Latest news with #DiscoverLongIsland
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Long Island Aquarium Celebrates 25 Years with a Summer Full of Fun and Savings + Otter Pups!
RIVERHEAD, N.Y., May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This summer, the Long Island Aquarium kicks off its 25th anniversary with 25 weeks of family-friendly fun, featuring special events and deep discounts. Sponsored by Bank of America and partnered with Discover Long Island, the Long Island Aquarium's 25th Anniversary is set to be an unforgettable experience. "There's nothing like the Long Island Aquarium to bring Long Islanders and visitors together to explore marine life," said Jennifer Pedulla, Community Relations Manager, Bank of America Long Island. "For 25 years, the aquarium has been serving the community and we are proud to commemorate this important milestone together." The celebration is also being supported by Stony Brook Children's Hospital, Suffolk County's only Children's Hospital with a 24/7 Pediatric Emergency Department. 25 Weeks of Fun Highlights: $25 Admission Days On the 25th day of each month, (April through September), visitors will enjoy discounted admission of $25 per person! Coupon Sheet Dive into the savings with our Coupon Sheet. For $25, guests will receive a coupon sheet with more than $125 worth of savings. Swag Bags Commemorative bags will be distributed to the first 25 families/groups who visit on the 25th of each month (April through September). Interactive Experiences Atlantis Explorer Tour Boat and Snorkel Adventure sessions will be discounted to $25 all summer long! Weekly Giveaways Follow the aquarium's social media channels for updates on exclusive giveaways both in person and on their social platforms. Then & Now Photo Submissions Guests are invited to recreate friend and family photos originally taken at the Aquarium. Special Vendor Days Visit during one of the Vendor Tabling Days for exclusive giveaways and special offers from Aquarium partners. Historic Construction Displays Explore exclusive photo displays documenting the construction of its world-class habitats. Call for Artists Submit aquatic-themed work for a judged art show with cash prizes. Get the details at Member Birthday Party On June 25th from 5:30pm-8:30pm, Aquarium members will be invited to the aquarium's birthday party with fun activities and amazing prizes including one grand-prize 25-Year Couple Membership! "For 25 years, the Long Island Aquarium has been a cornerstone of our region's tourism industry, inspiring visitors from near and far to explore the wonders of marine life," said Discover Long Island Interim President & CEO, Mitch Pally. "Its commitment to education, conservation, and unforgettable family experiences makes it a true, year-round, Long Island treasure and key driver for economic growth in our region. We are thrilled to join in on celebrating this anniversary and look forward to the next 25 years of making waves together." Naming the Otter Pups On February 6, resident North American river otters Flo and Stark welcomed a litter of four pups—two males and two females. To name this second-generation brood born at the Aquarium, the public was invited to vote on name options: four for the girls and four for the boys. Each name was inspired by either a type of nut, in honor of the pups' grandfather, Peanut, or a type of jam, in honor of their grandmother, Jelly. More than 9,900 votes were cast, and the winning names—Fig and Peach, along with Pistachio (Stache) and Walnut (Wally)—were revealed on Mother's Day. The pups now enjoy all-day access to both indoor and outdoor habitats, where they can often be seen swimming and playing with their parents at Otter Falls. Water Safety Tips Join us on May 17 when pediatric trauma experts from the Stony Brook Children's Hospital stop by to share water safety tips at their table in the Shark Room. "Every summer, we see heartbreaking water accidents that could have been prevented. As the county's only Level 1 trauma center for both kids and adults, we treat more drowning injuries than we should," said Dr. Carolyn Milana, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Physician-in-Chief of Stony Brook Children's Hospital. "That's why our pediatric injury prevention professional will be available with a fun, educational, hands-on safety activity to promote water safety. We'd love for you to stop by and learn how to keep your family safe this summer." Honoring America's Heroes In celebration of Memorial Day, the Aquarium offers free admission to active and retired military personnel, plus 10% off admission for their families on May 26. Offer valid in person only; military ID required. Aquarium Events for the Grown-Ups