100 North Fork things to do with kids this summer

Written By Michelina Da Fonte

On the North Fork, unofficial summer is officially in full swing and we couldn’t be more excited. We’ve taken the work out of planning the most epic yet classic North Fork summer with a list of 100 classic things to do with your family. Some are events not to be missed while others on the punch list are intentionally simple moments that we hope are forever engrained in your family’s memory. Now get out there and enjoy the best season of all. Happy summer, Petite readers!

  1. Pluck strawberries right from the field (complete guide coming soon)

  2. SHARK! Check out the new shark exhibit at the East End Seaport Museum

  3. Grab your binoculars and go on a nature walk along one of the North Fork’s plentiful kid-friendly trails

  4. Rock out to live music at Riverhead School of Rock’s grand opening (6/8)

  5. Play a round of mini golf at Drossos Mini Golf and follow it up with a casual dinner and ice cream at the snack bar

  6. Walk the wrack line at a Sound beach while you hunt for shells and sea glass

  7. Plant a backyard herb garden with your kids, a simple planter will do!

  8. Head to the North Fork Ospreys’ home opener at Cochran Park (6/14, games through the end of July)

  9. Celebrate the creativity of teens at the 2024 Teeny Awards by East End Arts (6/9)

  10.  Join Group for the East End for time in nature at one of their many nature walks

  11.  Spend an evening at the Lucharitos Clubhouse where kids and adults alike can kick back and enjoy

  12.  Cheer in the stands as school buses and big wheels race at Riverhead Raceway (6/15)

  13.  Catch a First Fridays on Love Lane happening the first Friday of every month this summer from 6-9 p.m.

  14.  Show your favorite local North Fork libraries some love and attend their many children’s programs

  15. Gather with your petite crew and co. at Little Creek’s Sunshine Shack in Orient for live music on Tuesdays

  16.  Have dinner at Sang Lee Farms. YUP! Enjoy freshly made ready-to-eat goods and your kids’ pick of produce, then, play on the playground

  17.  Don’t skip on gelato from Hellenic Snack Bar. We’re all about the mini-cones

  18.  Watch the North Fork talent show at the Strawberry Festival (6/12, festival open 6/12 - 6/16)

  19.  Book a penguin encounter (and more!) at Long Island Aquarium

  20.  Ride scooters around Jean Cochran Park in Peconic

  21.  Listen to live tunes at Dances in the Park, Mitchell Park (7/1 kicks it off with Gene Casey & the Lone Sharks, dates through August) 

  22.  Go on a treasure hunt with Greenie Supply & Tackle Treasure Map

  23.  Make a splash at Splish Splash Water Park

  24.  Have a casual dinner on the beach and watch the sunset on the longest day of the year (6/20)

  25.  All aboard! Take a ride on the Greenport Express, the North Fork’s new miniature railroad (opening soon!)

  26. Hang after dark at Reflextions, Art in the Park for an illuminated adventure (6/29 & 8/3)

  27.  Stock up on summer reads from local book retailers including Burton’s Books, A Book Place, and Barnes & Noble

  28.  Kick it old school and go bowling at The All Star

  29.  Get your hands dirty at Golden Acres Organic Farm’s organic gardening workshop (7/6)

  30.  Don’t miss the return of the Orient Harbor Independence Day Fireworks (7/6)

  31.  Surprise the fam with a day on the water with Peconic Water Sports

  32.  Dress up and have a tea party at Greenport’s SpecialTea House

  33.  Get on board at Greenport Skate Park’s Sound & Skate Festival (7/13)

  34.  Surprise them with ice cream before dinner from Magic Fountain, Snowflake Ice Cream Shoppe, or Greenport Creamery

  35. Register your petite crew for a youth crafting workshop at Crafts on the Move in Aquebogue

  36.  Have a proper picnic lunch in Orient’s Poquatuck Park. Conveniently, the Orient Country Store is a stone’s throw away

  37.  Take a walking farm and animal tour at Spirit’s Promise Equine Rescue

  38.  Pack up dinner to go and watch the sailboats at New Suffolk’s Wednesday Night Sailboat Races

  39.  Have a beach bonfire complete with s’mores

  40.  Celebrate the drip while eating ice pops in the sun. It's even better if it’s a Dos Ositos Paletas

  41.  Play for hours at Waterdrinker North Fork

  42.  Pick cherries at Wickam’s Fruit Farm

  43.  Learn how to line dance at Hallockville Museum Farm’s Barn Dance (7/27)

  44.  Visit a family-friendly winery

  45.  Catch the gold ring at the Greenport Carousel

  46.  Hang in the Alewife Brewing Beer Garden at The Shoals

  47.  Let them dance until they’re tired at the annual Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could summer concert at Mitchell Park (7/9)

  48.  Join your kids and indulge in the best grilled cheese and cookies (plus so much more) at The Treatery

  49.  Don’t miss Lobster Fest at Veterans Beach in Mattituck (7/27)

  50.  Teach your kids how to do handstands in the Peconic Bay

  51.  Pick your own flower bouquet at Horton’s Flower Farm (starting 7/13)

  52.  Pickle your fav backyard crop

  53.  Clean up a local beach with the help of Relic’s Beach Cleanup Stations across the Fork

  54.  Have a “yes” day where you agree to your kids’ (reasonable) wishlist — Harbes, followed by ice cream, followed by a ride on the carousel? YOU GOT IT!

