Hudson Valley Area Activities for Families
We moved to Cornwall from Brooklyn in July 2020 and are exploring the family-friendly haunts of Hudson Valley little by little, well, the ones open and relatively safe during the Pandemic, anyway! I'll be growing this list as well as other resources gradually, please do shoot me an e-mail if you have anything to add or edit!! You may also find this "Family Friendly Day Trips and Weekend Getaways from NYC" list helpful!

​** denotes link to my personal review blog post and/or youtube video
​PUBLIC LAKES:
Be sure to check the individual park's page for updated closure info - some reach capacity and get closed by 10am, others get closed due to algae growth or other reasons.
​
  • ** Canopus Beach Lake (Fahnestock State Park) - (watch our video) a large sandy beach with swimming, bathrooms, outdoor shower, and picnic tables. Located in Putnam County NY (15 miles to Beacon, 28 miles to Cornwall). No lifeguards - swim at your own risk. $7 parking per car. Best to get there by 11am as parking lot may fill up.
  • Lake Hennessey's Circleville Park - a 60-acre lake with beach, lifeguards, and pedal boats available for rent. $3 / person to swim. Open 10am-6pm M-F / 11am-7pm weekends. Located in Wallkill, NY (29 miles to Beacon, 30 miles to Cornwall).
  • ​Lake Tiorati Beach (Harriman State Park) - nice lake with sandy beach and swimming. Reaches capacity early on weekends, still quite full on weekdays, too. Swimming allowed 10am-5:45pm M-F / 11am-6:45pm weekends. Located in Rockland County NY (20 miles to Cornwall, 26 miles to Beacon).
  • Lake Welch Beach (Harriman State Park) - nice lake with sandy beach and swimming. Reaches capacity early on weekends, still quite full on weekdays, too. Swimming allowed 10am-5pm M-F / 9am-6:45pm weekends. Located in Rockland County NY (20 miles to Cornwall, 26 miles to Beacon).
  • Wawayanda Beach - large park with camping, hiking, lake swimming, and more. $10 / car on weekdays, $20 on weekends. Open for swimming 10am-6pm. Located in Hewitt NJ (30 miles from Cornwall, 45 miles from Beacon).
PLAYGROUNDS: ​
​​​​Mommy Poppins: Best Playgrounds in Hudson Valley
Waterfalls are best in spring! Check out the trickle in summer compared to the full blast in spring at Awosting Falls!!
HIKING:

Explore options and plan your hikes with All Trails App, NY NJ Trail Conference, or Hike the Hudson.
FARMS & ORCHARDS:
  • ** Barton Orchards - 175 acre farm with 1 admission price that includes petting zoo, pick your own produce, corn maze, fun park, haunted house, tap room, live music, ice cream stand, farm market. Treetop Ropes Course additional fee ($40/person for 3 hour block). Sunflower Festival Aug 7-9 and 14-16. Located in Poughquag NY (29 miles to Cornwall, 21 miles to Beacon).
  • ** DuBois Farms (see our video here) - Pick Your Own seasonal produce on a 70 acre farm. Masks required, no pets allowed. Farm market, cafe, and bakery. Visits with farm animals. Great "Tiny Town" play area and playground for kids. Tavern with hard cider, craft beer and wine. Porta potties and 2 nice indoor bathrooms behind where you pickup your produce boxes. Free admission & parking!! Open Daily 10am-5pm July 11 - November 25. Located in Highland NY (16 miles to Beacon, 19 miles to Cornwall).
  • Fishkill Farms - Pick Your Own produce by reservation only. Located in Hopewell JCT NY (20 miles to Cornwall, 12 miles to Beacon).
  • Hurds Family Farm - 120 acres of apple & pumpkin picking from August 29. Tons of kid-friendly activities from corn maze and bouncing to gem mining and feeding the animals (most starting in September). Drive through farm store, farm to table dining, family hayridge by appointment only. Located in Modena NY (20 miles from Cornwall, 17 miles from Beacon).
