Don't Miss These April Season Openings

April is a month where a lot of folks wake up from their winter hibernation to once again head outdoors and enjoy some fresh air again. And knowing this, many seasonal businesses choose April as the time to re-open for the warm weather season.

We will be missing many of these openings given our trip to Hawaii (woot! woot!), but you certainly do not have to miss the fun. Here are a bunch of cool things opening for the season this April.  Let me know in the comments if you make it to any of these while I’m away. I can’t wait to check them out when we’re back.

Storm King Art Center, Cornwall, NY: REOpening April 3rd

Storm King Art Center is an enormous 500 acre outdoor sculpture garden in Cornwall, New York that will open again for the season on Wednesday, April 3rd. Even a casual fan of art will be blown away by the sheer size and grandness of the sculptures at Storm King. Kids will love running around and spotting new art on top of hills and in the distance.  Before you visit, spend some time with the grounds map on their website to figure out what sculptures you most want to see - among other things, the map indicates which sculptures are interactive or able to be touched. 

Boundless Adventures, Purchase,  NY: REOpening April 5th

Now that we have an older child the words “Aerial Adventure Park” are suddenly in our vocabulary. This winter our 7 year old was brave enough to tackle the indoor ropes course at Palisades Center and I know she will equally love the outdoor version this spring.

So we will be sure to hit Boundless Adventures in Purchase, NY, which offers four different types of ropes courses of varying skill and difficulty levels in a woodsy outdoor setting not very far from my home. Climbers must be at least 7 years old to hit the beginner course, and only certain course levels can be accessed by children under 14. Each climber gets three hours during which to explore the courses. The 2019 climbing season begins on Friday, April 5th and reservations are already booking up.

Pleasantville Farmers’ Market, Pleasantville, NY: REOpening April 6th

The proliferation of farmers’ markets is one of the best things about modern times and we are lucky to have some really great markets all over the tri-state. While some markets are open year-round, others are seasonal - and frankly, even the year-round markets begin to shine their brightest come spring.  Nearly every town has a farmers’ market these days and that is pretty darn awesome.

In Westchester, probably the biggest and best of the farmers’ markets is the Pleasantville Farmers’ Market. This year-round market moves outdoors for the season as of Saturday, April 6th. Join the vendors at Memorial Plaza (next to the Pleasantville train station) each Saturday from 8:30am to 1pm.

smorgasburG,brooklyn, NY: reopening april 6th, 7th and 12th (by location)

If you live within a 60 mile radius of NYC, you must, at least once, hit Smorgasburg on a sunny day. The hugely popular and just generally huge food market attracts around 30,000 people to Brooklyn each weekend.

Join the crowds (and bring an empty stomach) on Saturdays in Williamsburg (90 Kent Avenue in east River State Park) beginning as of Saturday, April 6th, and on Sundays in Prospect Park (East Drive at Lincoln Road) beginning as of Sunday, April 7th. In both locations, Smorgsburg hours are 11am to 6pm each week.

This year Smorgasburg will also make its way to Manhattan every Friday, starting April 12th, at the World Trade Center Oculus Plaza. The WTC hours are 11:30am to 7pm.

brooklyn flea, brooklyn ny: reopening april 6th and 7th (by location)

If you prefer antique shopping and collectibles to stuffing your face with food, then check out the Brooklyn Flea, the equally iconic flea market counterpart to Smorgasburg. The Flea is also in Williamsburg on Saturdays, beginning April 6th (so very easy to hit both markets on the same day), from 11am to 6pm at the Williamsburg Hotel (96 Wythe Avenue, 2nd level patio). On Sundays, starting April 7th, the Flea is in DUMBO from 10am to 6pm at the Manhattan Bridge Archway (80 Pearl Street).

ELephant’s trunk, new milford, ct: reopening april 7th

Up north, Elephant’s Trunk is a popular New England flea market that has been operating since 1976. The market re-opens for the season on Sunday, April 7th and meets every Sunday thereafter through December.

