Seasonal Activities

Clark Gardens features 12 beautifully manicured acres of labeled gardens, trees, ponds, and streams. See website for special events and childrens programs.

Gardeners delight! Offers beautiful flowers, outdoor gardening supplies, petting zoo, lectures, and kids garden club. Visit website or call for details.

The former estate of John S. Phipps (director of U.S. Steel and Grace Shipping Lines) offers 200 acres of gorgeous gardens, landscaped grounds, and woodlands. Enjoy a long, leisurely stroll through the gardens, take a tour of the mansion, have a picnic, or enjoy one of their many special events and family programs. See website or call for details.

$10 per adult; $5 per child (7-17); Under 6, FREE

The former Gold Coast estate of the W.R. Coe family, this property has over 400 acres of rolling lawns, gardens, woodlands, and nature walks. Perfect spot for a picnic. Kids will enjoy the Camellia Greenhouse and running through the grassy lawns, moms will love the flowers — especially the peony garden. There are paved walkways that are perfect for strollers or joggers. Special events include outdoor concerts and family events. See website or call for details.

$8 for parking

Bring your camera to snap photos of your babe with the Easter Bunny and take some time to enjoy the petting zoo.

Take a family photo with the Easter Bunny, decorate an Easter egg at the craft table, take a ride on the mini train, hop on a pony ride, check out the singing chicken show, visit with some animal farm friends, mine for gemstones, and play the rest of the day in the outdoor animal farm and playground.

Open from the beginning of April through November each year, the Brooklyn Flea Market offers part vintage and handmade bazaar, part hipster hangout, and part food bonanza every Saturday and Sunday rain or shine. It’s a great way to kill an afternoon with a stroller or bjorn. See website for details.

Long Island’s minor league baseball team offers reasonably priced tickets (starting at $11) and great interactive activities for kids at each game. Season starts in April. Visit website or call for details.

Every Wednesday morning (7 am – 1 pm) from the beginning of June until the end of November, you can find market items such as fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, artisan breads, seafood, homemade soup, jams, ravioli, honey, pasta, baked goods and more.

Every Saturday morning (8 am – 12 pm) from the beginning of June through the end of October, stroll the town docks as Famers from the East End bring truckloads of fresh, organic vegetables, fruit, delicious baked goods, organic coffee, and more.
PW Mama Tip: Enjoy a stroll through nearby Mill Pond Park afterwards. Layla loves watching the ducks swim by.

Christopher Morley’s outdoor swimming pool complex includes an Olympic-sized pool, diving tank with boards, and a “kiddie” pool. Swimming pool is open from late June through Labor Day. Day rates available. Park features include a recently renovated playground, fitness trail, golf, athletic fields, and other recreational activities.

Good for kids ages 4+ and their families, Atlantic Outfitters offers guided kayak tours (and rentals), paddleboard rentals, fishing lessons, bait and tackle and more. Call ahead or visit website for details.

Weekly Sessions All Summer Long for kids 8 and up beginning Monday, June 15!
A fun and exciting hands on approach to fishing, adventures include fishing boat trips, eco tours, fish ID, equipment care and use, boat safety, knot & rig tying, conservation and much, much more!  All equipment, bait and tackle provided!

Boat rentals, captained boat rides, boating lessons, yacht charters and more!

The Manorhaven Pool offers both seasonal memberships and day rates. It features a 25,000 square foot main pool area with lap swim area, general swim sections with zero depth entry for children and beginners, and two giant water slides. A state of the art play feature and separate kiddie pool area are also available.

Manorhaven Beach Park provides full outdoor recreation activities. The NEW Sports Education Center allows residents to sign up for lessons in sailing, standup paddle-boarding, kayaking, and fishing. Other highlights include a skateboard park, playgrounds, dog park, and a fitness programs such as yoga and zumba for adults and kids.

Charters, boat rentals, sailing lessons & camps and more. Call ahead or visit website for details.

Manhasset Bay Harbor Tours, Lighthouse Tours, and more, this is a great way to spend an afternoon with your kids, ages 4+. Pack a lunch and enjoy a day on the water. Tickets are $20 per person; $10 per child ages 12 and under. Call ahead or visit website for details.

Explore the serenity of Long Island’s waterways while getting a total body workout. Stand Up Paddle Boarding has gained massive popularity over the years because it’s a sport anybody can pick up, no matter how young or how old.

Pick-your-own raspberries and blackberries, open July-November. Also offers an on-site market with baked goods and jams, children’s play area and corn maze.

Pick-your-own strawberries in June, cherries, raspberries, and blueberries in July, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, and apples through August.

Features a 9-hole, par-30 golf course and an illluminated driving range.

Offers an executive-level 9-hole, par 30 golf course. Open year round.

Three 18-hole golf courses: the Red, open spring through fall, and the White and Blue courses, which are open year round. In addition, the park has an illuminated driving range.

18-hole championship course and 9-hole executive course available. See website for rates and details.

