With approximately 40 days of summer left, fill your family’s schedule with lots of fun-in-the-sun activities. We’ve got 20 great things to do to give you a head start.
Bring the Family (or not) for a summer-only outdoor dining experience Pull up a stroller and chow on down-home BBQ eats at Demarest Farms with live music (starting Thursdays June 25th get there early to snag parking) or checkout Laurita Winery’s Food Truck and Firepit weekend which includes best area food trucks and a fireworks show (August 22nd/23rd, details and tickets here).
Workout Al Fresco Hit up Powerflow’s Yogafest on Thursday, July 30th at Whole Foods Market Ridgewood where you can snag FREE yoga led by local yogi Jody Domerstad, downward dog to tunes and snag mini-readings from Heart House Astrology. (sign up and details here) or balance and build your core on nearby Greenwood Lake. Jersey Paddle Boards offers stand up paddle lessons and SUP Yoga on 9 miles of gorgeous calm water- grab your gaggle or go solo and explore.
Go Picking Grab the kiddos and hit up Alstede Farms Peach Festival. Kicking off weekends starting August 1st- the family can pick Jersey peaches and sample everything from cobbler to melba- then ride ponies, moonbounce, wagon rides and visit the corn kingdom.
Book a Pirate Experience: The eye patch he’s been sporting in kindergarten is your clue that you should head over to the Jersey Shore Pirates Experience down in Brick Township, NJ. The just under two hour experience kicks off with facepainting and getting in costume before boarding the The Sea Gypsy, a pirate ship where kids will read treasure maps, get lessons in “pirating”, fire water cannons and hunt down a sunken treasure.
Cruise the Hudson (and eat a lobster roll): Dreaming of fresh Maine lobster but don’t want to take the trip? No matter. Step aboard North River Lobster Company’s floating lobster shack at Pier 81 in Manhattan and feel like you’ve headed up the east coast for great raw bar, lobster and burgers. Dine at picnic tables and take in city views as you and the fam chow down New Englander style.
Take a Hike: Time to get outside and wander. All you need is sunscreen, water and bug spray and you can head over to Ramapo Reservation and stroll around Scarlet Oak Pond or to MacMillan Reservoir or take a light hike to one of the peaks for perfect family Instagram snaps. Feeling a little more adventurous? Take a beautiful ride up the Palisades Parkway to Bear Mountain State Park, for miles of trails, lakes, museums, picnic and a really cool historic merry-go-round your kids will swoon over.
Pier 13 Hoboken: If you haven’t been to ‘Boken in a while you definitely want to park it there for a day. Head right over to the dog-friendly, kid-friendly, baby-friendly Pier 13 for easy eeeeeats from your favorite Food Trucks, ogle at the twenty-somethings working out and sipping al fresco at the piers’ end then wander over to the original Carlos Bakery for a treat to take home.
Snack on a Gourmet Food Tour in NYC: Young foodies can take their knowledge of Italian food to a whole other level, (like learning what a ‘Puntanelle’ is) during Passport to Eataly, which kicks off on June 11th and gives kids ages 8-12 a tour of their New York marketplace, learning about and sampling the best and freshest Italian imports along the way- kids get their “passport” stamped at each station they visit, while mom & dad hit the cafe and toil around the shop pretending they are on an Italian getaway!
Head South for Art and Elmo: If you’re up for a really full day or two, head south west to Sesame Place, for tons of rides and activities for every kid, plus awesome concerts like Kidz Bop Live and Curious George in the park this June. On your way, detour over to The Crayola Factory in Easton PA, where the kiddos can create their own crayons, Doodle in the Dark, make Drip Art and tons more activities.
Bake a Cake Like The Cake Boss: Food Network Stars in training should head to be trained by the boss. That’s right, Carlos Bakery offers aspiring bakers classes teaching the tricks of the trade all year long with different themes. Kids can bake Beach Themed Cakes, Groovy Girls Cakes, Bow & Dot Fondant Cake which all teach different techniques like how to make a butter cream rose and roll out fondant. Bonus: You keep what you make!
Hit the Jersey Shore for Clams: Whether you love clams on the half shell, casino style or want to compete in a clam shucking contest Highlands NJ Annual Clamfest will satisfy clam fans big and small. The family friendly event runs from July 30th through August 2nd and boasts live music, rides and games too- plus it’s FREE!
Walk Amongst TreeTops: If you’re looking for a really cool day trip the new Wild Walk on 80 wooded acres in the Adirondacks has just opened and has been called “stunning” by the New York Times. A few hours drive will take you to a suspended maze of structures that your family can walk through and explore. Kids will love climbing on the simulated spider web and strolling through 100 year old tree trunks; adults will be amazed at the artistry and gorgeous views. Visit Sunday, August 2nd for their summer celebration with a live wolf exhibition or check out their website for other upcoming events.
Peruse Modern Art then Chow Down at a Brand New Food Court: The newly opened Whitney Museum in the hot Meatpacking District in NYC should definitely be on your summer to do list. Besides fun, engaging modern pieces and outdoor installations, they have a roster of programs for kids of all ages and families that will make it fun for all. More good news is that you can hit the 8,000 square foot Gansevoort Market hosting 25 food vendors selling everything from Ed’s Lobster Bar to Tacombi Tacos and Luzzo’s Pizza.
Visit Live Wolves: Learn all about wolf packs, wolf behavior and visit with the beautiful creatures at Lakota Wolf Preserve’s Wolf Tour. While in the observation area you will be able to watch the wolves play, interact with each other and maybe even hear them howl- fox and bobcats are also on hand for more studying.
Stroll the Boardwalk: Summer is ALL about hitting the Jersey Shore. And what could be more quintessential Jersey than a perfect boardwalk. Jenkinson’s Boadwalk in Point Pleasant has been a family tradition for years for tons of families. Hit up the Aquarium, followed by the Arcade and Rides, then lunch at one of their dining spots and finish off with a visit to the Sweet Shop for salt water taffy. A perfect day your family will remember.
Doze with the Dinos: Thrill your dino-lover with an overnight adventure surrounded by them. Field Station Dinosaurs offers their Dozin’ With the Dinos night two times this summer in August with limited spots that book up early. It includes lantern lit trails, a 3D Movie, a Campfire, S’mores and more thrills.
Cheer on a Local Team Sometimes heading out to see the Yanks or Mets can be a hassle. Between the traffic and the ticket prices, it can leave us a little less than cheery. But there’s another way to root for the home team. Snag tickets to the local Rockland Boulders and have a thrill and an up close experience. Not into baseball, check out our local RedBulls in Harrison NJ- and get psyched up for soccer season.
Visit a Water Park Hot weather calls for cool rides. Families love Splashdown Beach Water Park in Fishkill NY which is small enough to navigate with the littles in tow. Or checkout the brand new Aquatopia Indoor Water Park or it’s outdoor sister park Camelbeach- with enough fun to last a whole weekend.
Go Western Style (close to home) If you’re looking for an action packed, western themed overnight family stay, check out Rocking Horse Ranch, which boasts horse adventures, outdoor water sports and something for everyone in the fam. Or day trip it closer to home and head over to Wild West City, a western heritage theme park, where kids can feel like they’ve stepped into a western movie set.
Feel Like Your In Mexico City (right over the bridge) The Frida Kahlo Exhibit at the NYBG which runs through November 1st, is nothing short of spectacular. Step inside the Haupt Conservatory and feel like you’re Frida’s gallery in her homeland- between the art, the greenery, traditional music and food areas (with Margaritas on tap), it’s an evening of culture you will enjoy- after all, you and the hubs have been wanting to take that trip across the border for a while now.
