Awesome local beach/ park right on the Great South Bay. There is a boat ramp as well as plenty of…read moreball fields and tennis courts. The beach hut also serves food and drinks in the summer months and often has a great live music scene every night.

A really nice family-friendly place. My son loves the splash park here. Fortunately it isn't ever…read moretoo crowded here which is great. There are plenty of lounge chairs and regular chairs to watch the kiddos splash and play - or you can join in the fun as well! An hour or so of playing here and my toddler is wiped out. Be mindful of your own children here - obviously surfaces can get slippery with the water so running is not a great idea. The lifeguards are teenagers usually looking at their phones or chatting with one another. Hours for the splash park at 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and last day of the season is Sept. 2nd. There are also fun lawn games when you first enter like giant connect four and corn hole. If the sand and beach is more your thing, Venetian has you covered. There is a small section roped off in the water designated for swimming. The food section is fast-food esque - think burgers, dogs, that sort of thing. Last time we got a soft pretzel which, at $6.50 was a bit outrageous. And it was underwhelming. We sat at one of the picnic tables - no food allowed in the splash park area. They do have concerts here at night which is fun, and a great (free) family summertime activity. In the off-season, the playground here is awesome. Great for the 3-8/9 year old range. It is also completely closed in via gate, which always makes me feel more comfortable.

Nice trail that has a steep section, but is worth the views. We followed the yellow trail up to the…read moreoverlook and then turned back down at the mailbox shortly after. We visited in mid October and had perfect weather. The trail was moderately busy so I'd suggest going early if you want to be more spaced out from other groups.

I've been wanting to finally complete this hike and I finally accomplished my goal. Now there is a…read moretrail for moderate hikers. There's a boardwalk that is great if you want a nice breezy walk. What I didn't know is that the actual hike starts after the boardwalk which is a bit more strenuous. There's parts on the hike that have more incline. Overall the hike took us about 1.5-2 hours up ( I stopped multiple times). The view of the pinwheel vista is breathtaking and overall I am so happy I got to complete this hike. Make sure to visit the local store that sells fresh pies and ice cream as a reward!

What's up, Merrick Mountain?! Former dump turned into a beautiful light hike by the water. Take in…read morethe scenery, the trails and the goat poo, while enjoying a little bit of suburban park reclamation! If you go up and down the long way, you can get a nice 3.5 miles in on this baby with some hills. Throw in a weighted vest, and you're getting yourself a solid light workout. There are already so many reviews, so just some notes: 1) Make your way around the current dump (also a Nassau County gem, seriously) and drive slowly. 2) Parking is tricky at certain times of the day and on weekends. Make sure to come before 9:30 on beautiful days, or else you'll be parking far, far away. More steps, If you really want them I guess. 3) Wear your sunscreen! Skin cancer is no joke, and it's pretty bright up top with not a lot of coverage if you walk around to the lake. 4) Beware...No lights in the bathroom and really not the best place to use the loo. There however is a shopping center close by... 5) Look out of all sorts of critters from birds to bugs.. including ticks.

Get there before noon on a warm Weekend but it was a great…read morewalk filled with beautiful nature close to home right in merrick. We even saw a goat herd part of the parks natural clean up staff,