By Rhonda Campbell
Long Island,
New York, is less than an hour from Manhattan. The area can be reached from Manhattan by car, by train or by catching one of the local ferries. This family-friendly area offers plenty of outdoor activities and makes a great escape from the city, or an interesting excursion from elsewhere in the region.
Animal Farm Petting Zoo
The Animal Farm Petting Zoo is open seven days a week from April through October. Turtle train and pony rides are available for children and adults. Further into the farm, children can sit down and watch an animal puppet show. Not only are children free to touch some of the animals, they can bottle feed baby pigs, goats and lambs. Your family can take a ride on the guided safari tour train and learn more about the zoo. The petting zoo has a store, picnic tables and playgrounds. Admission price for adults is $13.50. Admission price for seniors and children between the ages of two and 16 years is $11.50.
Animal Farm Petting Zoo
296 Wading River Road
Monorville, NY 11949
(631) 878-1785
www.afpz.org/afhome.htm
Center for Science Teaching and Learning
Located at 1 Tanglewood Road, the Center for Science Teaching and Learning offers the Amazing Animal Exhibit and a program it calls Sci-Tech. While the grounds and nature trails are open Monday through Sunday, the animal exhibit is only open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Reptiles, mammals and birds are on display at the animal exhibit. Children can ask experienced guides questions, learn about exotic animals and participate in special events.
The Sci-Tech program allows children to design and build projects that are related to nature and animals. Sample projects include building a boat and digging irrigation channels through small ponds.
You can hold birthday parties at the center and visit the on-site shop to purchase educational books for your entire family to read. Admission price is $5 per person.
Center for Science Teaching and Learning
1 Tanglewood Road
Rockville Centre, NY 11570
(516) 764-0045
www.cstl.org
Splish Splash Water Park
Splish Splash Water Park has plenty of rides and slides and provides group, corporate and individual admittance tickets. Bring towels, flip flops or sandals and your swimsuits. Popular rides at the park include Alien Invasion, Abyss, Cliff Diver and Tunnel of Terror. Soak City is a shower of bubbling water and geysers. The Monsoon Lagoon takes you downward through a sliding tunnel into a pool of running water. Splash landing is a fast tube ride down a winding slide. Water rides for smaller children are the Elephant Slide, Octopus Pool and Pirates Cove. The park also offers a bird show and snack shops. A family of four can be admitted to the park for $109. Individual tickets cost $27.25.
Splish Splash Water Park
2549 Splish Splash Drive
Calverton, NY 11933
(631) 727-3600
www.splishsplashlongisland.com
About the Author:
Rhonda Campbell is an entrepreneur, radio host and author. She has more than 17 years of business, human resources and project management experience and decades of book, newspaper, magazine, radio and business writing experience. Her works have appeared in leading periodicals like "Madame Noire," "Halogen TV," "The Network Journal," "Essence," "Your Church Magazine," "The Trenton Times," "Pittsburgh Quarterly" and "New Citizens Press."