Summer break is for the kids, but the Aquarium is hosting some fun, adult-only events this year. Taste the East End • June 21 @ 7pm This flavor-filled event brings local breweries, vineyards and craft beverage makers to the Aquarium with tastings, light fare, and live music. Guests will enjoy the Aquarium after hours, and all the indoor and outdoor habitats will be open. $95/per person, 21+ only. Booze Cruises on the Atlantis Explorer Tour Boat Enjoy Rum Punch, Tequila Sunrises or local Harvest Wines on the Sunset "BOOZE" cruise adventures! Enjoy a trip on the Tour Boat as it travels along the Peconic River with fun music, complimentary drinks and snacks, while enjoying the beautiful summer sunset. $80/per person, 21+ only. Rum Cruise – Saturday, July 19 @ 7:30pm Tequila Cruise – Saturday, August 23 @ 7:30pm Wine Cruise – Saturday, September 13 @ 7pm Wedding Showcase • August, 14, 2025 @ 6:30pm Atlantis Banquets & Events wedding specialists will be available to help guests navigate the treacherous waters of wedding planning at their Wedding Showcase. Tour the Long Island Aquarium, Sea Star Ballroom, Hyatt Place Long Island/East End, The Preston Hotel and the Waterfront Suite, all while enjoying tastings, live music, raffles and more! $25 at the door/$20 if reserved in advance. A mission to educate and entertain For 25 years, the Long Island Aquarium has inspired millions of visitors with the wonders of both local and exotic marine life. Through immersive exhibits, conservation efforts, and dynamic educational programs, it has stood as a vital center for curiosity, learning, and environmental stewardship. "For 25 years, we've proudly welcomed local families, school groups, and tourists. Entertaining and educating our guests has always been one of our core missions," said Bryan DeLuca, Executive Director of the Aquarium. "We look forward to welcoming millions more over the next 25 years." Plan Your VisitJoin the Long Island Aquarium as they celebrate 25 years of making waves! For more information on 25 Weeks of Fun activities, special pricing dates, and event updates, visit and follow their social media @LongIslandAquarium on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. About Long Island AquariumThe Long Island Aquarium provides an interactive and exciting educational experience by capturing the visitors' imaginations and emphasizing the importance of marine life and environmental preservation. Featuring a large all-living Coral Reef display, a 120,000-gallon Shark habitat, year-round sea lion shows, African Penguins, numerous touch tanks and more than 100 exhibits including the lavish indoor gardens of our Butterflies, Bugs and Bees Exhibit! Named a Top 10 Aquarium for Children by Parents Magazine, the Long Island Aquarium is open daily (Closed Christmas & Thanksgiving Days). You can add to the fun with an overnight stay at the waterfront Hyatt Place Long Island/East End or The Preston Hotel, both located adjacent to the Aquarium property. For more information, please visit Contact: Darlene PuntilloPhone: 631.208.9200, ext. 247 (office)• 631.902.5920 (cell) dpuntillo@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Long Island Aquarium
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Editorial: Chicago has struggled to regain international tourism. Now that's coming true for the entire nation
Choose Chicago finally has a new head honcho in Kristen Reynolds, formerly the CEO of the tourism agency Discover Long Island. Reynolds will have her work cut out for her and not just because marketing Chicago is a whole lot more complicated than selling Fire Island and the Hamptons. Even as New York recovered relatively quickly from the pandemic, Chicago has been struggling with international tourism. Anyone who has been around town for a while can remember the days when there were far more foreign languages being spoken on Michigan Avenue. The challenges are self-evident but we'll tick them off: not enough major new attractions with global heft (like the lost Lucas Museum of Narrative Art); a lack of attention to the retail problems on the Magnificent Mile; lousy sports teams that haven't spawned another Michael Jordan; transit and other transportation challenges; 'teen takeovers' unnerving and sometimes harming tourists; the nagging international perception of Chicago equaling 'bang, bang'; the loss of some key international flights (albeit with the arrival of others); insufficient ignition of the city's massive architectural, historical, cultural and other assets; pandemic hangovers when it comes to the city's famed late-night scene, especially in the Loop; too much distance from international media; too much politically correct spending of tourism money in the 'right' aldermanic