Top 20 Places to Take Kids in Westchester County - 2021
Westchester County's Favorite Family Fun Spots: 2021 winners!
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The best places to take Westchester County kids! These were the winners selected in KidsOutAndAbout.com readers' annual survey of the Top 20 places to take Westchester kids. We do this survey in the early summer every year, so check back to vote then. Of course, there is LOTS more to do in our area! After browsing through this year's Top 20 listed below, browse our packed daily calendar, sign up for our weekly e-newsletter that will tell you everything in advance, and be sure to visit our Everything Free page! |
2021 Top sports educator: The Rock Club / Pine Brook Fitness |
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1. Wolf Conservation Center
Come howl with wolves! Home to 40+ wolves, including critically endangered red wolves and Mexican gray wolves, the Wolf Conservation Center is one of the wildest destinations in New York. Visitors learn about the true nature and plight of wolves during guided education programs and are able to witness wolf communication and behavior firsthand by howling with the WCC’s ambassador wolves! Through wolves, the WCC teaches the broader message of conservation, ecological balance, and personal responsibility for improved human stewardship of our World. Register for a program today! https://nywolf.org/
2. Chappaqua Children's Book Festival
The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival takes place this year on October 2, 2021 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Chappaqua Train Station.
The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival is a grassroots, all-volunteer effort, with community members working together so that children and teens can be inspired by their favorite authors. The Festival gives kids and families a chance to meet and interact with the creators of their favorite characters – to appreciate that there is a real person behind the art and the words on the page.
Since its inception in 2013, the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival has grown from 65 authors to 145, and from 4,000 visitors, to 7,000 at our last festival in 2019, from all over the tri-state region. We hope to be back at these large numbers in 2022.
This year (2021) we will have approximately 65 authors, so guests and authors can all socially distance safely. Masks will be required for all guests over the age of two.
For more information, visit http://www.ccbfestival.org/ or follow the CCBF at www.facebook.com/chappaquachildrensbookfestival.
3. Greenburgh Nature Center
The Greenburgh Nature Center is a nonprofit nature preserve and wildlife refuge with a mission to ignite passion, curiosity and respect for our natural world. The 33-acre property includes a woodland preserve with hiking trails, a pond, organic garden, Native Plant Meadow, Native American Replica Village, and nearly 100 animals. The ature Center impacts close to 90,000 individuals every year through visits to its nature preserve and community outreach. Visit www.greenburghnaturecenter.org for a full listing of upcoming programs and events.
4. Boundless Adventures
Boundless Adventures, New York's newest aerial adventure park (24 ziplines and 150+ obstacles), is a safe, socially-distanced outdoor recreational activity for tree climbers of every skill level, whether you're a beginner or an adrenaline-addicted climbing pro. Climbers can conquer as many courses as they like during their three hour admission window which begins after the safety briefing.
5. Muscoot Farm
Muscoot Farm was originally a "Gentleman's Farm" founded by Ferdinand T. Hopkins in 1880 and operated as a dairy farm until Westchester County acquired the property in the late 1960s. Today, Muscoot Farm is a Westchester County Park that strives to preserve and interpret its agrarian past. Visitors may stroll through the orginal barns, visit with the animals, participate in educational programs or hike the many miles of trails. There is something for everyone on Muscoot’s 777 acres!
6. Trailside Museum and Zoo at Bear Mountain State Park
Bear Mountain State Park is situated in rugged mountains rising from the west bank of the Hudson River. The park features a large play field, shaded picnic groves, lake and river fishing access, a swimming pool, Trailside Museums and Zoo, hiking, biking and cross-country ski trails.
7. Tig & Peach
We are an award-winning indie play space and store in Pelham. We have amazing classes for your 0-5 year old and we sell beautiful toys, books, clothing, gifts, and more.
8. My Local Library
Of course, our local library system is not really ONE place, it is MANY places... but it's important to emphasize how valuable libraries are for family learning and fun. The libraries in our area are wonderful about posting their events to the KidsOutAndAbout calendar so you always can get ideas for free things to do with your kids that celebrat education and imagination. KidsOutAndAbout.com takes this opportunity to salute the wonderful children's librarians who serve our community with such dedication.
9. The Rock Club - Pine Brook Fitness
The Rock Club is Westchester's Premiere rock climbing gym. We offer a variety of after-school programs, climbing camps, and birthday parties. Young climbers will discover adventure as they scale the walls, learn climbing techniques, and participate in fun games, and while building confidence, focus, and teamwork skills.
10. New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx at Yankee Stadium. They compete in Major League Baseball as a member club of the American League East division.
11. Playland Amusement Park
Playland, also known as Playland Amusement Park, is located in Rye, New York. Playland is Metro New York's great family amusement park! From the famous Dragon Coaster to rides like the SuperFlight Coaster, Music Express and Double Shot - Playland offers the best in family fun. There are more than 50 major and Kiddyland rides and attractions; a beach, pool, and pier on Long Island Sound; lake boating, entertainment, fireworks, lots of great food, and much more.
