Summer is a great time to relax and take a break from all of the stressors you deal with during the rest of the year, and the last thing you want to be doing is yet again stressing over how to spend the that time! Day after day with no structure and too many activities to choose from can take a toll, so here’s a list of some of the best activities to choose from:
The tri-state area—which consists of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania—is filled with many amusement parks, both water and not, to fill long summer days, but by far my favorite is Hershey Park. This park is perfect for the entire family; it includes rides for children, adults, and everyone in between. They also have a wide variety of non-roller coaster activities, such as carnival games, make your own Hershey bar, a seminar on how chocolate is made, and so much more.
Along the coast of NJ and NY are beaches galore. Some of the beaches have a more crowded scene, like Wildwood and Asbury Park, while beaches such as Strathmere and Island Beach State Park attract the opposite type of crowd. Most beaches charge a small entry fee, while some operate under a pay per car entry system. Since there are over 60 beaches in NJ alone, checking their websites to review their rules, regulations, operation hours, and activities is highly recommended.
Getting outside over the summer doesn’t just have to be in the form of beaches or pools! Thanks to the tri-state area’s diverse landscapes, hiking trails are super popular in the area. Some of the best are in northern New Jersey, and include Stairway to Heaven via the Appalachian Trail, Long Path and Shore Loop by the Hudson River, and many more.
But when outside time takes its toll, there are plenty of indoor activities in the tri-state area that are just as fun. The Liberty Science Center in New Jersey takes top of the list for younger audiences, while The Color Factory is my #1 for the older ones. Other than these two, there are countless museums and indoor exhibits to visit between NY, NJ, and PA ranging for all ages.
NJ, NY and PA are also extremely well known for their summer camps, though this activity is on a larger scale compared to the others listed. From day camps to sleepaway camps, there are over 200 different camps in PA alone. These can range from one week to two months, perfectly flexible for other plans that you may have. Camp is perfect for kids that benefit from structure, and are constantly up to hang out with friends all day long. Camps can create lifetime bonds and and build impeccable social skills in kids that are bound to help them in the future. There are also so many types of camps, from sports to art, theatre to computer science, and everything in between, that there will always be one matching the child’s interest.
While this guide doesn’t even scratch the surface of all the activities in the tri-state area, the last but not least I’ll be discussing are zoos. From the Turtle Back Zoo in NJ to the Bronx Zoo in NY, seeing rare and new animals never gets old. These places are perfect and have a balance of indoor and outdoor activities. Most offer food and gift shops, and some even offer hands-on experiences, like the Touch Tank at the Turtle Back Zoo. Overall, zoos offer fun for a lot of ages, wowing the younger audience while engaging the older ones with various facts and experiences, like feeding animals, seminars about different species, etc.
With just about a month left until school is out, it’s a great time to start gathering your friends or family to plan your perfect summer schedule. I hope that this guide provides you with a solid starting point!
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