Things to Do in Central Islip

Brightly colored pennants embellish the ceiling at Port Jeff Bowl, but bowling skills demonstrated in the lanes below are what attract attention. Players hurl balls toward pins for fun or team up with peers to play in one of many leagues, divided by age and whether or not a player is tall enough to ride a roller coaster. On Tuesday nights from 9:30 to midnight, athletes enjoy an unlimited amount of fun during Bottomless Bowling. And after hours spent satiating competitive impulses built up over years of being benched during tag, patrons can quench thirsts and appetites with a beer and bite at Splitz Sports Bar. The alley also hosts parties and private events for up to 200 guests, which lets partygoers pair play with pizza, soda, or buffet fare in the 11th Frame Lounge.

Settle traffic arguments by challenging an opposing driver to a duel on Boomers!'s speedy go-carts. Or just cruise solo, banking curves and outdriving total strangers in a wild day of rubber-burning and dust-eating. For crashtastic thrills, climb aboard a bumper boat and drift on the waterscape, floating amok and gleefully broadsiding fellow captains. A bit of the briny seeps into Boomers!'s mini-golf range, where it creates a sparkling blue hazard to complement the verdant greens. Finish the day with a feeling of accomplishment that comes only from climbing Boomers!'s big, giant rock wall. The 32-foot climbing surface has a variety of handholds and different climbing options, so explore them all with the three climbs. Be sure to check Boomers! Medford's hours before heading out.

The FAA-certified instructors at Nassau Flyers have helped countless students obtain pilot licenses since 1976. Today, their rental fleet still roars to life, lifts off from Republic Airport, and soars into the skies above Long Island's shorelines and New York City's iconic skyline. Nestled within the likes of a Cessna 152 or a Piper Cruiser PA28-140, the instructors let students take the controls during their very first lesson, and then guide them all the way to FAA licensure.

The ground school complements this in-air training with classroom work and simulator time. Their Redbird FMX full-motion simulator wraps students in a fully enclosed cockpit and lets them practice various scenarios. When not training the next generation of pilots, Nassau Flyers' staff is often in the hanger maintaining aircrafts or anxiously awaiting the new Wilbur Wright action figure to put in their pilot shop.

[[m:####Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum

Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum's staff of maritime experts collate the histories, folklore, and artifacts that illustrate Long Island's relationship with the sea. The museum's collection ensures an in-depth look at Long Island's history of whaling with more than 6,000 artifacts and archival objects, including the only fully equipped 19th-century whaling boat with the original furniture and scrimshaw flat-screen television. Interactive education courses for all ages teach kids about the oceanic sciences and engage them in themed arts-and-crafts events. Adult workshops range from drawing and sketching seminars to book readings and discussions. Before leaving, guests can peruse the gift shop, which brims with knickknacks and doodads for all ages, including boatswain's whistles and ships in bottles.:m]]

In two separate jump rooms furnished with up to four huge inflatables each, kids bound off bounce-house walls, slip down air-filled slides, and navigate energy-burning obstacle courses. When taking breaks from bouncing, they challenge each other to games of skee-ball, Dance Dance Revolution, and pinball in the game room, replete with a Wii lounge and ball blaster. Kids can invade the activity-filled fun house during open-play times or birthday parties, which include private party-room space, game tokens, and DVD slide shows of the festivities.