Here are some of the parks and trails on Long Island that I recommend:

• Belmont Lake State Park – There are 7.6 miles of trails throughout the park, available for hiking, walking, biking, nature observation, and cross-country skiing.
• Bethpage Bikeway – The 13.4 miles of paved trail runs adjacent to suburban roads, and the trail is broken up by 3 parks along the route: Trail View State Park, Bethpage State Park, and Massapequa Preserve.
• Caumsett State Park – This park is situated on a scenic peninsula extending into Long Island Sound, and offers miles of bridle paths, walking, jogging, hiking, biking, cross-country skiing and nature trails over acres of woodland, meadows, rock shoreline and salt marsh.
• Eisenhower Park – Located in the heart of Nassau County, here you can enjoy an easy 3.4-mile loop trail that surrounds the lake.
• Ellen Farrant Memorial Bikeway – This is a 5.5-mile asphalt trail that is a relatively straight and flat path, curving around trees here and there. This path can get quite windy and there is little shade, so it’s best to check the weather before you go.
• EPCAL Alternative Transportation Path – The experience along this 8.5-mile paved pathway is scenic with a few gradual inclines.
• Heckscher State Park – 4 miles of paved, multi-use trails attract bicycle riders, walkers, and nature lovers. You’ll be able to enjoy stunning views of the Great South Bay with Fire Island as the backdrop, and quite possibly a variety of wildlife such as whitetail deer and a variety of birds.
• Hempstead Lake State Park – This 3.1-mile loop trail is a popular trail for mountain biking, road biking, and running.
• Jones Beach Boardwalk – The 4-mile pathway offers views of the beach and the ocean. Although bicycles are permitted, pedestrians have the right of way and bicyclists should dismount in crowded areas.
• Kings Park Hike and Bike Trail – This 1.5-mile paved trail follows an abandoned railroad corridor. About half the trail is nicely shaded, making this a good choice even in warmer weather.
• Long Beach Boardwalk – As boardwalks go, this is an easy 4.3-mile out-and-back trail.
• Nassau Expressway – This is a great trail for beginners, as it’s nice and flat and just under a mile in length.
• Ocean Parkway Coastal Greenway – This paved 13.7-mile path begins where the Ellen Farrant Memorial Bikeway ends. As you ride, the vegetation flattens out in places, opening up views of the marshland beyond.
• Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail – This trail stretches just over 3 miles along Long Island’s north shore, and ties together scenic old-growth forest, farmland, meadows, business districts, the Stony Brook University campus, and county parks.
• Sunken Meadow State Park – Offering one of the most stunning views of the Long Island Sound with Connecticut in the distance, this 3.7-mile loop trail is open year round.
• Valley Stream State Park – Here you will find a 1.5-mile partially-paved loop trail surrounded by a wooded area.
• Wildwood State Park – This 3.2-mile loop trail will take you up to the bluffs where you will find an awesome view of Long Island Sound.

For the most comprehensive list check out the Long Island Bikeways and Trailways Map from the New York State Department of Transportation.

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I hate the idea of a bucket list, it’s so depressing.  Instead I keep a constant “Life to Do List” running in my head.  High up on that list was a visit to Mystic, Connecticut. If you are like me and have started to get some AARP literature in the mail then you’ll remember the film Mystic Pizza where I was first introduced to Julia Roberts before her stint as the hooker with a heart of gold (I’m referring to the film Pretty Woman, not her actual private life). Mystic is a short road trip, about 3 hours, but I’ve never seemed to get there…until now. My BFF from childhood has 2 daughters and I have 2 daughters and being busy moms we were all in need of a fun (and educational), overnight trip, with no boys allowed!

We arrived at the Mystic Marriott Hotel and Spa and checked into our AMAZING suite (check out the video of our room by clicking HERE).  We wanted to stay at this hotel for all the amenities you’d expect from a Marriott, especially the indoor pool.  This let the mommies relax and catch up while our four not-so-little fishies swam the afternoon away.  The hotel was a quick drive from historic downtown Mystic where we ate dinner and walked around the waterfront town.  Grabbing homemade ice cream ended our night on a sweet note.  

Breakfast inside the hotel at the beautiful Octagon Restaurant was exactly what we needed to start our day of learning, exploring and feeding the marine life.  We visited Mystic Aquarium during Mystic Spirit Week which included all the regular aquarium activities plus many extras including craft tables for the kids and even live music. Our girls loved the interactive 4-D Theater where we got to see, feel, hear and even smell the elements of the movie creating a real life experience.  I especially loved the Sea Lion show and was thrilled to learn about their animal rescue program which was right up my alley.  

Here’s a look at our girl’s trip.Keep it in mind for your next day (or overnight) trip

Click HERE for more information about Mystic Marriott Hotel and Spa.

Click HERE for more information about Mystic Aquarium.

Mystic Marriott Hotel and Spa hosted my family for an overnight stay at their hotel and Mystic Aquarium hosted my family for the day for the purpose of this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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My husband is very picky about where we go on vacation as a family.  He says his criteria are simple.  We must go somewhere that has something for everyone, must be all under one roof because constant traveling is not a vacation, and most importantly the kids can entertain themselves so we’re not always “on” and have to keep them occupied.  Now you know why we stay home a lot.  It’s tough to find vacation spots like this but I’m happy to report that we found it and it’s just a short road trip away!

We were invited to the Grand Opening of Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in the Pocono Mountains and this trip even put a smile on my picky husband’s handsome face. Kalahari is Pennsylvania’s largest indoor water park measuring in at 100,000 square feet (that’s almost 2 acres) and it kept my kids busy for a full two days.  Kalahari is an authentically African-themed experience with all the amenities of an upscale resort.  It’s also privately owned by the Nelson family who created it with the idea of “protecting an endangered species—family time”.

For almost 6 hours on our first day, my kids were going down water slides, body surfing, relaxing on the lazy river and making new friends, while my husband and I got to spend a few precious hours at the swim up bar talking to friends and just hanging out…together.  I cannot remember the last time we had such a fun day like we did in Kalahari.  When we weren’t on our “date”, we went down water slides as a family.  I’m a bit of a scaredy-cat so I put on a smile and went down the HUGE water slide because my 8 year old daughter batted her eyelashes at me and begged me to go down with the rest of our clan. How could I say no?  The first time I screamed it was out of fear, after that all the screams were from fun.  I have never been on water slides like this, not even when I was a kid. Sitting in the raft with my daughters and my husband, I was overwhelmed with the feeling of gratitude for the opportunity to reconnect as a family. Not a single electronic device or TV was turned on once while at Kalahari.

Our days were full of water park fun, but the nights were reserved for the 30,000 square foot Family Entertainment Center.  My girls spent hours in the arcade, went mini-bowling and even played a round of black light mini-golf.

After breakfast on the second day of our trip my 8 year old was vibrating in her seat waiting to get to the water park.  “Chloe” my husband told her, “relax, it’s open for another 11 hours.”  To which she replied, “I know Dad, I want to make the most of it and not run out of time.”

This trip was such a huge hit with my family that Emma has already planned her 11th birthday later this year at Kalahari.  Before we even checked out of our room she declared, “I love Kalahari, it’s my favorite resort. If we come back for my birthday I don’t need any other presents.”  As you can imagine, that’s high praise indeed for any family destination.

So what are you waiting for?  If you love an all-under-one-roof vacation experience with something for everyone then update that summer bucket list and book an adventure at Kalahari by clicking HERE.  It gets the thumbs up from this mom, an 8-year old, a 10-year old and a picky husband.

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