City Guide: Sag Harbor, New York
The village of Sag Harbor, located on the northern part of the South Fork of Long Island, is typically home to under 3,000 year round residents but swells during peak summer months, as the area is a popular vacation spot. Considered part of “The Hamptons” (which includes the towns and villages of Westhampton, South Hampton, Sagaponack, Sag Harbor, East Hampton, Amagansett, and Montauk), the area is under two hours from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan (or a short ferry ride from Fairfield County, Connecticut). Sag Harbor became a US port of entry in 1789 with a growing population involved in servicing whalers and West Indian trade ships. and became a thriving whaling industry in the 1800s. There are many historic homes, museums, outdoor recreational areas, and dining and retail options throughout Sag Harbor and the surrounding towns that the whole family will enjoy.
10 Ways to Explore the South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center in the Hamptons
One of the highlights of our recent trip to the Hamptons was the South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center in Bridgehampton, New York. What started as a small space to protect the Eastern Tiger Salamanders, now an endangered and protected species that were found to have inhabited the area, the center opened in 2006 on three acres of property on the 1100 acre Long Pond Greenbelt Preserve. While most of the 1100 acres is protected, untouched land, the museum and nature center also include three ponds (one of which is a “teaching pond”), and walking trails.
10 Ways to Explore the Long Island Aquarium in New York
One of the most popular attractions on Long Island, New York (less than 90 minutes from Manhattan), the Long Island Aquarium is home to 565 species and over 5,000 individual animals. The aquarium opened in 2000 and has expanded across three acres with over 100 indoor and outdoor exhibits and 48 aquatic habitats. Some of the most popular attractions include one of the largest all living coral reef displays in the Western Hemisphere, the Penguin Encounter, a 120,000 gallon shark tank, and shows featuring sea lions, African penguins, and Marmosets. The entire aquarium is designed to recreate the Lost City of Atlantis, and little children will LOVE all of the hidden spots and tunnels to crawl through and explore throughout the exhibit spaces.
10 Ways to Explore the Museum of Math in New York City
YES! There is actually a museum to celebrate math; a museum filled with dozens of hands-on, interactive puzzles, challenges, and activities that celebrate all facets of mathematics. Located across the street from Madison Square Park, the National Museum of Mathematics opened in 2012 and welcomes visitors of all ages through daily family friendly activities, field trips, after school programs, enrichment workshops for teachers and students, and a museum that is open all year.
10 Family Friendly Restaurants in New York City
Our family is fortunate enough to live just a short train, or car ride from Manhattan. We can be in “The City” in under 90 minutes any day of the year. We try to take advantage of this opportunity frequently and have explored so many great places (see this index, this collection of rainy day activities, and this collection of holiday activities). Of course, whenever we’re in The City, we stop for at least one meal. Over the years, we’ve found several restaurants we keep coming back to: good food, good prices, good ambience, and attentive staff. Here are places, as a family with children, we especially enjoy:
10 Ways to Have Fun in Lake Placid in New York
The Adirondacks are credited with the concept of a vacation: since the mid 1800s, New Yorkers have been “vacating” the heat of the city and heading north to the cooler temperatures and natural beauty of the mountains, staying in homes known as “Camps.” The area known as the Adirondack Park is the largest state park in America, as well as the first state park. It covers over six million acres, more than 3,000 ponds and lakes, and over 1,500 miles of hiking trails. Today, more than seven million people visit the Adirondacks each year, but with so much space, so many activities and places to explore, it never feels crowded.