Take a cruise on the 700-foot zipline at WildPlay Jones Beach when it opens for the season this weekend. Photo by the author
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Go off-trail at one of Long Island’s many parks and preserves. Photo by Gina Massaro
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Cherry blossoms usher in the spring season at Old Westbury Gardens. Photo courtesy of the garden
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Summer camp is a great way for kids to make new friends and learn new skills
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Wander through the gorgeous tulip fields at the Tulip Festival at Waterdrinker Farm. Photo courtesy of the farm
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Enjoy a Mother's Day brunch buffet at Coral House in Baldwin.
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Close to 500,000 tulips and other spring bulbs will bloom at Waterdrinker Family Farm & Garden. Photo by @nics photography
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Get off Long Island and explore Governors Island.
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The thrilling Moon Chaser spins, twists, dips, and inverts riders at heights up to 45 feet in the air.
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Take to the skies on Legoland New York's new Minifigure Skyflyer. Rendering courtesy of the resort
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Speed down the slides at Planet Play.
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The Vanderbilt is a great place to explore on a rainy day. Photo by Kristen Markel
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Celebrate with a themed birthday at Sippy Cups. Photo by the author
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Kids can hop on tricycles and ride around the indoor track at L.I. Salty Kids Cove.
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These boredom-busting activities turn a stuck-at-home day into a lasting memory.
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Golf simulators at X Golf in the Samanea Mall allow players to practice their swing. Photo by the author
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Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center's interactive exhibits are free.
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Discover the trails at Quogue Wildlife Refuge for a day of free, outdoorsy fun. Photo by Jaime Sumersille
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The River Canyon Run at Great Wolf Lodge is a raft slide the whole family can enjoy!
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Free meals for kids are available on Tuesdays at most Moe’s Southwest Grill locations on Long Island.
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Photo of Liddle Bites play space in Long Beach by Lisa Fogarty for Mommy Poppins
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Winding paths, ponds, and streams line the lush grounds of Clark Botanic Gardens.
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The beaches in Montauk are among the nation's best. Photo by Joe Shlabotnik via Flickr
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Encourage an introduction to STEM education at the Long Island Children's Museum.
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Learn to surf at Montauk's SurfLuca or another surf school. Photo courtesy of the school.
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A day at Sunken Meadow State Park can feature playground games, a walk on the beach, and more. Photo by Kimberly Chacon
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Dig in to a delicious pie at Salvatore's Coal Oven Pizzeria.
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Host an affordable birthday party at Whimsical Vine Party Hall. Photo by Chofit the Man to Call via Pexels
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Babies 2 and younger can pet the goats, alpacas, and ponies for free at Fink’s Country Farm.
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Find free fun for Long Island kids at the free play space at the Broadway Mall. Photo courtesy the mall
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Enjoy the engaging exhibits at the Long Island Children's Museum. Photo courtesy of LICM
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Keep the kids busy at Applebee's with games on a tableside tablet. Photo by Anne Caminiti - Momee Friends of Long Island www.momeefriendsli.com
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The Ausable Chasm has been described as the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks and it's one of our top 100 things to do in New York State with kids. Photo by Anna Fader
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Photo by Dora Somosi via Instagram
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Grab the brass ring and get a free ride at Greenport's carousel. Photo by Jaime Sumersille
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Creating a baking soda volcano is a classic science experiment for kids. Photo by Sara Marentette Nighswander
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Photo of Liddle Bites play space in Long Beach by Lisa Fogarty for Mommy Poppins
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Come see the Animated Children's Story Featuring Otto the Ghost at the Fall Harvest at Hick's Nurseries. Photo courtesy of the nursery
Come see the Animated Children's Story Featuring Otto the Ghost at the Fall Harvest at Hick's Nurseries. Photo courtesy of the nursery
9/23/20 - By Kimberly Rae Miller

The air is crisp, the apples are fresh and the Event Calendar is full. It could mean only one thing: Fall is in full swing.

Welcome the new season by picking farm-fresh pumpkins, taking a hayride, or watching the falling leaves on a family hike. If you're not quite ready to trade your iced coffee in for a PSL, don't worry, a little bit of summer is here to stay: Long Island beaches are open through the end of the week.

Our Event Calendar is loaded with fun, live, in-person events for Long Island kids, plus some great virtual event picks, too. If you're looking for extracurriculars, be sure to tune into our Back-to-School Fair. Catch the last few FREE demo classes this week, including sessions from Atlantic Acting and Coucou French. Our Classes Guide for Long Island Kids has tons more virtual and in-person options, too.

As with all aspects of our new normal, before heading out, be sure to check with venues about their reservation and social distancing requirements.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Get lost in the Amazing Maize Maze at the Queens County Farm Museum.
Get lost in the Amazing Maize Maze at the Queens County Farm Museum.