The annual event is held on lower Main Street and the Town Dock in Port Washington. Enjoy cruises, craft vendors, entertainment, a children’s fun park and fun stage, art in the park, kayaking, trolley rides, a food court and more. See event calendar for date and time.

Historic Old Time Baseball played in traditional uniform and original rules every Sunday through September.

See event calendar for dates and times for a number of outdoor summer movie nights held in Port Washington and surrounding areas.

See event calendar for dates and times for a number of outdoor summer concert series held in Port Washington and surrounding areas.

Open late August through mid-October on Saturdays and Sundays. This is a great place to hit if you want a quick (and close) place to pick some apples and get home for naptime. They offer dwarfed trees for kids to pick on and have fresh honey for sale at the farm stand. Don’t expect to find the bells and whistles that other places offer, like hayrides and such.

Pumpkin picking available 7 days per week through October 30th. Features include pumpkin picking, tractor train rides, corn mazes, wagon rides and more!

Farm market full of fresh produce and homemade goods, a wine tasting bar, an interactive Barnyard Adventure, u-pick pumpkin patch, corn mazes and hayrides.

Year round fruit and vegetable picking. Apple and pear picking start early September and last through early November with many other fruits and vegetables also available. Kids will enjoy the horse rides, lake with swans, hay maze, petting zoo and “mini village” with a church, school house, jail, etc. Visit website for details.
PWMama Tip: Visit the Woodbury Commons outlets (more extensive then the Riverhead outlets) for a shopping extravaganza while you’re up here.

Open late August though late October, this family-operated farm specializes in several different kinds of apples as well as a wide variety of farm fresh fruits and vegetables. Call ahead for availability.

Open from September 1 through early November, Maskers offers a 200 acre orchard in the Hudson Valley. Breathtaking views of the Fall foliage. Barnyard animals, pony rides and wagon rides, and face painting are available for the kids. See website for details.

Open daily from September through late October, the Milk Pail offers more than 20 acres of apples and 24 different varieties to choose from. Dwarf trees are available for kids to pick on. See website for details.

Open daily from late August through November, Seven Ponds features 14 varieties of dwarf trees and offers red radio flyer wagons for you to carry your apples around in, which is charming. Plenty of other activities for kids include: a corn maze, hay rides, and a farmstand with fresh fruit and vegetables.
PW Mama Tip: If you can, visit on a weekday to beat the weekend crowds.

Picking available through the end of October, The Milk Pail allows visitors to choose pumpkins from various shapes, sizes (they have mini pumpkins up to 150 pound), and colors. They also have orchards of u-pick apples and easy-to-reach dwarf apple trees.

Beginning early September though early November, enjoy u-pick apple and pear orchards at Warwick Valley Winery. Warwick also offers live music, tractor rides, wine tasting and food.

Starting at the end of September you can enjoy pumpkin picking, roasted corn, kids shows, petting zoo, the free flight aviary, apple and pumpkin pies, and more. Visit website for details.
PW Mama Tip: Make sure to print a coupon from their website before you go!

Tots can pick their own pumpkins from their grassy patch, which features tiny ‘Jack-Be-Littles’ – perfect for little hands to enjoy, as well as carving pumpkins, display pumpkins and squash. Kids will delight in the petting zoo, complete with: goats, sheep, piglets, cows, and ducks. Fall-themed home decor and flowers, fresh fruit pies, apple crisps and turnovers, jelly apples and pressed apples and more is also available.

26 Pinelawn Road, Melville, New York
www.schmittsfarm.com | 631.271.3276

Beginning at the end of September, visit Schmitts Farm for pick your own pumpkins. Tots will also enjoy the large inflatable slides, hay rides, pony rides, corn maze, farm animals, farm stand, and walk through haunted house. This is a great option full of family fun and is an easy drive. Visit website for details.

An annual Halloween event at Old Westbury Gardens that features more than 5,000 individually carved jack o’lanterns that illuminate a long and winding trail through the majestic grounds.

Seriously, scary. Bayville Scream Park features Bloodworth Haunted Mansion, Uncle Needle’s Fun House of Fear, Temple of Teror, Zombie Pirats and Evil in the Woods. There are also two “not so scary” haunted houses for kids, a pumpkin bounce, Spooky Pirate Minature Golf, and a Creepy Café. See website for details.

Realistic effects and decor, this haunted mansion and corn maze are not for the faint of heart. See website for details.

Ghosts, ghouls, goblins and more descend on you as you meander through Clark Botanic Gardens. During the day, a kindler, gentler, “not so spooky” walk is available. See website for details.

The FREE not-so-spooky walk-through animated story about Otto the Ghost at Hicks Nursery is a favorite for kids of all ages. Live animals on view, childrens story hours, and hayrides also available.

