Channel Your Inner Child

Sometimes we, as adults, want to forget all of our worries and responsibilities and just act like kids again. For the kid at heart in everyone, here are a few ideas of how to do just that.

There are a few trampoline parks on Long Island. With a short drive up island, you will be bouncing off the walls in no time. Sky Zone has locations in Mt. Sinai and Deer Park. The venue offers endless aerial action with its massive wall-to-wall trampolines. Grab some friends for a free jump or ultimate dodge ball. Or go during Glow, a jumping dance club, which includes lasers, music, and black lights. There’s also SkyFit, offering fitness disguised as fun, where you can burn up to 1000 calories in a single session.

The Clubhouse in East Hampton offers fun for all ages. FYI, you don’t have to be under the age of 12 to enjoy the arcade. There’s also bowling and mini golf. Stay for some America pub and bistro fare. And watch a sports game after you play. There are games on every big screen, and live music featuring local East End bands.

With an upcoming trip to Paris, which of course includes an upcoming trip to Disneyland Paris (stay tuned!), I had the idea to go to the “Mickey: The True Original Exhibition” on 10th Avenue in New York City. The exhibit celebrates 90 years of Mickey Mouse and his influence on art and pop culture. Guests can explore the 16,000-square-foot exhibit featuring works by contemporary and historic artists, including Keith Haring. Catch Mickey through February 10. Tickets are $38.

Ice skating is a wonderful way to enjoy some winter fun. Town Pond in East Hampton will most likely be frozen after this extra-frigid weather. There’s also Buckskill Winter Club in East Hampton and the Southampton Ice Rink.

Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead isn’t just for children. Not only does it offer the most interesting exhibits of marine life, but how about swimming with sharks? The Shark Dive at the aquarium puts you inside a cage and nose-to-nose with circling sharks in its 120,000-gallon Lost City of Atlantis shark exhibit.

Hop on the Greenport Carousel. It’s 100 years old, open year-round (check website for dates and times), and only $2, making it the best deal on the East End. Many of the horses are even hand-carved, and the carousel is enclosed.

Stop by The Big Duck in Flanders, a National Landmark. The structure was the vision of Long Island duck farmer Martin Maurer and was designed by Broadway set designers, the Collins Brothers, in 1931.

And once summer arrives, head over to Splish Splash in Riverhead. The water park has been voted one of the best water parks in America by the Travel Channel. Whether your speed is more the Barrier Reef Slide, where you plummet and twist through darkness in rapid water, the Cliff Diver, where you fall eight floors in three seconds, or the good ol’ Lazy River, there’s something for every kid at heart.

jessica@indyeastend.com
@hamptondaze