  • ​** Jones Farm (watch our video / tour here) - Home grown produce for purchase. Country Store. Dine in or order and pickup meals. Hayride & Pumpkin Patch September through Halloween. Located in Cornwall (12 miles to Beacon).​
  • Kelder's Farm - Activities include pick your own flowers / fruit / vegetables, jumping pillow, combine tractor slides, farm animals, mini golf, climbing spider web, corn maze, tube slides, wall games, fishing, giant tic tac toe & connect four, tether ball, apple canons, and more! Tickets for $15 or $25 at the door (discount online), based on package, ages 2 and under free. Season passes for $30/person or $99 for a family of 5. Technically in the Catskills, located in Kerhonkson (40 miles to Cornwall & Beacon)
  • Lawrence Farms Orchards - Pick Your Own Produce. Open 9am-4pm daily June - October. $5/person (under 2 years free) or get a season pass for $10/person. Concession stand. Located in Newburgh NY (11 miles to Cornwall, 8 miles to Beacon).
  • Minard's Family Farm - Opens September 12, 2020 for the season. Pick your own apples. No admission fee for wagon ride and apple picking, or to accompany a child but not participate in activities yourself. $12 Wrist Band includes unlimited play at the bouncy pillow, sand pit, chalk bus, petting zoo, spider web, pony hop, barnyard football and baseball, tug of war, tic-tac-toe, apple checkers, pumpkin bowling, tire mountain, peddle carts, corn maze and corn hole. $20 Super Wrist Band also includes gem mining, apple cannon (4 apples), One (1) ride on the busy bee train and One (1) small ice cream cone. Located in Clintonville NY (22 miles to Cornwall, 19 miles to Beacon).
  • Pierson's Farm - A natural beef farm with an October Festival from the last weekend in September through October includes pumpkin patch, hay ride, corn maze, petting zoo, play area, and evening haunted events. 10-6 weekends and 12:30-5 weekdays. Wristband $10 per person, $7.50 for seniors and military, 2 and under are free, includes 3 mazes, animals, spider web climb, tube glider swings, barnyard bingo game, and access to pumpkin patches (pumpkins range from .69 - .89 cents per pound). Located in Middletown NY (34 miles from Beacon, 35 miles from Cornwall).
  • ** Weed Orchards & Winery (watch our video here) - Pick your own produce; outdoor dining and live music, winery, yoga; no playground (but we found one open in the way back of the farm beyond the flowers), hayrides or corn maze due to covid policies. Free admission & parking (update: $3 per person on weekends and holidays). Located in Marlboro NY (15 miles to Cornwall, 12 miles to Beacon).
  • Wright's Farm - Pick Your Own seasonal produce on this 453 acre farm. $12 per adult (inc. 1 peck bag), $6 per child (inc. half peck bag. Located in Gardiner NY (20 miles to Cornwall, 18 miles to Beacon).
SUMMER: PUBLIC POOLS & SPLASH PADS:
  • Swimming lakes (see section at top of post)
  • Beacon Pool (closed summer 2020)
  • Bear Mountain Pool (currently closed)
  • Cornwall Community Pool (closed Summer 2020)
  • Delano Hitch Aquatics Center in Newburgh - 25 meter pool, 25' high water slide, spray zone, lockers & showers. **Probably old info from 2019: Open from June 24th to August 20th. There will be two sessions, 12:30pm to 2:45pm & 3:30pm to 5:45pm. Season pass $100 for family of 4. Daily pass (2.5 hours) $2 / adult, $1 / child. 2020 season not confirmed open.
  • Rockland Lake State Park & Pool - featuring a 25,000 square foot zero entry swimming pool with diving boards, sprayground, 2 large water slides, picnic area with grills, boat launch, hiking, tennis, golf, 3.2 mile paved trail around the lake, and great views of the Hudson River. **No confirmation if pool area is open Summer 2020. Located in Rockland County NY (28 miles from Cornwall, 33 miles from Beacon).
  • SplashDown Beach (closed Summer 2020)
  • Swimply - search for nearby private pools & jacuzzis to rent by the hour
  • Tallman Beach & Pool Club - a pool offering season and day passes, starting at $10 per child and $15 per adult. Featuring sandy beach area, adult pool, kiddie pool, swimming lessons, and summer concert series. Located in Sparkill NY (42 miles from Beacon, 38 miles from Cornwall).
