Summer Kick-Off Giveaway: Playland Amusement Park Fun Bands

one of my favorite summer day trips is to the boardwalk at point pleasant beach at the jersey shore. well under 2 hours from the city. totally honky tonk. great pizza and even an aquarium! play skee ball, get a waffle cone, shoot water in the clowns mouth and go on fun rides, all with the ocean 2 steps away.

My family favorite summer day trip was Museum Mile in Manhattan. This was a day oif visiting all the museums on 5th avenue for free and learning about art. The kids really enjoyed themselves

My family favorite summer day trip was Museum Mile in Manhattan. This was a day oif visiting all the museums on 5th avenue for free and learning about art. The kids really enjoyed themselves

We love going up to Beacon Waterfront Park, especially for the annual Strawberry, Corn, and Pumpkin Festivals. Easy to get to by car or Metro-North.

We love going to White Post Farms in Long Island. My son loves ot feed the animals, ride on the train and play in their playground. It is not very far from NYC (about 40 minutes) and always a lot of fun.

Our favorite day trip is down to the jersey shore! Beautiful sea views and the whale watching is fun too!

An easy trip with little kids is to take the LIRR to Oyster Bay . The trip out is scenic - on the water - and the train station is right next to a beautiful park, tennis courts. playground, and a beach with shallow, calm water great for wading and dog paddling (the beach is rocky, so bring water shoes!) The downtown area is just two blocks away, with a few great casual restaurants/diners for lunch, and also the Bonanza Ices stand for delicious ices.

My favorite memory is going to South Street Seaport. There's always something to look at and always something to eat.

One of the most memorable summer day trips was heading to Coney Island for the Mermaid Parade. It poured for a while but after the rain it was a lot of fun to check out the incredible mermaid costumes with my daughter. She adores the Little Mermaid!

My favorite NYC summer activity is walking along Broadway from Columbia University to 66th Street. For some reason, there seems to be sunshine along that stretch no matter the time of day. We browse stores, make a bagel stop at Absolute Bagels by 109th Street. Buy a flower at 103rd street. It is the best!

We love going to the Stamford Museum and Nature Center -- part working farm, part zoo, part park -- there's something for everyone and it's an easy trip from the city.

When my grandchildren come to NYC to visit, I plan a week of free events - and have to schedule time to just sit together and rest! There's so much to do in the summer that it's impossible to list it all. We've loved boat trips from South Seaport, wandering through Chinatown, and of course the wonderful Astoria Park pool! This summer I'm hoping to take my 13 year old grandson on a day of free concerts, making our way through Manhattan listening to everything from an early morning tv show concert to the piano in Bryant Park to the folk guitar in Hudson River Park. With lots of eating in between!

Pennings in Warwick, NY is fun--petting zoo, ice cream stand, playground, and pick-your-own fruits. Right across the street is a big drive-in theater with early-ish kids showings, too.

My most memorable summer daytrips I did when I was in high school. My best friend and I went by ourselves and we felt we were going on an adventure! One was going to Manhattan Beach near Coney Island (because I had never done the beach thing before as my family didn't like the beach) and the other was going to Rye's Playland. I haven't been there since, but I fondly remember the Derby ride. It looked so easy...but it wasn't!

My favorite summer day trip is Coney Island. Who can resist corn dogs, creaky amusement rides, Skeeball, and the Cyclone? There's even a roller skating rink now. It's even better if you time it with the Mermaid Parade or a Cyclones game.

Breakfast at Belmont! It couldn't be better! 7:00 - !0:15 A.M. Free admission and parking. Optional breakfast purchase. So much fun to watch the horses training, other demonstrations, and tour the stable area. Special events on specific days. Can't wait to go this year!!

