Winter is coming...
Activities during the cold days and nights of covid
By Ivy Zellner
Since it seems like COVID isn’t going away anytime soon, here are some ideas of things to do when the weather gets cold.
Free
Hiking: There are many State Parks (https://parks.ny.gov/) and even National Parks (https://www.nps.gov/) on Long Island. The hiking here is relatively easy because the ground is very flat, check out Caumsett State Park and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. For a more challenging hike try Cold Spring Harbor State Park for the Nassau Suffolk Greenbelt Trail. In the Hudson Valley there are some fun rock scrambles like Breakneck Ridge and Bonticou Crag, for more information on these trails see Hike the Hudson Valley.
Snowshoeing and cross country skiing can also be done at most NY State parks.
Snowball fights and sledding are also fun activities to do in the snow, you can do them at home or at local parks.
Spend more time with family and play board games or have family movie nights.
Crafting: see what you can make! Crafting is a fun activity, and people love homemade gifts.
Holiday Season: There will be some changes this year to The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to make it COVID safe, but you can still watch it on TV. Saks Fifth Avenue will be live streaming their beautiful holiday windows.
Check out some books at your local library! Some recommended titles are Harry Potter, Maximum Ride, Percy Jackson, The Hunger Games, The Kane Chronicles, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and many more! https://nassau.overdrive.com/nassau-hewlettwoodmere/content
For a Fee
Get a firepit or some outdoor heaters and go outside.
The New York Botanical Gardens will be hosting a new event called NYBG Glow. It is an outdoor color and light display. For more information, see this link→ New York Botanical Garden
The New York Hall of Science in Queens had drive-in movies. Unfortunately, these ended on Sunday, but this would still be a fun activity in other places. Use this link to look at the site→Drive-In Movie Theater | Queens Drive-In | New York
Magic of Lights is a 2.5 mile drive through activity at Jones Beach State Park. https://magicoflights.com/events/jonesbeach
The New York Equestrian Center, or NYEC, offers trail rides and lessons for those who like riding or wish to learn how. The New York Equestrian Center