Have a blast at Rye Playland. Photo by Meagan Newhart

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Task-tackling service Taskrabbit is able to take on tons of back-to-school projects you may not have even considered outsourcing.

Find Trusted Babysitters and Nannies Now on Mommy Poppins–Powered by Care.com

Roll out the rainbow flag and celebrate Pride Month in Peekskill this June. Photo courtesy of Peekskill Pride

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Make a splash at the Muddy Puddles Mess Fest. Photo courtesy of the fest

20 Best Things To Do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley August 2023

Cool off at Splashdown Beach this summer. Photo courtesy of Spalshdown

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Tour the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, an annual rite of fall. Courtesy Historic Hudson Valley

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Take the family to the gorgeous Fawn's Leap for a day of swimming.

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Make a splash at Saxon Woods Pool, which is Westchester 's biggest pool. Photo courtesy of Westchester County Parks

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Jump and play at The Play Place in Elmsford.

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Catch summer flicks at Movies Under the Walkway in Poughkeepsie. Photo courtesy of the event

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Rye Town Beach is is a great for families. Photo courtesy of the the town

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Make a splash at Croton Point Beach. Photo courtesy of Westchester County

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Bartaco has a full kids menu and outdoor seating by the water in Port Chester.

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Kids love a birthday party filled with games and pizza at Chuck E. Cheese. Photo courtesy of Chuck E. Cheese

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The Rock Club Summer Camp promotes fitness, team-building, and confidence.

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Summer camps are a great way to make new friends and develop new skills

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Summer Camps Guide for Westchester Kids

Romp through the woods in the beautiful Catskills. Photo by Deborah Dadlani

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Head to the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum from 5-8 pm on the third Saturday of the month to explore the museum for free, Photo by the author

Free Museums and Museum Days in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

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Kids can become ninja warriors at RoamFurther Athletics summer camp. Photo courtesy of the camp

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Kids can run, swing, slide, and even make music at Sally’s Dream Playground. Photo by the author

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The Ausable Chasm has been described as the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks and it's one of our top 100 things to do in New York State with kids. Photo by Anna Fader

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Westchester kids will love a visit during FREE hours at the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum. Photo by KD

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The Dinosaur Garden offers a short walk, fun dino sightings, and educational, easy-to-read signs. Photo by Marisa Iallonardo

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Creating a baking soda volcano is a classic science experiment for kids. Photo by Sara Marentette Nighswander

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Kids can while away hours of a day with a set of watercolors and a stack of new paper for painting.

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25+ Awesome Santa Activities for Kids in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

Santa greets visitors at Holiday on Huguenot Street in New Paltz. Courtesy of the event

11/22/19 - By Susan Miele

For those who celebrate Christmas, the holiday season is hardly complete without a trip to visit Santa—so we've rounded up more than 25 Santa activities in Westchester and the Hudson Valley. From traditional mall photo ops to meals with Santa, train rides with Santa, painting with Santa—even skydiving Santa—we've got the goods on where to see the man with the bag. Incredibly, most of these events are FREE.

As a reminder, any event that requires or recommends advance reservations (especially if it's FREE!) should be pounced on, as these often sell out weeks in advance. Some might be gone by the time you finish reading this sentence.

But there's more! Also refer to our list of Santa breakfasts, tree lightings, and other holiday activities for even more opportunities for Santa encounters. And to optimize the season, check out our Must-Do Holiday Experiences for Westchester Kids and where to see performances of The Nutcracker and other holiday shows. Our Event Calendar is also loaded with events—many of which are FREE—and more are being added daily!

Beyond the events below, keep in mind that all the area malls have ongoing Santa ops, including the Cross County Shopping Center, Ridge Hill, The Westchester, the Jefferson Valley Mall, the Poughkeepsie Galleria, and the Palisades Mall, to name a few.