wards instead of focusing it on where international visitors really want to go. All that and a certain culture of self-congratulation at Choose Chicago and a bit of Midwestern myopia, too. We trust Reynolds, a tourism professional and very much not the political hack we feared, is aware of all of that, as well as the huge and beautiful assets on the other side of the ledger. But, frankly, the problems with international tourism are now far greater than anything specifically to do with Chicago. Travel and Tour World, a trade publication, reported Wednesday that studies show inbound international travel to the U.S. is likely to decline by 5.5% in spending this year. That might not sound like much but last fall, prior to the election of the most isolationist president in living memory, 2025 was projected as a banner year for the sector, with anticipated spending growth a whopping 16%. Even a 5% decline represents a loss of billions of dollars as international tourists are big spenders. Tourism World, an international forecasting firm based in Oxford, England, wrote in a research briefing late last month that we can expect to see a 9.4% decline in international visitor arrivals for 2025, led by a 20.2% decline in visitors from Canada. 'This loss includes $6.4 billion of decreased spending in destinations,' Tourism World wrote, 'plus $2.5 billion of lost transportation spending.' That's why airline stocks got hammered this week, including that of Chicago's hometown (at least for now) United Airlines, and why you are likely to see more flight cancellations as airlines recalibrate to meet demand. Yet worse, the firm appended a note to its March 27 briefing Wednesday, saying the new, worse-than-expected tariffs announced Wednesday would increase 'negative impacts on U.S. inbound travel.' Why is all this happening? If you have to ask, you have not been paying attention. Tourism World used the headline, 'Trump Rolls Up Welcome Mat for International Travelers,' and that pretty much says it all. Crossings at the Canadian-U.S. border have dropped precipitously; 20% fewer Canadians are coming to the U.S., mostly because they're angry at Trump disrespecting their country with his '51st state' nonsense. Tourism World said a majority of Brits now have an unfavorable view of the U.S., as do a majority of Germans, along with French and Danish citizens, all numbers that have shown massive increases since Trump took office. Plus there are genuine fears now of border detentions. The British press was full of the case of Becky Burke, a clearly benign 28-year-old backpacker who was denied entry to Canada from the U.S. due to the wrong Canadian visa, only then to have U.S. authorities put her in a detention facility where she languished for well over two weeks. While the full details of the case weren't clear, it appears that U.S. agents were worried Burke may have intended to do domestic work for a host family as a way of funding her solo travels, technically against the rules but hardly an egregious or uncommon offense. Burke may have been careless and broken the rules, but she clearly had no intention to stay stateside and is no dangerous criminal. Stories like her more than two weeks of detention without a clear exit date given (or so her father told the BBC last month) are likely to make young 'gap year' travelers from Europe and Australasia change their minds about a planned U.S. road trip and pick friendlier nations like Canada instead. Tourists are discretionary travelers and, notwithstanding its magnetic pull, the U.S. has competition for most of what it offers. Bermuda is seeing an explosive growth in Canadian visitors. Other Canadians are headed to Europe in greater numbers than before, at the expense of their North American neighbor. We'll add that the experiences of 2001 and 2008 teach us that second cities like Chicago are more vulnerable to international flight pullbacks; links to capitals tend to be maintained even in recessions, but without that crucial leisure demand, it's hard to imagine, say, Chicago retaining its typical eight flights a day to London. (American Airlines had already cut its popular daytime flight.) Foreign governments have been upping their travel warnings, too, especially for transgender travelers, to use one example. This isn't rocket science: 'Leisure travelers have options,' Tourism World wrote, 'and negative shifts in sentiment toward the U.S. are expected to adversely impact its global market share.' So welcome to your new gig, Ms. Reynolds. You will have your work cut out for you. _____
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Editorial: Chicago has struggled to regain international tourism. Now that's coming true for the entire nation.
