Although located only 33 miles from New York City, White Plains is hardly a sleepy suburb. Whatever your idea of fun is, White Plains can make it happen. From fine arts to culinary arts and from nature therapy to retail therapy- here are six ways to live it up in White Plains.
Take to the Skies
White Plains’ location in Westchester County means amazing views as soon as you lift off the ground. Local helicopter tour operators offer flights over NYC for some urban magnificence and fall foliage tours where you can marvel at the autumnal color bursts of red, orange and yellow in the Hudson Valley. Whether during the day, at sunset or at night, these aerial tours are a thrilling and breathtaking experience and the highlight of any vacation.
If you’d rather fly the helicopter yourself than be taken on a tour, why not sign up for some pilot lessons too?
Enjoy the Great Outdoors
White Plains offers some beautiful parks to enjoy a hike, a picnic, some tree-hugging and bird watching.
- Saxon Woods Park, which stretches over 700 acres, has a pool, aquatic playground, 18-hole golf course and mini-golf on top of its gorgeous hiking trails, making it a perfect place to enjoy a family outing in nice weather.
- Silver Lake Preserve, which used to be a Quaker settlement known as Stony Rock, is a 236-acre park offering beautiful trails through woodlands and fields- wonderful for reflection and quiet roaming.
- Cranberry Lake Preserve is a sanctuary for migratory birds, turtles, and other animals, thanks to the variety of habitats it provides. The 190-acre park includes a hardwood forest, swamp, vernal pools, cliffs, and scrubland. The history trail leads visitors to the remains of a 19th-century farmhouse and an early 20th century stone mine. Family-oriented nature programs are on offer at the nature center every weekend.
Wine, Dine and Realize Your Hidden Creative Self
Muse Paintbar’s White Plains branch provides a great mix of tasty treats, boozy delights, and artistic expression. It offers daily painting sessions with professional art instructors where you can follow instructions or jazz it up and follow your muse. Patrons enjoy painting while being served fresh food from Muse’s own kitchen and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from the bar. Some fine food choices include classic bruschetta, French bread pizza, and calzone, while the bar provides a daily selection of wine and beer as well as red and white sangria. All ages are welcome and no experience is necessary to enjoy this fun and creative activity. In addition to their open events, Muse also caters to private events, kids’ parties and charity events.
Bike down the Bronx River Pathway
The Bronx River Pathway stretches over 13.2 miles from the NYC line to Valhalla, parallel to the Bronx River. The pathway, which happens to be the first of the nation’s parkways, offers beautiful views for hikers, bikers, and nature lovers. There are no motorized vehicles allowed on the eight-mile trail for safety and conservation reasons. The pathway is open every day from 8 a.m. to dusk.
Get Something Cooking
A cooking class isn’t just a fun way to spend an afternoon- it’s a long term investment which has the potential to make every meal time more pleasurable for eons and generations to come. Cooking classes allow you to pursue your passion for spicy Thai cuisine, educate yourself on healthy cooking, dabble in French pastries and learn the secrets of homemade pasta, in a fun and hands-on way. In White Plains, there are two places to go if you want to hone your cooking skills- Williams-Sonoma and Sur La Table. Since both are located in one of the city’s prominent malls- The Westchester- you can enjoy some nice shopping before or after class.
Catch a Show at the White Plains Performing Arts Center
Opened in 2003, the White Plains Performing Arts Center is a small and comfortable venue where you can enjoy the local talent and catch national acts on occasion in the fields of theater, dance, music, and comedy. The center is committed to serving White Plains’ growing community of art lovers and artists and the development of the city as a thriving cultural center.
