100 things for kids to do on Long Island

From riding the historic Nunley's Carousel and going pumpkin and apple picking out East to feeding animals at the Long Island Game Farm, walking up the Fire Island Lighthouse and splashing down one of the slides at Splish Splash, one thing's for sure: there are plenty of fun things to do on Long Island!

So if you're exploring Nassau and Suffolk with children in tow, be sure they enjoy these 100 can't-miss experiences before they grow up.

1. Ride the historic Nunley's Carousel on Museum Row in Garden City. ($2 per rider; 516-572-4066; Nunley's Carousel)

2. Catch a fish at Captree State Park. ($8 per car; 631-669-0449; Captree State Park)

3. Ride the rails at Southaven County Park in Brookhaven. ($1-$2 donation, 631-854-1414, Long Island Live Steamers)

4. Feed a giraffe at the Long Island Game Farm in Manorville. ($17.45; $15.45 ages 3-11; 631-878-6644; Long Island Game Farm).

5. Take a paddle boat out at Belmont Lake State Park in North Babylon. ($10 an hour, $8 parking; 631-667-5055; Belmont Lake State Park).

6. Ride the waves at Splish Splash Water Park in Calverton. ($38.99, $29.99 shorter than 48 inches and 60 and older, free up to age 2, parking $12; 631-727-3600; Calverton; 631-727-3600; Splish Splash)

7. Pick your own berries at Patty's Berries and Bunches in Mattituck. (631-298-4679; Patty's Berries and Bunches)

8. Explore the Sunken Forest in Fire Island. ($12 round-trip adults, $7 ages 2-10; 631-589-0810 for Sayville ferry; Sunken Forest)

9. Ride the bumper boats at Bayville Adventure Park. ($29.75 for a one-day unlimited pass; 516-624-4678; Bayville Adventure Park)

10. Bike around Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale. ($8 parking; 516-249-0701; Bethpage State Park)

11. Get up close and personal with sea lions and more at the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead ($31.50, $27.50 children ages 3-12 and seniors 62 and up; 631-208-9200; Long Island Aquarium)

12. Visit the Big Duck in Flanders. (631-852-8292; Big Duck)

13. Explore the Long Island Children's Museum in Garden City. ($11, $10 seniors, free for children under 1; 516-224-5800; Long Island Children's Museum)

14. Ride the roller coasters at Adventureland in Farmingdale. ($23.99 pay one price; 631-694-6868; Adventureland)

15. Try horseback riding at Hempstead Lake State Park. ($40 for one-hour trail ride with a guide; 516-486-9673; Lakewood Stables; park information: 516-766-1029)

16. Collect seashells at Orient Beach in Orient. ($10 parking through Columbus Day; 631-323-2440; Orient Beach)

17. Check out old planes at the Cradle of Aviation in Garden City. ($14, $12 children and seniors; 516-572-4111; Cradle of Aviation)

18. Plan an afternoon picnic at Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay. ($8 per car; 516-922-9200; Planting Fields)

19. Climb to the top of the Montauk Lighthouse. ($9, $8 seniors, $4 for 41 inches to age 12, free under 41 inches; minimum height requirement is 41 inches for tower climb; 631-668-2544; Montauk Light House)

20. Tee off at Tiki Action Park in Centereach. (Mini-golf: $8.50, $6 for younger than 6 and older than 60; go-karts: $7 single rider, $8 double rider; 631-471-1267; Tiki Action Park)

21. Check out the outdoor classroom at the Nature Explorium - Middle Country Library in Centereach. (631-585-9393; Middle Country Library)

22. Take a whale-watching cruise on the Viking Fleet out of Montauk. ($75 adults, $49 children ages 5-12, children under 4 are free; 631-668-5700; Viking Fleet)

