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Old 02-20-2007, 12:44 PM
 
480 posts, read 2,824,284 times
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Inexpensive things to do: roller skating, ice skating, bowling, movie theatres, mini-golf, regular golf, dance clubs, shopping malls, bike paths, historical sites, beaches, amusement parks/game centers, local and state parks, fishing, swimming, aquariams, zoos...

Other things include: concerts, sporting events, circus, carnivals, and the mack daddy of all things to do, New York City.

Quote:
Originally Posted by momix5 View Post
Hi, I just don't think that there is that much for teens to do on Long island anymore. In an inexpensive way just my opinion. I grew up in Smithtown, remember that there were two drive ins, the Commack one where and the Smithtown one by the mall, the flea markets were always fun as a teen we used to get some cheap stuff there! There is a website for those of you that grew up in the commack/Smithtown area just google the commack arena and it really takes a look back at growing up in the sixties and seventies on LI. It is a lot of fun.

Last edited by Check123; 02-20-2007 at 12:54 PM..
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Old 02-20-2007, 12:47 PM
 
Location: The Bronx
1,590 posts, read 1,658,060 times
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Default If you like birds...

Jones Beach, in the winter, is a good place to see owls. I saw a Barn Owl there once. You look in the pine groves, in the tree tops.

Because of the stone jetties. Atlantic Beach is one of the few places in the area to see Purple Sandpipers.

The Lawrence Marsh is a good place to see all kinds of birds, incl. rails and bitterns.
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Old 02-20-2007, 01:41 PM
 
265 posts, read 1,545,331 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sassberto View Post
I grew up on LI as a teenager in the 90's, and I'll tell you what the majority of teens do on Long Island (in Northport at least)

- go to Crab Meadow and drink behind the dunes
- drive around in cars and smoke weed
- go to 7-11
- go to the Commack Multiplex

Where are the (year-round) skateparks and rec centers? I currently live in CA and teenagers have access to a lot more athletic activities - pools, skateparks, etc.
I agree that CA has more of those things (skateparks and rec centers) than LI. However I don't think skateboarding ever caught on here nearly as much as it is a part of the CA teen lifestyle.

As for the what-teens-do list, I don't deny any of those items BUT would like to point out that the first two are choices that teens make. They choose to spend their money on booze and pot instead of using those dollars to do any of the many alternative things available to them. As far as going to 7-11 and the movies, if they're going there to get food or see a movie, there's nothing wrong with that; if you mean they're just hanging out there and nothing else, then that's a different problem.

I don't think there are any fewer free things for teens to do nowadays than there were during the 50s and 60s. As far as "inexpensive" goes, well, of course it cost much less to do any given thing back then -- but look at what salaries were!! My first job in 1967, as an 18-yr-old, paid a whopping $60/week before taxes (and that was an office job, not slinging hash at MickeyD's), in other words less than $3200/yr. A comparable entry-level office job today for a highschool grad would pay at least $20,000/yr.

For kids who aren't of working age, I don't know if allowances have become a thing of the past but when I was a teen I received $5/week. My parents were your completely average middle class family, which meant most of my friends got about the same allowance although we all knew "rich kids" who got a lot more as well as other kids not as fortunate as we, who got $1/week if any allowance at all. So that meant sometimes we all had enough money to go play mini golf or get Carvel after going roller skating and other times some kids didn't; the world didn't come to an end because of it.
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Old 02-20-2007, 01:48 PM
 
265 posts, read 1,545,331 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dedalus View Post
Jones Beach, in the winter, is a good place to see owls. I saw a Barn Owl there once. You look in the pine groves, in the tree tops.

Because of the stone jetties. Atlantic Beach is one of the few places in the area to see Purple Sandpipers.

The Lawrence Marsh is a good place to see all kinds of birds, incl. rails and bitterns.
Dedalus, I take back 99% of any critical opinions I've expressed about you: You're a fellow-birder!

I recall a couple of winters (not recently) when there were reports of a Snowy Owl down along Jones Beach. I wasn't one of the lucky ones who saw it, though.

btw, if you'd like an enjoyable read, try "Club George" by Bob Levy.
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Old 02-20-2007, 03:34 PM
 
9,522 posts, read 30,361,645 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OvertaxedOnLI View Post
I agree that CA has more of those things (skateparks and rec centers) than LI. However I don't think skateboarding ever caught on here nearly as much as it is a part of the CA teen lifestyle.
It's huge on LI, there is just nowhere to do it.

What about BMX tracks? We'd build em, and they'd bulldoze em. Rock climbing walls? Motocross?
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Old 02-20-2007, 06:03 PM
 
480 posts, read 2,824,284 times
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All those things exist.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sassberto View Post
It's huge on LI, there is just nowhere to do it.

What about BMX tracks? We'd build em, and they'd bulldoze em. Rock climbing walls? Motocross?
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Old 02-20-2007, 06:17 PM
 
Location: Wake Forest NC
1,611 posts, read 4,835,178 times
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<<sigh>> why does everything have to be built for people? Can't you skateboard in the driveway or ride a BMX bike in the woods or something? We treat our kids like hothouse flowers sometimes.
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Old 02-20-2007, 07:07 PM
NDL NDL started this thread
 
Location: The CLT area
4,502 posts, read 5,581,332 times
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Sorry about the lag between postings, as the past few days have been unexpectedly hectic.

That said, I want to thank everyone for both their participation in this thread, and for the great suggestions and memories they've shared !
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Old 02-20-2007, 09:50 PM
 
Location: Eastern Long Island
1,280 posts, read 4,916,444 times
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there is a public skate patk in Riverhead.

We enjoy the simple things in life on LI, we hike through pine barren trails, explore the beaches in winter & spring, fish in lakes & ponds, go rafting, canoeing, kayaking.
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Old 02-21-2007, 06:31 PM
 
7,882 posts, read 9,075,543 times
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Just over the Queens line, Alley Pond Park for hiking (now very well taken care of by the Parks Department)
Sands Point castle and exhibits
Sagamore Hill for Teddy Roosevelt fans
Close to Shea stadium is the Queens zoo real cheap to get in, and also the Hall of Science children's museum
Little Neck Farm just over the Queens line (little neck parkway exit off Northern state/ Grand Central Parkway
Hofstra football and basketball games
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