Best Winter Activities to do on Long Island This Season
Fall may be over, but don’t worry, because there are plenty of fun winter activities on Long Island to enjoy! From Christmas and holiday events to indoor activities to help you warm up, there is something for everyone! In this Long Island, New York guide, I am covering some of the best winter activities to add to your Long Island bucket list!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Best Winter Activities to do on Long Island This Season
- Visit a Christmas Tree Farm – One of the best Winter activities on Long Island
- Go Wine Tasting in Peace
- Experience the Winter Lantern Festival
- Go Seal Watching on Long Island
- Visit the Vanderbilt Museum & Planetarium Candlelight Tour
- Drive Through the Magic of Lights at Jones Beach
- Go on a Winter Hike
- Visit Old Westbury Gardens Shimmering Solstice
- Check Out the Huntington Holiday Spectacular
- Explore the Milleridge Village Holiday Decorations
- Eat in Igloos at the Coach Meeting House
- See the LuminoCity Festival
- See a Hockey Game
- Visit One of the Long Island Museums
- Take Selfies at the Floral Escape
- Go Sledding
- Enjoy Outdoor Ice Skating
- Winter Activities on Long Island Wrap-up
Visit a Christmas Tree Farm – One of the best Winter activities on Long Island
It’s the holiday season, so of course, a Christmas Tree farm is in order! Thankfully, Long Island has several places you can go claim your perfect Christmas Tree, and some of these farms even hold additional festivities.
Winter Wonderland at The Waterdrinker Family Farm is a great place to get in the holiday spirit while also getting your Christmas Tree. Their Winter Village includes a Holiday Light Display, Airstream Christmas Village, Barnyard Animals, Fire Pits & S’mores, a Giant Santa Sleigh & Reindeer, and so much more! They also have a Synthetic ice surface for ice skating.
Admission into the Winterfest is $20 per person and free for children under 2 years old, weather permitting.
To U-pick your Christmas tree is free. You can also enjoy their brewery on-site! You can get more information at the Waterdrinker Farm here. This farm is located in Manorville.
Another great Christmas farm to add to your Long Island winter bucket list is Santa’s Christmas Tree Farm in Cutchogue. You can actually cut your own Christmas tree here. Their 28-acre farm includes 8,000 Christmas trees to wander through.
On the weekends, the kids can visit Santa from 12 PM – 4 PM. You can also enjoy hot chocolate, skating s’mores, and more! Make sure to bring cash to this farm.
Go Wine Tasting in Peace
Who said wine tasting was just a summer event? This is one of the best things to do on Long Island and another fun winter activity to enjoy with fewer crowds. In fact, one of my favorite vineyards, Marcari Wines, has heated bungalows to enjoy!
If you make your way out to the Hamptons, Wolffer Estate Vineyard is hosting its first annual Winter Wonderland at the wine stand. This will include ice skating, food trucks, Christmas displays, and more! Tickets to the event are $30, and you can get tickets right here!
Explore more of the best Long Island Vineyards here!
Experience the Winter Lantern Festival
Love Christmas lights, but don’t want to get out of the car? Then, this Long Island winter activity is for you! Best yet, the Winter Lantern Festival has locations in both Nassau and Suffolk County!
The Winter Lantern Festival at Nassau Museum of Art is currently TBA. For Winter Lantern Festival tickets, click here.
Go Seal Watching on Long Island
A unique thing you can do during the winter on Long Island is to go seal-watching! From boat cruises to seal walks at a multitude of Long Island beaches, you have plenty of options. You can even try spotting them on your own.
We saw seals in the Hamptons and at Jones Beach without a tour. One of the most popular tours if you want to see seals by boat is with Captin Lou Fleet, which leaves out of Freeport.
Some seals you can see on Long Island include the Harbor Seal, Grey Seal, Hooded Seal, and Harp Seal.
Visit the Vanderbilt Museum & Planetarium Candlelight Tour
Want to tour one of Long Island’s best mansions decked out in holiday spirit? Then, add The Vanderbilt Museum to your Long Island winter bucket list. Their Bright Lights event will include tons of Christmas lights, visits with Santa in his workshop, a 15-minute Laser Show in the Reichert Planetarium, and even a Children’s scavenger hunt.
The event is currently TBA for the 2023 winter season. Get Bright Light tickets here.
Admission: All-inclusive tickets: adults $25 | Members $20; children 12 and under $15 | Members $10; children 2 and under FREE.
Address: 180 Little Neck Rd, Centerport, NY 11721
Drive Through the Magic of Lights at Jones Beach
Another local winter activity favorite goes to the Magic of Lights at Jones Beach State Park drive-thru. This event usually starts in mid-November and runs through the end of December. This family-friendly drive includes light tunnels, and a festival spread over a 1-2 Mile course.
