Posts Tagged ‘family fun’

Where to Enjoy Four of the Northeast’s Most Beautiful Drive-Through Light Shows

This year, you can experience the wonder of the holidays through some of New England’s and New York’s most  imaginative drive-through displays. Safety is paramount and these tours are strictly restricted to driving only.

New York – Sullivan, Catskills and Westchester Counties

Peace, Love & Lights

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts presents Peace, Love & Lights, a drive-thru holiday light experience at the historic site of the 1969 Woodstock festival in Bethel, New York. The light show, totaling just over one mile, runs nightly through January 3. Created in conjunction with the Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association, the light show is filled with LED lighting and animated displays with a 120-foot Twinkle Tunnel that’s certain to entrance. Themed areas are named Groovy Way (taking you on a trip back to ’69), the Enchanted Forest, Snowflake Alley and Santa’s Workshop.

Westchester’s Winter Wonderland

To ensure safety for all, Westchester’s Winter Wonderland in Valhalla, New York has been re-configured into a 1.2-mile drive-thru experience with thousands of animated lights and holiday entertainment. Festive music streams through an FM radio station and attractions include the event’s favorite elves, Ned and Albert, dancing aside glittering angels of peace, old man winter blowing beautiful snowflakes, a 50-foot dove, swaying trees, glowing snowballs, candy cane lane, a 100-foot light tunnel and the Wonderland’s famous 40-foot Christmas tree.

Maine and Massachusetts

Gardens Aglow

Boothbay, Maine’s annual Gardens Aglow at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is newly reimagined as a drive-through event in 2020. The gardens will dazzle with more than 650,000 environmentally friendly LED lights adorning trees, animals and flowers that spectators can witness from the comfort of their car. Timed tickets are required and a height restriction of nine feet is in place for all vehicles.

Winter Wonder Drive-Thru

The Winter Wonder Drive-Thru in West Springfield, Massachusetts is a COVID-19 safe, audio/visual spectacular showcasing brightly colored lighting, special effects and 3D holograms.  Attendees will enjoy an immersive, holiday display right from the comfort of their car. Special effects in this year’s light extravaganza include a “clean” snowstorm, singing snowmen, Santa’s elves and Santa taking to the sky.

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Six Farms for October Fun within Driving Distance of NYC

Oh, wonderful October. It’s the time for pumpkin patches, Oktoberfest, the inevitable corn maze, and, for the family, apple picking and hayrides. With trick or treating still under discussion and venues opening and closing with changing rules and regulations, it’s a good idea to call before you go anywhere during this unusual year. If possible, try to book an event with your own pod so you can enjoy a masked experience without the worry of stranger social distancing.

Riamede Farm

NEW JERSEY

Two farms in Morris County, New Jersey invite you to their farms this month, a mere 80-minute drive from New York City.

You can book a private wagon ride at Riamede Farm in Chester, New Jersey weekdays in October for a tour of the farm’s pumpkin patches and apple orchards. If you prefer to meander on your own, the farm is open to visitors on weekends as well and you can grab some pumpkins and gourds to decorate your home. A Farm Pass is required for entry and must be purchased in advance.

Riamede Farm

122 Oakdale Road, Chester, NJ; 908-879-5353 www.riamede.com

Alstede Farms goes maze crazy this October with a sunflower maze, evergreen maze and a corn maze, all designed to drive you just a bit crazy while soaking up the crisp fall air. You can pick your own apples or opt for a tractor-drawn wagon ride, too. If you’re starved for something to do at night, they even have an evening hayride on weekends. Live music follows by the bonfire with hot apple cider, food, wine, and s’mores kits to refresh.  Book tickets in advance online.

Alstede Farms

1 Alstede Farms Lane, Chester, NJ; 908-879-7189 www.alstedefarms.com

LONG ISLAND

The North Fork of Long Island turns October into a musical event at Harbes Family Farm. Just an hour and half from New York City, the Mattituck farm treats you to scenic hayrides complete with singing. Weekend activities add pig races and a family favorite, the Barnyard Adventure area with farm animals, sport zones and mazes. Ticket information is available online.

Harbes Family Farm

715 Sound Ave, Mattituck, NY; 631-298-0800 www.harbesfamilyfarm.com

In the Hamptons (the South Fork of Long Island), Water Mill is where you’ll find expansive Hank’s Pumpkin Town. You’ll know it immediately by the cars parked on either side of the road. It’s open daily and no reservations are required so be prepared for crowds and waits. You’ll find the usual family-friendly activities here: pumpkin picking, corn mazes, tractor train rides, and mega slides for the kids. After all that fun, your reward is Hank’s yummy Fall for Y’All hot apple cider topped with whipped cream, a caramel drizzle, and an apple cider donut, served in a take-home souvenir mug.

