Bayville Adventure Park-the Perfect One Day Amusement Park Vacation on Long Island

Around my house, these few weeks before my kids’ Summer camps officially start can be tough. The Summer weather seems to have arrived finally and the kids are anxious to take advantage of it. With plenty of beach days ahead, I wanted to do something special to celebrate today being the first official “day I don’t have to go to school” this Summer.  So, we  headed to Bayville this afternoon and hit the best mini-amusement park on Long Island-the  Bayville Adventure Park. 

For young kids, really, nothing could be better. First of all, there are lots of parking spaces right up front or just across the street, and you don’t even have to take a train to get into the park, like you do at Disneyland or those other big amusement parks. There is just enough activities to keep them from getting bored, but also the right amount to squeeze into the average young child’s visit without missing any (which I’d say is a few hours). 

• Purchase the one day VIP pass; it might seem expensive, but you get two free day passes for the park to be used later. It’s buy one get one free.
• If you don’t have a napper, visit the park in the later afternoon; there will be fewer people and no wait times
• If you can, make a day of it and pack a picnic lunch for the beautiful beach which is directly across the street. There are play structures, restrooms, and some of the cleanest and smoothest sand you’ll find on the North Shore.
• If you share the same sticker shock that I did, pack your lunch, snacks and drinks (there are plenty of picnic tables there) and avoid the arcade; it is really expensive and while clean and organized, your kids walk away with the same cheap prizes they get anywhere else.
• Bayville Amusement Park is probably best enjoyed by children ages 4-10; much younger they can’t enjoy the attractions and much older I think they’d be bored. 

For other fun summer trip ideas visit our summer guide.