12. The Play Place
Indoor Adventure is a 1200 square foot, air conditioned, multi-level structure designed for high adventure and excitement in a controlled and monitored environment. This is children's playtime entertainment at its very best and safest. Our play tower is one of the biggest in Westchester. A series of multi-level activity areas, scramble nets, 2 20 foot long wave slides, squeeze rollers, foam forest, chutes and much more combine to provide a top of the line adventure playground for children ages tots to 10.
13. Rockefeller State Park Preserve
Rockefeller State Park Preserve offers quiet countryside walks of all lengths through forested hills and valleys surrounding sunlit pastoral fields. Thirty miles north of New York City, the property is the former Pocantico Hills and Rockwood Hall country estates of John D. Rockefeller family and William Rockefeller. Since 1983, the Rockefeller Family has generously donated over 1425 acres to the State of New York to safeguard these lands for present and future generations. Managed by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, the Preserve is open to the public year-round, sunrise to sunset.
14. Teatown Lake Reservation
Teatown is a 1000-acre nature preserve and education center located in the Lower Hudson Valley. Our mission is to inspire our community to lifelong environmental stewardship. Trails are open daily from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year. Guided tours and exhibitions.
15. American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog
The AKC Museum of the Dog has returned to New York City where it began over 35 years ago. The museum, with one of the finest collections of canine-related art, will occupy new purpose-built galleries in mid-town Manhattan, just steps from Grand Central Station. Combining fine arts with cutting edge technology and interpretation, the Museum of the Dog provides unique and engaging experiences for visitors of all ages. Join us at 101 Park Avenue!
16. Jacob Burns Film Center
The Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC) is a nonprofit cultural arts center dedicated to presenting the best of independent, documentary, and world cinema; teaching literacy for a visual culture; and making film a vibrant part of the community.One of the most successful suburban art houses in the country, we celebrate film as a vehicle for entertainment, education, and inspiration.
17. BounceU - Elmsford
Kids flip for BounceU's unbelievably cool bounce stadiums (imagine the ultimate children's playground experience in a safe, indoor setting), but they also can't get enough of the games, the food, and sharing the spotlight with family and friends.
18. Croton Point Park
Croton Point Park is a 508-acre park situated on a peninsula on the east shore of the Hudson River. This park offers year-round events and activities and has facilities for camping, hiking and swimming.
The park, rich in natural and human history, is also the site of historic wine cellars that are thought of be the oldest in New York State and the Croton Point Nature Center.
19. Grand Prix New York
Grand Prix New York is one of the region's premier venues in entertainment, corporate and social events with recreational racing, VR Gaming and Arcade. They have over 100 of the top industry games and approximately 6, 000 square feet of the most exciting redemption arcade in the Tri -State area. Spins Bowl at Grand Prix New York is Northern Westchester’s only state of the art bowling alley and includes 12 Family Lanes for public use.
20. Sky Zone New Rochelle
Sky Zone is the original and premier trampoline park. Enjoy trampoline dodgeball and dunking, foam pit, birthday parties and more. Freestyle jump, ultimate dodge ball, ninja warrior course, skyjoust, and skyladder, among other attractions.
Winners in Special Categories
In the second part of our survey, we asked readers to select their favorites in several categories. Here were their choices.Top Arts Educator
No Limits Performing Arts StudioAt No Limits Performing Arts Studio, your child will not only learn to dance in a fun and comfortable environment, they will also get exposure to all of the performing arts through our Theatre Program Broadway Bows and new theatre classes on our schedule. No Limits reflects our belief that dance and performing arts are limitless in what they offer. Dance provides many benefits such as strength, agility, poise and confidence. Our dance and theatre classes will not only allow your child to obtain skills to become an artist but will also provide them with benefits such as learning to work in a group setting by encouraging them to develop connections and relationships with their peers. At No Limits Performing Arts, we take pride in implementing quality dance and arts education for the early Pre-School Beginner Performer, the older Advanced Performer and everything in between.
We have expanded our school beyond by providing additional programs and classes for students to become all around performing artists. Students look forward to performing in the Annual Recital Showcase, and Dancers who yearn for the stage beyond their recital can audition for our Dance Team & Advanced Programs. Students who show passion for more than dancing, can participate in our Broadway Bows Theatre Program and experience singing, dancing & acting all in one scene.
Top Sports Educator
The Rock Club - Pine Brook FitnessAdventure starts here! Rock Climbing is a fun and social sport that anyone can enjoy. We believe in encouraging, supporting, and giving young climbers the best climbing experience possible; one that leaves them inspired, self-confident, and ready to succeed both on and off the wall. Stop by for a day of climbing or join us for our after school programs, our competitive climbing team, summer and vacation camps, or have your next birthday party or Bar/Bat Mitzvah at the club. Join the climbing community!
Top STEM Educator
Teatown Lake ReservationTeatown's mission is to instill a love of the environment, positive attitudes toward conservation and environmental protection, and a sense of personal and civic responsibility. Most Saturdays and Sundays throughout the year, Teatown offers educational programs that are appropriate for both adults and children of all ages.
