As a native Australian living in New York for the past 10 years, I’ve never dedicated the time that perhaps I should have to exploring the city’s treasure trove of day trips.  From tucked away neighborhoods to monuments and off-the beaten track parks, I’ve taken for granted all that this magical city has to offer.

Now that I have two young girls who love to explore the world as much as I do, I’ve made a point to plan new day trips in and around the city. Almost every block of New York is filled with history and I love the look on my girls’ faces when I tell them a story about a specific building or area. My youngest daughter Chloe points out the different colors atop the Empire State Building at night almost every time she sees it and asks me what the different colors represent (recently it was red/white/blue for Independence Day and the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to NYC). My oldest daughter Natasha loves to tell the story about how the Central Park Zoo essentially started when New Yorkers began dropping off “poor little animals that nobody wanted!” With summer upon us, now is the perfect time to explore new places with your little ones. Need some ideas? Here are a few places that you and your family will love.

- Tracey Frost Rensky, CEO and Co-founder, Citibabes

You’ve been living in New York City for half of your adult life, and you still haven’t made it to the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, or the Cloisters.  Make this your summer to explore the city and its surrounding areas with day trips that are chock full of parks, play spaces, and cultural gems for all ages.

Bronx Beauty

Wander through Wave Hill (West 249th St. and Independence Ave., 718-549-3200), a lush 28-acre garden overlooking the Hudson River and the Palisades, where you’ll enjoy kid-friendly programming all summer long.  Family yoga on Fridays and Family Art Projects on Saturdays (admission is free until noon) offer serene spaces to stretch, play, and roam free.  Children ages 3 and up will love Stories in the Garden, a series of tales that are perfect for young naturalists.  Explore the woodlands and gardens with a Nature in the Garden – Discovery Walk (July 11^th; register at www.wavehill.org or at 718-549-3200 x305, or at the Perkins Visitor Center) where kids and their parents or caregivers learn about the habitats of insects, flowers, trees, and birds. Sign up for a delicious Sunday brunch (email wavehillcafe@greatperformances.com or call 718-549-3200 x395) or pack a picnic and find a spot in the shade. Located just 30 minutes from midtown, Wave Hill will leave you feeling like you’ve been to an English garden.

Island Times

Take a free ferry from Manhattan or Brooklyn to Governor’s Island, a beautiful public park just 800 yards off lower NYC that is open through October 11.  Bring bikes or rent them upon arrival (adult bikes, $15 for 2 hours, $20 all day; children’s bikes, $12 for 2 hours, $25 all day; visit bikeandroll.com or call 1-866-RENT-A-BIKE) and cycle along pristine paths before enjoying a snack at Picnic Point. Parents and children alike will be delighted by the Interactive Sculpture Garden & Mini Golf Course which features 11 World’s Fair-themed holes. Visit the Added Value 3-acre organic farm where you’ll find locally-grown produce and flowers, before heading to Water Taxi Beach for sun, sand, and live music.

Staten Island’s Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden (1000 Richmond Terrace, 718-448-2500) features 83 acres of green spaces, an enormous collection of Greek Revival buildings, plus the fantastic Staten Island Children’s Museum. A stroll through the Chinese Scholar’s Garden followed by a summer concert makes for the perfect city escape.

Northern Exposures

If you’re looking for a substantial day trip, head one hour north to Storm King, a gorgeous sculpture park set amidst 500 acres of hills, fields, and forests. Kids will love running free and exploring massive works by such great 20^th Century artists as Maya Lin, Isamu Noguchi, Louise Nevelson and Roy Lichtenstein. Lin’s Wavefield is just that: an 11-acre landscape of undulating fields that invites children to run, roll, and frolic.

For even more picturesque fun head further north to Dutchess County, where you’ll find the quaint town of Rhinebeck, NY.  Located two hours from NYC, it offers the perfect haute hippie mix of nature, delicious food, plus the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome.  Kids will love the old-school air shows featuring vintage planes, cars, and motorcycles, as well as circus acts and dance performances at Bard College’s Spiegeltent.  Feast on fresh pasta and seasonal produce at Mercato Osteria-Enoteca (61 E. Market St., 845-758-5879) in nearby Red Hook, NY, followed by killer soft-serve ice cream cones at Del’s (6780 U.S. 9, 845-876-4111). If possible, hit the Dutchess County Fair (Aug. 24-27) for thrilling rides, fried food, horse shows and more.

Now, here’s to a great summer!

By Christina Ohly Evans, Citibabes Travel Expert