Things To Do in Long Island This Week

The Amazing Maize Maze at Queens County Farm

Queens
Friday, September 25-Friday, October 30
NYC's only corn maze begins with a "Stalk Talk" to prepare you for the 3-acre challenge of finding clues on your way to Victory Bridge where the maze's stunning vista is revealed. READ MORE

Nightmare at the Movies: Hocus Pocus

Farmingdale
Friday, September 25
Enjoy dinner and a movie at Adventureland's drive-in movie-going experience, Nightmare at the Movies. Dine-In Package includes a chicken dinner, Adventureland Arcade Player Cards, trivia with prizes (select nights), popcorn, and a movie! READ MORE

Fall Festival at Hicks Nurseries

Westbury
Weekends through Sunday, November 1
At Hicks Nurseries Fall Harvest, mom and dad can fill their carts with fall decor favorites while kids enjoy fun festival activities. Otto the Ghost stars in his own walk-through adventure, "Otto's House Party," all month long. READ MORE

Batman Double Feature

Lake Grove
Saturday, September 26
Grab your popcorn and Batmobile because there's a Batman-themed double feature  drive-in movie experience at the Smithaven Mall. Enjoy one, or both, Batman classics from the comfort of your own car while watching the giant 52-foot screen. READ MORE

Advanced Paleontology for Kids

Rockville Centre
Saturday, September 26
This exciting, hands-on program from CSTL is for older kids, ages 8+, who love dinosaurs! Kids will use fossil bones, bone beds, and trackways to investigate how dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals lived! READ MORE

F & W Schmitt's Family Farm Fall Festival

Melville
Weekends through Saturday, October 31
Hit the Fall Festival at F & W Schmitt's Family Farm in Melville, where the price of admission grants access to the playground, mini golf, photo-ops, hayrides, and more. READ MORE

The Great Bird Blind Debate

Oyster Bay
Saturday, September 26-Saturday, October 31
This exhibition, by artists Mark Dion and David Brooks, frames their dueling views on birdwatching or “birding” as an activity and birders as a distinct community, with reflection upon the character and vulnerability of the habitat the observer occupies. READ MORE

Drive-In Movie Series at The Gateway Performing Arts Center

Bellport
Multiple dates through Sunday, September 27
The largest outdoor screen on the Island welcomes movie fans to a summer drive-in series. READ MORE

Live Outdoor Performances at Planting Fields

Oyster Bay
Sunday, September 27
Music and dance add a new dimension to your experience at Planting Fields Arboretum with live performances on the lawn, in the gardens, and even from the balconies of Coe Hall. READ MORE

Drive-in Movie Night: Disney's Haunted Mansion(PG)

Smithtown
Monday, September 28
Head back to the drive-in movie theater to see Disney's Haunted Mansion! READ MORE

Kids Not-So-Scary Days at Bayville Scream Park

Bayville
Saturdays and Sundays through Sunday, November 8
Also on Monday, September 28; Monday, October 12
Bayville Scream Park's Halloween-themed attractions are family-friendly on select not-so-scary days. Families enjoy a funhouse, mirror maze, Halloween express train ride, pumpkin bounce, mini-golf, rock climbing, bumper boat safari, spooky treetop adventure, and more.  READ MORE

Kids Zumba

Kings Park
Wednesday, September 30
Hosted by the Great Neck Park District, this 45-minute fitness class for kids 3+, is taught by seasoned dance and fitness instructor Michele Tabaroki. Zumba classes are taught outdoors and suitable for kids 3+. READ MORE

Secrets of Stony Brook Walking Tours

Stony Brook
Wednesday, September 30
Enjoy a stroll through beautiful Stony Brook Village while hearing the stories of the people and seeing the landmarks that made it a community. READ MORE
Enjoy fall with pumpkin picking, fall activities and, for the adults, locally brewed beer. Photo courtesy of the Garden of Eve
Enjoy fall with pumpkin picking, fall activities and, for the adults, locally brewed beer. Photo courtesy of the Garden of Eve

More Live Events on Long Island this Fall

A Morning for Children with Special Needs and Their Families

Centerport–FREE
Saturday, October 3
This free event at the Vanderbilt Museum is exclusively for children with special needs and their families. It features a bottle rocket demonstration, a preserved specimen touch tube, and a take-home creative project.  READ MORE

The Early Bird Gets the Worm Bird Walk

Oyster Bay
Saturday, October 3
Head to Planting Fields for a morning bird walk led by Jennifer Wilson Pines, conservation chair and other experienced trip leaders of the North Shore Audubon Society. The bird walk meanders alongside the Carl F. Wedell Bird Sanctuary to observe the abundant sights and sounds of bird species. READ MORE

Princess Tea Party

Ronkonkoma
Saturday, October 3
Bring your favorite little prince or princess to see their favorite princesses perform with Ballet Long Island. The audience enjoys an alfresco performance followed by high tea, along with lemonade, cupcakes, and cookies. Photo ops with the dancing princesses follow. READ MORE

Tiny Tots at Center for Science Teaching and Learning

Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays through Tuesday, October 27
CSTL educators lead drop in Tiny Tots workshops three times per week, inviting toddlers ages 18 months to 3 years to explore a new theme each week. Stories, arts, crafts, and more fun are included.  READ MORE

