I had went to the Long Island, Childrens museum twice and absolutely loved it. I want the first…read moretime around with just me and my son. I was there for an hour and a half. He had a really great time and talk about a 2 to 3 hour nap. He didn't fully understand everything, considering he is 16 months old, but he did have a fun time while he was there. There is an area for children his age so he can play around there, but I was able to have him run around and play everywhere else. He didn't care for the bubbles area, but absolutely loved the sand corner that they have. There is a little sandbox for the kids so that way toddlers can go and play it if they wanted to. He loved going up and down the stairs and playing in the block area as well. When I first went, I didn't use what the library offered. Which if you put in that you have a library card, you and a child can get in for free for the day. My husband did come with us when I made the day through the library, but considering he got the library card and showed them that he had it, he was able to pay half the price. Which was nine dollars for us. Otherwise it would have been $18. It was a great time for my son and we were there for almost 2 hours as he was running around the place. If you do want to go more often, I know they offer a family packages. I also know that you can get a two-year package and a one-year package. The basic one-year package is $200. Which if that is the only thing you can afford is totally worth it. Especially on days where it is too cold to stay outside or it is raining. I know the other packages offer more stuff, but they are a little bit more expensive. This place is great considering that they do have events each week. That is great for all different ages. This is a place. I will definitely be taking my son more and once I have more kids will be taking them there as well.

One of the better children's museums we've been too. Located next to a bunch of other family…read morethings, this is on the big side and should burn a few hours for most kids. Lots of interactive exhibits, play areas and the obligatory climbing structure. Will inevitably be busy like most things on Long Island. Staff is friendly enough however mostly in the background. Good balance of different types of things to do, including a few animals upstairs. The town play set area is very cool, and I love that they have a rotating exhibit space. It was trains when we were there, themed to Thomas the train with both a ton of tracks to play with, as well as life sized Thomas train characters. Had to drag my son out of there, however luckily their gift shop is decent with legitimate toys versus just cheap crap. Would definitely come back here.

As I celebrate the anniversary of my existence every February, I realize that #adulting is Real…read more For me, the Adulting process is having a better understanding of who I am and what I stand for, along with the responsibility stuff. Part of that awareness is appreciating that my birth lies within the month that my ancestors are acknowledged. As an African American Woman, Black History is all year for me but it has become important to include the celebration of my history and the culture as part of my festivities. This revelation of mine was articulated to my bestie during a random convo. Bestie she is because, while I wanted to go to DC as part of Sho-eBruary and that was delayed, she researched a local African American Museum and surprised me with a visit during my month of celebrations. While the Nassau County's African American Museum is very small and was undergoing a massive paint job when we attended. I enjoyed the education on some important African American historical figures that I was unaware of as well as becoming reacquainted with those I knew. Did you know that Lewis Temple (1800's) born a slave became a successful FREE business man as a whaling inventor who changed the game? He literally advance the whaling industry by inventing the Temple's Toggle & Temple Iron, which made whaling more efficient and lucrative by allowing the catch to be more efficient. This was significant because until the use of coal, whaling was the main source of fuel. Did you know 100 years before Rosa Parks refused to move off the bus, there was Elizabeth Jennings Graham (1827-1901)? She was an African American teacher who in 1854 successful sued a streetcar company who had her forcibly removed because she was black. Her victory resulted in the private streetcar companies of New York to re-examine their segregated cars. The museum also acknowledged more familiar historians as in some of the ladies of NASA: Katherine Globe Johnson, Mary Winston Jackson and Dorthy Johnson Vaughn. As many may remember their influence in the space program depicted in the movie Hidden Figures. There was also the history of Henrietta Lacks a bio-medical phenomenon whose cells have contributed to several advancements in the medical field even today. As an African Women her cells were taking and sold without her consent and led to major achievements in medicine. (check out the: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - book or movie) Just A Note: There are so many people to talk about and celebrate and 28 days is not enough to contain their influence and greatness. "Black History Month may be over on February 28th but that doesn't mean we have to stop celebrating the FULLNESS of Black Achievement. We can Celebrate it every Day of the Year, and we still won't get to all the people who deserve to be recognized and included in the conversation." ~Dre (Anthony Anderson) blackish- Black History Month (airdate 2/26/19)

