Theme & Amusement Parks in Hampton Bays

When you think you’ve walked as far east as you can go at the Long Island Aquarium, keep walking, and you’ll enter the realm of the adjacent Long Island Exhibition Center. Recent exhibitions include the Butterflies and Birds! display, which gathers more different species of butterflies and multiple types of birds, as well as archerfish for a stunning and vivid exhibit set to a storybook theme. Much like a larva’s youth, the exhibit isn’t permanent, but Executive Director Bryan DeLuca comments, “…Even though the exhibit will only be on display for a limited engagement, we encourage visitors to linger as long as they like while they can."

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.

With whirling colorful lights and a top-40 playlist, Roller Kingdom could give visitors the illusion that they're in a nightclub. But instead of dancing on the floor, guests strap on rollerblades or roller skates to glide across it. Novice skaters can improve their form during lessons or trade in their skates for laser-tag equipment and duel it out with friends in order to win prize tickets and the right to wear a homemade laser-tag championship belt made out of tinfoil. Outside the rink and laser-tag den, guests can play arcade games or belt out their favorite songs on the karaoke stage.

Fun Station USA fills its indoor space with the scaled-down amenities of an amusement park, such as mechanical rides, a multileveled maze, and a large concession stand stocked with carnival cuisine. At all hours of operation, the air buzzes with excitement—a byproduct of jingle-jangling machines, flashing lights, and splashes of color at every corner. After acquiring tickets from myriad arcade games that include skee-ball and air-cannon shooting galleries, revelers head to the redemption counter to exchange their winnings for prizes and foreign currency.

The phosphorescent indoor landscape at Monster Mini Golf immerses putters in an eerie universe that inverts the sun-soaked cheer of conventional courses. Rimmed in glowing barriers, 18 holes lure swingers of all sizes to challenge their coordination and resolve in the face of winged monsters, scowling animated trees, a creepy clown, and their opponents' shockingly dazzling smiles. Sheltered from searing rain and howling wind, the indoor course enables play around hazards such as a spell well and luminous, ghostly windmill at any time of the year. An in-house radio station and DJ mask the sound of pounding hearts with lively beats and course commentary, and golfers looking for additional glory can win prizes by participating in regular contests or at the on-site arcade.

Bayville Adventure Park stretches across land rumored to have been passed down by the pirate patriarch of the Bay family. Here, visitors can capture the Bays’ adventurous spirit by immersing themselves in adrenaline-pumping explorations. Attractions include the Mystery Funhouse, the Bungee Bounce Dome, and the Lost Temple of the Forgotten Maze, which showcases ancient artifacts such as ceremonial daggers, painted skulls, and the widely unpopular square wheel. Visitors also can attempt to scale an indoor rock wall and earn redemption prizes at the arcade, whose $500,000 worth of games include skee-ball and air hockey. To reenergize between activities, guests can stop by one of three onsite restaurants for hot dogs, pasta, or, if they’re old enough, a glass of beer or wine.