Marine Biology Field Trips in and Near NYC
Scroll down for Marine Biology Curriculum online
My younger son was in love with oceans and whales. He studied marine biology from age 2 to 22, starting with library books like What is a Whale, doing a hands-on internship at the River Project as a boy and adolescent, and enjoying many of the activities on this page. He also went to Whale Camp in Canada and joined on some whale sails. He attended College of the Atlantic in coastal Maine, where he studied the ocean depths, worked on a museum exhibit on the sounds of whales, and spent a semester aboard the Ocean Classroom .
New York City is a community of islands. The only borough that is not on an island is the Bronx. We have a complex network of waterways including rivers, bays, and a major estuary, with access to the Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.
Field Trips
This list of field trips are educational, physical, and fun. Some are limited to summer months, others are one-time annual events, and others are year-round. They can be combined with other activities to create your own summer camp experience, individualized for you and your child. Here is everything from a kayak excursion on the Hudson River to a parade of mermaids in Brooklyn, to fishing in the Harlem Meer, and boarding an historic vessel.
Citywide
In recent years, thanks to conservations efforts, humpback whales have returned to local NYC waters. See also NYC Whale Watching Cruise, and Whale Watching and Dolphin Adventures as well as a marine wildlife trip departing from Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn,
Lighthouses in NYC, with links on a map.
Boating around the city:
NYC Water Trail, a citywide map of waterway expeditions
Free Kayaking at Pier 26 on the Hudson at North Moore St.
Free Kayaking at Pier 96 on the Hudson at 56th St.
Fishing in the NYC Parks exists in every borough. In Manhattan you can fish at the Harlem Meer (catch-and-release) in Central Park near 110th St. & Fifth Ave. by a beautiful nature center on a pond, with bait and equipment supplied for free.
Go sailing on the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, volunteer to work on the environment, or attend the annual Clearwater Festival, or tag along for one of their public sails or homeschool sails. Departure points for sails vary, and include Brooklyn, Manhattan, and points north of NYC. The Clearwater also has a sailing classroom that includes a drop-off program for homeschoolers ages 7-13 that departs from Nyack. The Youth Empowerment Program, for teens 14-18, a free summer program with Young Women at the Helm, Queerwater, and Young Men at the Helm, can lead to internships and crew positions.
The Urban Park Rangers' Natural Classroom offers hands-on educational programs for K-8 in the NYC parks (for a fee), including a program in water testing, monitoring the quality of the water at various locations in all five boroughs of NYC.
Manhattan
Hudson River Park, with several locations along Manhattan's west side, has a List of boat activities including boat building and historic vessels.
The River Project is a marine science field station at Pier 40, offering student tours and internships.
Rowing at Pier 40 at the Village Community Boathouse.
Fishing at the Harlem Meer in Central Park.
The South Street Seaport, on Fulton St. along the East River in Manhattan, has two historic vessels you can board, lots of shops, a great playground, and a packed events calendar. The first Sunday of every month, 2-4pm the Folk Music Society of NY hosts group singing of sea chanteys and maritime music at the South St. Seaport. Sing along or just listen!
At the American Museum of Natural History, you can spend a fascinating hour in the Hall of Ocean Life. For further diversion, seek out the Discovery Room in a nearby hall.
The Little Red Lighthouse, on the upper west side, usually offers a tour in the spring. Read more at NYC Parks. There is a children's book about this lighthouse, The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Grey Bridge by Hildegarde H. Swift, which would make a good introduction before this field trip, or a good follow-up after.
Brooklyn
The NYC Bird Alliance sponsors a counting if horseshoe crabs in early May, with two sites in Brooklyn on Plumb Beach (near Sheepsheads Bay) and one site in Queens. Families are welcome to participate.
In Marine Park, at East 33rd St. and Ave. U, there is the Salt Marsh Nature Center, where park rangers can guide kids in a hands-on marine bio experience. My son spent a delightful afternoon wading through the marsh searching for life. Call or check ahead to make sure the field house is open and operating. Even if it's closed, the marsh awaits young visitors. Try taking along a field guide such as Petersen's Young Birder's Guide.
The New York Aquarium is located in Coney Island, with indoor and outdoor exhibits including a touch tank. They also have teen internships.
Just for fun, the annual Mermaid Parade in Coney Island is a hugely popular family event. More about the art of costume than marine biology, outlandish mermaids in homemade floats roll down Surf Avenue from W. 21st St. to 10th St., turning towards the water and ending up at the Boardwalk. Usually scheduled for the third Saturday in June, the parade is followed by a costume ball that evening at the Aquarium.
Queens
Jamaica Bay Park - Horseshoe Crabs in NYC. Every May and June the horseshoe crabs emerge on the beaches of Jamaica Bay Park. The NYC Bird Alliance sponsors a counting in early May, with two sites in Brooklyn and one in Queens. families are welcome to participate.
Alley Pond Park in Little Neck Bay and other city parks offer fishing, canoeing, and more.
Bronx
Rocking the Boat offers free rowing every Saturday at Hunts Point Riverside Park, a family-friendly event Their Youth Development program has teens building boats and restoring the environment, leading to apprenticeship opportunities.
