residents, click here www.greatnecklibrary.org.

Kill a few birds with one stone:  If you are here during the summer, you can visit Asharoken Beach and the town of Northport afterwards (just a ten minute drive away).  

Click on the gallery above (best viewed on a desktop for captions) and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below!  Follow me on instagram and facebook for live adventures.  And share with your friends if you appreciate this page.

 

The Cloisters

New York, NY

Admission Fee, free parking lot

Optimum Seasons:  Spring, Summer, Fall

http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/met-cloisters

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I came here with friends in the fall during a school day when we were free of our children.  Admission here is not required as it is a museum, so you can give the suggested amount, or nothing at all.  But it's worth the charge.  This is a branch of the Met "dedicated to art, architecture, and gardens of medieval Europe."  Their website included more information on how and when they built this fortress on the Hudson River.  It is truly fascinating to read about and to witness.  And I suggest going the second week of November to get the magnificent views of the Palisades across the Hudson, and the foliage reflecting off the river.  

Kill a few birds with one stone:  Visit the neighboring Fort Tryon Park and it's famed Heather Garden, overlooking the Hudson River and George Washington Bridge.  If you have more energy left, Riverside Park is a ten minutes drive down the West Side Highway.  

Click on the gallery above (best viewed on a desktop for captions), the videos below to get a better sense of the area, and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below!  Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see my next adventure!  And share with your friends if you appreciate this page!

 

Stepping Stone Park

Kings Point Park, NY

Member Card required, no admission fee, free parking lot

Optimum Seasons:  Spring, Summer, Fall

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Great Neck's masterpiece!  Situated on the Long Island Sound with out-of-this-world landscaping and English gardens, this park has it all, and for all ages.  And there is no price to enter!  I have seen many gardens in my day, and nothing comes close to the display of flowers and plants here!  Paired with their sunsets, views of Manhattan's skyline and the Whitestone and Throgs Neck Bridge, the serenity of the Long Island Sound, the rocky shore line, the dock, the playground and sprinklers for the children, their summer festivals, this is just one of my favorite places to be as soon as winter is over! It is worth moving to Great Neck and getting a park card!  Otherwise, just thank me for the pictures!  Tip:  if you love the Beatles, and kind of feel like you owe something to your parents and in laws for bringing you into this world, take a few beach chairs and go here once a year on a Saturday night in the summer and watch a Beatles cover band play all their hits! There is nothing like exposing your children to the music your parents exposed you to when you were a kid, and watching a live concert together during a beautiful sunset!

For a list of other mansions and gardens, click here.

Click on the gallery above (best viewed on a desktop for captions), the videos below to get a better sense of the area, and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below!  Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see my next adventure!  And share with your friends if you appreciate this page!

 

Chelsea Piers

Chelsea, NY

Admission Fee

Optimum Seasons:  Winter

www.chelseapiers.com

On my bucket list to do...but for now, my children may be too young (6 and 4) to appreciate it enough for the admission fee to be worth it.  There are plenty of cool bowling alleys on Long Island that are much cheaper.  So this is really the place to go with children if you reside in Manhattan, or you have older children.  There is plenty to do!  Just check out their website!

Nearby:

The High Line

 

Bounce Sysosset

Syosset, NY

Admission Fee

Optimum Seasons:  Winter

www.bouncesyosset.com

For those who have miniature jumping castles or trampolines in your homes, there is no reason to fork over $20 per hour per child to come here, unless you just want to get the kids out of the house.  Depending on your child, the hour can be excessive.  The website doesn't give intervals less than an hour but my husband noticed that when we went upfront to get our wrist band, there were options to stay for 20 minutes and spend less money. You may want to call in advance to see if this option indeed exists and if there is a deal for more than one kid.  Our five year old had a blast here but was all bounced out by the 31st minute.  It's worth going to at least once in your life!

Always check www.groupon.com for deals before you go.  

Check the videos below and follow me on facebook and instagram for live adventures.

 

Planting Fields Arboretum

Old Westbury, NY

Admission Fee, Parking Lot

Optimum Seasons:  Spring, Summer, Fall

www.plantingfields.org

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I forced my husband to come here on a football Sunday at the end of October with a six month old.  It was one of my first of many trips to mansions on the Gold Coast of Long Island.  I may have come a week too early for foliage at its peak, but nevertheless, this is my favorite of all mansions.  The landscaping is exquisite and every corner inside and outside of the mansion are what dreams are made of!  The little playhouse and the dahlia garden were among my favorites here.  

Kill a few birds with one stone:  Visit Wheatley Plaza or the Americana Manhasset for some high end shopping!  

For a list of other mansions and gardens, click here.

Click on the gallery above (best viewed on a desktop for captions) and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below!  Follow me on instagram and facebook for live adventures.  And share with your friends if you appreciate this page.