23. Feed the animals and more at White Post Farms in Melville. ($12.89 plus tax; 631-351-9373; White Post Farms)

24. Visit the Shinnecock Nation Museum in Southampton. ($5 adults, $3 seniors and children age 5-12, free children under 5; 631-287-4923; Shinnecock Museum)

25. Learn about history at the Sag Harbor Whaling Museum. ($6, $5 seniors and students, $1 children under 12; 631-725-0770; Sag Harbor Whaling Museum)

26. Ride the bumper boats at Boomers Family Fun Center in Medford. ($23.95 for unlimited rides in the park; 631-475-1771; Boomers Parks)

27. Plan a picnic at Eisenhower Park. (516-572-0348; Eisenhower Park)

28. Explore the Children's Museum on the East End in Bridgehampton. ($9; 631-537-8250; Children's Museum on the East End)

29. Take a riverboat tour on the "Discovery" in Stony Brook. (631-751-2244; Discovery Cruise)

30. Go camping at Hither Hills State Park in Montauk. ($28 weekday, $32 weekend; out-of-state resident: $56 weekday, $64 weekend; 631-668-2554; Hither Hills State Park)

31. Catch a hockey game at Nassau Coliseum. (800-882-4753; New York Islanders)

32. Star gaze at the Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium in Centerport. ($7, $6 per student or senior, $3 per child 13 and younger, additional fee for Planetarium; 631-854-5579; Vanderbilt Museum)

33. Take a plunge down the water slide at Cantiague Park in Hicksville. ($25; $19 kids; 516-571-7056; Cantiague Park)

34. Take a step back in history at Sagamore Hill in Cove Neck. (free; 516-922-4788; Sagamore Hill)

35. See llamas and kangaroos at The Animal Farm Petting Zoo in Manorville. ($13.50, $11.50 seniors and children ages 2-16, free under age 2; 631-878-1785; The Animal Farm Petting Zoo)

36. Check out a Long Island Ducks game in Central Islip. ($11 and up; 631-940-3825; Long Island Ducks)

37. Step back in time at Old Bethpage Village Restoration in Old Bethpage. ($10, $7 5-12 and older than 60, under 5 free; 516-572-8400; Old Bethpage Village Restoration)

38. Go roller skating at United Skates of America in Seaford. ($11 adults, $10 children, $4 rentals; 516-795-5474; United Skates)

39. Stroll down the Nautical Mile in Freeport. (The Nautical Mile)

40. Visit the Nassau County Art Museum in Roslyn. ($10, $8 seniors, $4 students and children, free children under 4, $2 parking on weekends; 516-484-9337; Nassau Museum)

41. Visit with reptiles at the Center for Science Teaching and Learning in Rockville Centre. ($6 for animal exhibit; 516-764-0045; Center for Science Teaching and Learning)

42. Spend the day at Cow Harbor Park in Northport. (631-261-7502; Village of Northport Cow Harbor Day)

43. Take a ferry to Fire Island. ($17 round-trip, $7.50 ages 2-12; 631-665-3600; Fire Island Ferries)

44. Go see freshwater turtles at the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery and Aquarium. ($6, $4 seniors and children 3-12, free for children under 3; 516-692-6768; Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery and Aquarium)

45. Learn about farm animals at the Hallockville Museum Farm in Riverhead. (call for fees; 631-298-5292; Hallockville Museum Farm)

46. Enjoy fresh baked goods and seasonal fruits at Harbes Family Farm and Vineyard in Mattituck.(631-298-5292)
47. Hit the beach at Robert Moses State Park in Babylon. (631-669-0470; Robert Moses State Park)

48. Indulge in unique ice cream flavors at Snowflake in Riverhead. (631-727-4394; Snowflake)

49. Head to the playground and then the petting zoo at Holtsville Park, Ecological Site and Wildlife Center. (free; 631-758-9664; Holtsville Park)

50. Visit with a potbellied pig and more animals at Martha Clara Vineyards in Riverhead. ($1 to feed the animals; 631-298-0075; Martha Clara Vineyards)