City Island is an historic boat building community, just over the bridge from Orchard Beach and Pelham Bay Park (with golf, horseback riding and more). City Island is a lovely place for a stroll after a meal at a local seafood restaurant. Try eating at Tony's Pier on far the tip of the island, where you can take a basket of fried shrimp (or other food) to a picnic table and dine waterside. The small branch library at 320 City Island Ave. has a unique nautical book collection. The local historical society operates the City Island Nautical Museum at 190 Fordham St.
Staten Island
Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden was once a home for retired sailors. They were self-sufficient and even had their own herd of cows! Now the Center commemorates the days of sailing around NYC. Check out the Noble Maritime Collection (named for marine artist John A. Noble). There is a free Shanty Sing here on the third Sunday of each month, 2-4p.m., co-sponsored by the Folk Music Society of New York. Shanties are the worksongs sung aboard ship to coordinate the work of raising the anchor, sails, etc.
Outside NYC
Yonkers
Just north of the Bronx, one block north of the Yonkers train station, you can learn about the Hudson River at the Bezack Environmental Center. Here is an interpretive center, a tidal marsh and park, and hands-on activities that introduce local marine biology.
The Yonkers Science Barge offers hands-on learning experiences, and teen internships for age 16 and up, a great way to fulfill the high school science requirement that can also lead to other opportunities on the water.
Long Island
Sag Harbor Whaling Museum shows the history of whaling and of Sag Harbor. See current news and updates on their Facebook page, including where you can see their new Whalemobile.
Duchess County
The Dept. of Environmental Conservation has hands-on Field Education Programs for high school and college students at the Norrie Point Environmental Center in Duchess County, NY. online, free inquiry-based Hudson River Curriculum for K-12, searchable by subject and grade level.
Connecticut
Mystic Seaport, in Mystic, is a living history museum with tall ships and a wide array of programs and event for all ages.
The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk has marine bio exhibits, public cruises that offer a tour of local marine life, and virtual reality experiences that offer a close-up look at marine life. Check their calendar for special events.
In Stamford, Sound Waters on Cove Island Park has an environmental coastal center with a lab/smart board, touch tank, tiny aquarium and public schooner sails, as well as programs for children and teens. Also in Stamford, the Stamford Museum and Nature Center has nature and animal programs for kids and wetlands/streams to explore. They also have a planetarium and astronomy center.
Marine Biology Curriculum Online
Learn about ocean life using AMNH online resources. You can search the AMNH Learn & Teach page for educational resources on any science topic.
Enviromental videos from Marine Lab.
From Oceans Initiative, Virtual Marine Biology Video Camp, free videos of a marine biology summer camp with scientists, created during the pandemic, with a free downloadable ebook. They also have a YouTube channel with videos.
The Dept. of Environmental Conservation has online, free inquiry-based Hudson River Curriculum for K-12, searchable by subject and grade level.
National Ocean Service (NOAA) online videos and activities for kids
National Ocean Service (NOAA) online video tutorials for teens
Monterey Bay Aquarium online courses for teens. They also have a YouTube channel.
The River Project on the Hudson River has online STEM activities for kids
Hudson Sloop Clearwater has a YouTube Channel.
Many marine bio courses are available through Coursera, college and university courses that can be taken by high school students, for free or for a fee. Here are ten examples of marine biology courses available online for free, or that offer tuition scholarships.
Books About the Sea, for young and old
Flotsam by David Weisner, richly detailed illustrations show life on the beach.
The Little Island by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard, an award-winning book showing an island through the changing seasons.
Amos & Boris by William Steig, a timeless story of a mouse and a whale, by an award-winning author and illustrator.
The Wreck of the Zephyr by Chris Van Allsberg, a beautifully illustrated story for anyone who loves and respects boats and the sea.
Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey, captures the feeling of summer in Maine. McCloskey’s other much loved books for children include Blueberries for Sal, Make Way for Ducklings, and One Morning in Maine.
Marine Biology for kids
Look for these books in your local library or consider buying them used from places like Thriftbooks.com.
An Anthology of Aquatic Life: Discover the Secret Lives Under the Sea (DK Children’s Anthologies) by Sam Hume/
All About Oceans - Marine Biology Handbook: 350 Activities by Sarah Janisse Brown (science, research, geography, drawing and language arts) for age 9 and up.
Oceans: An Activity Guide for Ages 6-9 by Nancy F. Castaldo, lots of good activities that might be adaptable for a slightly broader age range.
Janice Van Cleave's Oceans for Every Kid for ages 8 and up, full of fun activities. I recommend the entire science series by Janice Van Cleave.
The Ocean Book describes Aquarium and Seaside Activities and Ideas for All Ages, by the Center for Marine Conservation, an educational guide with lessons for all ages.
Whales, Dolphins and Seals: A Field Guide to the Marine Mammals of the World by Hadoram Shirihai and Brett Jarrett.
The Marine Biology Coloring Book by Thomas M. Niesen, is the equivalent of a freshman college course in this subject, but anyone age 9 and up and learn from coloring in the pages.