101 Family Day Trips and Staycation Ideas Around Long Island
Remember, it's always best to follow each link to get details about your visit directly from your destination, since some places operate seasonally or by reservation, as well as to check each venue's COVID requirements (masks, limits, social distancing).
Free activities and splurges that are worth it. The coolest stuff for a staycation in town and road trips for less than a tank of gas from Long Island. Kids Out And About has tons of ideas for family travel, with places to explore, learn, and have fun!
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Explore Gardens and Sculpture Parks
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Bailey Arboretum |
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Clark Botanic Garden |
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Queens Botanical Garden |
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Sculpture Garden at the Nassau County Museum of Art |
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Socrates Scupture Park |
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Lavender By the Bay |
Get Wild on a Hike
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Avalon Nature Preserve |
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T. Bayles Minuse Mill Pond and Park |
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Belmont Lake State Park |
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Bethpage State Park |
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Blydenburgh County Park |
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Brookside Preserve |
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Caleb Smith State Park Preserve |
Time Travel Today
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William Floyd House |
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Long Island Museum of American Art, History, and Carriages |
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Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site |
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Southampton Historical Museum |
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Southold Indian Museum |
Make Life a Beach
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West Meadow Beach |
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Rogers Beach |
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Nickerson Beach |
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Orient Beach State Park |
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Foster Memorial Town Beach |
Splash into Some Water Fun
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Splish Splash Water Park |
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Shipwreck Cove Spray Park |
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Centereach Pool |
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Phelps Lane Pool |
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Tanner Park |
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Keansburg Amusement Park & Runaway Rapids |
Spend The Day at The Museum
Explore These Cities
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Long Beach, New York |
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Oyster Bay, New York |
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New York City, New York |
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
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Hartford, Connecticut |
All Aboard Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and Boats!)
Grow Some Fun at the Farm
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Hallockville Museum Farm |
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Lewin Farms |
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May's Farm |
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Windy Acres Farm |
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Patty's Berries and Bunches |
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Seven Ponds Orchard |
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Wickham's Fruit Farm |
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Lilymoore Alpaca and Llama Farm |
Play Ball!
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Long Island Ducks |
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Long Island Nets |
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Long Island Rough Riders |
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New York Mets |
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New York Yankees |
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New York Cosmos |
Treat Yo' Self
Connect with Nature
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South Fork Natural History Museum & Nature Center |
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South Shore Nature Center |
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Sweetbriar Nature Center |
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Jones Beach Nature Center |
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Connetquot River State Park Preserve |
Amuse Yourself at These Amusement Parks
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Tiki Action Park |
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Adventureland |
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Bayville Adventure Park |
Talk to the Animals
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The Animal Farm Petting Zoo |
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Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium |
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Trailside Museums And Zoo at Bear Mountain State Park |
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Long Island Aquarium |
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Bronx Zoo |
Explore the Globe Close to Home
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Vanderbilt Museum |
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The Ward Melville Heritage Organization Education & Cultural Center |
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Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County |
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The Ukrainian Museum |
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The Jewish Museum |
Let's Go Chasing Waterfalls
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New Croton Dam Falls |
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Indian Brook Falls |
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Fawn's Leap Falls |
Get Active Indoors
Challenge Yourself
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ARTrageous |
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Dinni's Art Studio |
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Haven Art Studio |
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Island Pottery and Studio |
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Sketchbook Studio |
Shop Your Heart Out
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Roosevelt Field |
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Walt Whitman Mall |
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Westfield Sunrise |
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Smith Haven Mall |
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Green Acres Mall |
Limiting our list to 101 ideas meant some great destinations may have been left off the list - if there is something you’d like to see added, share it with us on Facebook!
Most of these destinations are within an hour from Central Long Island. For those that are a bit farther away:
= Less than 1 hour away
= 1 to 2 hours away
= 2 to 3 hours away
= Just over 3 hours away