New York abounds in activities not only for adults but for children as well. Kids can enjoy numerous outdoor pursuits and visit many educational attractions that spark their interest in the arts, science and nature. No matter what time of the year, New York has something to offer active and curious children to keep them busy and entertained.
New York has an endless list of outdoor recreational opportunities. Whether families choose mountains, lakes or beaches, New York’s state and national parks are filled with outdoor activities for the entire family. Kids can swim in the children’s wading pool, enjoy a picnic or take a walk on trails in Saratoga Spa State Park. In 16,212-acre Finger Lakes National Forest, children can walk on trails, camp, go fishing, horseback ride and view wildlife. Children will also enjoy boating, rafting and tubing in Lake George.
Saratoga Spa State Park
19 Roosevelt Drive
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
518-584-2535
saratogaspastatepark.org
Finger Lakes National Forests Headquatrers
5218 State Route 414
Hector, NY 14841
607-546-4470
fs.fed.us/r9/forests/greenmountain/htm/fingerlakes/f_home.htm
Lake George
lakegeorge.com
Families can spend a day at the Adventure Racing Family Fun Center in Queensbury and play in the game room, challenge friends to a game of laser tag or paintball, go rock climbing, and ride indoor bumper cars and go-karts. Adirondack Extreme Adventure Course in Bolton Landing offers tree-top adventures with six courses, over 100 obstacles, zip lines, rope bridges, swings, slides, nets and ladders. In Farmingdale, kids can go on more than 30 rides in Adventureland. From April through October, Amparo Family Fun Center in Liberty lets kids enjoy six paintball fields, a paintball target range, an inflatable bounce house, a mini-golf course, a T-ball practice range, arts, crafts and birthday parties.
Adventure Racing Family Fun Center
1079 Route 9
Queensbury, NY 12804
518-798-7860
gocartslakegeorge.com
Adirondack Extreme Adventure Course
35 Westwood Forest Lane
Bolton Landing, NY 12814
518-494-7200
adirondackextreme.com
Adventureland
2245 Broadhollow Road Route 110
Farmingdale, NY 11735
631-694-6868
adventureland.us
Amparo Family Fun Center
2807 Route 52 W.
Liberty, NY 12754
845-292-2386
myspace.com/amaprofuncenter
Animal lovers can visit Adirondack Animal Land in Broadalbin to see more than 500 animals and take a safari ride. Guests view exotic animals at The Animal Farm Petting Zoo in Manorville where children can also bottle-feed baby farm animals, go on pony and train rides and enjoy shows. At the American Museum of Natural History in New York, children can learn through exhibits in the Dinosaur Hall, Hall of Biodiversity, Hall of Planet Earth, Rose Center for Earth and Space and the Hayden Planetarium.
Adirondack Animal Land
3554 State Hwy. Route 30
Broadalbin, NY 12025
518-883-5748
adirondackanimalland.com
The Animal Farm Petting Zoo
296 Wading River Road
LIE Exit 69
Manorville, NY 11949
631-878-1785
afpz.org
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park W. at 79th Street
New York, NY 10024
212-769-5100
amnh.org
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum has a play area for toddlers and educational exhibits that teach children about world cultures, history and science and nature. See live animals and a collection of 30,000 historical artifacts. Children’s Museum of the Arts displays children’s artwork and has a performing arts venue. The museum also offers programs that introduce children to art-making tools and workshops for creating art. Children will also enjoy interactive exhibits and virtual, multisensory technology and view restored aircraft and submarines at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
145 Brooklyn Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11213
718-735-4400?
brooklynkids.org
Children’s Museum of the Arts
182 Lafayette Street
New York, NY 10013
212-941-9198
cmany.org
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Pier 86, W. 46th Street and Twelfth Ave.
New York, NY 10036
intrepidmuseum.org
