Summer Bucket List: Top 10 To-Do List in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam Counties

There’s no better feeling than warm sunshine on your shoulders, hot sand between your toes and a cool breeze gently kissing your suntanned face. But wait! Back-to-School sales are splashed all over TV, coupons are filling up your mailbox and emails from teachers and coaches are flooding your inbox. You know what that means… summer’s almost over.

The pressure’s on to squeeze in as much summer fun as possible before the sands slipping through the hourglass have officially run out. Patch asked friends, readers and colleagues what their top 10 must-do things were and here’s what we came up with.

1. Build a sand castle at Glen Island Beach - This beach offers swimming, fishing, picnic grounds, playground, hiking trails and refreshments. Open 11:00 a.m.- 6:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Must be a Westchester residents and purchase a Westchester County Park pass for $50 (valid for three years). Daily parking fee is $4. Beach admission: $4; $3 children under 12; free kids under 5.

2. Tour the Hudson River on a kayak - Hudson River Expeditions, located at 63 Main Street in Cold Spring, organizes kayak tours on the Hudson River. Tours include land and water sightseeing with a walking tour of Pollepel island. A historian from the Bannerman Castle Trust will tell you all the facts about this unique, historic location. Call Terri Barr at (845) 265-0221 or visit www.hudsonriverexpeditions.com for more info.

3. Pick your own berries - Strawberries and blueberries and blackberries, oh my! Nothing says summer like fresh, succulent, fresh-picked berries. Click here for a list of pick your own farms in Westchester.

4. Swim, splash and scream at Rye Playland - Swim in the pool, splash in the water and scream on the thrill rides at this classic amusement park located in Rye, NY. After all the excitement, enjoy a quarter-mile leisurely walk on the boardwalk. With mini golf, kiddie rides, thrill rides and family fun, Rye Playland has something for everything this summer. Click here for directions and ticket prices.

5. Go fish! - Swim, boat, cruise, fish or do all of the above when you rent a boat in Westhchester. Grab a group of friends and see who will take home the biggest wide-mouth bass of the bunch then grab some lemons and libations for a festive fish fry! Click here for more information.

6. Pack a picnic and enjoy it at the New Croton Dam - Cascading water, easy trails and a beautiful backdrop make this the perfect spot for a summer picnic. Located in Croton on Hudson, NY. Click here for a map.

7. Take a lighthouse tour - If you’re a lighthouse fan, you’ll want to see this one. According to reviews on TripAdvisor, the entrance to the lighthouse is closed. Visitors will have to climb through a fence to get to it. One woman said, “though it was technically closed, the Park Ranger told us to crawl through the fence and go up to it. You couldn’t get in or climb up, but you could walk over the bridge to the lighthouse and see it up close.” Parking is $7. For more information about this lighthouse, click here. Kingsland Point Park, Palmer Avenue, Tarrytown, NY.

8. Visit the beautiful grounds of Boscobel Gardens - Hike the woodland trail, take a guided tour of the historic mansion, enjoy the sights and scents of the breathtaking gardens, herb gardens and apple orchards, then relax with a picnic prepared by Hudson Hil’s Café & Market, the on-site caterers for Boscobel House & Gardens. Food may be purchased at the front desk in the Carriage House or you may bring your own. The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival is performed on location at Boscobel Gardens through August 31. Grounds open two hours before the show for picnicking. Discount combination tickets are available Wednesday–Sunday. To order, call the HVSF Box Office at (845) 265-9575. Boscobel House & Gardens is located at 1601 Rte. 9D, Garrison, NY. Call (845) 265-3638 or visit their website for more information.

9. Take a hike along the Aqueduct Trail - Hike at New York state’s longest and narrowest public park. A mostly flat, easy hike will have you following the underground masonry tunnel running the length of the county that used to bring water to Manhattan. Enjoy the Hudson River views. For more info visit aqueduct.org

10. Mini Golf and Ice Cream - Enjoy some good old fashioned American fun with a game of mini golf, followed by a tasty ice cream cone. Challenge your friends at Monster Mini Golf, an indoor course, located at 33 Route 304 in Nanuet, NY. Then, the loser buys ice cream at King Kone in Pearl River. Freshly made frozen custard and ice cream treats will satiate your sweet tooth and cool you down this summer after a heated game of mini golf. Located at 136 N. Middletown Road, Pearl River, NY.

Did we miss one of your favorites? What’s on your “Summer Bucket List?” Tell us in the comments!

Photo credit: Wendy Mitchell