Patterson, NY
***NOTE: Mayfield’s King Kone has shut down. Too bad. It was such a great place for the kids. As of April 2015 no word on if/when it will ever reopen. I am leaving the photos and info up – in case anyone is inspired to reopen it!***
For anyone that is a regular reader, you know my articles have focused on low-or-no-cost things to do in and around Putnam County. So far, most of those things have been nature walks or preserves. But sometimes it’s nice to enjoy the trappings of civilization. And nothing says trappings of civilization like ice cream.
If you are looking for a nice, family-oriented, evening outing before the summer is over, try Mayfield’s in Patterson. In addition to having good food and ice cream, what makes this place a family destination is the children’s playground out back. There are 12 or 13 playsets for the kids to climb on, and all the apparatus are made almost entirely of wood.
Mayfield’s King Kone is on Route 22 in Patterson, just past the intersection of Route 311, on the left hand side. It was closed for about 10 years, but it reopened about a year and a half ago in April 2008. The apparatus was located in Somers before it was moved up here.
My wife and I took our kids there a few weeks ago, and they truly loved the trip. As you pull into the parking lot, you can see the playground out back. The building’s exterior style looks like something from the 60’s or 70’s and the inside has the feel of an old-time ice cream parlor. Mayfield’s is a local business, not a chain, and it has lots of character. When you’re there, check out the aerial photograph of the property hanging on the wall.
All their hard ice cream is home made, and I was pleasantly surprised at the reasonable prices – so many ice cream parlors nowadays charge a pretty penny for their milk and sugar concoction.
In addition to ice cream, their menu includes traditional American favorites like hot dogs, chicken & ribs. They recently won awards for “Most Tender” and “Best Tasting” ribs at the Greg Ball Rib Cookoff. And they seem to take pride in their fare – there is a sign on the wall letting customers know the chicken takes a little longer than they might be used to because it is made to order.
Knowing what was waiting for them in the backyard, my kids raced through their root beer float and vanilla cone with rainbow sprinkles – stopping for the occasional “brain freeze”. Once on the playground, they started with the obvious choice – the pirate ship. From there they stormed the castle. Next they climbed inside the cockpit of an airplane, then into the driver’s seat of an 18-wheeler, then into the cab of a fire engine. Then they hopped on a train for a bit, before climbing behind the wheel of a monster truck. A few ladders and slides along the way mad the trip complete. Then they would do it all over again.
My kids easily spent an hour climbing around. My wife and I being big kids, we had no qualms about climbing around, too. It was a nice way to spend time with the kids, and it was nice to combine a high calorie treat with the chance to burn it off. There were 4 or 5 other families there at the same time, and their children seemed to have the same enthusiasm as mine.
If you have young kids or grandkids, this is a great place to bring them for a memorable, fun time. Though my visit was on a summer evening, they are open year-round. For more information and hours, contact Mayfield’s King Kone at 845-878-4666.
