UPDATED MAY 2013: From museums and parks to festivals and beaches, this list has fun day trips and must-do destinations all within easy traveling distance from the New York City area, including Upstate New York , New Jersey , Connecticut , Massachusetts , Rhode Island , and Pennsylvania .
Some say you never know what you'll find in your own backyard. The saying holds true for the New York metro area's proverbial backyard, where there is much to explore and discover with the family. In honor of summer, we've put together a list of some worthy attractions just outside your local radius, with no location more than 150 miles away. Indoors and out, from museums and parks to festivals and beaches, this list has something for everyone. Without having to go too far, you're bound to discover something new and share experiences you won't soon forget.
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Schoharie County
Traditional Tour: A 90-minute walking tour with boat ride: $23; $19 children ages 12-15; $12 children ages 5-11.
Family Flashlight Tour: A two-hour tour with flashlights and headlamps offered on Sunday evenings (for ages 5 and older): $35; reservations required.
Lantern Tour: A two-hour tour with lanterns on Friday and Saturday evenings (for ages 16 and older): $35; reservations required.
Adventure Tour: A two-hour spelunking tour (for ages 12 and older): $108; reservations required.
Journey more than 150 feet below the Earth’s surface, where you’ll take a tour of an underground cavern six million years in the making. You’ll see stalactites and stalagmites, limestone formations, and the underground Lake of Venus. Above ground, Howe High Adventure activities include a four-tower zip line, ropes course, rock wall, air jumper, and gem mine at the Howe Caverns Mining Company . The all-new H2OGO Ball gets visitors rolling down a hill in a 12-foot inflatable ball filled with five gallons of water. With a café and motel on premises , visitors can turn their day trip into a weekend getaway.
Nearby attractions:
- Continue the underground theme at nearby Secret Caverns
- Learn about Native culture and art at the Iroquois Indian Museum
- Down the road, the Gobbler’s Knob Family Fun Park
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Cooperstown
At this mecca for fans of the great American pastime, relive the history of Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and women in baseball, and take in the new display of historic baseball cards. Kids can visit the Sandlot Kids’ Clubhouse, an interactive educational area devoted to Little Leaguers who want to learn about the big league. There are also special events throughout the summer, including the Hall of Fame Induction Weekend .
Nearby attractions:
- Visit Doubleday Field
- Experience 19th-century rural and village life through demonstrations and interpretive exhibits at The Farmers' Museum
- Just 3 miles outside Cooperstown is the Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard
- Take the 8-mile drive out of town to Glimmerglass State Park Hyde Hall Mansion
The town of Cape May is a National Historic Landmark that features beautiful Victorian architecture (more than 600 buildings), plus beaches, a lighthouse ($7; $3 for children ages 3-12; free for children younger than 3), whale watching, and a ferry to Lewes, DE World War II bunker . While you’re in town, stop by the Cape May Bird Observatory Cape May County Zoo
Springfield
Immerse yourself in the exhilarating history of one of the world’s most popular sports and participate in interactive exhibits. The three-level museum includes displays ranging from the original handwritten rules of play to a pair of Michael Jordan's shoes. From July 1 through Aug. 31, the Hall of Fame will host daily appearances, autograph signings, trick dribblers and jugglers, mascot days, giveaway days, and more; see hoophall.com/60-days-of-summer for an updated schedule.
Nearby attractions:
- While you're in Springfield, the birthplace of Theodor Seuss Geisel, visit some of the late author’s beloved characters in the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden
- The Springfield Museums
- Ride the coasters or kiddie rides, and cool off in the Hurricane Harbor water park at Six Flags New England
With 17 miles of spectacular beaches, Block Island offers limitless possibilities for families looking for some outdoor fun. Rent a bike or moped, cast a line in the Old Harbor , charter a sailboat, or simply play in the sand and surf. The Nature Conservancy offers programs for kids, including scavenger hunts and “muck rucks.” Residents pride themselves on being free from big commercial chains, so you won’t find any McDonald’s on the island. But its mom-and-pop ice cream shops, historic lighthouses, magnificent bluffs, and winding trails offer a truly relaxing experience. The 75-minute ferry from New London, CT
BUCKS COUNTY
Heading to this Delaware Valley attraction is a rite of passage for parents of toddlers, who bask in the glow of Abby Cadabby’s fairy spells and the warmth of Elmo’s hugs. Guests dance and sing along with some of the world’s best-loved characters in the daily Neighborhood Street Party parade, cool off—and scream like banshees—in the expansive water play area, and are captivated during the changing rotation of shows. The lineup of PBS Kids Sprout characters—including Caillou, Max & Ruby, and Angelina Ballerina—also roam the park and are featured in special engagement shows throughout the summer (check website for dates). A Father’s Day celebration and July Fourth barbecue and fireworks are popular (also: crowded) days to visit. Starting this year, Sesame Place offers box lunches that can be purchased online and picked up at Elmo’s Lunch Box Stop; and it has added more allergen-friendly foods to the menu. The ever-popular character dining options (extra fees apply, but your photo-op moments will increase exponentially along with your child’s smiles) have expanded to include Rosita’s Cinco de Mayo party and Cookie Monster’s Country Breakfast.