Choose Chicago finally has a new head honcho in Kristen Reynolds, formerly the CEO of the tourism agency Discover Long Island. Reynolds will have her work cut out for her and not just because marketing Chicago is a whole lot more complicated than selling Fire Island and the Hamptons. Even as New York recovered relatively quickly from the pandemic, Chicago has been struggling with international tourism. Anyone who has been around town for a while can remember the days when there were far more foreign languages being spoken on Michigan Avenue. The challenges are self-evident but we'll tick them off: not enough major new attractions with global heft (like the lost Lucas Museum of Narrative Art); a lack of attention to the retail problems on the Magnificent Mile; lousy sports teams that haven't spawned another Michael Jordan; transit and other transportation challenges; 'teen takeovers' unnerving and sometimes harming tourists; the nagging international perception of Chicago equaling 'bang, bang'; the loss of some key international flights (albeit with the arrival of others); insufficient ignition of the city's massive architectural, historical, cultural and other assets; pandemic hangovers when it comes to the city's famed late-night scene, especially in the Loop; too much distance from international media; too much politically correct spending of tourism money in the 'right' aldermanic wards instead of focusing it on where international visitors really want to go. All that and a certain culture of self-congratulation at Choose Chicago and a bit of Midwestern myopia, too. We trust Reynolds, a tourism professional and very much not the political hack we feared, is aware of all of that, as well as the huge and beautiful assets on the other side of the ledger. But, frankly, the problems with international tourism are now far greater than anything specifically to do with Chicago. Travel and Tour World, a trade publication, reported Wednesday that studies show inbound international travel to the U.S. is likely to decline by 5.5% in spending this year. That might not sound like much but last fall, prior to the election of the most isolationist president in living memory, 2025 was projected as a banner year for the sector, with anticipated spending growth a whopping 16%. Even a 5% decline represents a loss of billions of dollars as international tourists are big spenders. Tourism World, an international forecasting firm based in Oxford, England, wrote in a research briefing late last month that we can expect to see a 9.4% decline in international visitor arrivals for 2025, led by a 20.2% decline in visitors from Canada. 'This loss includes $6.4 billion of decreased spending in destinations,' Tourism World wrote, 'plus $2.5 billion of lost transportation spending.' That's why airline stocks got hammered this week, including that of Chicago's hometown (at least for now) United Airlines, and why you are likely to see more flight cancellations as airlines recalibrate to meet demand. Yet worse, the firm appended a note to its March 27 briefing Wednesday, saying the new, worse-than-expected tariffs announced Wednesday would increase 'negative impacts on US inbound travel.' Why is all this happening? If you have to ask, you have not been paying attention. Tourism World used the headline, 'Trump Rolls Up Welcome Mat for International Travelers,' and that pretty much says it all. Crossings at the Canadian-U.S. border have dropped precipitously; 20% fewer Canadians are coming to the U.S., mostly because they're angry at Trump disrespecting their country with his '51st state' nonsense. Tourism World said a majority of Brits now have an unfavorable view of the U.S., as do a majority of Germans, along with French and Danish citizens, all numbers that have shown massive increases since Trump took office. Plus there are genuine fears now of border detentions. The British press was full of the case of Becky Burke, a clearly benign 28-year-old backpacker who was denied entry to Canada from the U.S. due to the wrong Canadian visa, only then to have U.S. authorities put her in a detention facility where she languished for well over two weeks. While the full details of the case weren't clear, it appears that U.S. agents were worried Burke may have intended to do domestic work for a host family as a way of funding her solo travels, technically against the rules but hardly an egregious or uncommon offense. Burke may have been careless and broken the rules, but she clearly had no intention to stay stateside and is no dangerous criminal. Stories like her more than two weeks of detention without a clear exit date given (or so her father told the BBC last month) are likely