  55.  Shift into gear at Long Island Antique Power Association’s Summer Show & Flea Market (7/13)

  56.  Check out the new family-friendly Riverhead Brew House — hello, huge patio with games!

  57.  Pick ripe peaches at Lewin Farms

  58.  Watch “Cinderella” at the North Fork Community Theatre (7/18 - 8/4)

  59.  Play throwback video games at Game On Retro Arcade, Tanger Outlets

  60.  Bribe your kids to take photos with you at Lavender by the Bay. Worth it, we promise (East Marion and Calverton locations)

  61.  Make tomato sandwiches for lunch using local ingredients

  62.  Nosh on corn at Harbes Family Farm’s Annual Sweet Corn Festival (7/28 & 7/28)

  63.  Have lunch farm-side at 8 Hands Farm while watching the animals roam the field

  64.  Enjoy an evening exploring and learning about stars, planets, and nebulae at Custer Institute 

  65.  Hang with fam, friends, and neighbors at Brick Cove’s family-friendly Boats + Brine events, (weekly on Thursdays starting 7/11 from 4-8 p.m.)

  66.  Attend a small-town carnival at the Annual Jamesport Fire Department Carnival and Bazaar (7/16 - 7/20)

  67.  Set up a lemonade stand and donate a portion of the profits to a local org of your kids’ choice

  68. Join Jennifer Murray of Turtleback Farm Environmental Education Center for one of her exciting nature outings

  69.  Pop into VEME Studios’ Art Bar for an afternoon of creativity with your kid

  70.  Go roller skating on a rainy day at Greenport’s GCD Roller Skate Rink

  71.  Have an impromptu water balloon fight with your kids

  72.  Paint “kindness” rocks and leave them around town for others to find

  73.  Volunteer your family’s time helping at a local org (CAST, Common Ground, Group for the East End)

  74.  Gather your family and march in a small hometown Fourth of July Parade

  75.  Give your kiddos $5 each and let them buy something of their choice (no matter how silly or unneeded) at Goldsmith’s Toys in Greenport

  76.  Don’t miss Alive on 25, a summer street festival in Downtown Riverhead (7/5, 8/9)

  77.  Meet up with Little Moments, Little Fam for a sensory play session with your youngest in tow

  78.  Have a “daycation” at Orient Beach State Park including hanging at the beach, swimming, trail walking, playground playing, and grilling, or grabbing grub from The Sunshine Shack

  79.  Make your unicorn-loving kid’s dreams come true as they decorate and ride a “unicorn” aka pony at The Little Red Barn

  80.  Visit the Railroad Museum of Long Island

  81.  Learn how to fish with Tom Mangiamele at the New Suffolk Waterfront (dates in August)

  82.  Have a North Fork professional photographer take family photos of you and your kids. You can thank us later

  83.  Get in the car after dinner for a “Count the Osprey” drive, see how many you can tally up

  84.  Put your agility to the test at Scott’s Pointe’s new outdoor water obstacle course

  85.  Wake the kids (sounds horrific, we know) and gather them to catch the sunrise over Orient Point

  86.  Teach your kids how to shuck an oyster, a North Fork rite of passage

  87.  Wander the grounds at Landcraft Garden Foundation in Mattituck

  88.  Cool off with a family-friendly flick at The Suffolk or North Fork Arts Center

  89.  Flag down Mister Softee for a summer staple

  90.  Visit the goats at Catapano Dairy Farm and schedule a cuddling session

  91.  Host your own cannonball competition, bonus points if it’s off a local dock!

  92.  Meet the alpacas at Red Barn Alpaca Farm’s fairs (6/22, 7/20, 8/17)

  93.  Hunt for second-hand reads at Riverhead’s Yellow Book Barn, opened select Saturdays through summer, or at Southold Library’s Book Cottage open on Wednesdays and Saturdays

  94.  Pick up dough from Lombardi’s Love Lane Market and make homemade grilled pizzas using North Fork bounty. Kid-friendly and delicious

  95.  Shop locally for children and teen presents at retailers such as White Flower Farmhouse, Love Lane Sweet Shoppe, Tea and Tchotchkes, and Revel North Fork

  96.  Beat the heat at Long Island Science Center with a fun day of STEM

  97.  Take a leisurely family bike ride down Narrow River Road in Orient

  98.  Keep your eyes on East End Seaport Museum for the schedule of visits from Tall Ships into Greenport Harbor

  99.  Host your own doughnut-tasting night with doughnuts from NOFODOCO 

  100. Make a family memory capsule containing thoughts, photos, and small souvenirs (rocks and shells totally count) of your favorite things about summer 2024

Michelina Da Fonte
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Where to pick strawberries on the North Fork
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Golden Acres Organic Farm opens its doors with a lineup of family-friendly events and programs planned for the season