10 Local Places to Sled, Skate and Get Warm in the Snow

While parents worry about digging the car out and getting to work, kids have other things on their minds when it comes to the piles of snow dumped in the area overnight.

Things like sledding.

While there are no great slopes in the Miller Place-Rocky Point area, there are several decent-sized hills perfect to give the kids a ride through the snow.

One favorite spot is the hill by the Rocky Point Middle School on Rocky Point-Yaphank Road. Or give the hill by the Joseph A. Edgar School along Rocky Point Landing Road a try. While you're there, check out nearby Rocketship Park for some more snow fun.

But the most popular place for sledders after a snowfall is just outside of the Miller Place-Rocky Point area in Mount Sinai at Heritage Park. Known locally as The Wedge, you'll likely find more sledders there than anywhere else on a snow day, traipsing up and down the small hill next to the soccer field or riding the only-slightly-bigger ramp near the parking lot.

Then there's ice skating.

Local residents have an outdoor skating rink right in their backyard. The Miller Place Pond, commonly knows as the Duck Pond, has been used for ice skating for generations. Kids often clutter the frozen water playing hockey and having fun on winter days. Don't forget to bring a treat for the scads of ducks that visit the area.

To keep warm throughout the snow day, visit The Family Dollar in Rocky Point for handwarmers to put inside your gloves or mittens.

At the end of the day, warm up with a cup of hot chocolate at your choice of several shops throughout the area.

Head to Sweets of the Spoon across from St. Anthony's Church in Rocky Point for a cocoa drink, and grab a panini, wrap or salad while you're there.

If you're at the Duck Pond, venture down North Country Road a bit to NcNulty's Ice Cream to warm up with some hot chocolate. If you're brave enough for ice cream on a frigid day, try any of the shop's 40 homemade flavors as well.

Looking for something a bit fancier to warm your insides? At Starbucks in the Stop & Shop Supermarket shopping center in Miller Place find hot white chocolate, along with the original.

If you need to get a whole meal into the kids after your snow expeditions, visit Friendly's in Miller Place for an array of kid-friendly hot lunches, like grilled cheese sandwiches.

But if you're stuck inside today, or just don't want to brave the snow, stay home, watch a movie and help the kids build a snowman.