Patch Picks: Local Staycations

Most families are on a budget these days and with the cost of nearly everything on the rise, it is becoming increasingly difficult to take family vacations and getaways like we once used to.

If paying adult price for a two-year old’s plane ticket, car rentals, hotel stay plus admission to whatever attraction you decide to see is out of your budget this year, you’re in luck! There are several great staycation venues right here in New York for your family enjoyment.

• – Glen Cove’s very own 18-hole golf course features 5,131 yards of green and has brand new driving ranges with 21 individual hitting bays to accommodate more players. The facility is heated to allow for year-round practice.The newly renovated restaurant serves up delicious meals and features a new Tiki bar. The golf course is open different hours depending on the time of year, but is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. from May through September. A twilight rate is also available during off-peak hours for $40 on weekdays and $60.00 on weekends; both rates include a golf cart. Call for availability.
• Adventureland, 2245 Broad Hollow Road (RT. 110), Farmingdale –  An amusement park is the perfect way to spend the day with your kids. With over 100 games, rides and attractions, Adventureland has a little bit of something for everyone. There are rides for thrill seekers, kiddies, families and water lovers. Take a stroll along Bavarian Village and visit the quaint shops for Adventureland memorabilia, freshly baked homemade fudge and a large candy selection. A pay one price bracelet is $22.99 per person. Visit the park's website
• Alley Pond Park, Little Neck Bay to Springfield Boulevard, Union Turnpike, Queens – This park contains over 657 acres of freshwater and saltwater wetlands, tidal flats, meadows, forests, and abundant bird life. Alley Pond also offers barbecuing areas, tennis courts, baseball fields, basketball courts, dog runs, handball courts, hiking trails, soccer fields, and a nature center. The park is also home to New York City’s first public high ropes adventure course, which is the largest in Northeast Queens, and is part of the Urban Park Ranger’s larger Alley Pond Adventure program. The adventure program is a low cost education and adventure program which teaches participants how to canoe, use a compass, fish and enjoy a natural setting.
• Jones Beach State Park, Wantagh – Enjoy 6.5 miles of beach which boasts 2413 acres of recreational areas for deck games, miniature golf, beach volleyball, barbequing, sand and surf. Take a walk along the two-mile long boardwalk or enjoy fishing and a boat basin at the West End. Visitors can also take tours at the Theodore Roosevelt Nature Center and see environmental displays.
• Atlantis Marine World Aquarium, 431 East Main Street, Riverhead – The largest aquarium on long Island provides the perfect family fun getaway. With over 10 daily activities, 27 indoor exhibits, 10 outdoor exhibits and 12 interactive experiences available daily  there is an activity for everyone. Touch the sting rays in the ray bay or check out the shark in the shark lagoon. For an extra fee, visitors can have personal interactive experiences with penguins, kiss a sea lion or take a dive with a professional staff member into the shark tank for a feeding. Enjoy a pirate snorkeling adventure with exotic fish and sting rays or book sleepovers with the fish in their special underwater glass room. While at the aquarium, take a boat ride or hop aboard the Atlantis Explorer Tour Boat for an evening wine and cheese cruise along the Peconic River.