After driving through, you can check out the Toyota Holiday Village, which has food and drinks, a visit with Santa, an Ice skating Rink, and more!
Admission: $30 per car on weekdays, Monday -Thursday; $40 per car on weekends. Find tickets here.
Go on a Winter Hike
One of my favorite winter activities on Long Island is going for a winter hike, especially after a snowfall. The parks look magical, and you don’t have to worry about many bugs bothering you.
Some great parks to enjoy a winter hike include Hempstead Lake State Park, Hechsher Park, Sunken Meadow State Park, the Fire Island Lighthouse boardwalk, and Arthur J. Hendrickson Park.
Visit Old Westbury Gardens Shimmering Solstice
One of the most beautiful gardens on Long Island is also hosting beautiful holiday lights this year! The Shimmering Solstice event at the Old Westbury Gardens is an enchanting experience with beautiful lights that lead you through the Rose Garden, the Walled Garden, and more, with fun music and even a light show.
The Shimmering Solstice should begin around mid to the end of November and run through December. Ticket prices depend on if you pick a specific date/time or want flexibility. You can find tickets and pricing on the Shimmering Solstice website here.
Address: 71 Old Westbury Rd, Old Westbury, NY 11568
Check Out the Huntington Holiday Spectacular
Find yourself near Huntington, Long Island? Make sure to check out the Huntington Holiday Spectacular that is set up right on Main Street. They transform this street into holiday cheer with decorations, an 80 Ft. Christmas Tree, and more. Local businesses join in the holiday festivities with special holiday deals along with joining in to help bring the community together.
The Holiday Spectacular usually starts at the end of November and goes through the beginning of January. Additionally, there will be a light show every 30 minutes.
Explore the Milleridge Village Holiday Decorations
Another great place to check out winter villages is the Milleridge Village. They have a Christmas Shoppe year round.
Aside from fun lights and decorations, you can warm up and enjoy a nice cappuccino at the Milleridge Cafe or some delicious pastries at the Millerigde Bakery.
Eat in Igloos at the Coach Meeting House
If you’re a foodie, one of the coolest winter activities to do on Long Island is chowing down in the Igloos at the Coach Meeting House. Located in Oyster Bay, enjoy their expansive drink menu along with tons of bites.
The igloos it 6 guests comfortably, and there are firepits, and even TVs that have Roku and Disney + on them for families. They also offer bottomless brunch.
For reservations, call 516-588-9288!
Address: 160 Mill River Rd, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
See the LuminoCity Festival
If the other Lantern festivals didn’t do you justice, then head to LuminoCity Festival at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, NY. In 2022, the lights and decorations covered a span of 17 acres, so we can expect this year to be just as grand.
Admission: $32 plus taxes and fees For ages 12+; Ages 3-12 $19 plus taxes and fees. Get tickets here.
Hours: Wednesday – Sunday from 4:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Address: 1899 Hempstead Tpke East Meadow, NY 11554
See a Hockey Game
If the holidays have passed, but you are still looking for winter activities on the Island, head over to UBS Arena in Belmont to watch the Islanders play! The hockey season runs from early October to early April for 82 games.
Address: 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont, NY 11003
Visit One of the Long Island Museums
Another great way to escape the cold is by checking out one of the many museums on Long Island.
Some of the most visited museums on Long Island include the Cradle of Aviation Museum (Garden City), Long Island Maritime Museum (West Sayville)
The Heckscher Museum of Art (Huntington), Parrish Art Museum (Water Mill), and the Nassau County Museum of Art (Roslyn Harbor).
Take Selfies at the Floral Escape
Love Instagrammable places? Then head on over to the Floral Escape at Roosevelt Field Mall for some epic selfies. The Floral Escape has set up tons of Instagrammable corners teamed with decorations and even ring lights. Get tickets here.
Not only will you be able to keep warm during some of Long Island’s coldest days, but you can also enjoy some additional activities at the mall, such as shopping, getting food at one of the many restaurants surrounding the mall, and even going to the AMC Movie theater.
For those looking for something additional that is family-friendly, head nearby the mall to the Dave and Busters!
Go Sledding
This one is pretty obvious, but I couldn’t leave it out of the best winter activities on Long Island! After a nice snowstorm, there are some great places to go sledding on Long Island.
Some popular areas include Malverne High School (by the football field), and Bethpage State Park.
Enjoy Outdoor Ice Skating
Another great activity to do during the winter on the Island is some outdoor ice skating. Some places to enjoy outdoor ice skating include Grant Park (Hewlett), Northwell Health Ice Center (East Meadow), Marjorie R. Post Community Park Ice Rink (Massapequa), and Syosset-Woodbury Community Park Ice Rink (Syosset).
Winter Activities on Long Island Wrap-up
This concludes some fun activities to do on Long Island this holiday and winter season. If I missed any fun activities you enjoy on Long Island during the winter, let me know in the comments below!