Owl Prowl

Oyster Bay
Saturday, October 10
Head to Planting Fields for an evening owl prowl led by Jennifer Wilson-Pines and Peggy Maslow, bird educators from the North Shore Audubon Society. Families enjoy a guided walk along the grounds in search of the Great Horned Owl and the Screech Owl that inhabit Planting Fields. READ MORE

Oktoberfest at Garden of Eve

Riverhead
Saturday, October 17-Sunday, October 18
Enjoy Long Island craft beer, pumpkin picking, roasted corn, lemonade, hot dogs, farm tours, vendors, hayrides, pony rides, live music, kiddie activities, and more during this weekendlong, outdoor celebration. READ MORE

Halloween Fest in Riverhead

Riverhead
Friday, October 23-Sunday, October 25
Halloween Fest in downtown Riverhead transforms Main Street into a spooky and enchanting land in honor of All Hallows Eve. A ghoulish day is planned for witches and warlocks of all ages. READ MORE

Haunted Hatchery at the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery

Cold Spring Harbor
Saturday, October 24
Calling all ghosts and goblins, spiders, and bones: Families are welcome to join in this not-so-scary haunted hatchery visit.  READ MORE

Sag Harbor Ragamuffin Parade - CANCELED

Sag Harbor
Sunday, October 25
Note: this event is canceled   Kids, adults, and even pets can show off their costumes during this parade down Main Street in Sag Harbor. READ MORE

Canceled: Pumpkin Train Trick-or-Treating

Sag Harbor
Saturday, October 31
Join the Pumpkin Trail! Look for the pumpkin faces in the windows of the participating businesses on Main Street and throughout Sag Harbor Village business district. READ MORE

First Fridays on Love Lane

Mattituck
Friday, October 2
For three hours on the first Friday evening of summer and early autumn, Love Lane is closed to traffic, allowing pedestrians to explore and sample the area. READ MORE

The Forgotten Road at Southaven Park: Haunted Drive-Thru

Yaphank
Fridays and Saturdays through October 31
Put your crime-solving skills to the test when you traverse The Forgotten Road in Southaven Park. Visitors to this haunted drive-thru experience are immersed in the chilling details of a 40-year-old "cold case." See if you can you solve it before you reach the exit. READ MORE

The Great Jack-o'-Lantern Blaze: Long Island

Old Bethpage
Friday, October 2-Sunday, November 1
The Great Jack-o'-Lantern Blaze: Long Island features illuminated, individually hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns in elaborate displays professionally lit throughout the landscape of Old Bethpage Village Restoration. READ MORE

Top Virtual Events This Week

Dino Fest at Home

Tuesday, September 22-Friday, September 25
The Natural History Museum brings home the dinosaurs, with a virtual version of its annual festival celebrating dinosaurs, their prehistoric past, and the science that brings their world back to life.  READ MORE

Virtual FUNtastic Family Night

FREE
Friday, September 25
The City of  Lakewood presents another virtual FUNtastic Family Night live with Kids Imagine Nation. Kids can sing, dance, and interact with the Kids Imagine Nation crew on their fun-filled adventures. Participants can interact and ask questions. READ MORE

International Observe the Moon Night

FREE
Saturday, September 26
NASA Planetary Missions Program celebrates International Observe the Moon Night with a live planetarium show with interviews with Planetary Scientists. READ MORE

Virtual Chat About Swimming with Sharks

FREE
Sunday, September 27
Want to know what it is like to swim with 50 sharks?! Dr. Rachel Graham, a conservation scientist and keen diver, tells kids why she loves sharks and how she helps protect them. READ MORE

Virtual Book Tour: Chelsea Clinton

Wednesday, September 30 Thursday, October 1
Chelsea Clinton presents her latest book She Persisted in Sports: American Olympians Who Changed the Game.  READ MORE
Harbes Family Farm on the North Fork offers multiple mazes for autumn entertainment. Photo courtesy of the farm
Harbes Family Farm on the North Fork offers multiple mazes for autumn entertainment. Photo courtesy of the farm

More Things To Do in Long Island This Fall

Apple Picking near Long Island: Best Orchards for Apple Picking with Kids

Celebrate fall at these LI farms. READ MORE

Best Fall Day Trips to Take from Long Island with Kids

These seasonal fall day trips from LI are ideal for families. READ MORE

Best Corn Mazes on Long Island for Families

Get lost in the fun at these autumn destinations on LI. READ MORE

Outdoor Art Day Trips Near NYC

Spend a day enjoying spectacular sculptures at these outdoor art spots. READ MORE

Best Pumpkin Patches near Long Island for Kids

Great pumpkins and more farm fun await at these LI patches. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

F&W Schmitt’s Family Farm
Steppingstone Park
Center For Science Teaching And Learning CSTL
Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium
Southaven County Park
F&W Schmitt’s Family Farm