My family's greates vacation was most likely our trip up to the Poconos. I went with my mother, brother, sster, cousin, and aunt to Pennsylvania and we stayed in a villa in the Poconos at a resort called "Fernwood" Our villa was across the street froma beautiful pool, we had a fantastic balcony, the place was absolutely beautiful. We went hiking, bumper boats, swimming, kayaks, everything, it was fatastic =]

So far this summer our favorite activity has been visiting the NYC zoos. We bought a family membership this year which covers the aquarium and all the zoos in the city. We can now stop in for a quick trip if we're in the Bronx, in Central Park or at Coney Island. We haven't yet been to any amusement park with our daughters, so maybe this Summer Kick-Off Giveaway will get us to one!

Is there any better beach than Robert Moses? This has been my favorite day trip since I was about 6 years old... with two small kids it's a little harder to make it, but we still manage! Even the sand is different, somehow, at this beach.

Van Saun Park in Paramus, NJ. They have a train to ride, a carousel, zoo, open areas to fly kites, developmentally appropriate playground areas for various age groups and they allow BBQing there. It is a full day of fun, just 20 minutes from NYC.

Cape, May NJ!

Missed the detail about outside of the city day trips. Our favorite summer day trip from NYC is Cape May, NJ. You can go up to the top of the light house and check out all the old Victorian houses. I recommend The Mad Batter for breakfast and The Lobster House for great seafood and clam chowder!

Our favorite summer day trip is to the Bronx Botanical Gardens and dinner in Grand Central. My children love being outside in such beauty.

We don't have a car and we hate to drive. We do take the train out to farms upstate sometimes, but our absolute favorite day trip in the summer involves just a subway ride.

We pack swimsuits, blankets, a couple of changes of clothes, and a breakfast picnic into the stroller and head to Central Park as early in the morning. We have breakfast at Sheep Meadow, then head to Adventure Playground, where they have the best sprinklers (a whole "river") and sand-box and it never gets too hot. We stay until lunch and then meander down to the boathouse -- or, if we are lazy, to an oudoor table at Tavern on the Green, for a fancy lunch. The giant lunches leave us ready for naps, which tend to last a couple of hours.

Afternoons are for boating (or biking, if we remembered to bring along the bike seat and want to rent bikes). There is usually some left over bread from breakfast to feed the ducks.

By the time we have dinner at Patsy's Pizza in the West 70s we are ready for bath and bed.

When there's a concert on, we've stayed for the start, but we're usually too hungry and tired.

Yes, we feel like we're in New York, but we return home feeling like we've been away for a long, lovely vacation in a wonderful place -- to which we want very much to return (maybe even the very next day!)

My husband, my 3-year old son and I are new to New York (we moved here a year and a half ago from Europe) and so far our favourite day trip has been Sandy Hook in NJ. It is so easy by ferry from Manhattan, and it is so quiet and restful there.

We also like to rent a car; just choose a random place in Long Island or Upstate New York and drive there for a day. It usually ends up a great fun.

We still rely on you to tell us about good places to visit. Looking forward to discovering Playland!

We love taking the kids to Atlantic beach. Makes us think we are on a mini vacation

We love taking the kids to Atlantic beach. Makes us think we are on a mini vacation

So far this summer my son's favorite place to visit is the Brooklyn Children's Museum. He loves to run and play around the toddler playroom, to drive the bus or to shop around for groceries. We always have so much fun in this place!

My favorite day trip is to Bear Mountain, only an hour away from NYC. There is a lake called Turkey Hill Lake that is the freshest water I've swam in this state. A nice hike to get there, too.

wildwood, nj was the best. the camping, the beach and, of course, the boardwalk!

Our favorite summer daytrip is a day spent on the Water Taxi, getting on and off at the different spots. It's a great way to have fun on the water, as well as see different parts of the city.

My favorite summer adventure was also recommended by Mommy Poppins. We rented the free bikes from south street seaport and rode around the city with the kids it was a beautiful day with a nice breeze and a great way to see our city!

A favorite summer day trip is a short drive to Westchester County, to explore the hiking trails at Rockefeller State Park Preserve, and delighting at encounters with some of the little creatures at the park.

A favorite summer day trip is a short drive to Westchester County, to explore the hiking trails at Rockefeller State Park Preserve, and delighting at encounters with some of the little creatures at the park.

