Walking into the High Score Pinball Arcade inside the Westfield South Shore Mall immediately transported my husband and I back to our youth. After lamenting to our 10- and 12-year-old sons about how we had to save our quarters for arcade trips, our collective eyes glimmered at the dancing lights, pinball bells, and flickering scoreboards.

Read on for the inside scoop on this family-friendly outing and find more local arcades for old-school fun all across Long Island.

If you've got an axe to grind, consider a visit to one of these Long Island axe-throwing spots, which boast plenty of action-packed fun—and target practice—with their namesake weapon, plus archery, football, bowling, and more. An outing at one of these venues makes an ideal adventure for active, competitive families with big kids who have outgrown more traditional play spaces.

Best for teens and tweens, read on for details on our recent visit to NY Axe, plus two other local axe-throwing spots, plus learn about the safety and training you can expect that will have you wielding and tossing an axe like a legit lumberjack (or lumberjill!). Find more fun places for the family to play together in our Guide to Sports Centers and Fun Zones for LI Families.