Fright-free Halloween events for Long Island families and kids
From left, AJ Genninger, 5, of Hauppauge, Jaylee Grace Dosch, 6, of Massapequa Park, Jaxson Dosch, 8, of Massapequa Park, and Anthony Genninger, 7, of Hauppauge, hang with Otto the Ghost at Hicks Nurseries on Oct. 2. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
If Halloween makes you smile but scary is not your style, there are many ways you and your family can have fright-free fun during Halloween weekend.
From climbing a kooky-spooky haunted tree house, to meandering along a magical trail, to walking through a friendly ghost’s Halloween adventure, people at every age and stage can be part of the festivities.
What’s scary to one person might not be scary to another. As Ray Ann Havasy, director at Center for Science Teaching and Learning in Rockville Centre, puts it, "I always tell parents: You know your child."
Here are five not-so-spooky Halloween events and activities families can attend. Raise the celebrations to the next level by grabbing a snack at the attraction or visiting restaurants nearby with Halloween-themed treats and goodies.
Walk along the Halloween enchanted trail at CSTL
Tanglewood Preserve; 1450 Tanglewood Rd., Rockville Centre
Matt and Nicky Nowak, with daughters Makenna, 18 months, and Maddie, 4, work at the crafts table. Credit: Linda Rosier
"Since a lot of people who come to our museum are small children, we wanted to make sure we had something for little ones. So, we have the enchanted walk," Havasy says. On a stroller-friendly path, families are given trick or treat bags and can wander along a fourth-mile lighted trail. "It’s the night that makes it magical," Havasy adds.
Visitors will meet characters along the trail who will pose for photos and offer Halloween treats. Families can find fairies near a mystical garden, gentle witches inside their home in the woods, a prince and princess in an elegant carriage and more. An old-fashioned pirate ship is the latest attraction. Inside, everyone will meet friendly pirates who will give out treats and souvenirs. Halloween crafts and slime, face painting and fortunetelling make the enchanted trail experience complete.
Bianca Sequeira, 1, with dad Favio and mom Brenda, visit the enchanted walk and see Cinderella's carriage. Credit: Linda Rosier
- WHEN The trail is open 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday through Nov. 2; plus Friday, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 31
- COST $22 per person. Beware: there is a separate scary trail offered.
- MORE INFO 516-764-0045, cstl.org
GRAB A SPOOKY SNACK: HAUNTED GELATO
For a mouthful of more Halloween madness, take a five-minute drive to The Caffé on the Park (19 N. Park Ave., Rockville Centre; 516-766-7557, thecaffeonparkrvc.com). In this family-friendly restaurant, the Halloween gelato flavors steal the show. Sink your vampire teeth into Garbage Can Gelato filled Kit Kats, Snickers and other trick-or-treat candies, or the Graveyard Gelato with gummy eyeballs and worms, plus chocolate crunchies.
See a friendly ghost show at Hicks Nurseries
100 Jericho Tpke., Westbury
Learn about how people celebrate Halloween around the world with Otto the Ghost. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
Otto, Hicks Nurseries’ fun-loving ghost, is the star of the annual Halloween show. In this year’s version, Otto travels to Ireland, Mexico, Nigeria and Japan to learn about different ways people celebrate Halloween and similar holidays around the world. Indoors, families move from one room to the next, where culturally dazzling decorations represent scenes from different countries. The story of Otto’s adventure is written on cards along the way.
- WHEN Weekdays and weekends 8 a.m. through 6 p.m. through Oct. 31
- COST Free
- MORE INFO 516-334-0066, hicksnurseries.com
From left, Savanna Blaskopf, 7, Gianna Caracciolo, 4, Nicholas Baffa, 3, Vincent Baffa, 7, and Joseph Caracciolo, 6, meet Otto the Ghost. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
GRAB A SPOOKY SNACK: LAUGHING PANCAKES
As you leave with the memory of Otto’s happy face, take a five-minute drive to IHOP (533 Old Country Rd., Westbury, 516-280-5000, ihop.com). There, dig your Frankenstein fangs into a happy face pancake (chocolate chip pancakes with a whipped cream and chocolate chip smile and cherry eyes).