DRIVE-IN MOVIES:
  • Fair Oaks Drive-In - Middletown NY - $20 / car or $40 carload family pack (popcorn, drinks, candy).
  • Newburgh Summer Drive-In on Ann Street - August 6 - Frozen II, August 13 - The Lion King (2019), August 20 - Abominable, August 27 - Space Jam; may arrive from 6pm, movie starts around 8:30pm (may reach capacity of 100 cars and 22 walk-ins before this). Cannot leave car except to switch seats, no restrooms or refreshments available.
  • Skyline Drive-In NYC (Brooklyn)
  • Story Screen Drive-In (Beacon) - $10/adult, $8/child, order concessions online
  • Warwick Drive-In - order concessions online, port-a-potties available
OTHER OUTDOOR FAMILY FUN:
WINTER: ICE SKATING - SNOW TUBING - SKIING

ICE SKATING:
SLOPES (SKIING / SNOWBOARD / TUBING) within 90min drive of Cornwall
  • Belleayre Mountain: Skiing. Highmount, NY (75 miles from Cornwall, 90min drive).
  • Big Bear at Masthope Mountain: Snow Tubing $30 / person, min 42" tall, 2 hour sessions, Saturday & Sunday only. Children 5 and under free lift ticket with paying adult; lift tickets $40 - $70 (vary by day / time). Lackawaxen, PA (74 miles from Cornwall; 90min drive).
  • Campgaw Mountain: Snow Tubing $20 - $30, min 42", max 300 pounds, 1 person per tube. Ski lift $24 - $47 (varies by day / time). Mahwah NJ (31 miles from Cornwall, 40 min drive).
  • Holiday Mountain Ski & Fun Park: Snow Tubing $20 / person, min 44" tall, Fri/Sat/Sun only, must purchase tubing tickets in advance. Lift tickets $27 - $42 (varies by day / time). Monticello, NY (47 miles from Cornwall; 1hr drive).
  • Hunter Mountain: Skiing. Hunter, NY (70 miles from Cornwall, 1hr 20min drive).
  • Mohawk Mountain: Snow Tubing $35/person, 1hr 45min sessions, Thurs-Sun, min 42". Skiing, $10 - $67 per person. Cornwall CT (61 miles from Cornwall, 90min drive).
  • Mountain Creek: Snow Tubing $30/person, min 42" and 5 years old, 2 hour sessions, 1 rider per tube, Wed-Sun. Ski passes $50-90; ages 6 and under free with paying adult. Vernon Township, NJ (36 miles from Cornwall, 1 hour drive).
  • Mount Peter Ski Area: Snow Tubing $30-35/adult, $20-25/child under 42" for "Little Tikes" area, 36"-48" child may ride tandem with paying adult, Thurs-Sat only, 600-foot tubing run. Must be 42" to ride solo. Skiing $35 - $67 / adult, 4 and under free with paying adult. Warwick NY (24 miles from Cornwall; 40min drive).
  • Mount Southington: Lift tickets $18 - $62. Plantsville, CT (82 miles from Cornwall, 90min drive).
  • Shawangunk Country Club: Snow Tubing $10 / person, children 5 and under free with paying adult. Ellenville, NY (36 miles from Cornwall, 1hr drive).
  • Shawnee Mountain: Snow Tubing $30/person midweek, $45/person weekend, limited number of tandem tubes available for 1 adult and a child 46" and under, tubing not recommended for under age 5. Lift tickets $40 - 70; 46" and under free with paying adult, 70+ free. Stroudsburg, PA (77 miles from Cornwall, 90min drive)
  • Thunder Ridge Ski Area: Lift tickets $25 - $65.
  • Victor Constant Ski Area at Westpoint: Daily snow pass M-F 3-9pm general public $27, weekends $32 (must be "authorized user" on weekends), discounts for DoD. Westpoint, NY (8 miles from Cornwall).