Nearby Attractions:
- Kids can design and build their own race car, go on a simulated hot air balloon ride, and discover lots of local history in the interactive exhibits at The Bucks County Children's Museum
- Stock up on tokens and let the kids play in the Giggleberry Fair arcade before setting them loose in the area's largest indoor obstacle course, Giggleberry Mountain
- Wander the winding brick pathways at historic Peddler's Village
- Hop aboard an authentic steam locomotive or historic diesel that traverses the rolling hills and valleys of Bucks County: the New Hope & Ivyland Railroad
Lancaster County
This area, also known as Amish country, is home to several festivals and events over the summer, including the Day Out With Thomas at Strasburg Rail Road Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire
Attractions include:
- Meet some farm animals at the Amish Farm & House
- Take a buggy or wagon ride through the countryside with Aaron & Jessica's Buggy Rides
- Cherry Crest Adventure Farm
- Enjoy more than 30 family and kiddie rides, a water park, a miniature golf course, and kid-friendly shows at Dutch Wonderland Amusement Park
- Tots will love the interactive exhibits at the Hands-on House Children's Museum
- Catch a minor league baseball game at Clipper Magazine Stadium, home of the Lancaster Barnstormers
- Visit the many train-themed attractions, including the National Toy Train Museum Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania Strasburg Rail Road
• Learn how ice cream is made and brainstorm new flavors, climb aboard a milk truck, milk a mechanical cow, and more at Turkey Hill Experience
Lehigh Valley
Discover the magic of color with 18 all-new attractions at the world’s only Crayola Experience. Kids can explore four floors of family fun to create custom crayons and markers, bring their drawings to life on the big screen, star in their own coloring pages, paint with melted wax, or “doodle in the dark” on an interactive floor. Grab a colorful concoction from Café Crayola and take home one-of-a-kind souvenirs from the official Crayola Store.
Nearby attractions:
- Ride the coasters, visit a dinosaur park, and get wet in the water park at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
- Take a tour of ancient underground caverns, then come back to the surface to picnic, hike the nature trails, and shop for gem stones at Lost River Caverns
- Build and learn how to steer a canal boat inside the National Canal Museum
Philadelphia
Explore two floors of interactive exhibit zones including Rainforest Rhythm, Flight Fantasy, River Adventures, and the Playhouse Theater. The museum encourages touching the exhibits as a means of learning. Most days at the museum during the summer include story time, sing-alongs, and theatrical experiences designed with tiny tots in mind.
Nearby attractions:
- Visit The Betsy Ross House
- The Franklin Institute
- Stop by the Philadelphia Zoo
- Take a tour of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell at Independence National Historic Park
Hartford County, CT
Pack your sunscreen for a day of outdoor adventure. For a small fee, visitors can mine for gems and fossils or make their own cast of a dinosaur footprint. A newly renovated Discovery Room includes a Connecticut Geologic Treasures exhibit, Life Through Time Fossil exhibit, and more.
Nearby attractions:
- Visit The New Children's Museum
- Soar over to the New England Air Museum
- See one of the largest collections of antique carousel pieces at The New England Carousel Museum Bushnell Park Carousel
Middlesex County, CT
The 2½-hour journey begins at the historic 1892 Essex Station. From there, you’ll take a 12-mile, narrated round-trip journey into the Connecticut River Valley aboard a steam locomotive pulling vintage coaches through the quaint New England towns of Deep River and Chester. At Deep River Landing, you are escorted onto the Becky Thatcher riverboat for a 1-hour cruise on the river. After the cruise, passengers re-board the steam train for the return trip to Essex Station.
Nearby attractions:
- Visit a 24-room mansion that looks like a medieval castle in Gillette Castle State Park
- Take a hike to see the waterfalls in Wadsworth Falls State Park
New London County, CT
Travel back in time to the heyday of American sailing at this maritime museum. Explore the recreated 19th-century village and swap seafaring stories with historical role-players. Cruise the picturesque Mystic River on the steamboat Sabino or rent a boat and sail yourself. Check the website for special events this summer.
Nearby attrations:
-The Mystic Aquarium
- On your way to Mystic, stop by the Mashantucket Pequot Museum
PLUS: Get our guide to family day trips in the NY area!