Unlike the NYC markets which give visitors ample time to sleep in and have a leisurely pre-market breakfast, at Elephant’s Trunk, the VERY early birds get the worms. The gates to Elephant’s Trunk open at 4:15am (!!) and the first folks in (coined “Super-Early Buyers” by the market), pay a whopping $40 admission for their first priority access to the goods.  “Early Buyers” are those who enter the market between 5:45am and 7am at a $20 admission price.  The rest of us who are not hardcore flea market obsessive are the “Regular Buyers”, who enter after 7am and pay just $2 to enter (children under 10 free). Elephant’s Trunk closes each Sunday by 3:30pm.

Hester Street Fair, LES, NY: ReOpening April 13th

The Hester Street Fair is another very popular outdoor food and flea market, this time on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. On  Saturday, April 13th from 11am to 6pm the Hester Street Market opens for its 10th season. There will be all kinds of delicious eats to try and markets to shop, as well as performances and people watching. The market takes place every Saturday through the warm weather season on the corner of Essex and Hester.

Trendmat Boutique, Millwood, NY: Opening April 16th

A brand new micro-boutique selling adorable on trend accessories (Think: hair, bags, jewelry and OMG glittery sneaker tassels!) for women and girls is set to open inside an old and very tiny former Fotomat kiosk in Milwood, NY on April 16th. The boutique is founded by my friend and mother to two boys, Sarah Shapiro. She’s yet to open her doors and I’m already blown away by how damn good she is at this. Follow her at @trend_mat and visit her soon! I cannot wait to hit the store with my little ladies.

Dinosaur Safari at the Bronx Zoo, Bronx, NY: Opening April 19th

Dinosaur Safari is back and bigger than ever at the Bronx Zoo beginning on April 19th. Guests will board a narrated safari ride through 2 acres of wooded area in search of dinosaurs. The ride will include forty life-size animatronic dinosaurs! This is not to be missed and the ride is included in your regular “Total Experience” admission fee to the zoo.  Visit the Bronx Zoo website for dinosaur related activities and events happening throughout the summer. And while at the Zoo, don’t miss Nature Trek and Treetop Adventures.

Queens Night Market, Corona Park, NY: REOpening April 20th

Beginning on April 20th, the Queens Night Market, an outdoor food focused, family friendly night market featuring vendors from all over the Borough of Queens, returns to the parking area of the New York Hall of Science.   It has been our goal to get ourselves to this market for the past few seasons and this year, it WILL happen.

The market is normally free to enter, but on April 20th and April 27th, advance $5 admission tickets are sold to provide visitors on those nights with a less crowded experience known as “Sneak Peak” nights. Bring the kids and an empty stomach! The market will continue every Saturday from 5pm to midnight through the fall.

Walters Hot Dog Stand, Stamford, CT: REOpening April 2019

Walter’s Hot Dog Stand has been an institution in Mamaroneck, NY since 1919. And lucky for the folks of Westchester, you can visit that roadside stand year round for your hot dog fix - plus there’s even an indoor Walter’s location in White Plains nowadays. For those of us in CT, we have to wait until April for the reopening of the seasonal Walters Hot Dog Stand at 200 Commons Park South in Stamford.  But good things come to those who wait - the Stamford Walter’s is located mere steps from the Harbor Point Commons Park playground. On a beautiful spring day, there’s nothing better than grabbing dinner and ice cream at Walter’s and then hitting the playground.

New Canaan Farmers’ Market, New canaan, ct: REOpening April 27th

The New Canaan Farmers’ Market at 64 Maple Street is another great outdoor seasonal market that attracts some of the best local produce, meat and fish vendors. And unlike some other local markets, the New Canaan Farmers’ Market meets on Saturdays - when many folks, including myself, are off from work.  Join the New Caanan Farmers’ Market on April 27th for its Spring Fling at Opening Day! From then on, the market will be booming every Saturday from 10am to 2pm.