Mount Pleasant, NY
Lifestyle
New Hudson Valley Theme Park LEGOLAND Celebrates Opening, Now Taking Bookings New Hudson Valley Theme Park LEGOLAND Celebrates Opening, Now Taking Bookings
New Hudson Valley Theme Park Legoland Celebrates Opening, Now Taking Bookings The first new major theme park in the northeast in decades has been built up brick by brick as the Hudson Valley celebrates the grand opening of LEGOLAND New York in Orange County. On Friday, July 9, after years of development, officials announced the full opening of the LEGOLAND New York Resort in Goshen, which is the first new major theme park in the region in more than 40 years. The 150-acre project, which has been years in the making, is the first LEGOLAND theme park in the Northeast, the third in the United States, and the ninth in the world. It had been opening in phases througho…

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by Zak Failla
Bedford, NY
Lifestyle
$30 Million Swimming Pool To Open At State Park In Northern Westchester $30 Million Swimming Pool To Open At State Park In Northern Westchester
$30 Million Swimming Pool To Open At State Park In Northern Westchester A state park in the Hudson Valley is getting a $30 million improvement as they open up a brand new swimming pool to replace an outdated facility originally built in the 1960s. Officials in New York announced the opening of a $30 million swimming pool at Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park in Yorktown Heights as part of a larger project to improve facilities at the state parks system’s largest pool, which covers just under an acre in surface area. "The swimming pool at Frank D. Roosevelt State Park will provide family fun for residents and visitors,” Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “With inves…

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by Zak Failla
Reading, PA
Lifestyle
COVID-19: Popular Vacation Spot Offering Vaccinations To Visitors In Push To Lure Tourists COVID-19: Popular Vacation Spot Offering Vaccinations To Visitors In Push To Lure Tourists
Covid-19: Popular Vacation Spot Offering Vaccinations To Visitors In Push To Lure Tourists If you are dreaming of the white sands of the Maldives Islands and don't have a COVID-19 vaccine, no problem. The island is offering travelers vaccinations on arrival. In an interview on CNBC on Wednesday, April 14, the country's Tourism Minister Abdulla Mausoom told the network that the offer is part of its "3V" initiative aimed at drawing tourists to the hard-hit island resort located southwest of Sri Lanka and India. The strategy, Mausoom said, is to "visit, vaccinate, and vacation." Currently, visitors to the islands must provide a negative polymerase chain reaction test and proof of h…

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by Kathy Reakes
Massapequa, NY
Lifestyle
COVID-19: New Report Projects How Long It Will Take NYC Tourism To Return To Pre-Pandemic Level COVID-19: New Report Projects How Long It Will Take NYC Tourism To Return To Pre-Pandemic Level
Covid-19: New Report Projects How Long It Will Take NYC Tourism To Return To Pre-Pandemic Level It could be years until tourism fully recovers from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report. In a report from NYC & Company released on Monday, Nov. 16, due to a lack of international tourists expected back in the Big Apple for some time due to the pandemic, as well as domestic travel restrictions, the city may not return to its 2019 pre-pandemic level before 2025. According to NYC & Company, which commissioned the study, a return to normalcy and tourism largely hinges on when or if a vaccine is distributed, and how effective it is. NYC & Company’s repor…

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by Zak Failla
Newburgh, NY
Lifestyle
Here Are Top 10 Hotspots For Fall Foliage In Orange County Here Are Top 10 Hotspots For Fall Foliage In Orange County
Here Are Top 10 Hotspots For Fall Foliage In Orange County The Orange County Tourism Department has compiled a list of the Top 10 spots to check out fall foliage this season. “You need to get here! So, grab your sweater and discover why fall is the most beautiful time of the year in the Hudson Valley,” said Orange County Tourism Director Amanda Dana. “As the leaves change, the rolling hills and mountains of our region transform into a tapestry of vibrant colors.  "The eye-popping change begins in mid-September, building to a riot of red, orange, copper, and gold throughout October. With scenic vistas and hundreds of miles of trails, take in th…

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by Christina Coulter
Tappan-Blauvelt, NY
Business
New Hotel Opens In Rockland For First Time In Seven Years New Hotel Opens In Rockland For First Time In Seven Years
New Hotel Opens In Rockland For First Time In Seven Years The first new hotel in Rockland County for the last seven years opened on Wednesday, Sept. 9 after a three-year construction process. The Spring Valley location at 90 Spring Valley Marketplace off I-87 exit 14 is the 85th Element by Westin location worldwide, and features apartment-style rooms with kitchenettes, a gym, a heated indoor pool, a hot breakfast buffet and a sleek bar in its lobby.  “The new hotel offers another great reason for travelers to get off the NYS Thruway and stay in Rockland. This new Element will help energize the revamped Spring Valley Marketplace and Rockland’s…