Today we wanted some culture, so we ventured out to Nassau County to check out the African American…read moreMuseum. I enjoyed reading about so many people who are overlook in history. Do you know Elizabeth Jennings Graham? (March 1827 - June 5, 1901) She was an African-American teacher and civil rights figure. In 1854, Graham insisted on her right to ride on an available New York City streetcar at a time when all such companies were private and most operated segregated cars, this was 100 years before Rosa Parks. The Women of NASA Katherine Goble Johnson, Mary Winston Jackson and Dorothy Johnson Vaughn. The Bio-Medical Phenomenon Henrietta Lacks who was an African-American woman whose cancer cells are the source of the HeLa cell line, the first immortalized cell line and one of the most important cell lines in medical research. There were so many other fascinating people displayed , but those women stood out to me. Although, the museum is small I enjoyed reading about the unsung heroes within these walls. There was even a display that breakdown the history of Math and where it originated from long before the Europeans. The artwork was also beautiful as well.

We got a Groupon for this place, which makes the price a lot more reasonable. They don't open until…read more1 pm on the weekends, and on Saturdays they don't even give guided tours. Instead, they give an "augmented reality" audio tour which is kind of hit or miss. The house was preserved for the historical significance of the Townsend family, one of which was a spy for George Washington. I didn't feel there was a ton of information on the family though. Pointing their phone at the different objects in a room turned on audio about them, but only a couple of rooms in the actual house were interactive. The rest didn't have signs, and one loan employee was around to answer questions at the end. The exhibit in the visitor center was nice though. I just don't think the AR experience was really up to replacing a person, both in amount of information and the uncanny valley, unnerving portraits. There is street parking and a nearby lot that are free on weekends. The gift shop is minimal. It was an okay spot to visit, but I would recommend coming on Sunday or whenever they offer actual tours to get a more thorough understanding of the house and the history of the people who lived here.

We went here on a winter weekend, and were fortunate to have the builsings to ourselves. The…read morehelpful staff took out modest admission fee and explained that they don't do tours on Saturdays but they do have tour devices using augmented reality. That means that when you walk through the buildings, you scan the cell phone device on important paintings and artifacts and they talk to you with further information about who or what they are. The small building that contains the entrance is packed with paintings, dioramas, documents and artifacts. Next you walk to the main house, built in the 1730's, and housing the Townsend family. At the time of the Revolutionary War, Samuel had to make room for a British colonel. In spite of the fact that he sympathised with the patriots, he maintained good relations with his "Guest." At the time of the war, the house had eight rooms. One of his sons was one of the leaders of the Culpepper Spy Ring, Placing the home on the National Registry of Historic Places. Each room was elegantly decorated, with the exception of the space for the enslaved housekeeper. In spite of the fact that we didn't get a formal tour, the staff member tagged along with us and kept up a spirited conversation - even giving us a bonus look at the Victorian wing which doubled the size of the structure. The house is said to be haunted, of course. Very highly recommended. The full set of photos can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/terryballard/albums/72177720323110655

It was a lot of informative displays of the era and extremely extremely well organized my…read morefive-year-old grandson kind breezed through it but my daughter and I really enjoyed it!

