3 Awesome Summer Family New York Vacation Destinations
The kids are almost out of school and a whole new season of fun is on its way.
Have you planned a summer family vacation? Have you considered a New York Vacation?
As a family, through the years summer was always a great time for us all and it was pretty easy to plan a vacation. However, the kids are older now (my baby is 18) and it is much harder to be all together for a summer family vacation. For example, one of my sons will be away working in the Sequoia Mountains from May until September or October. That is a great summer family vacation spot but more on that in another post. At any rate, do not miss the opportunities.
I am going to start this journey with a New York Vacation. I grew up on the Island (Long Island, New York) and have enjoyed many New York Vacation destinations. Here I shall share three.
[ctt template=”5″ link=”MabGS” via=”yes” ]Your Summer Family Vacation can be of any length or expense. The most important thing is being together. [/ctt]
The Hamptons, New York
I have wonderful memories of visiting the Hamptons during the New York summers. Beach days and party nights with some awesome boutique shopping in between. There is something for everyone in the Hamptons.
The Hamptons include some of the most beautiful homes in New York so going on a driving, biking or walking tour of homes and neighborhoods is definitely a cool thing to do. In fact, according to Business Insider Southampton was ranked as the most expensive place to live in the U.S. with the median home price of $8.5 million dollars.
Once Memorial Day hits the traffic on the LIE (Long Island Expressway) ramps up every Friday by mid-afternoon as people flock to the Hamptons. If you have a few extra bucks you can avoid this traffic and catch Blade from the city. One way fares are $495 and snacks are catered by Dean and Deluca. A train is also a wonderful option.
This region of Long Island also includes Montauk which many people believe is not part of the Hamptons but is actually located in the town of East Hampton. If you want an equally wonderful vacation but something a bit more low key than this is the place to go. Be sure to visit the Montauk Point Lighthouse.
I also highly recommend Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa. It is Montauk’s only oceanfront resort destination and it books up so book early.
Fire Island, New York
I loved going to Fire Island when I was younger. We took our boat out there each Friday that we were not off to some other boating destination and came back on Sunday night. Sandy beaches, beach volleyball and hanging out with friends all are strong and fond memories for me. Our favorite part of Fire Island was Watch Hill.
If you do not have a boat of your own then the way to get here is with the Davis Park Ferry.
Amenities at Watch Hill include a full-service restaurant, small grocery store, first aid, campgrounds, showers and a 182 slip marina.
From here you can walk up and down the beach and visit several fun locations. Davis Park offers a beach, a Catholic church, a bar and a full-service marina.
The Fire Island Lighthouse and Cherry Grove are other popular Fire Island destinations. It is considered to be one of the most popular LGBTQ resorts in the United States and was designated as a historical landmark in 2015.
The City
[ctt template=”5″ link=”7q71f” via=”yes” nofollow=”yes”]No trip to New York is complete without heading into Manhattan.[/ctt]
The summer does not exclude this idea as there are many fun things to do. I would just make sure that your hotel has a pool. There are 18 parks around the city that offer free performances including jazz, indie rock, comedy and even Shakespeare In The Park.
Central Park is full of joy and many shady spots. Enjoy a picnic and then go exploring.
Other New York Vacation plans may include a trip on The Circle Line or visiting Ellis Island and Liberty Park. You may even prefer the cool relief of a Broadway show or an evening of dancing. Dancing offers several options that include unique choices. There is dancing on a rooftop club or dancing on the Hudson River where every Tuesday night you can enjoy a FREE dance lesson followed by an evening of Swing Dancing. You may even choose to Lindy Hop over on Governor’s Island during the Jazz Age Lawn Party.
Check back for more on International Travel, Travel in specific states, College Travel and more in the coming months. Please let me know your favorite travel destinations in the comments below. Feel free to also include anything travel related that you want to know more about.
26 thoughts on “3 Awesome Summer Family New York Vacation Destinations”
Thank you so much. Great options, New York is so diverse, you really can find something for everyone!
Yes, there is definitely something for everyone
I love New York City! We went there for our honeymoon during the holiday season. So beautiful and would love to visit again!
The holidays in New York are just beautiful.
Great options, New York is so diverse, you really can find something for everyone!
Yes, absolutely. That is one of the reasons that I love it.
Though I don’t have kids, these all sound like great places to visit. It’s been too long since I’ve visited the city & iv been itching to get back!
You absolutely should and all of these places would be great with or without kids.
I LOVED NYC when I visited, but obviously I’m missing out on many other great parts of the state of New York! Definitely keeping these in mind, and I’ll have to make it a longer trip next time I make it out East.
Honestly, there is always something new to see and do there.
These are fantastic ideas! We visited the city last spring with our munchkins and fell in love. I would love to return one summer and wander through the Hamptons and Fire Island too. Being a native Californian those are two destinations I have never visited. Fingers crossed we make it back sometime in the near future.
I do hope that you will. I just love it there. Although I also love it here in California.
The Hamptons looks gorgeous. I’ll have to keep it in mind for when the kids are older. They’re all about theme parks and excitement right now. Not so much relaxation.
Ahhh… I totally get that. I have some amusement park reviews and tips coming up on the blog too. Those may be more helpful to you at this time in your kids lives. 🙂
These look like gorgeous vacation spots. I’ll be keeping the Hamptons in mind for when my littles are older for sure.
They are great vacation spots. I have been going to Fire Island since I was about 5 or 6 years old.
The Hamptons has always been on my bucket list, and it looks like I need to add Fire Island as well! Thanks for the travel tips!
You are very welcome. Fire Island is very fun. You should not miss it if you are going to New York in the summer. It is an easy and relaxed day trip.
This is a very helpful post. We are thinking about traveling to New York this summer. Thanks for the suggestions!
That is wonderful. I am so pleased that it helped. Let me know if you have any questions.
These all look like incredible vacation spots! I visited the Hamptons years ago and it was AMAZING 🙂
I adore the Hamptons and am so happy to hear that you loved them too.
l am considering visiting NY from Sweden and am looking forward to visiting the Fire Island. My children love beach volleyball and boat rides. Are there any places to swim at Fire Island incase the weather permits. Thanks for the information. It will greatly assist during preparation.
You are so very welcome. The Fire Island beaches are lovely and the children will be able to enjoy the ocean as I did when I was a child. Please do let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks for sharing this places with us. I would loove to visit Hamptons, they are my favourite!
You are so very welcome. Perhaps you will get out there one day.