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by Christina Coulter
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
Lifestyle
Meet Animals Of Historic Morris County Farm With Drive-Thru Visits Meet Animals Of Historic Morris County Farm With Drive-Thru Visits
Meet Animals Of Historic Morris County Farm With Drive-Thru Visits Fosterfields Living Farms in Morris Township is adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic with an unconventional yet creative option for local tourists: a drive-thru farm. Unlike a typical drive-thru, no burgers or fries are involved — instead, drive-thru farm guests can visit the 213-acre property and see some of its most popular attractions like retired Belgian draft horse Hobbes, Carl the ox and Jersey cows, Daily Record reports. Regularly scheduled attractions and activities remain closed, but guests can marvel at the 18th-century farm’s natural demonstrations, which include milking cows, churn…

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by Valerie Musson
Lakewood, NJ
News
Popular Jersey Shore Beach Towns Limit Passes Due To Crowds Popular Jersey Shore Beach Towns Limit Passes Due To Crowds
Popular Jersey Shore Beach Towns Limit Passes Due To Crowds Two Jersey Shore beach towns are limiting the number of beach passes due to crowds. Belmar is capping the passes sold at 7,500 and Manasquan is limiting them to 1,000 per day on weekends, for any type of pass. Both were in effect as of Saturday. The new Belmar policy will "fluctuate to a lower number" depending on how many seasonal badge holders are on beaches and the tides on any given day, the borough's office of emergency management said. Certain Manasquan beaches will close for further access after they reach capacity, Council President Mike Mangan said. Parking lots will close, too, h…

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by Cecilia Levine
Jersey City, NJ
News
Kearny Firm's 'Doors-Off' Copter Tours May Not Meet Safety Standards: Report Kearny Firm's 'Doors-Off' Copter Tours May Not Meet Safety Standards: Report
Kearny Firm's 'Doors-Off' Copter Tours May Not Meet Safety Standards: Report The Kearny branch of a company that offers "doors off" helicopter tours of major cities, including New York, may fail to meet some safety requirements, according to an FAA inspection cited by The New York Post.  FlyNYON has been under investigation by another agency, the National Transportation Safety Board, since March 2018, when a helicopter crashed in the East River and sank. Five people died.  The company has come under fire by lawmakers including Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) since the crash.   During an inspection Tuesday, the FAA found potential problems with the har…

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by Paul Milo
DV Plus - Westchester, NY
Politics
Attendance At Playland Amusement Park On The Rise Once Again Attendance At Playland Amusement Park On The Rise Once Again
Attendance At Playland Amusement Park On The Rise Once Again After a rollercoaster of a decade, attendance at the county-owned Playland Amusement Park was up this summer by more than 10 percent over the 2018 season, according to Westchester officials. The good news coincides with the county cancelling its contract with Standard Amusements, which hoped to take over management of the park in Rye. Playland's 2019 attendance was 508,413, compared with 460,160 in 2018. In contrast, more than 1 million people visited Playland Amusement Park, its pool and beachfront in Rye during the 1999 summer season. The last year that attendance was so strong was in 20…

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by Jon Craig
Fairfield, CT
Politics
Big Fish: Neighboring Governors Cuomo, Lamont Talk Transportation, Tourism, Tolls -- And Trout Big Fish: Neighboring Governors Cuomo, Lamont Talk Transportation, Tourism, Tolls -- And Trout
Big Fish: Neighboring Governors Cuomo, Lamont Talk Transportation, Tourism, Tolls -- And Trout Gone fishin'. Amid their mid-August vacations, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont took time to have a small summit on the waters of Lake Ontario. The two met on Tuesday, Aug. 20, where they discussed topics such as transportation, tourism and tolls -- all while reeling in steelhead trout on the lake in a 31-foot charter boat, “Instigator.”  The governors said that other topics to come up included the potential legalization of marijuana, emergency services, and the environment. Since taking office last year, Lamont has been taking similar meetings with elected …

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by Zak Failla
Peekskill, NY
Politics
Peekskill Will Get $10 Million In State Funding For Downtown Revitalization Peekskill Will Get $10 Million In State Funding For Downtown Revitalization
Peekskill Will Get $10 Million In State Funding For Downtown Revitalization Downtown Peekskill is getting a makeover as part of the governor’s $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that Peekskill will receive $10 million in funding as the Mid-Hudson winner of the fourth round of the initiative. The money is designed to “help communities boost their economies by transforming downtowns into vibrant neighborhoods.” Peekskill is inviting people to “Take a Peek… Discover Peekskill!,” with revitalization efforts targeting the Downtown Central Business District and waterfront Transit-Oriented Development District. While talk…

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by Zak Failla