Between summer camps and on weekends, it’s easy to wonder where you should bring your kids for summer for fun that will keep them occupied but not break your bank. The Hudson Valley offers a wide range of options, from back-yard waterparks and resorts to hometown fun at local libraries and zoos.
We compiled a list of six varied kids’ activities this summer so you aren’t left hanging in the heat. Here are some of the places to go for some summer fun for kids of all ages.
SplashDown Beach Water Park
Fishkill, Dutchess County
Touted as America’s biggest little water park, SplashDown features water rides for all ages, and fun for the whole family. On Route 9 just minutes off I-84, it’s easy to access, with little traffic even on the hottest days. Season passes range from $81 to $131.
“SplashDown is great to beat the heat on any given summer day,” said Steven Vittoria, marketing director of Turk Hospitality Group, which manages SplashDown Beach and Rocking Horse Ranch Resort. “But what’s really unique and different about SplashDown is that we really do have something for every age group.”
Himself the father of a ten-year-old, a seven-year-old and a three-year-old, Vittoria has an insider’s take on the struggle to satisfy everyone’s wants and needs. At SplashDown, activities vary in size and thrill level. That means everything from fun, fast and scary rides to a six-inch pool for infants and toddlers.
On June 20 SplashDown hosted the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson, with a host of complimentary swim lessons.
Trevor Zoo, Millbrook School
Millbrook, Dutchess County
The Trevor Zoo is the only zoo in the country located at a high school. The zoo was established in 1936 by its founder Frank Trevor, the school’s first biology teacher. Trevor had a passion for sharing his love of wildlife with all people, especially with children.
Trevor Zoo houses more than 170 exotic and indigenous animals and 70 different species, including eleven endangered ones. The facilities extend over six acres. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For this kids’ trip, you will need to plan ahead. Reservations are required. It costs $5 for kids and $7 for adults.
Zoom Flume Water Park
East Durham, Greene County
Day passes range in cost from $32.99 to $42.99 (free for children under two years old) at this attraction, which offers over a dozen slides and water attractions to choose from. Kids can have fun on the all-new speed-soaked duo racer slide and the bowl slide, or they can head over to the famous Black Vortex, a ride in total darkness that features exciting twists, turns and splashes.
While the kids enjoy their fun, parents can head over to the gently flowing lazy river to relax and recharge. “Many families come every year and have been coming since we opened 44 years ago,” said co-owner Sharon Aragona. “This has been a family-run business of three generations since the very beginning. It is a great destination in the Catskill Mountains for all ages, and it is not very far away,”
There’s a foam party with a DJ every Sunday, and this season there’s a new body slide called the Ichabod Run.
Rocking Horse Ranch
Highland, Ulster County
Looking for a family-friendly staycation? Rocking Horse Ranch offers everything from outdoor pool fun for cooling off to horses to ride or just to admire.
“The beautiful thing is our accommodations include access to everything at a one-time rate,” said Steven Vittoria. “You don’t need to open your wallets once when you’re where. It’s a stress-free getaway because there is no planning of where we will eat and how much it will cost. You don’t need to pre-plan or book fast passes.”
That “everything” includes things like horseback riding, canoeing and kayaking, scavenger hunts, mountain tubing, and more. It’s the horses that are the stars.
“Even if you don’t ride, just being able to see them is amazing,” said Vittoria. The kids love the horse parade twice a day. Guests line the driveway as over 120 horses go from the ranch back to their pasture.
Bring Your Own Book Club at the Kingston Library
Kingston, Ulster County
This unconventional book club welcomes teens to the Kingston Library to join on the second Wednesday of the month to talk about their favorite books right now. Everyone gets a few minutes to talk about up to three books. The hosts create a list of recommendations and share them with everyone.
Before you know it, you’re walking away with new and unexpected titles to add to your reading list. It’s a perfect option for your book-loving children.
The library also hosts other programs for children of different ages, including a Thursday Story Hour in the children’s library.
If you aren’t in the Kingston area, check out your local library to see what special programming they’re offering this summer. Escape the heat and settle in with a good book.
Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum
Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County
The Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum offers hours of hands-on fun with exhibits and programs that focus on early literacy, art, early STEM, health, and the local community.
“We show that science is fun and engaging and can make a difference in our daily lives,” said Jeff Sasson, executive director of the museum. “We encourage children to make observations, experiment, think critically, and formulate conclusions.”
Exhibits include a fire station and fire truck with dress-up costumes, a play-pretend market and cafe, a maker studio, a playroom with a train track, and more. Science Revealed! Is an exhibition for those aged four to twelve, with hands-on science exhibits that explore motion, air, forces, fluids and magnetism.
This summer, specifically, has programming that includes outdoor events in their pavilion like the Discover Summer Book Festival, Exploring Living Art: Experience Reptiles, Birds of Prey, and Arm-of-the-Sea Theater. They also have weekly Poughkeepsie waterfront markets on Tuesday afternoons.
“People keep coming back for our engaging, fun, weekly programs like our STEAM Lab, where hands-on activities emphasize core concepts of science, technology, engineering, the arts and math as we experience them in our daily lives. We present live science demonstrations and shows in our portable planetarium, plus our exciting programs in our pavilion,” said Sasson.
Join the family! 
