Urban Outdoors

Pitch a Tent

The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation hosts free Family Camping nights in July and August at parks in all five boroughs (including Central Park!). It’s a one-night campout (either Friday or Saturday), and they provide you with the tent, the cookout food, and the activities (such as hikes and stargazing)—all for free. All you need is a sleeping bag. Quick tip—you must call the Monday before you want to camp to reserve a spot; call early, because they fill up fast. 212-NEW- YORK or nycgovparks.org.

—Alison Lowenstein

%uFFFDHit The Beach

Jacob Riis Park, Queens. This park offers a mile long stretch of surf kids can swim in, plus ball courts, miniature golf, a boardwalk, a playground, and more. nyharborparks.org.

Midland Beach, Staten Island. This beach is great for swimming and boasts concession stands, a playground, and the Sea Turtle Fountain, which has sprinklers kids can run around in. It’s also close to South Beach, which is popular for its boardwalk. statenislandusa.com.

Sandy Hook, NJ. It’s technically outside the city on the tip of the Jersey Shore, but it’s only a 40-minute ferry ride from Wall Street. The beautiful, well-kept park includes seven miles of ocean beaches, salt marshes, and hiking trails. If your family enjoys historical sites, visit the oldest surviving lighthouse in the United States, Sandy Hook Lighthouse, which can be visited on weekends from noon to 5 p.m. Also, be sure to bring your bikes and take advantage of Sandy Hook’s amazing bike trails. sandy-hook.com. For ferry info: seastreak.com.

Get A Dose Of Wildlife

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Encompassing 9,155 acres, the refuge comprises diverse habitats, including salt marsh, fields and woods, water ponds, and open expanses of bay and islands. Over 325 species have been recorded here during the last 25 years! Jamaica Bay, Queens, brooklynbirdclub.org/Jamaica.

Alley Pond Environmental Center. Rugged forested acreage filled with streams, marshes, and diverse wildlife. Take a casual stroll on the trails or enroll in one of the many family nature education programs. 228-06 Northern Boulevard, Douglaston, Queens, alleypond.com.

Go For A Bike Ride

For family-friendly rides around the city, visit the website of Bike New York, a local organization for city bikers which has guides to biking trails and routes (bikenewyork.org). If you don’t own your own bikes, there are several businesses in the city that offer bike rentals near kid-friendly riding areas, like Bike and Roll, which rents bikes in Battery Park, South Street Seaport, Pier 84 in Hudson River Park, and Governors Island (bikeandroll.com). In Central Park, the company is called Bike Rental Central Park and it’s located on the northwest corner of 58th Street and 7th Avenue (centralparkbiketour.com).

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PLAN A STAYCATION

One approach to planning a fun family day, weekend, or even week in the city is to think of it as a “staycation,” or a vacation where you don’t actually leave your hometown. Matt Wixon, the author of the new book, “The Great American Staycation,” shares this helpful tip:

“One great thing to do with your kids is educational trips, and I know that you should never use the word “educational” with your kids. But there are so many great opportunities, like observatories, planetariums, tours of fire, and police stations. Factory tours are fantastic, especially when you visit places that your kids are interested in, like ice cream shops. You have to be a bit bold, but you can make a tour out of anything. You can visit your local movie theater and see how a projector works. My kids and I once saw pinsetters in a bowling alley, and their eyes were so wide with amazement. All I did was ask the manager if he had a couple of minutes to show us around. If you’re a devoted parent, staycations offer a fantastic opportunity to spend more time with your kids.”