to make young 'gap year' travelers from Europe and Australasia change their minds about a planned U.S. road trip and pick friendlier nations like Canada instead. Tourists are discretionary travelers and, notwithstanding its magnetic pull, the U.S. has competition for most of what it offers. Bermuda is seeing an explosive growth in Canadian visitors. Other Canadians are headed to Europe in greater numbers than before, at the expense of their North American neighbor. We'll add that the experiences of 2001 and 2008 teach us that second cities like Chicago are more vulnerable to international flight pullbacks; links to capitals tend to be maintained even in recessions, but without that crucial leisure demand, it's hard to imagine, say, Chicago retaining its typical eight flights a day to London. (American Airlines had already cut its popular daytime flight.) Foreign governments have been upping their travel warnings, too, especially for transgender travelers, to use one example. This isn't rocket science: 'Leisure travelers have options,' Tourism World wrote, 'and negative shifts in sentiment toward the US are expected to adversely impact its global market share.' So welcome to your new gig, Ms. Reynolds. You will have your work cut out for you. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@
Chicago Tribune
06-04-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Editorial: Chicago has struggled to regain international tourism. Now that's coming true for the entire nation.
Choose Chicago finally has a new head honcho in Kristen Reynolds, formerly the CEO of the tourism agency Discover Long Island. Reynolds will have her work cut out for her and not just because marketing Chicago is a whole lot more complicated than selling Fire Island and the Hamptons. Even as New York recovered relatively quickly from the pandemic, Chicago has been struggling with international tourism. Anyone who has been around town for a while can remember the days when there were far more foreign languages being spoken on Michigan Avenue. The challenges are self-evident but we'll tick them off: not enough major new attractions with global heft (like the lost Lucas Museum of Narrative Art); a lack of attention to the retail problems on the Magnificent Mile; lousy sports teams that haven't spawned another Michael Jordan; transit and other transportation challenges; 'teen takeovers' unnerving and sometimes harming tourists; the nagging international perception of Chicago equaling 'bang, bang'; the loss of some key international flights (albeit with the arrival of others); insufficient ignition of the city's massive architectural, historical, cultural and other assets; pandemic hangovers when it comes to the city's famed late-night scene, especially in the Loop; too much distance from international media; too much politically correct spending of tourism money in the 'right' aldermanic wards instead of focusing it on where international visitors really want to go. All that and a certain culture of self-congratulation at Choose Chicago and a bit of Midwestern myopia, too. We trust Reynolds, a tourism professional and very much not the political hack we feared, is aware of all of that, as well as the huge and beautiful assets on the other side of the ledger. But, frankly, the problems with international tourism are now far greater than anything specifically to do with Chicago. Travel and Tour World, a trade publication, reported Wednesday that studies show inbound international travel to the U.S. is likely to decline by 5.5% in spending this year. That might not sound like much but last fall, prior to the election of the most isolationist president in living memory, 2025 was projected as a banner year for the sector, with anticipated spending growth a whopping 16%. Even a 5% decline represents a loss of billions of dollars as international tourists are big spenders. Tourism World, an international forecasting firm based in Oxford, England, wrote in a research briefing late last month that we can expect to see a 9.4% decline in international visitor arrivals for 2025, led by a 20.2% decline in visitors from Canada. 