Open the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve, this family-run farm offers cut-your-own Fraser and Douglas Firs for $89.95 regardless of height. Like most of the farms on this list, they will help you cut, shake and carry your tree to your car. On Saturdays and Sundays, Santa visits from 12pm to 4pm and free hayrides are available. Hot chocolate, snacks, and freshly baked cookies are offered. Handmade wreaths, sprays, garlands and arrangements are sold in their 18th century barn.
PW Mama Tip: Check their website for coupons!

Long Island’s most western cut-your-own Christmas tree farm, Elwood offers a 20 acres of Blue Spruce, Douglas Fir, and Scotch Pine trees available for u-cut or pre-cut beginning the day after Thanksgiving. Elwood employees will cut, wrap, and tie your tree to your car at no extra charge. The farm does not provide the extra “amenities” — tractor rides, santa visits, fire pits, refreshments or restrooms but it is a good option if you don’t want a long drive.

Beginning the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve, Lewin Farm offers incredibly low prices for their u-cut and pre-cut Douglas Fir and Blue Spruce trees. Tractor drawn wagons carry families and their freshly cut trees from field to the entrance where trees are wrapped. Hot chocolate, popcorn, pretzels, soda and hot dogs are available for purchase.

Open daily beginning November 25 through Christmas Eve, Shamrock Tree Farm allows you to borrow a saw to cut your own Douglas, Fraser Firs and Hybrid Balsams or you can choose to let their friendly helpers cut a tree for you at no extra charge. The farm offers live and pre-cut trees, a refreshment stand, an antique sleigh collection, a holiday shop, and on weekends, they light their cozy fire pit and offer free hot chocolate and popcorn. Santa visits the farm on Saturdays and Sundays. See website or call for details.

Open Saturdays and Sundays, this family run farm allows you to cut your own Douglas Fir or Blue Spruce or they will be happy to help you every step away. Prices are reasonable and a flat charge for any size. A tractor-pulled hayride transports you around the farm. Other features include the blazing fire pit and a free cup of hot chocolate, cider, popcorn or a candy cane. Fresh greenery, wreaths and garlands are also available.

Great hills for sledding and Christopher Morley’s outdoor ice skating rink was named by News 12 Long Islandviewers as the best outdoor skating rink on Long Island. The ice rink opens the Saturday after Thanksgiving through mid-March (weather permitting). Group and private lessons are available.

Dyker Heights is uber famous for it’s extravagant holiday light displays — the decked out homes are dressed in over-the-top holiday decor. Kids and adults alike will enjoy this magical neighborhood.

This house offers homemade decorations and a differnt theme and storyline each year. Past themes have included 1950s style and the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

Here, you’ll find multiple houses completely wrapped in lights, and lawns adorned with figurines, giant inflatable decorations and more. These homes accept donations that go to a local children’s charity.

Meet Santa and enjoy a fun house, train ride, skating, and a light show — all included with admission. See website for details.

This family-run nursery allows kids to meet Santa AND his reindeer — just remember to bring your own camera. The animated walk through Christmas story is also a favorite among tots. Drop off a self-addressed stamped envelope in the North Pole Mailbox and your child will receive a letter from Santa. For adults, the charming nursery offers a lot of great holiday decor. See website for details.

Here, children can meet Santa and enjoy a craft while their parents can admire the magnificent decor in Old Westbury Gardens period rooms. Hot cider and cookies are available on the West Porch. Call or visit website for details.

Santa and Fluffy the Snowman visit every Saturday and Sunday through the end of December. Admission includes a visit with Santa, the petting zoo, a giant free-flight aviary, a theatrical production of A Christmas Carol and unlimited time in the outdoor bouncy playground. Check website or call ahead for details.

8 Bayville Avenue, Bayville, New York
www.bayvillewinterwonderland.com

Step into a magical 3D adventure where you will visit Santa’s workshop, experience a dazzling animated holiday lights show, go iceskating with friendly holiday characters, take a train ride around the winter wonderland, have a special meeting and take a picture with Santa, play in the arcade, or, if that’s still not enough, climb the rock wall.
PW Mama Tip: Check out their website for coupons!

One of my favorite traditions, Candlelight Evenings offer a picturesque setting of flickering candles inside the 19th Century Village’s historic homes and period holiday decorations and entertainment, all set within the confines of a rural valley setting. The musical entertainment includes a brass quartet and fiddlers playing popular seasonal tunes as well as music by local schools and organizations. Other features include traditional American dancers and readings of classic holiday children’s stories. Call ahead for details.

Within the enchanting setting of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, model trains zip over bridges and past replicas of New York landmarks made of plant parts such as nuts, bark, and leaves. Show favorites include the original Yankee Stadium, Statue of Liberty, and Brooklyn Bridge. See website for dates and pricing.
PW Mama Tip: Remember to buy tickets in advance!

One of my favorite traditions as a kid, the Christmas Spectacular is a 90 minute show that is narrated by Santa Claus and features singing, dancing, the famed rockettes, and even a 3-D “sleigh ride” through New York City. Will absolutely get you in the holiday spirit.