The historic Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, Long Island is home to New York's Air and…read moreSpace where you can find many interactive exhibits. My favorite is the PAN AM Airways exhibit - famously known as the "The World's Most Experienced Airline" until its dissolution in 1991. Pan American epitomized luxury and glamour of intercontinental travel with it famous "clipper" jets. Founded in 1927 - flying as Airmail service, then peaking in the 1950-1970s as the major intercontinental airline travel for passengers, Pan Am was known for its advanced fleet with the most high standards, exquisitely trained staff and luxurious amenities. I flew my very first First Class flight to Rome, Italy, and back home to NYC (JFK) from Paris France in 1986. The team of "Stewardess" as they were called back in the day gave white glove service. Premier class passengers started with caviar and champagne, followed by rack of lamb that was carved from the trolly in the aisle, dinner was served on white pressed tablecloths with cloth napkins. A very impressive sight. The Museum grounds are perfect for a planned weekday excursion or weekend visit. The area is in proximity to convenient outdoor amenities, parks, eateries, and retail shops. Enjoy! Museum tickets range $16 (children 2-12) to $18 (adults) Thank you for reading.

We had an amazing time at the Nassau County Firefighters Museum. There are a number of old and…read morerefurbished firefighter trucks and engines to see around the small museum from towns around Nassau County. There are currently five fire trucks that you are allowed to climb into explore. For the young kids they have four jackets and helmets for them to dress up in to pretend they are junior firefighters. In the education section there are more jackets and helmets for all ages to dress into. There is also a memorial in the first room dedicated to those who lost their lives from 9/11. The second room is the education center that teaches all about fire safety. There is also a small kids area sponsored by Capital One with toys on the wall. That room also is access to the museum's party room where the museum offers to host a child's birthday party. They have information about that by the cashier where you pay for tickets. Tickets are $7 for ages 3 and older. Kids 2 years old and younger are free. Most libraries in the area will have a museum pass available to rent for free for their patrons. You will need to check the terms with your library to see how many can be admitted with the pass. Last admission to the museum is 4:15pm. Our daughter enjoyed going to museum a lot. It's very educational, informative and fun. We would return again in the future. All the staff we interacted with was very nice. After we purchased our souvenirs at the gift shop, they also gave my daughter a free sticker that says "Junior Firefighter" and the name of the museum. There are bathrooms if needed. It is in the back by the connection with the Cradle of Aviation Museum next door. There is plenty of parking in the shared lot as well.

This is such a great museum for kids! We visited this time for a school field trip. The children…read morereceived a 35-minute presentation on fire safety, covering what to do and what not to do in case of a fire at home. While I appreciated the information, a 35-minute talk was a bit long for their attention spans; after about 10 minutes, they seemed to lose focus. However, once it was time to actually play in the museum, they all had a blast! They loved dressing up, climbing on the fire trucks, and practicing 'stop, drop, and roll' activities. My son is already asking when we are going back, so we will definitely be returning very soon! ¡Este es un museo excelente para los niños! Vinimos en esta ocasión en una excursión escolar. A los niños les dieron una presentación de 35 minutos sobre qué hacer y qué no hacer en caso de un incendio en la casa. Me gustó la información, pero no estoy segura de si los niños la captaron toda; siento que después de los primeros 10 minutos ya estaban en su propio mundo. Sin embargo, ¡una vez que llegó el momento de jugar en el museo, todos se divirtieron muchísimo! Pudieron disfrazarse, subirse a los camiones de bomberos y practicar actividades de 'parar, caer y rodar'. ¡Mi hijo ya me está preguntando cuándo volveremos, así que estaremos allí de nuevo muy pronto!

TEP deserves more than 5 stars for the amazing start to finish service we experienced on our 7 day…read moreadventure to Peru to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. From the time we signed up, to the time we boarded the plane to return home, TEP took care of every detail. We commented amongst ourselves that we felt like kids on vacation with our parents, as we didn't have to worry about any of the details - just show up and follow Neptali (our guide). From airport pickup in Cusco in luxury Mercedes vans where we were promptly served Coca tea to help with the altitude acclimation, to group dinners at amazing Peruvian restaurants, to historical tours and education on the history of the Inca - everything was covered and taken care of for us. And that was all before the amazing trek along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu! Of course the trek itself was the highlight of the trip, and although it was extremely challenging for us, TEP's unbelievable attention to detail did not fail us on the trail. With nearly a 2:1 porter to trekker ration, our every need was met on the trail. We dined like kings every meal, and were consistently amazed with the quality (and nutritional appropriateness) of the food our chef and sous chef were able to put out with minimal kitchen conveniences. The thing I felt was most special about TEP's approach to this trip was the focus on gaining a cultural and historical appreciation for what we were experiencing. Every step along the way, we learned about the native people of Peru, the Inca civilization, the many ruins we came across, the vegetation we saw and how it was and is used, and the history of modern Peru. It was the trip of a lifetime, and have the help of The Explorer's Passage made it so much more enjoyable, and so much more memorable. The value of what they provide is amazing for the cost....rather, for the investment. I highly recommend them!