'This loss includes $6.4 billion of decreased spending in destinations,' Tourism World wrote, 'plus $2.5 billion of lost transportation spending.' That's why airline stocks got hammered this week, including that of Chicago's hometown (at least for now) United Airlines, and why you are likely to see more flight cancellations as airlines recalibrate to meet demand. Yet worse, the firm appended a note to its March 27 briefing Wednesday, saying the new, worse-than-expected tariffs announced Wednesday would increase 'negative impacts on US inbound travel.' Why is all this happening? If you have to ask, you have not been paying attention. Tourism World used the headline, 'Trump Rolls Up Welcome Mat for International Travelers,' and that pretty much says it all. Crossings at the Canadian-U.S. border have dropped precipitously; 20% fewer Canadians are coming to the U.S., mostly because they're angry at Trump disrespecting their country with his '51st state' nonsense. Tourism World said a majority of Brits now have an unfavorable view of the U.S., as do a majority of Germans, along with French and Danish citizens, all numbers that have shown massive increases since Trump took office. Plus there are genuine fears now of border detentions. The British press was full of the case of Becky Burke, a clearly benign 28-year-old backpacker who was denied entry to Canada from the U.S. due to the wrong Canadian visa, only then to have U.S. authorities put her in a detention facility where she languished for well over two weeks. While the full details of the case weren't clear, it appears that U.S. agents were worried Burke may have intended to do domestic work for a host family as a way of funding her solo travels, technically against the rules but hardly an egregious or uncommon offense. Burke may have been careless and broken the rules, but she clearly had no intention to stay stateside and is no dangerous criminal. Stories like her more than two weeks of detention without a clear exit date given (or so her father told the BBC last month) are likely to make young 'gap year' travelers from Europe and Australasia change their minds about a planned U.S. road trip and pick friendlier nations like Canada instead. Tourists are discretionary travelers and, notwithstanding its magnetic pull, the U.S. has competition for most of what it offers. Bermuda is seeing an explosive growth in Canadian visitors. Other Canadians are headed to Europe in greater numbers than before, at the expense of their North American neighbor. We'll add that the experiences of 2001 and 2008 teach us that second cities like Chicago are more vulnerable to international flight pullbacks; links to capitals tend to be maintained even in recessions, but without that crucial leisure demand, it's hard to imagine, say, Chicago retaining its typical eight flights a day to London. (American Airlines had already cut its popular daytime flight.) Foreign governments have been upping their travel warnings, too, especially for transgender travelers, to use one example. This isn't rocket science: 'Leisure travelers have options,' Tourism World wrote, 'and negative shifts in sentiment toward the US are expected to adversely impact its global market share.' So welcome to your new gig, Ms. Reynolds. You will have your work cut out for you.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Choose Chicago, city's tourism agency, announces Kristen Reynolds as next CEO
CHICAGO - Choose Chicago, the agency tasked with attracting tourists to the city, announced that Kristen Reynolds will serve as its next president and CEO. Reynolds will begin the role on May 5, according to a news release. What we know She comes to Chicago after leading Discover Long Island in New York. During her time leading Discover Long Island, she helped the organization significantly increase tourism revenue and strengthened regional economic development, according to the news release. She has 27 years of experience in destination marketing, strategic partnerships and tourism advocacy. Reynolds will take over the role just ahead of a busy summer season for tourism with music festivals, like Lollapoolza and Sueños, the Taste of Chicago and other big events like NASCAR's Street Race coming to the city. Last year, the city saw all-time records in hotel revenue and city hotel tax revenue. Richard Gamble has been serving as Choose Chicago's interim president and CEO. What they're saying Elected officials praised the hiring of Reynolds to take over the key role. "Kristen Reynolds is a proven leader in the tourism industry and we welcome her to Chicago," said Mayor Brandon Johnson in a statement. "With major global events on the horizon and our city continuing to break tourism records, Kristen's leadership will be instrumental in strengthening Chicago's position as a top destination for visitors, conventions, and business investment." "Illinois is in the middle of everything and offers some of the most diverse and engaging opportunities of anywhere in the country," said Gov. JB Pritzker in a statement. "I look forward to working with Kristen and Choose Chicago on spreading that message, encouraging people to visit Chicago, and showing businesses why we're the best place in the country to operate."
