Top 20 Things to Do in Summer in Westchester

UPDATED JULY 2019: Sweet, sweet summer! It's the perfect time to be outside and soak up the sun, so we've compiled a list of the top 20 things to do in Westchester County in the summer, including where to pick strawberries, outdoor music festivals and concerts, county fairs, and where to see fireworks. Don't let summer pass you by without taking advantage of the beauty all around you!

1. A Musical Ride

Take advantage of the First Friday! program at the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum in the Bronx, which allows visitors to explore the museum, enjoy live music and refreshments, and then board the free trolley to explore City Island (first Friday of the month, April through December). 

2. All Aboard!

Courtesy Ground Work Hudson Valley

The Science Barge in Yonkers opens in May for weekend art and science workshops, which run through October. Cross the gangplank and board the barge, a greenhouse and educational center that floats on the waters of the Hudson River, to learn about everything from growing hydroponic plants to the dynamics of juggling.

3. Summer Slide

Willson’s Waves water park, featuring a wave pool, water slides, and a water playground, opens at Willson’s Woods Park in Mount Vernon in late June. Also, check out our full list of nearby amusement parks. 

4. C’mon, Let’s Walk!

Kids can enjoy sensory-friendly games, the bubble bus, and visit from the White Plains Fire Department at the Westchester/Fairfield Autism Speaks Walk in White Plains, which typically takes place in early June. The 1- to 1½-mile walk raises funds for those affected by autism. Check out more fundraisers in the area. 

5. Old-Fashioned Fun

In mid-June, experience old-fashioned music, dancing, crafts, hayrides, and games during Colonial Day at St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site in Mount Vernon. Discover lots more kid-friendly historical sites in the NYC area.

6. Songs in the Key of Earth

Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival, held at Croton Point Park in Croton-on-Hudson in mid-June, is the country’s oldest music and environmental festival. The festival always features an impressive lineup of musical performers and includes family activities such as storytelling, crafts, boat rides, and a Green Living Expo. Proceeds benefit efforts to help preserve and protect the Hudson River and its tributaries.

7. Firefighter Fundraiser

Mamaroneck Fire Department’s Annual Carnival, which takes place at Harbor Island Park, has been a staple summer event for nearly 70 years. If you like rides, games, and carnival food, you’re in luck! It goes on for nine nights in late June and early July, with all proceeds going to the fire department.

8. All Aflutter

Walk among live butterflies at Greenburgh Nature Center in Scarsdale. See New York-native butterflies such as monarchs and painted ladies and learn about the lifecycle of these colorful creatures. The exhibit is hosted outside in the meadow from July through early August.

9. Where the Pickin’s Good

Gather your brood and pick your own berries at Ochs Orchard in Warwick (in nearby Orange County) or another berry farm in the area. Find the full list here. 

10. Fests for All Folks

Check out Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla, which hosts cultural celebrations throughout the summer, including an African-American Heritage Celebration in June and an Italian Festival in July. Check out more cultural festivals in the NYC area. 

11. Rockets’ Red Glare

Celebrate the Fourth of July at Pops, Patriots, and Fireworks at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah. Find other fireworks displays in the area here. 

12. A Colorful Celebration

The Redhawk Native American Arts Council presents Bear Mountain Powwow at Harriman State Park in early August. The weekend-long event brings together Native American artists, educators, singers, dancers, storytellers, and performing groups from across the Americas.

13. Round and Round We Go

Take a spin on the Grand Carousel at Playland in Rye (there’s also a Kiddy Carousel for little ones between 36 and 48 inches tall), or find another merry-go-round near you. 

14. Beach Boys (and Girls)

Go swimming and visit the beach and sprayground park at Harbor Island Park Beach in Mamaroneck. Our full list of beaches offers more picks.

15. Shops & Shows

SummerFest 2019 at Cross County Shopping Center includes a whole summer’s worth of free outdoor concerts, kids’ shows, fireworks, and Sunday Fun Days for the whole family (late June through early September). Check our calendar for more details on specific events.

16. Fore!

Play a round of miniature golf at FunFuzion at New Roc City in New Rochelle—which boasts an indoor, glow-in-the-dark course featuring 18 holes and a Yucatán jungle theme—or another course in the area.

17. All About the Bard

Courtesy hvshakespeare.org

Introduce the kids to timeless works during the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, a summer-long event that allows you to watch Shakespearean tales unfold as you picnic and lounge on the lawn of Garrison’s Boscobel House and Gardens in nearby Putnam County. 

18. Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

The New York Renaissance Faire in Tuxedo Park’s Sterling Forest (Orange County) kicks off in early August and runs through early October. Bring the kids for circus-type performances by costumed characters, a jousting match starring knights in shining armor, and lots of carnival-inspired games, all in a 16th-century setting. Find our list of other top family day trips in the NYC area here. 

19. A Horse, of Course

Take a horseback riding lesson at Boulder Brook Equestrian Center in Scarsdale or one of the other horse stables in Westchester. 

20. Summer Fan Fair

Head to the area’s nearest county fair, the Dutchess County Fair in Rhinebeck, in late August to see farm animals and pig races, watch a variety of performances, shop for crafts, ride and play the amusements, and enjoy a mind-boggling selection of food.

MORE SEASONAL FUN IN WESTCHESTER