Central Park Zoo followed by gelato at Melt

Long Beach

Our favorite summer day was at Coney Island. First, we went to
N.Y.Aquarium, had ablast. Then headed out to the beach. My daughter made a few friends playing in the sand. After headed out to get on some rides. It was a long,fun day. On the train ride
home she was asleep until we got there. That's one day we'll never forget.

Our favorite daytrip is to the Reannisance Faire in Tuxedo New York. We go annually without a doubt. It is about a 90 min ride from new york city and is so much fun. There are continuous shows all day, rides, mudpits, classic renaisance era rides, shoppping. You really feel like you have been sent back to the rennaisance era and the food is unbleievable. All kinds of treats, turkey on a stick, food peddlers walking around all day and dont forget the fabulous jousts and end of the day parade with all the kings , queens and jesters. It ia fabulous time for all!! so much fun!

favorite new adventure this summer was a visit to govenor's island. there is a free ferry from fulton landing in brooklyn on saturdays. be sure to get a icecream at the shop right there before you get on. the island is beatiful and rich with histry- great biking- they have 200 free bikes to use on fridays

Our best daytrip was walking over the Brooklyn Bridge into DUMBO where we had a picnic and played on the grass with beautiful views of the city as a backdrop.

This might be our favorite getaway out of the city.. I was pleased to see that you can reach it by public transportation! Most of our outings have been playing tourists around the city.. walking the Brooklyn Bridge, riding the Staten Island Ferry to view the Statue of Liberty, visiting local museums, and just hanging out in Central Park... all within the city though.

We did go apple picking last fall, which was definitely a highlight for the WHOLE family!

Union City Waterpark! Its in Union City, NJ, totally free and accessible by Light Rail. It has a tot wading pool and a huge sprinkler area. did I mention its FREE!?

I havent been to Playland in so many years. I have not seen my daughters in 13 months until Wednesday night. So far I've had a great time with them. I feel like crying just thinking about July 17th (thats when they go back to Japan) Their mom is active duty in the Marine Coprs stationed there. I did my four years and got out. We are going through a divorce now. Its making it stressful and hard just thinking about how or when I'll see them again and I would love to give them a great time while I'm with them.
This is not a "feel sorry for me" comment. This is just a little bit of help trying to get my babies out and enjoy a long fun filled day.
If you can help, that would be fantastic, and I may be pushing it with this but, my girlfriend and her son are also tagging along with us in everything I do with the girls. Their ages are 5, 3 and 3.
HELP ME MOMMY POPPINS!!!!
Thank you,
Joel
-aka-
"Papi"

Here I am to enter and look! You linked me!

Well obviously we're humongo Playland fans and a few spins on the carousel would make my girls the happiest in all the land.

I want to thank Mommy Poppins for all the great information of things to do with your kids. Thank you!!!

D'OH and I enter wrong Ok so favorite day trip...

well playland is definitely up there (for reals) but I also love driving up to Cold Spring, doing a little window shopping, and walking down to the river where I can never believe I'm just an hour from the city.

One of our favourite day trips is to strawberry picking @ Harbes Family Farm, Long Island. It was my son's first strawberry picking and we all had so much fun. He ran around the field and helped looking for any 'big' strawberries to pick. We took a lot of pictures and he didn’t want to leave after hours of running 

Our next day trip will be apple picking and I can’t wait to see how happy he is.

Our favorite day trip is easily Bear Mountain on the border of rockland county. Fresh air, great playgrounds, bike path, cheap zoo, carousel. Just an amazing getaway. Also, last time we were there we saw Michael Imperioli (Christufuh from Sopranos) with his family.

Taking a trip out to Fire Island and spending the day playing in sand and waves. I wish it were closer.

My favorite day trip is to Coney island. go to the quarium, walk the noardwalk and enjoy the rides.

I would love to go to Playland. I have not been there in years. It is only about a 35 minute drive from NYC.