When Splish Splash, Salt Shack, Adventureland and more summer venues open this summer
Outdoor play centers, amusement parks and more are returning as summer is fast approaching. Here's when to expect some of your favorite warm-weather venues to open and what's new at some of the destinations:
AMUSEMENT PARKS AND PLAY PLACES
Visitors to the Splish Splash water park, in Calverton, float down the Lazy River attraction.; Yeslyn Vazquez, and Glenda Euceda, on Adventureland's ride called Fireball, in Farmingdale.; Credit: John Paraskevas; Alejandra Villa Loarca
May 21: WildPlay at Jones Beach extends hours
The summer season kicks off soon at this beachside play center where kids can soar on a zip line 700 feet high. There's also a kids' adventure course. Summer hours, beginning May 21, are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays-Sunday; $14.99; season passes start at $174.99, $119.99 for ages 5-12; $8 parking fee before Memorial Day; $10 parking fee after Memorial Day; parking lot 4 and 5 on Ocean Parkway, Wantagh; wildplay.com, 800-668-7771.
May 26: Adventureland extends hours
Now open weekends and holidays, the park features outdoor rides, an arcade and games. New this year: a “Fast & Furious” arcade game with 65-inch TVs, a new menu item dubbed “turbo nachos” and a second Tony’s Tavern walk-up bar. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays through May 25; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays-Sundays beginning May 26; Summer hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily starting June 21; $46.99 ages 2-24; $36.99 ages 25 and older; 2245 Broad Hollow Rd., (RT. 110), Farmingdale; adventureland.us, 631-694-6868.
May 27: Splish Splash opens for the season
The water park will open for the season May 27, with weekend hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until it opens daily on June 28; $44.99, $39.99 for those under 48 inches for online purchase; $69.99 and $64.99 for those under 48 inches at the gate; season passes start at $99.99; free children younger than 2; 2549 Splish Splash Dr., Calverton; splishsplash.com, 631-727-3600.
June 9: Bayville Adventure Park extends hours
Visitors can play mini golf, bumper boats and more, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays from noon to 7 p.m. Summer hours start June 9, when the park will be open daily. Pay-one-price is $33.75 per person for a day pass; 8 Bayville Ave., Bayville; bayvilleadventurepark.com, 516-624-7433.
June 24: The Adventure Park at Long Island summer hours begin
Weekend visitors can take on the challenge of the park's 14 trails and 49 zip lines, including three new paths that vary in difficulty. The park is now open 3 to 9 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Daily summer hours begin June 24; $69 for ages 14 and older; $59 for ages 7-13; playground is $15; 75 Colonial Springs Rd., Wheatley Heights; myadventurepark.com, 631-983-3844.
BEACHSIDE RESTAURANTS
Crowds enjoy the atmosphere on the beach outside of KATCH located inside Venetian Shores park in Lindenhurst.; Gisele Leib and Robyn Soberg enjoy food after the beach at The Boat Yard at Tobay Beach in Massapequa.; DOX, a waterfront eatery in Island Park.; Matt Lafferty from Manorville, Jackie Calamusa from Port Jefferson, Joey Calamusa from Port Jefferson, and Paige Karras from Nesconset, at Dublin Deck. Credit: Steve Pfost; Yvonne Albinowski; Erica Marcus; Yvonne Albinowski.
Now open: Dublin Deck Tiki Bar
Rock out to live music; open seven days a week; on the Patchogue River at 325 River Ave., Patchogue; dublindeck.com, 631-207-0370.
Now open: Dox Island Park
Enjoy live music and grab drinks and food; open daily noon to midnight; 10 Broadway, Island Park; doxbarandkitchen.com, 516-992-2222.
Now open: Katch at Venetian Shore Beach
This airy bayside spot features dining and live music at 6 p.m. daily; Parking is limited to Town of Babylon residents until 5 p.m.; 850 Venetian Blvd., Lindenhurst; katchli.com, 631-888-3460.
May 19: Boat Yard, Tobay Beach
The waterside bar and grill at Tobay Beach opens for the season May 19, with music by Krush and happy hour at 7:30 p.m. Free parking for customers; Tobay Beach, 1 Ocean Parkway, Massapequa; theboatyardny.com.
May 19 and May 25: Tiki Joe's Beach Clubs
Tiki Joe's Beach Clubs with locations at Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai, Smith Point Beach and Captree Boat Basin open for the season May 19 and guests can enjoy live music while sipping cocktails. Locations at Meschutt Beach, Cupsogue Beach and Tobay Beach will open May 25; 631-218-9067.
ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS
A giraffe at the Long Island Game Farm in Manorville.; The Eye Opener tree house at the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead. Credit: Morgan Campbell
May 24: Long Island Game Farm summer hours begin
Visit the petting zoo and see animals, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays through May 21; open daily: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 24 -September. Dads get in free on Father’s Day and guests can celebrate Bobo the giraffe’s birthday at noon on July Fourth. New this year are three squirrel monkeys. More info: $24.95 ages 13-61, $18.95 ages 3-12; free 3 and younger; 489 Chapman Blvd., Manorville; longislandgamefarm.com, 631-878-6644.
May 27: Holtsville Ecology Site and Animal Preserve opens
See more than 100 injured or non-releasable wild animals and farm animals, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, starting May 27. Free; $25 parking permit for the season; parking per hour begins at $4; 249 Buckley Road, Holtsville; brookhavenny.gov, 631-758-9664.
July 14: Long Island Aquarium Rum Punch cruises begin
The Sunset Booze Cruise, which launched last summer, will feature six excursions this summer for ages 21 and older. Rum Punch cruises on July 14-15, Tequila Sunrise cruises on Aug. 11-12, and Harvest Wine cruises on Sept. 8- 9 on the aquarium’s Atlantis Explorer Tour Boat, Puntillo ($75 per person). Each cruise includes entertainment; 431 E. Main St., Riverhead; longislandaquarium.com, 631-208-9200 ext. 246.
LIGHTHOUSES, GARDENS AND MORE
People relax on the slopes of the Montauk Lighthouse.; Explore the The Fire Island Lighthouse.; Credit: John Roca; Barry Sloan
Now open: Montauk Point Lighthouse
Climb the lighthouse's 137 iron steps, browse the on-site museum or simply admire the grounds overlooking the furthest point of Long Island. Hours are10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily through May 21; 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily May 22-Sept. 4; $15, $5 younger than 12, free children 41″ and under; montauklighthouse.com, 631-668-2544.
Memorial Day weekend: Fire Island Lighthouse summer hours begin
Explore the history of the lighthouse in it’s four rooms of exhibits, the Lens Building and the boathouse, you can also see a display about the shipwrecked Savannah from 1821, open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at Fire Island Lighthouse; Free, $8 parking on weekends and holidays; $10 May 27 through Labor Day, park at Robert Moses Field 5 and walk east, Fire Island, fireislandlighthouse.com, 631-583-5901.
GARDENS AND MORE
Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River.; Hempstead House and Sands Point Preserve.; Long Island Fair at Old Bethpage Village Restoration.; Old Westbury Gardens in Westbury. Credit: Morgan Campbell ;Bill Davis; Jeff Bachner; Rick Kopstein
Now open: Old Westbury Gardens
The gardens feature 200 acres of formal gardens, landscaped grounds, woodlands, ponds, and lakes; $15; $8 ages 7-17, free for ages 6 and younger, all tickets must be purchased in advance. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (closed Tuesdays); 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury, oldwestburygardens.org, 516-333-0048.
Now open: Bayard Cutting Arboretum
See osprey, bald eagles and aquatic birds at this a 691-acre state park in Great River; open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays; $8 parking fee daily; 440 Montauk Highway, Great River; bayardcuttingarboretum.com, 631-581-1002.
May 24: Sands Point Preserve summer hours begin
Tour the grounds on a self-guided nature walk, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays; open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays starting May 24; $15; walk-in $4 per person. Self-guided walks daily are $10 per tour per family; 127 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point; sandspointpreserveconservancy.org, 516-570-2281.
June 24: Vanderbilt Museum summer hours begin
See the outdoor sculpture exhibition featuring more than 20 sculptures of animals, including mythological creatures on the grounds or hanging in the trees along the museum’s nature path. The exhibit, called “Wrought Taxonomies,” will be in place through next April (included with museum admission). Open weekends until June 24 then opening Tuesdays-Sundays throughout the summer. The outdoor Shakespeare Festival begins in June and will include a comedy called “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare,” “The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” “Macbeth,” and “Love’s Labour’s Lost.”; $10 per adult, $9 seniors (age 62 plus) and students with ID, $7 for children 12 and under, and free for military & children under 2. Shows are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and children younger than 12; 180 Little Neck Rd., Centerport; 631-854-5579, vanderbiltmuseum.org.
June 30: Old Bethpage Village Restoration extended hours begin
History museum features homes from the 19th century and tours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays-Sundays through June 29, last ticket sold at 2:30 p.m.; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays beginning June 30; $15, $12 ages 12 and younger; free for children 4 and younger; 1303 Round Swamp Road; oldbethpagevillagerestoration.org, 516-572-8409.