What a fabulous tour! I did the "Washington in NYC" tour in June 2017 and it was such a wonderful…read moreexperience! So much fascinating historical information that I can't wait to share with all my friends now; such a great group of fellow explorers; and all so perfectly run - well planned, perfectly on time, with a great variety of sights and insights for all types of travelers. I recommend this tour highly - and will be on the lookout for future adventures from The Explorer's Passage! :)

We had a great time visiting the museum today! I love using library passes for museums, so our…read moreadmission was free. Since the kids didn't have school, we were able to spend nearly two hours exploring. They had so much fun at the playground and even got to walk around and try out the different airplanes, they were so excited to explore them all! We also watched a 25-minute movie about the ocean, which was amazing. The kids were completely mesmerized by it, and the theater setup was excellent. It was our first time here, and we truly enjoyed every minute. ¡La pasamos muy bien visitando el museo hoy! Me encanta usar los pases de la biblioteca para los museos, así que nuestra entrada fue gratuita. Como los niños no tuvieron clases, pudimos pasar casi dos horas explorando. Se divirtieron mucho en el área de juegos e incluso tuvieron la oportunidad de caminar y subirse a diferentes aviones; ¡estaban muy emocionados de probarlos todos! También vimos una película de 25 minutos sobre el océano que fue increíble. Los niños quedaron fascinados y la configuración del teatro era excelente. Fue nuestra primera vez aquí y realmente disfrutamos cada minuto.

Spent 5 hours here and still didn't see everything I wanted to…read more Saw one movie in the IMAX theater, really good! Educational for adults and kids alike with lots of interactive areas. Docents were all friendly and knowledgeable. Great exhibits, wonderful history, and underpriced in my opinion...

We went on their China Town & Little Italy tour of down town Manhattan. Dan was just terrific!…read more His enthusiasm was contagious that made our Birthday celebration weekend. We now want to go on all the tours that they offer.

What a superb tour we had with Dan. He was incredibly knowledgable and kept us engaged with…read morefascinating details and fun facts. Highly recommend

Captain Steve is simply AMAZING!!! Was a great time sailing with him for my birthday, along with…read moremy best group of friends on-board. He takes just as good of care with his boat as he does with his clients, and is super accommodating. *The boat was very clean, spacious, and had everything we needed. Had a microwave and stove! Lots of space on the table and seating around it. *Location of the boat was VERY CONVENIENT!! Had a parking lot with lots of space and the marina also had ice (great when you have a cooler/in need of ice for drinks). TIP: Captain Steve was really kind in offering to help us with our cooler, and offered to bring a cart/wagon to put the cooler on to make it easier to bring on the walk to where the boat is docked. *Captain Steve: Not only was he informative about the areas, but he was also a pleasure to have a conversation with. My friends and I had a fantastic experience and enjoyed our time sailing and relaxing , and will definitely sail with captain Steve again this summer!

Thank you Captain Steve for a fantastic day on the water in your beautiful sailboat. We enjoyed…read moreourselves so much that we will be back soon!

Beautiful evening on the Bella Sophia with Captain Paul. What a relaxing cruise on a beautiful 43'…read moremotor yacht. I definitely will be doing this again.

We chartered Paul's boat for a friend's birthday and it was so much fun! Paul and Bella were great…read moreas hosts and provided snacks and sodas for the trip. They also had a speaker for us to hook up to our playlists. Overall great experience definitely recommend