Vanderbilt Estate Long Island

Centerport, NY

Admission Fee (some libraries offer free passes), free parking lot

Optimum Seasons:  Spring, Summer, Fall

www.vanderbiltmuseum.org/mansion

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I had been here once on a field trip in elementary school.  I decided to revisit nearly 25 years later with my child, mom, sister and aunt so I can have a better sense of what teachers were trying to make us appreciate. As an adult, you appreciate the architecture behind this Spanish-style mansion more than you could as a young child.  And you are much more interested in the stories that comes with the different rooms in the mansion!  Every inch and detail is fascinating!

For acquiring free passes, contact your local library.  For Great Neck residents, click here www.greatnecklibrary.org.

Kill a few birds with one stone:  If you are here during the summer, you can visit Asharoken Beach and the town of Northport afterwards (just a ten minute drive away).  

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The Cloisters

New York, NY

Admission Fee, free parking lot

Optimum Seasons:  Spring, Summer, Fall

http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/met-cloisters

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I came here with friends in the fall during a school day when we were free of our children.  Admission here is not required as it is a museum, so you can give the suggested amount, or nothing at all.  But it's worth the charge.  This is a branch of the Met "dedicated to art, architecture, and gardens of medieval Europe."  Their website included more information on how and when they built this fortress on the Hudson River.  It is truly fascinating to read about and to witness.  And I suggest going the second week of November to get the magnificent views of the Palisades across the Hudson, and the foliage reflecting off the river.  

Kill a few birds with one stone:  Visit the neighboring Fort Tryon Park and it's famed Heather Garden, overlooking the Hudson River and George Washington Bridge.  If you have more energy left, Riverside Park is a ten minutes drive down the West Side Highway.  

Click on the gallery above (best viewed on a desktop for captions), the videos below to get a better sense of the area, and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below!  Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see my next adventure!  And share with your friends if you appreciate this page!

 

Stepping Stone Park

Kings Point Park, NY

Member Card required, no admission fee, free parking lot

Optimum Seasons:  Spring, Summer, Fall

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Great Neck's masterpiece!  Situated on the Long Island Sound with out-of-this-world landscaping and English gardens, this park has it all, and for all ages.  And there is no price to enter!  I have seen many gardens in my day, and nothing comes close to the display of flowers and plants here!  Paired with their sunsets, views of Manhattan's skyline and the Whitestone and Throgs Neck Bridge, the serenity of the Long Island Sound, the rocky shore line, the dock, the playground and sprinklers for the children, their summer festivals, this is just one of my favorite places to be as soon as winter is over! It is worth moving to Great Neck and getting a park card!  Otherwise, just thank me for the pictures!  Tip:  if you love the Beatles, and kind of feel like you owe something to your parents and in laws for bringing you into this world, take a few beach chairs and go here once a year on a Saturday night in the summer and watch a Beatles cover band play all their hits! There is nothing like exposing your children to the music your parents exposed you to when you were a kid, and watching a live concert together during a beautiful sunset!

For a list of other mansions and gardens, click here.

Click on the gallery above (best viewed on a desktop for captions), the videos below to get a better sense of the area, and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below!  Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see my next adventure!  And share with your friends if you appreciate this page!

 

Planting Fields Arboretum

Old Westbury, NY

Admission Fee, Parking Lot

Optimum Seasons:  Spring, Summer, Fall

www.plantingfields.org

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I forced my husband to come here on a football Sunday at the end of October with a six month old.  It was one of my first of many trips to mansions on the Gold Coast of Long Island.  I may have come a week too early for foliage at its peak, but nevertheless, this is my favorite of all mansions.  The landscaping is exquisite and every corner inside and outside of the mansion are what dreams are made of!  The little playhouse and the dahlia garden were among my favorites here.  

Kill a few birds with one stone:  Visit Wheatley Plaza or the Americana Manhasset for some high end shopping!  

For a list of other mansions and gardens, click here.

Click on the gallery above (best viewed on a desktop for captions) and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below!  Follow me on instagram and facebook for live adventures.  And share with your friends if you appreciate this page.

