DO prices at the pump have you rethinking the family summer road trip? Get out of town! Seriously – there are some great day trips within two hours or so of the city, all reachable by train or bus (and the occasional short cab ride after).
With perks like that, who needs Mapquest – or gas? Here are our favorite quickie getaways.
SESAME PLACE
Even “big” kids no longer tickled by Elmo will have a blast at this Langhorne, Pa., park. Designed for the age 2- to 7-year-old set, its watery attractions range from a toddler-friendly Rubber Duckie Pond to the twisting twin water chutes of Sesame Streak, where parents and kids ride together.
Dry-land diversions include a new Sunny Day Carousel (a merry-go-round with Muppet-ized horses) and Ernie’s Bed Bounce, a giant air mattress kids can jump on with abandon.
Need to chill? Watch the Rock Around the Block parade or “Big Bird’s Beach Party,” or reserve a one-on-one meal with your fave character. (Breakfast with Cookie Monster, anyone?)
Pack a picnic and eat it at one of the outdoor tables, or fill up on soft-serve ice cream, pizza and funnel cakes. The park is open daily through Aug. 30 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Single-day admission is $47.95 for adults and children; those under 23 months old admitted free; (866) GO-4-ELMO.
MYSTIC AQUARIUM AND SEAPORT
There’s so much to do in Mystic, Conn., that you might want to make this a two- or even a three-day trip. Any way you slice it, there’s no better starting point than Mystic Aquarium.
More expansive than the aquarium at Coney Island but less overwhelming than Sea World, this one has smiley bottle-nosed dolphins and sinister-looking sharks, crowd-pleasing beluga whales and sea lions that bark and clap on demand in four performances daily.
Plan ahead – and prepare to shell out – to get Jacques Cousteau-close in Beluga Encounters, which let you touch a whale ($119 to $159) or spend an hour with the aquarium’s affable African penguins ($79). For reservations, call (860) 575-5922, ext. 520. Admission is $23 for adults, $17 for kids (ages 2 and under free).
Within walking distance is Mystic Seaport, an authentic 19th-century seafaring village – albeit one with a planetarium, printing press and souvenir T-shirts, and flanked by a flotilla of tall ships and other vessels you can cruise on. Consider buying a Mystic Pass Card ($49 for adults, $39 for kids ages 6 to 17, $20 for ages 3 to 5), which not only gets you into the aquarium but offers freebies and discounts throughout the seaport. It’s open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (860) 572-5922 http://www.mysticseaport.org
ESSEX STEAM TRAIN AND RIVERBOAT
Anyone who’s seen “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” may experience déjà vu at this Essex, Conn., attraction. And with reason: As “Bedford Station,” it played backdrop for the film’s big train-chase scene.
Your own ride aboard the vintage rail cars – pulled by an authentic steam locomotive – may not be quite as exciting as Harrison Ford and Shia LaBoeuf’s, but the trek will take you to Deep River Landing. From there, you can board the Becky Thatcher riverboat for a scenic, hour-long cruise.
After enjoying the breeze and snapping pics of Gillette Castle and Goodspeed Opera House (and, of course, the kids), it’s back on the train for your return trip to Essex. Make it more fun by popping for an extra $5 for a seat in the Parlor Car, a restored 1920s Pullman car with plush seats and beverage service. Ritzy!
Steam train/riverboat combo rides depart daily through Sept.1 at 11 a.m., 12:30 and 2 p.m. ($26 for adults, $13 for kids); (860) 767-0103.
BLACKBEARD’S CAVE
Don’t let the “Blackbeard” fool you: The only really pirate-like thing about this Bayville, NJ, attraction is the name. And while you won’t be walking the plank, there’s so much else to do here – play paintball, take your best swings in the batting cages, joust with giant foam-tipped batons and even scale a 30-foot climbing wall.
Been there, done that? Then try the Euro-Bungy Trampoline, which lets bungee cord-harnessed jumpers leap more than two stories high. Safely!
Less exhausting pursuits include riding a bumper boat (it’s like a bumper car, only it glides on water) through an ersatz cave; hopping on a go-cart to tool around the track, and dining at C.B. Huntington, the park’s railroad-themed restaurant.
Park admission is free, but the rides and activities are paid for by the ticket: $30 gets you a 45-ticket book (most things cost anywhere from 1 to 8 tickets). Blackbeard’s Cave is open daily from noon till dark through Labor Day; (732) 286-4414.
GETTING THERE
* Sesame Place, in Langhorne, Pa., is about two hours from Manhattan. Take NJ Transit train from Penn Station to Trenton, NJ; from the Trenton station, take the Septa bus R-127; njtransit.com.
* Essex Steam Train and Riverboat is about two hours from Manhattan. Take Amtrak from Penn Station to Old Saybrook, Conn., then take a short cab ride to Essex Station; (800) 872-7254.
* Mystic Aquarium and Seaport is a three-hour trip from Manhattan to Connecticut. Take Amtrak from Penn Station to the Mystic stop; from there, it’s just a mile-or-less cab ride to the aquarium and seaport.
* Blackbeard’s Cave, Bayville, NJ, is about 90 minutes away, via a NJ Transit bus from the Port Authority to Toms River. A connecting bus will take you to Bayville; njtransit.com