Source / Empire Outlets & RECESS!!
Empire Outlets has a rather unusual addition to the shopping itinerary: an all-out snowball fight.
Up on Level 2 of the Staten Island waterfront shopping center, RECESS!! swaps browsing storefronts for blacklights, glowing snowballs, and air-powered cannons you can aim at your friends.
There’s no waiting for the first snowfall, either! This battle happens indoors, (yes even in the fall, no snow needed!) with music and neon color setting the scene.
NYC’s First Indoor Blacklight Snowball Fight – RECESS!!
It all resides inside New York City’s only outlet shopping destination, just steps from the Staten Island Ferry, meaning it couldn’t be anymore simple to plan a trip around harbor views and a fairly competitive round of Gopher Pong.
Running through October and November as of now, it’s shaping up to be one of fall’s early best experiences — especially one that won’t depend on whether or maybe missing a foliage forecast.
So here are the details, and bookmark this spot for something to do this fall.
Source: RECESS!! The ExperienceⓇ
The setting is part of the appeal, and that’s why it sort of feels like an escape in itself.
Empire Outlets sits beside the ferry terminal in St. George, with waterfront dining, views of Lower Manhattan, and four acres of green rooftops. You can arrive without a car and build an afternoon around shopping, lunch, and a walk by the harbor.
RECESS!! adds something considerably less leisurely.
The experience begins with a secret portal into its blacklight snowball fight, where glowing snowballs fly through a music-filled space. From there, you can explore Orbtopia, a neon play area packed with hands-on installations.
This is not a look-but-don’t-touch exhibition. The whole point is to get involved, whether that means launching an orb across the room or challenging the person who insisted they were “just coming along to watch.”
Glowing snowballs are only the beginning
The snowball fight gets top billing, but RECESS!! advertises more than 20 additional interactive experiences.
At the air-powered cannons, you can send glowing balls flying across the space and dodge whatever comes back your way. Gopher Pong turns your friends into moving targets, with players popping up while others take aim with ping-pong balls.
Elsewhere, wall-sized interactive games let visitors team up and use real-world objects to control the action. Sticky Orbs invite you to cover walls, custom vests, or each other in glowing spheres.
The effect is a room full of things in motion, with bright objects standing out against the dark surroundings.
You’re not simply walking through the color. You’re throwing it, launching it, and occasionally trying to get out of its way.
Source / RECESS!! The ExperienceⓇ
There’s somewhere to catch your breath, too
Not every part of the experience involves defending yourself from your family.
The Glow Dome offers a place to pause while the orb action continues around you, and the Wishing Wall brings a quieter, more visual element to the visit.
Don’t forget about the Dream Machine and Reverso Vortex either, which send glowing scarves rushing through transparent tunnels.
They’re another reminder that RECESS!! is as much about experimenting with movement and light as it is about winning a snowball battle.
Most visits last 45 to 90 minutes, making it easy to pair the experience with lunch or a browse around the outlets.
Make the ferry ride part of the outing
One of the best parts of this trip happens before you even get to the mall
The Staten Island Ferry runs between Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan and St. George Terminal on Staten Island. It’s free, and NYC DOT puts the crossing at approximately 25 minutes.
That gives you a harbor ride with skyline and Statue of Liberty views before the blacklight chaos begins.
Once you arrive, RECESS!! is around a four-minute walk from the terminal, inside Empire Outlets at 55 Richmond Terrace.
Afterward, you can stay for waterfront dining or explore more of St. George. The National Lighthouse Museum and Snug Harbor are other nearby stops too, giving you a few ways to stretch the outing beyond the play space.
Tickets and what to know before you go
RECESS!! welcomes all ages, with children ages 2 and under admitted free. Guests under 13 must be accompanied by someone age 16 or older.
Standard admission starts at $24.50 and groups of four or more can snag discounted rates at $20.50 per person, but remember to check before as things can change.
As it stands, the big fight is happening throughout October and November, with multiple sessions per day — so plan ahead!
⚪ For more information on RECESS!! and to grab tickets for your time slot, head here!
Don’t miss out! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and now on WhatsApp, too!