51. Play for the day at Once Upon a Treetop in Plainview. (Open play: $12 walker, $6 crawler; 516-349-1140; Once Upon a Tree Top)

52. Explore the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center in Yaphank. ($2 to feed the animals; 631-852-4600; Suffolk County Farm)

53. Hike the Greenbelt Trail at Caleb Smith State Park in Smithtown. ($8 per car Memorial Day through Labor Day; 631-360-0753; Caleb Smith Park)

54. Play with butterflies at Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown. (Free; butterfly house $3 adults, $2 children and seniors; 631-979-6344; Sweetbriar Nature Center)

55. Try a game of paintball at High Velocity Outdoor Paintball in Coram. ($30 for 500 paint balls, $10 for jump suit; 631-242-2096; High Velocity Outdoor Paintball)

56. Play with model boats at Christopher Morley Park in Roslyn-North Hills. (Call for fees $4-$20; 516-571-8113; Christopher Morley Park)

57. Watch the ducks at Lake Ronkonkoma County Park. ($3 residents, $10 nonresidents on weekends during the summer; 631-854-9699; Lake Ronkonkoma County Park)

58. Check out a puppet show at the Long Island Puppet Theater & Museum in Hicksville. ($11; 516-932-5469;Long Island Puppet Theater)

59. Take a spin on the Greenport Carousel in Mitchell Park in Greenport. ($2, $20 for 15 tickets; 631-477-0248 ext. 211; Greenport Carousel)

60. Enjoy a free outdoor concert at the Chapin Rainbow Stage at Heckscher Park in Huntington. (631-351-3000; Heckscher Park)

61. Dive in to one of the six pools at Wantagh Park. (Call for fees; 516-571-7460 Wantagh Park)

62. Slide down a 20-foot-high inflatable slide at Pump It Up in Bohemia. ($14.95 per child; 631-563-3100; Pump It Up)

63. Play shuffelboard and bocce at North Hempstead Beach Park in Port Washington. ($15 resident, $20 non-resident; 516-869-6311; North Hempstead Beach Park)

64. Climb up the mini-rock wall at The Children's Safari in Valley Stream. ($11 for kids from 1 to 12, $15 for events; 516-872-2600; The Children's Safari)

65. Play dress-up at Le Play Cafe in Bellmore. ($10.95 children under 6, siblings $7.45; 516-308-7053; Le Play Cafe)

66. Learn about African-American history and enjoy arts and crafts at the African-American Museum of Nassau County in Hempstead. ($2 donation for adults, $1 donation for children under 12; 516-572-0730; African-American Museum of Nassau County)

67. Take a Play Hooray class with your kids. (516-768-4701; Play Hooray)

68. Learn about the humpback whale at the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum. ($6, $5 ages 5-18, seniors, $19 families; 631-367-3418; Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum)

69. Enjoy quality time with baby animals at Benner's Farm in Setauket. ($6, $5 ages 14 and younger; 631-689-8172; Benner's Farm)

70. Rent a kayak for the day with Peconic Paddler in Riverhead. (Tandem kayak: $49 per two-hours, $62 per three-hours, $75 per day; 631-727-9895; Peconic Paddler)

71. Check out unique toys at Funky Monkey in Greenvale. (516-484-0966; Funky Monkey)

72. Hit the Dino Trail at Sands Point Preserve. ($10 parking fee; 516-571-7900; Sands Point Preserve)

73. Become a sailor for the day at the Maritime Explorium in Port Jefferson. $5; 631-331-3277; Maritime Explorium)

74. Explore American Indian artifacts at Garvies Point Museum and Preserve in Glen Cove. ($3, $2 ages 5-12; 516-571-8010; Garvies Point Museum and Preserve)

75. Check out a historic 1890 LIRR freight station at the Railroad Museum of Long Island in Greenport. ($7 adults, $4 children 5-12 years old, and children younger than 5 free; 631-477-0439; Railroad Museum of Long Island)

