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Illustrations by Mark Nerys
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Place your bets.
Never mind the seedy stigma. Belmont Park offers a sprawling, rubber-floored playground, a duck pond, and untold lessons in playing the odds (2150 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont; from $3, under 12 free).
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Admire graffiti.
The surest way to keep a teen away from a spray can is for Mom or Dad to become a tagging enthusiast. Hire a guide through GraffTours.com to explain the finer points of downtown’s illicit art (adults $20, students $10).
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Dumpster dive.
Get good and filthy on a freegan garbage tour. About 30 members of the Freegan.info forum gather twice a month to forage for perfectly edible food items tossed by supermarkets. Check the site for dates and locations.
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Sun in the buff.
Sandy Hook’s unspoiled, lifeguarded, “clothing optional” Gunnison Beach is perfect for an un-encumbered our-bodies-ourselves day away from civilization’s mores (Seastreak Ferry, adults $43, kids $16; seastreak.com).
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Kayak on sludge.
The Gowanus Canal may be a Superfund site, but it’s also awesome. The Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club holds free, self-guided paddles Saturday afternoons and Wednesday evenings (gowanuscanal.org).
