Since I was including the kids in my 40th I knew we be needing more of a family friendly…read morecelebration, and I figured why not lean in. And here we are, at Splish Splash, a place I took a road trip too when I lived in Queens. Then it seemed like it was across many states. It's funny how you perceive things as a kid versus as a grown up. Now this place is no more than 30min from my parents, but I still haven't been here since becoming an adult and I'm glad we did. The place has changed so much. Better layout. More family friendly. We rented one of the luxury cabanas for the entire day. It cost $1200 and allows 32 people, but holds 40. You have to buy additional wristbands at $20 a wristband. You also still need to buy tickets. The sales office was wonderful to work with and answered all my questions and we got the group rate for our day at the park. As much fun as we had, and as great as the space was, which we plan on doing again, there needs to be more support in the Cabana areas. At one point security asked one of my guest if they should be there, and when they showed them their wristband they continued to follow up with the cabana staff, meanwhile, people kept coming into our cabana trying to use the area for themselves. Where was security then? The food and drink service also lacked. We were instructed to order off the QR code which were on signs throughout the cabana, but half of them didn't work. We had to wait over an hour and a half for our food and some people didn't get their drinks. Once I expressed how long we waited, and how we felt overlooked the staff gave us a few additional canned margaritas. By this time it was late afternoon. Most of had to leave because the kids were exhausted. Moral of the story: this place has had a major glow up, I'm hoping that the staff and service follow suit as they continue to grow. This is a piece of nostalgia on Long Island and I would hate to see it go away anytime soon.

Definitely, go on a weekday because it was so packed on a Saturday when I went last month in July…read more The rides was great. I love that they had several kiddie pools around the park. They also of course had huge slides for adults. I couldn't find areas to eat at maybe I wasn't looking hard enough. But yeah, just go on a weekday because on a Saturday, the lines were super duper long. The reason why I took off one star is because not only do you have to pay for entry into the park, but you also have to pay for parking, which is another $30 so altogether it was $60 + tax.

My kids really loved this aquarium that we came here 3 consecutive days. They have a butterfly…read moreexhibit that had abundant amount of butterflies. You aren't allowed to touch them but if they land on you, you just enjoy that blessing and time with the butterfly that landed on you. All of the staff there are well-trained, welcoming, and friendly with both my kids. You have the option to upgrade your regular admission to a one year membership after your visit. To save yourself from a 3.5% surcharge if you use credit, you'll want to pay in cash. Breakeven for my membership was about 3 visits and we did just that for the 4 days we were in Riverhead. My kids loved it so much that they are already asking to go back. The aquarium is well kept and the sharks are HUGE!! They are definitely well fed. The aquarium is Atlantis themed and you can tell a lot of time, money, and detail went into the making of this aquarium. The aquarium is privately owned and you do see sponsorship (advertisement) from private companies. I am comparing my experience with the NY aquarium in Brooklyn, which I have visited countless times. The Long Island Aquarium blows the NY aquarium away in every way possible. It's new, ventilation indoors is amazing, the sea lion show has shade, the penguins can be seen up close, there's an inexpensive option to snorkel, theres a big tree house, etc. I would totally recommend coming here with your family. If you come on weekdays, there might be a lot of school kids, and if you want to avoid that, you probably should should come around 1 or 2pm. Highly recommend this aquarium.

The Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead, NY is possibly the best aquarium I have ever visited. And…read moreI've been to a lot, especially when my Grandson was younger. The experience is phenomenal, whether you're young or older. There are interactive experiences, dives, tours, touch experiences and much, much more. My favorite is the penguin exhibition. The clear sides and floor is raised high enough for a child to go under. One comes to a rounded raised portion of the floor where the child can stand completely up and feels as if it's in the midst of the penguins. The penguins are very gregarious. When my Grandson looked at the side of the exhibit they all came over to greet him. As he moved, they moved to follow him. What fun! Don't miss the sea lion show, large living coral exhibit, shark tank and butterflies, bugs and bees garden. This year long attraction is a "must do" if you're in Long Island, especially if you have a child in tow.

Science Museum of Long Island on Plandome road in Manhasset is a place to visit on a nice day…read more Good for the family. Use GPS as there are some winding hilly roads to get there. Follow the signs. Thereis parking to the side of the main house. This visit had a tour of plants . There is a pond, fire pit and picnic tables throughout the area.it is a nature preserve park with many native plants along with some for sale. I suggest wearing a hat and sunscreen. While there are paths, sturdy shoes or work boots are good too along with a bottle of water. I did sera sign for bathrooms as well. They have a compost pile on the side.if you happen to have peelings from vegetables feel free to drop them off on your visit and learn how they make black gold for the soil.

We went there for a Cub Scout outing for the first time. The museum is really a small and old…read morestructure located in Manhasset. We had a group of about 15 Cub scouts there finishing the ferns and animal related topic badge. The lady who gave a lesson about how to track or discover animals around us during our daily life, but the lesson was in a small room with no AC. The boys were not interested in the discussion at all. The session was informative to the parents, but the lady seemed unable to handle younger kids. We then took a nature walk outside and the boys were very into the hike. The trail was clearly marked and easy to access by foot. Parking lot was relatively small. Overall it was an okay experience.

My 13-year old nephew and I had a great time on our 2-hour tour with Joe. My nephew was I…read morefirst-time kayaker, and Joe patiently taught him the ins and outs of getting around. Joe was also very knowledgeable about the geography, wildlife, and history of the area. Our next trip is already booked!

What a great experience we had with JK Kayak and SUP. This was our first time kayaking and we…read morewere in great hands with Joe and Connor. The website provided all the information we needed to be prepared for our adventure. Upon arrival, Joe and Connor got us fitted with our safety vests and our kayaks and then gave us lessons on how to use the paddle, get in/out of the kayak and provided general navigation and waterway guidance; from there we were off and loving life! We kayaked in Cold Spring Harbor just behind the lab and had an awesome time. It was so relaxing and quiet as we glided across the water. Joe led us in the front and Connor picked up the rear so we always felt safe and in good hands. Since this was our first time, we opted for a 1hour lesson/tour and Joe told us that most of his customers, at the end of the tour, say they wanted more time. We all felt the same way and can't wait to go back. If you're thinking about kayaking... go for it and definitely do it with JK Kayak & SUP. You won't be disappointed. Thanks Joe and Connor for such a fun afternoon!!!

I can't speak highly enough of our experience with Dylan. He spent three hours a day with our…read moretoddlers aged 3-5 for three days so we saw how he engaged with the kids a lot. The children were fully engaged due to his ability to differentiate, inspire, lead, use the kids ideas, adapt, accommodate them with a wide range of activities, and keep a pace that didn't allow them to lose focus. There was no need for me to step in to mediate or motivate at all, no running to mommy (apart from for water because they were playing so much) and tired bodies that slept super well that night. Dylan was wonderful, not only because of his skill with the kids but also because of the ease of communication (He even text to ask if on the last day he could bring them a small treat)-and all from the comfort of home. A great business to use!

From the owner: At Your Own Pace is a brand new private at-home multi-sport camp for children ages four and up. We…read moreprovide the ultimate camp experience brought directly to your backyard. We travel to The Hamptons and The North Fork of Long Island. Choose between several different sports, games, and activities that we have to offer. Our goal is to make sure that each child attending At Your Own Pace has lots of fun. We offer themed birthday parties and group sessions. Feel free to email me info@atyourownpace.online with any additional questions. Choose At Your Own Pace for guaranteed fun.