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The Nutcracker Ballet and Other Holiday Shows for Kids on Long Island
Submitted by Jaime Sumersille on
If your child is nuts about The Nutcracker, several top-notch companies perform the holiday favorite right here on Long Island, so ring in the holiday season by taking in a theatrical performance or two. Some of the standout shows this year include the New York Dance Theatre's staging at Hofstra, which features a cast of 80 children. Ballet Long Island's staging, meanwhile, includes select performances of only Act II of the ballet, and the abbreviated runtime is helpful if your kiddos sometimes get squirmy in their seats.
You can also check out some other great holiday-themed shows hitting Long Island stages this season, like The Happy Elf and Frosty.
Read on for amazing holiday show options for families on Long Island in 2024. And be sure to check out our events calendar and Holiday Guide for more seasonal family fun.
25 Must-Do Christmas Events and Holiday Activities on Long Island
Submitted by Jaime Sumersille on
Looking for the best holiday activities and Christmas events on Long Island for kids? Read on for our top picks.
We've rounded up dozens of family-friendly holiday activities worth adding to your calendar this season, including lantern shows, drive-thru light shows, and more.
Walking through the annual LuminoCity and driving through the Jones Beach Light Show attractions are always highlights of this season. There's something about the warm, bright lights that puts me in a ho-ho-holiday mood.
Of course we also love the freebies too, like the Animated Story at Hicks Nurseries and Huntington Holiday Spectatular. These are are must-visit for us.
We've got plenty more ways to make seasonal memories in our Long Island Guide to Holiday Fun.
Veterans Day Weekend 2024 on Long Island: Best Things To Do with Kids
Submitted by Jaime Sumersille on
Looking for the best things to do on Long Island this Veterans Day weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list.
Veterans Day falls on Monday this year, and there are plenty of things to do on Long Island with kids that day, including kicking off the holiday season at the Annual Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting at Tanger Outlets in Deer Park, where you can take pics with Santa and hang out with some live reindeer.
Other top things to do this weekend include enjoying a holiday lights experience at LuminoCity, which returns to Long Island's Eisenhower Park with a new luminescent theme, and getting cozy with some furry farm animals during Patchogue's annual free Walk-Through Zoo.
Of course, it's not too early to start plotting your holiday outings with our list of 25 must-do Christmas and holiday activities on Long Island.
Inclusive Playground in Rockville Centre Welcomes Kids of All Abilities
Submitted by Jaime Sumersille on
An inclusive playground in the bucolic South Shore village of Rockville Centre has opened and welcomes families and children of all abilities. The space aims to create a safe and engaging environment where every child can play and explore together.
With all of the ways to climb, spin, roll, and run in this massive outdoor play space, Mr. B’s All-Inclusive Playground is sure to be a hit with kids.
Read on for our review, and see our guide to Long Island parks and playgrounds for more outdoor inspiration. Of course, if you want to head to an indoor play space, we have you covered as well.
Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving on Long Island
Submitted by Rebekah Yahoves on
Long Island restaurants open on Thanksgiving provide a delicious meal and a memorable holiday experience for the whole family. You get to skip the prep, cooking, and cleanup and enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with great food, conversation, and time well spent with the kids.
If your little ones are particular about their food choices or aren't fans of turkey, many of these Long Island restaurants open on Thanksgiving and offer regular menu items on Thanksgiving Day. Most of the restaurants post their menu offerings on their websites.
For fabulous feasting with your little ones any day of the year, check out our Long Island Kid-Friendly Restaurant Guide.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving. We're grateful you're here.
Halloween Weekend 2024 on Long Island: Trick-or-Treat and More Things To Do with Kids
Submitted by Jaime Sumersille on
Looking for the best things to do on Long Island this Halloween weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list.
Halloween weekend is upon us, and there's no shortage of ways to celebrate on Long Island. Head to free festivals at the Ward Melville Heritage Organization or Heckscher Museum of Art, both of which will have trick-or-treating galore.
Other top picks for Halloween weekend on Long Island include Spooky Science Night at the Cradle of Aviation Museum on Friday, where you can catch a screening of "Coco."
Or make your way to the Suffolk County Farm in Yaphank on Saturday for the annual North Meets South Fair, which celebrates Long Island's farm-to-table movement with farm animals, hayrides, face painting, and more.
Bookmark our Long Island Halloween Guide for more picks to keep your costumed cuties entertained all weekend.
Best Neighborhoods to Trick or Treat on Long Island This Halloween
Submitted by Gina Massaro on
Families love to celebrate Halloween by trick-or-treating on Long Island, with its many walkable main streets, villages lined with festive shops, and elaborately decorated homes.
You can stay in your neighborhood, where kids know how to navigate the houses, or you can take Halloween as an opportunity to explore new areas of Long Island. We’ve compiled a list of the best Long Island neighborhoods for trick-or-treating in 2024.
We prefer neighborhoods that have houses close together, are well-lit with minimal traffic, and that also have merchants participating in the fun. Read on for our list of favorite places to trick-or-treat on Long Island.
For even more spooky fun, check out our Long Island Halloween Guide, including a rundown of the best scary haunted houses for teens and trunk-or-treat events for kids.
20 Best Things To Do on Long Island November 2024 with Kids
Submitted by Jaime Sumersille on
November brings plenty of things to do as Long Island gears up for holidays, from Veterans Day to Thanksgiving and full steam ahead to Christmas.
Holiday light shows illuminate Long Island this November. Cuddle up in the car and roll through the Jones Beach Magic of Lights Show in Wantagh or the Riverhead Holiday Light Show starting in mid-November. Or get out and wander Eisenhower Park in East Meadow on foot for the LuminoCity Festival.
Meanwhile, Disney fans can catch Disney on Ice Let's Dance at the UBS Arena in Elmont. And Sayville Falls brings something new to Long Island this winter with a walkthrough Holiday Light Show & Winter Garden, where visitors can rent an igloo!
Read on for our expertly curated list of the best ways to pack your calendar this month on Long Island.
