Located right off of the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway (a fun drive through some hilly woods), Dix Hills park offers fun for a wide range of ages. The nine hole golf course is short enough (a par 31, 1930 yards) for beginners to get a taste of the game. There are a pair of very well-maintained basketball courts with lights, an indoor ice skating rink with public sessions year-round, a pool complex with a 50-meter pool and a kiddie pool, and a large picnic area with a playground.

The main attraction at the Dix Hills playground is the slides. There are six of them, from the very steep bumpy and covered slides to a corkscrew and a small kiddie slide. All of the slides are accessible from the main playset, which features a number of levels and climbing opportunities. There are no swings at Dix Hills.

The play surface is a wood mulch, and there are stairs and climbs to get onto the playset. The entire area is fenced in with a gated entrance, and there are public restrooms immediately adjacent to the playground. There are built-in tic tac toe boards and a math spinner, as well as a hang glider. Multiple platforms provide spaces for kids to hang out. There are, however, no covered pavilions and most of the set is in full sun, so the equipment (and the kids) can get a little hot. Fortunately, the pool is not far away.

One section of the playset is made for small children, with low stairs to climb aboard and a short slide. Be aware that Dix Hills Park is not a great choice for very small children during the summer camp season. The town of Huntington runs a summer camp here for older kids who like to roughhouse in the playground. If you stay opposite the camp groups by visiting the kiddie pool while they're at the playground, and vice versa, you'll do just fine.

The pool area is quite large, with a number of chairs and tables all around. Again, it can get pretty rowdy when the camps are in their pool phase, but there is plenty of room to spread out. Even on a hot summer day, during our visit, the kiddie pool was empty. There are more bathrooms and changing rooms here at the pool, and there are lifeguards to help keep an eye on little swimmers. There is a refreshment stand, and the whole area is handicapped accessible. Even for non-residents, the admission to the pool is a reasonable $8.50.

Dix Hills Park offers a wide range of recreation activities. The large parking lot is paved and well-marked, and parking is free. The pool is open from 12:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays from June through September and opens at 11:00 a.m. on weekends. The skating rink has a number of public sessions, check their website for the exact times.

Dix Hills Park