Play Area: Play and Sensory Stations
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Audubon Community Nature Center – Nature Center
Location: Jamestown, NY This nature center is located 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo, NY. The large interpretive nature center building has three floors with a huge variety of learning opportunity and hands-on exhibits for children. There are informational signs, interactive displays, live animals to view, and the third… Read more
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Blue Cut Nature Center
Location: Lyons, NY This beautiful hiking area is located 45 minutes east of Rochester, NY. We parked at the parking lot near the restrooms and picnic area then walked along the line of evergreen trees and past the field to the next pavilion and picnic area. According to the official website there are several trails… Read more
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Breese Park
Location: West Henrietta, NY We love this short, flat, stroller friendly trail located along the Genesee River 20 minutes southwest of Rochester, NY. The trail is a 1/2 mile stone dust loop with nature-themed play/exercise stations, informational signs, and musical instruments along the trail. There is also an exercise area for adults tucked in the… Read more
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Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens
Location: Buffalo, NY These beautiful indoor botanical gardens are located 1 hour 15 minutes west of Rochester, NY near Buffalo. There are multiple different rooms for different types of plants. The gardens are accessible and stroller friendly. There is a koi pond, a kids play area, an art gallery, restrooms, and a gift shop. There… Read more
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Genesee County Park & Forest – ACORNS Outdoor Learning Center
Location: East Bethany, NY This outdoor learning center is located 45 minutes west of Rochester, NY. The ACORNS Outdoor Learning Center is located right next to the Interpretive Center. There is a wildlife observation deck, gazebo, benches, large field, sensory garden, “messy materials” area, “discovery trail”, and more! I can’t wait to check this out… Read more
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Genesee County Park & Forest – Forestry Trail
Location: East Bethany, NY This beautiful 0.61 mile loop trail is located 45 minutes west of Rochester, NY. The Forestry trail is connected to many other trails in a large network. We accessed the trail via the 0.08 mile connector trail past Turtle Pond starting from the Interpretive Center parking lot, but there are other… Read more
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Genesee County Park & Forest – Interpretive Center
Location: East Bethany, NY This beautiful interpretive nature center is located 45 minutes west of Rochester, NY. There are numerous displays including interactive dioramas, animal taxidermy, birds nest matching, a working honeybee hive, and a live turtle. The children’s room includes many interactive and hands-on activities including fossil digging, puppet theater, scavenger hunt, books, puzzles,… Read more
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Ithaca Children’s Garden
Location: Ithaca, NY This is a magical and wonderful place to walk around in Ithaca, located 1.5 hours southeast of Rochester. There is so much to do! There is a giant turtle you can walk on, multiple gardens, a play area, story walk, music garden, troll house, playground, and so much more! Important Info from… Read more
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Letchworth State Park – Autism Nature Trail
Location: Castile, NY The Autism Nature Trail is located one hour southwest of Rochester, NY at Letchworth State Park. According to its website, “The Autism Nature Trail is for everyone—especially those with ASD and those with different levels of abilities—to visit, enjoy and explore nature.” It is a beautiful trail through the woods with sensory… Read more
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RMSC Cumming Nature Center – Visitor Center
ocation: Naples, NY RMSC Cumming Nature Center is located an hour south of Rochester, NY. The visitor center includes accessible restrooms, a multi-purpose space downstairs, permanent exhibits located in the main lobby, a nature play room full of hands-on, educational activities for kids, the Riedman Theater with a movie screen and seating for up to 100 people, and the… Read more
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Trillium Nature Center – Interpretive Center
Location: North Java, NY This Buffalo Audubon Society nature center (formerly Beaver Meadows Nature Center is located 1.25 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 40 minutes from Buffalo. The interpretive center has both live and taxidermy animals, informational signs, and play areas for kids of various ages. The nature center has a carry-in/carry-out policy –… Read more
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Veterans Memorial Park (Penfield)
Location: Penfield, NY This Veterans Memorial Park (not to be confused with the one in Henrietta or the one in Rush) is located 15 minutes east of Rochester. Near the playground is the stroller friendly TotTrail – a short 300-foot paved path with a few fitness stations geared toward kids (monkey bars, curved balance beams,… Read more
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Wickham Farms
Location: Penfield, NY This beautiful farm is located 15 minutes east of Rochester, NY. The farm is open seasonally for different activities like picking apples, sunflowers, and pumpkins. Depending on the season, there are tractor rides, photo ops, rides and play areas for kids, live animals, a barn to play in corn, a corn maze,… Read more
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The Wild Center – Raquette River Roll
Location: Tupper Lake, NY The Wild Center is located in the Adirondacks 4 hours northeast of Rochester, NY. The Raquette River Roll runs along the new Fen Trail – a path through the forest that leads down to the Raquette River. The Fen Trail is 1 mile long, mostly stone dust surface, and is accessible… Read more
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The Wild Center – Wild Walk
Location: Tupper Lake, NY The Wild Center is located in the Adirondacks 4 hours northeast of Rochester, NY. The Wild Walk is a trail of bridges in the treetops of the forest. There is a four-story twig tree house, a spider’s web to walk on, and a bald eagle’s nest at the highest point with… Read more