Things To Do On Long Island (New York, Smithtown: skateboarding, amusement parks, theatres) - (NY) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Callie_D · 02-16-2007, 04:34 PM

By the way Overtaxed, are they actually tearing down the Coliseum?? That was another source of partying good times! So many concerts..........

nymom · 02-16-2007, 04:34 PM

Here are some tidbits that are somewhat unique to LI:

Every year from November to January, Jones beach has their Holiday Lights Spectacular where you drive through displays of picture scenes made up of holiday lights. At the end you can go inside for snacks, hot chocolate and a picture with Santa. I didn't go this year. (They have a similar display in Holtzville ecology center and we decided to try that one this year. It was not as elaborate). I did hear that the Jones Beach display was different this year and it wasn't as good as previous years. I don't know what next year will bring.

Summer concerts at the Jones beach theater are also good. It's an outdoor arena and there's nothing like seeing your favorite band play with the sea breeze and sounds and smell of the ocean surrounding you.

There is also a nice amphitheater at Bald Hill where you can see smaller concerts.

If you have young children, you might enjoy a little train ride at Southhaven Park near Riverhead. Between April and October the LI Steamers (Association or Club..I'm not sure) set up tracks throughout a wooded area and you can actually ride on a little steam engine. There's no charge but they do ask for a donation. Even if you don't have kids, take your niece or nephew. It's a lot of fun.

I also enjoy visiting the Vanderbilt Planetarium and Mansion for educational shows and laser light shows.

Cuamsett Park in (Huntington? Centerport?), somewhere in that vicinity, is beautiful any time of year.

With alll the LI bashing going on in this forum lately, it's nice to report some good things about it. There are many more great places to visit. These are just some of my favorites.

One thing I do miss from "old times" is Drive-in movie theaters. Does anyone know of any that are left on LI?

OvertaxedOnLI · 02-16-2007, 04:41 PM

That's right, there were two drive-ins: The one in Westbury and the one around Rte 110. Both gone, no more drive-ins on LI now. The Westbury one was the last to close, in 1998. I found a link about it, which mentions some of the others:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...56C0A96E958260

Ah yes, definitely the Jones Beach Theatre (which of course is still there, although now expanded and updated). For those "off-island" forum readers, the Jones Beach Theatre is an open-air amphitheatre located right between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great South Bay (well, technically it's Zachs Bay). Seating is all outdoors, so there was always the chance that you and the performers would get rained on, but who cared? A rock concert under the stars at the beach on a summer night... great memories! I saw the Moody Blues there several times -- fantastic. The Beach Boys, Jan & Dean....

OvertaxedOnLI · 02-16-2007, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Callie_D

By the way Overtaxed, are they actually tearing down the Coliseum?? That was another source of partying good times! So many concerts..........

Well, that's open to question. The current owner of the Islanders (Charles Wang, of Computer Associates) has an ambitious plan to turn the Coliseum property into a whole new complex. Whether it will actually get done, is another matter. An overview of the proposal is here
http://lighthouseli.com (broken link)

Personally I love the old place. All these new glitzy arenas, named after corporations, leave me cold. I go there to watch hockey, not to examine what kind of granite is in the bathrooms or how ergonomic the arena seats are.

OvertaxedOnLI · 02-16-2007, 05:57 PM

Dinnertable conversation produced several more current Things To Do on LI:

* Touring the wineries on the North and South Forks (but please designate a driver!)

* Atlantis Marine World in Riverhead

* For military buffs, the Tank Museum in Mattituck

* the Whaling Museum in Cold Spring Harbor; also, the Fish Hatchery not too far down the same road (Rte 25A)

* the Cradle of Aviation Museum at Mitchel Field (an airbase since the early 1900s, but goes back as far as 1776 for military uses) which is near Uniondale and Garden City.

* Antiques shows at many locations on LI throughout the summer months

* Pick your own pumpkins at farms on the East End in October

* Custom and collector car shows at various locales during the summer. Also, there are many informal weekly vintage car/hotrod get-togethers held at specific places throughout the warm months ("in the parking lot of.... on Wednesday nights from 7-10 pm" sort of thing).

* The Long Island Game Farm, in Manorville, used to be a good attraction but I've heard that it's gone downhill for the past couple of years. So I'd hesitate to recommend it unless things have or will be turned around.

* Splish-Splash Water Park, near Riverhead. This sort of attraction isn't "my thing" but apparantly it's very popular with kids and teens.

* There are many public and private golf courses on LI. The Black Course at Bethpage is legendary.

* Many of the villages and communties on LI have annual festivals. The Greenport Maritime Festival (September??) is one that's been around for a long time.

* Whale-watching tours off Montauk Point.

* Fourth of July fireworks by Grucci, especially off Jones Beach. It's even better if you can get there by boat (either yours, someone else's, or one of the many charters).

* The Shinnecock Powwow, which has been held for at least 50 years I believe, on Labor Day weekend. This is definitely one of the things unique to Long Island.

* And last but not least, don't forget The Big Duck!

Callie_D · 02-16-2007, 06:02 PM

I agree, sometimes newer is not better. Thanks for the info. Callie

Callie_D · 02-16-2007, 06:06 PM

I didn't see your last post before I posted above, but the Big Duck was my next question!!! What a trip that it's still there.

nymom · 02-16-2007, 06:29 PM

With regards to pumpkin picking, it may not be unique to Long Island but it is fun to go out east and visit the farm stands. Many of them have "pick your own" whatever is in season. I especially urge visitors to go to the farms during the summer months and buy the corn. I don't know what it is about the soil here but Long Island corn is by far the best!

momix5 · 02-16-2007, 07:49 PM

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.

NYSD1995 · 02-20-2007, 11:22 AM

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.