Hank’s Pumpkin Town

Hank’s Pumpkin Town

249 Montauk Highway, Water Mill, NY; www.hankspumpkintown.com

NEW YORK CITY

Yes, there are farms in New York City.

The historic Queens Country Farm Museum in Floral Park, Queens offers weekend activities throughout October. The farm, owned by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, dates back to 1697 and occupies New York City’s largest remaining tract of undisturbed farmland. Plan a visit to go pumpkin picking or navigate a maze, or hop on a hayride. The farm’s Amazing Maize Maze is designed in the shape of Van Gogh’s famous sunflower. Schedule the October 24 nighttime experience online  — the maze books out quickly.

Queens Country Farm Museum

73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Queens; 718-347-3276 www.queensfarm.org

An officially designated historic landmark, Decker Farm in Springville, Staten Island is New York City’s oldest continuously working family-style farm. 220 years young, the farm is a joy to visit during October with hayrides for the family that meander past costumed artisans performing 19th-century trades. For those willing to try some new-fangled activities, the farm lets you sign up for three tries of pumpkin chucking.  Purchase a timed-entry ticket for a weekend visit online.

Decker Farm

435 Richmond Hill Road, Staten Island, 917-887-0482 https://www.historicrichmondtown.org/deckerfarm

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Hurry! The New York International Auto Show Ends This Weekend

Schedule your time this weekend to spend at least a few hours of the 2017 version of the New York International Auto Show.  With cars and SUVs set up on the first floor, and trucks and a few SUVs on the lower level, you’ll have a lot of exploring ahead of you. Electric cars, hybrids, new SUV models, concept cars and luxury vehicles are all on display. From now through April 23, this show is a must for any car lover. Show hours: Friday and Saturday, 10am-10pm. Sunday, 10am-7pm.

Among the trends that are apparent this year:

SUVs are big news. Big ones, small ones, crossovers. Everyone seems to have a variety of versions in popular colors like blue and red. Of particular note, Alfa Romeo has joined in with the stylish Stelvio. Who knew that you could  up the raciness quotient started by Porsche’s Cayenne with an Alfa Romeo? The Stelvio is quite striking and will be available in the US in 2018.

Smaller cars are getting a visible style makeover. Just take a look at the Toyota Camry and the Honda Civic, and you’ll see what I mean. Add leather, trim, and some stylized exterior appointments and bright colors, and, poof, you have an affordable alternative to higher-priced BMW 3 series of the Mercedes C-Class. Well, almost.

Speaking of BMW, the all-new 5 Series has a dedicated area so you can decide for yourself whether the changes are significant or not. The styling doesn’t seem all that radically different, but under-the-hood shows the improvements.

Hyundai’s high-end division, Genesis, displays their attractive sedans, soon to be introduced in the US.

The new Lincoln Continental is luxurious as ever but markedly different from the Continental of yore, with sleek door handles and lines.

If you’re not in the market for a new car, or if you have kids in tow, there are plenty of other fun activities as well. Try out the Hyundai racing challenge stimulator or the Nissan interactive GTR Driving Experience.

Virtual reality stations are offered by Jaguar, Ford and Acura.

And, of course, there’s the ever-popular outdoor Camp Jeep off-roading experience. Line up early and put your driving gloves on!

Hungry? Check out Clyde Frazier, Walt Frazier’s massive basketball and sports restaurant around the corner. Cocktails are named after some of Frazier’s signature basketball quotes: “Loosey Goosy,” “Stumbling and Bumbling” and “Moving and Grooving.”  Main courses span the U.S. with mac and cheese, burgers, and blackened Scottish salmon, and add Asian accents with Thai lobster curry with jasmine rice.  While you wait, you can duck into the half court at the end of the bar and shoot hoops in this tribute to one of the Knicks’ greatest players. 485 Tenth Avenue. arkrestaurants.com/clydefraziers/

Where to go:  Jacob Javits Center, 11th Avenue between 34th and 40th streets, New York City.  Hours:  10am-7pm. http://www.autoshowny.com/.   Tickets are $17 for adults and $7 for children under 12, and can be purchased online or at the show.

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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