Climb a Halloween tree house at Long Island Aquarium
431 E. Main St., Riverhead
River DaFonte, 4, of Cutchogue, slides down the slide at the tree house. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
During the day, Oct. 29 through Nov. 2, the five-level tree house kids climb all year will be dressed for Halloween. "The tree house is decorated with Halloween characters that might be a little scary, but they’re the same types of characters you’ll see in a Halloween store," says Darlene Puntillo, marketing director. As kids crawl across tunnels, rope bridges and climb steps, they might encounter a spider, cobweb, witch or skeleton. "There’s nothing that jumps out at you," Puntillo adds. The tree house is for ages 3-11. Parents should climb along with small children.
The Haunted Tree House at The Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
- WHEN Tree house hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 29-31 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 1-2
- COST $50.99, $35.99 ages 3-12; plus $12 tree house fee
- MORE INFO 631-208-9200, longislandaquarium.com
John, 12, and Anthony Pasquale, 11, of Manorville, climb through the rope tunnel. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
GRAB A SPOOKY SNACK: CHILLING CANDY
Take a five-minute drive to Jerry and the Mermaid restaurant (469 E. Main St., Riverhead, 855-445-3072, jerryandthemermaid.com). When you enter this family-friendly restaurant with an extensive menu for children, kids can pluck lollipops from a lollipop stand.
Celebrate Halloween at The Milleridge Inn village
585 N. Broadway, Jericho
Ringo Cheng, of Manhattan, dressed as fries, with daughter, Caya, as ketchup, visit the Milleridge Village Spooky Halloween festival. Credit: Linda Rosier
This village transforms into a welcoming, kid-friendly Halloween town through Nov. 2. Little ones can jump inside two pumpkin bounce houses, run through an inflatable enclosed corn maze by themselves or take a spooky train ride around the town. They can also play a kid-safe, Velcro ax-throwing game, play mini golf and paint their own pumpkins in a patch. Beware: the Haunted House activity is scary since characters will jump out at you. The Escape Room can be frightening as well.
- WHEN 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 30, 4 to 9 p.m. Oct. 31, noon to 9 p.m. Nov. 1 and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 2
- COST $30 for unlimited time in the bounce houses and inflatables, games and spooky train. Alternatively, purchase individual activity tickets a la carte.
- MORE INFO 516-931-2201, milleridgeinn.com
The Halloween village features bounce houses, a spooky train and themed-characters. Credit: Danielle Silverman
GRAB A SPOOKY SNACK: SKELETON AND EYEBALL BROWNIES
In the village bakery, munch on luscious skeleton or eyeball brownies and spider-covered mini carrot cakes. In the candy shop, tiger stuffies wearing witch hats sit on shelves that are filled with creepy Crunch bars as well as every kind of treat imaginable.
Perform Halloween science experiments at Cradle of Aviation Museum
Charles Lindbergh Boulevard, Uniondale
During Spooky Science weekend, gremlins, night-flying animal planes and Halloween Shrinky Dinks will invade the museum. Wear your Halloween costumes. The fun begins with goodie bags for all. As kids munch on treats, they can participate in a gremlin hunt. Gremlins (which are non-scary cutouts) are hidden in the galleries throughout the museum. Each one holds information about the history of gremlins and how their history relates to aviation.
The Cradle of Aviation Museum in Uniondale will host a Spooky Science weekend of fun and scares. Credit: Howard Schnapp
In one corner, a staff member will help kids make paper airplanes that are shaped like bats, dragons and other real or mythical animals that fly at night. As kids build their flying creatures, the staff member will talk about the way those animals fly. Kids can fly their planes in the galleries.
In another corner, a staff member will help kids create their own ghost, mummy, jack-o'-lantern or candy corn Shrinky Dink. Kids will watch their creations bake and shrink before their eyes, and then turn them into Halloween pins or key chains.
- WHEN 12 to 4 p.m. Nov. 1-2 (activities are included with cost of admission; Shrinky Dink add-on $5)
- COST $18, $16 age 2-12
- MORE INFO 516-572-4111, cradleofaviation.org
GRAB A SPOOKY SNACK: FREEZE-DRIED ASTRONAUT SNACKS
A cafe in the museum features burgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders and more. For a Halloween twist in the gift shop, the freeze-dried astronaut ice cream and freeze-dried space candy are out of this world.
