Orange County Spring Guide: LEGOLAND Reopens, Seasonal Events Return

Spring comes fast to Orange County, and this year it arrives with a full calendar. From a massive LEGO-themed resort in Goshen shaking off its winter closure to a moonlit walk across 500 acres of sculpture and forest in New Windsor, the season between March and May brings some of the region's most beloved destinations back to life simultaneously.

"Orange County, N.Y., comes alive in spring with sights and activities for all," said Amanda Dana, executive director of Orange County Tourism and Film. "Shed your winter coat and visit us after enjoying a beautiful drive from New York City or anywhere in the metropolitan area. You'll find celebrations and destinations to fill the entire season, and we're sure you'll return home already planning your next visit."

LEGOLAND New York Resort: Goshen's Blockbuster Is Back

The biggest reopening on the spring calendar belongs to LEGOLAND New York Resort, which restarts its 2026 season on March 27 at 1 LEGOLAND Way in Goshen, just 60 miles northwest of New York City. The park spans seven themed lands and packs in more than 50 rides, shows and interactive attractions, making it the county's most concentrated family destination by any measure.

This season brings a notable addition: the all-new LEGO Ferrari Build & Race experience, where guests can design and race their own LEGO-style cars. The fan-favorite LEGO Pirates show also returns for the season. Families planning a summer visit should mark Memorial Day weekend on their calendars, when the water playground opens and guests can build and race a LEGO boat alongside the splash attractions.

Staying overnight adds another layer of spectacle. The on-site LEGOLAND Hotel offers themed rooms built around four distinct worlds: Pirate, Kingdom, LEGO NINJAGO and LEGO Friends. Packages combining hotel stays and season passes start from $163 per person per night, and early ticket buyers can find deals starting from $59. The resort's own planning tools, including a Know Before You Go guide and a calendar of seasonal events, are available on its website for families mapping out their visit.

One highlight worth noting: Miniland Midtown Times Square, a brick-built replica of New York City's most iconic intersection, remains one of the park's signature experiences for visitors of all ages.

Storm King Art Center: Five Hundred Acres Reawaken

Three days after LEGOLAND's ribbon-cutting, Storm King Art Center opens its gates for the season on April 1 at 1 Museum Road in New Windsor. The opening is not simply a matter of unlocking the entrance: the center is marking the day with a moonlit walk across its grounds, an event that sets the tone for a season of outdoor engagement with one of the country's most celebrated open-air museums.

The site covers 500 acres of hills, meadows and forests, and the collection spread across that landscape includes numerous large-scale sculptures and site-specific artworks that use topography and light as part of their composition. Walking the grounds at dusk or after dark on opening night offers a perspective on those works that daytime visits rarely match. Storm King's seasonal return is a tradition for many Hudson Valley regulars, and the April 1 moonlit walk gives this year's opening a distinct character worth planning around.

Orange County Arboretum: No Waiting Required

Unlike LEGOLAND and Storm King, the Orange County Arboretum at 41 Grove Street in Montgomery does not require a seasonal opening date, because it is open year round. What changes in spring is the arboretum itself: the grounds begin to burst with colorful blooms as the season advances, turning the Montgomery site into one of the more photogenic free-to-visit destinations in the county. For residents looking for a low-commitment afternoon outside while LEGOLAND's crowds are still building and Storm King's opening-night energy has settled, the arboretum offers a quieter alternative with no tickets required.

Drive-In Theaters: The Big Screen Returns

Orange County is home to two drive-in theaters that reopen each spring to welcome moviegoers eager for new releases in time-honored outdoor settings. Both theaters revive a format that has remained popular in this part of the Hudson Valley long after drive-ins disappeared from most of the country. Specific theater names, opening dates and spring screening schedules were not confirmed at press time; checking with Orange County Tourism or local listings closer to the season will yield current programming details.

The Broader Spring Calendar: Maple, Markets and More

The reopening of the county's major attractions coincides with a full roster of community events running from March through May. New York Maple Weekends bring visitors to local sugarhouses across the region, offering a hands-on look at the process of turning maple sap into syrup at farms throughout Orange County. Farmers markets reopen across the county's towns as the season advances, and spring festivals draw communities outdoors to mark the change in weather.

Two spring events stand out for their novelty. Somewhere in the county, colorful eggs drop from a helicopter as part of a springtime celebration that appeals to younger visitors. And for adults who feel left out of the traditional Easter egg hunt format, there is a separate adults-only egg hunt on the calendar. Specific dates, locations and organizers for both events were not confirmed at press time; the Orange County Tourism and Film office is the best starting point for current details.

The common thread across all of it, from LEGOLAND's brick-built hotels to Storm King's moonlit opening to the helicopter egg drop, is that Orange County's spring season rewards the drive. The county sits close enough to New York City that a Saturday morning departure puts visitors in Goshen, New Windsor or Montgomery by mid-morning, with enough programming to fill the day and, for those staying at the LEGOLAND Hotel, the night. The season runs through May, which means there is time to catch the arboretum blooms, hit a drive-in on a warm evening, and still make it back for maple weekend before summer takes over.