 

Central Park

Midtown, NY

No admission fee, free parking on street

Optimum Seasons:  Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

www.centralparknyc.org

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There are not enough days in one's life to visit every corner of this oasis located smack in the middle of the concrete jungle.  I myself with and without the children, have visited the Shakespeare Garden, the Central Park Zoo, the Carousel, the Mall, the Reservoir, the Great Lawn, Loebs Boathouse, Strawberry Fields, Conservatory Water, and my very favorite (with an album all of its own)....The Central Park Conservatory.  Of all the famed gardens in NYC and its outer boroughs, THIS IS THE ONE TO SEE!  It is completely free, and walking the grounds you can't help but feel like royalty.  It is no where as big as NY Botanical Garden or Brooklyn Botanical Garden, but it is far more exquisite. I went here on Mother's Day with the entire family and we enjoyed every minute.  Tip:  Go the week Magnolia or Crabapple trees are in blossom.  Pay attention to those specific trees in your neighborhood so you have an idea of their bloom period before you go.  Also, there is a Maoz felafel stand right outside the garden in actual Central Park, perfect to feast on during a picnic!  And go to the park early (before 11am) if you are driving in or if you want to avoid long lines to rent a row boat by Loeb's Boathouse.  It costs $15 per hour and $5 per each additional hour per boat (not per person). Make sure you know how to row before you go!  

Kill a few birds with one stone:  Or kill a billion birds with one stone.  There is prime real estate all over Central Park.  There is no going wrong with dining, shopping, or just walking around every block and enjoying the architecture! 5th Avenue, Madison Avenue and Park Avenue run parallel along the East Side and Columbus and Amsterdam run parallel along the West Side and showcase some of the most expensive residential building in the world as long as high end shopping.  Also, museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, and the Jewish Museum line up the Museum Mile on 5th Avenue.  Central Park South has hotels such as The Plaza and Ritz Carlton.  The West Side has the Museum of Natural History, Time Warner Building, Columbus Circle, The Dakota Building, Lincoln Center a block over.  The North has Harlem and Columbia's campus.  There's no losing anywhere you turn!

For a list of other parks and gardens, click here.

Click on the gallery above (best viewed on a desktop for captions), the videos below to get a better sense of the area, and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below!  Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see my next adventure!  And share with your friends if you appreciate this page!

 

NY Botanical Garden

Bronx, NY

Admission fee, parking lot fee

Free grounds access on Wednesdays; does not include entry to the Enid A Haupt Conservatory, special exhibitions like the Orchid Show and Holiday Train Show, Everett Children's Adventure Garden, Rock and Native Plant Gardens or Tram Tour (visit neighboring Bronx Zoo which is also free on Wednesdays)

Free on Saturdays b/w 9am and 10am (double check before you go)

Optimum Seasons:  Spring, Summer, Fall

www.nybg.org

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I went here in the very beginning of spring, when only a few trees were in bloom.  But the Orchid Show only goes on for so long, and that was the main draw the month I went.  Admission costs more than it otherwise would have because of this spectacular display in the greenhouse!  I wish I had gone at night to see the flowers illuminated during Orchid Nights!  It is the perfect spot for a romantic date or a proposal! The outer grounds were also beautiful but unfortunately, there was not enough to see just yet.  Had I gone early May, the garden would have been at its peak!

There are activities here throughout the cold season as well!  From December 31-January 22, there is an "All Aboard with Thomas & Friends" show as well as the "Holiday Train Show" that are great activities with the children.  More information is included on their website.  

Always check www.groupon.com for deals before you go.  

For a list of other gardens, click here.

Click on the gallery above (best viewed on a desktop for captions), the videos below to get a better sense of the area, and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below!  Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see my next adventure!  And share with your friends if you appreciate this page!

 

Alley Park

Bayside, NY

No admission fee, free parking on street

Optimum Seasons:  Fall

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The most scenic part of this park is Oakland Lake (the Northwest point).  If you get here an hour before sunset on a clear sunny day, you will be due for the most exquisite sunset!  The foliage is brighter, the colors reflecting off the pond are more vibrant, and the shots are perfect.  You can use your children as props in photos, go on a romantic date, or just go here alone, sit on a bench and read a book for some tranquility.  I go here without fail every year in early November for photo ops. My favorite of all things fall foliage!  Important Fact:  This is located on Cloverdale Blvd one block south of Northern Blvd.  

Kill a few birds with one stone:  Drive around the neighborhood of Bayside north of Northern Blvd.  Specifically Bayside Terrace...some streets are private, but that never really has stopped me!!  Also, stop by Martha's Bakery on Bell Blvd on your way there and the Bayside Shopping Center.  Also, depending on whether you go on a Sunday or not, you can find a rope course activity at neighboring Alley Pond Park. 

For a list of other great places to take fall foliage pics, click here.

Click on the gallery above (best viewed on a desktop for captions), the videos below to get a better sense of the area, and add your feedback by clicking on the comments section below!  Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see my next adventure!  And share with your friends if you appreciate this page!