76. Enjoy a nature walk at the Science Museum of Long Island in Manhasset. (fees vary by program; 516-627-9400; Science Museum of Long Island)

77. Treat yourself to a delicious cupcake from The Cupcake Corner in Garden City. (516-328-2253; The Cupcake Corner)

78. Watch goat's milk cheese being made at Catapano Dairy Farm. ($10, tours are by appointment; 631-765-8042; Catapano Dairy Farm)

79. Stroll along the Connetquot River at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River. ($8 per car; 631-581-1002; Bayard Cutting Arboretum)

80. Go fishing and enjoy a leisurely walk around Caumsett State Historic Park in Huntington. (Parking fees $8 per car; 631-423-1770; Caumsett State Historic Park)

81. Walk through the maze-like gardens at Old Westbury Gardens in Old Westbury. ($10, $8 older than 62, $5 ages 7-17; free 6 and younger; 516-333-0048; Old Westbury Gardens)

82. Choose your own fruits and veggies at Lewin Farms. ($6 adults, $5 ages 3-12; 631-929-4327; Lewin Farm)

83. See about 300 buffalo at the North Quarter Buffalo Farm in Riverhead. (631-208-3151 and they'll arrange a free tour; North Quarter Buffalo Farm)

84. Play in a large, indoor playground at Wood Kingdom in Farmingdale. ($8 for ages 18 months to 7; 631-845-3804; woodkingdom.com)

85. Visit the Walt Whitman Birthplace in Huntington. ($6, $5 seniors, $4 students, children under 5 free; 631-427-5240; Walt Whitman Birthplace)

86. Play at the skateboard park at Eugene Nickerson Beach in Lido Beach. (With a $25 Leisure Pass, available to Nassau residents, daily parking fee is $8 between Memorial Day and Labor Day; without pass, fee is $30; 516-571-7700; Eugene Nickerson Beach)

87. Hit the playground and play in the spray pool at Bay Park in East Rockaway. (Call for fees; 516-571-7245; Bay Park)

88. Take in a show at John W. Engeman Theater at Northport. (Call for tickets; 631-261-2900; John W. Engeman Theater)

89. Have a ghost of a time at Hicks Nurseries in Westbury. (516-334-0066; Hicks Nurseries)

90. Walk through the Wrong Island Railroad in Lake Ronkonkoma. ($5, children under 12, $4; 631-467-1222; Wrong Island Railroad)

91. Watch the surfers at Long Beach. ($12; 516-431-1810; Long Beach)

92. Pick pumpkins and take a gander through a corn maze at F&W Schmitt Family Farm in Melville. (631-271-3276; F&W Schmitt Family Farm)

93. Venture on a seal walk in Westhampton. ($5 contribution for adults, $3 children; 631-244-3352; Seal Walk)

94. Take a leisurely stroll through Tackapausha Museum and Preserve in Seaford. ($3 adults, $2 children 5 and over and senior; 516-572-0200; Tackapausha Museum and Preserve)

95. Rent a rowboat at Blydenburgh County Park in Smithtown. (631-854-3713; Blydenburgh County Park)

96. Catch the Air Show at Jones Beach. ($10 parking; 516-785-1600; Jones Beach)

97. Camp out under the stars at Wildwood State Park in Wading River. ($15-$22 for tent sites, $27-$31 for trailers, $9 non-refundable reservation fee; 631-929-4314; Wildwood State Park)

98. Visit the outdoor ice skating rink at The Rinx at Harborfront in Port Jefferson. ($5 skate rental; 631-403-4357; The Rinx at Harborfront)

99. Bake something special with your kids at Kitchen Time in Massapequa. ($45; 516-795-4980; Kitchen Time)

100. Visit steam engines and a blacksmith shop from the early 1800s at the Bridgehampton Historical Society. ($5; 631-537-1088; Bridgehampton Historical Society)