Things to do / Travel Guide
Don't get lost amidst the local lingo, if you take a little time to familiarize yourself with Long Island's geographic colloquialisms, you'll translate less and travel more. For starters, just as New Yorkers call New York City, “the city,” they call Long Island, “the island.” Greenland may be almost 600 times bigger, but this is “The Island.”
Next, let's give credit to the last ice age stopping dead in its tracks in the middle of the island. The northern part of the island is relatively hilly and New England Coast-like, as a result of carving glacial action over 10,000 thousand years ago. The southern part is flat and more Mid-Atlantic Coast - like. The northern part consists of the north short and the north fork. The southern part consists of the south shore and the south fork.
People often refer to the two counties that make up Long Island - Nassau, in the west, closest to New York City, and Suffolk, the larger of the two, in the eastern part of the island. The majority of attractions are in Suffolk County.
South Fork: Montauk, Long Island
On the easternmost tip of this long, arm-like Peninsula, Montauk is known for its woodlands, dunes, white sands, and craggy shoreline. Stop by the historic Montauk Point Lighthouse and gaze out into the vast Atlantic Ocean.
South Fork: Hamptons, Long Island
Many people believe that “Long Island” is synonymous with the “Hamptons” because they simply cannot imagine a vacation anywhere else on the island. From Martha Stewart to Alec Baldwin, Gwynneth Paltro to Kim Bassinger, on any summer weekend in the Hamptons you are likely to spot a star-studded cast of vacationers. The Hamptons area is comprised of picturesque and fashionable vacation communities along a 35-mile beach-studded stretch between the towns of Westhampton Beach and Amagansett.
Whereas Westhampton Beach was once a humble, fishing community, it has become a bustling resort and a first-choice destination for New Yorkers, particularly writers, artists, and musicians, wishing for a weekend getaway or summer-long retreat. Westhampton has an eclectic mixture of beach houses and the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center attracts top-notch performers.
Southhampton has always been home to the elite. Prosperous ship captains once lived here and today it is the largest Hampton town and the site of multimillion-dollar residences. Surfers, swimmers, and sunbathers celebrate Southampton, with its sparkling white sand Coopers Beach that the Travel Channel named “Best Beach in America.”
If Southampton can be considered old money, East Hampton is a cutesy, white-picket fence place with towering elms, a Town Pond with swans, and even a windmill. East Hampton is paradoxically both small-town idyllic and decidedly nouveau-riche (Dotcom money and media moguls abound). It is trendy too, East Hampton boasts its own superb sands, art galleries, luxurious hotels, as well as the Hamptons' most ritzy restaurants; just a few of the reasons why Jerry Seinfeld and Martha Steward built their homes here.
Bridgehampton is a slightly more down-to-earth Hamptons hamlet, if one can say so, the vineyards, cornfields, and rustic clapboard farmhouses give it a quaint, rural flavor. But it keeps up with its other Hampton neighbors in upscale recreation and refineries. Bridgehampton hosts the yearly (preppy) Bridgehampton Polo Challenge and the Hampton Classic Horse Show and is known for its haute home furnishings and antiques.
Though Amagansett, too, is a demure village with a rich history, sprawling farmlands, and sweeping sand dunes, celebrities and choosy tourists don't cast it aside. The easternmost town of the Hamptons, Amagansett is known for its beaches, boutiques, and upscale shopping
Shelter Island, New York
Nestled between the North Fork and South Fork is the rural community of Shelter Island. Nearly one third of the island is dedicated to Mashomack Preserve, where bird watching and wildlife observation is at its best. Shelter Island is a favorite kayaking destination and for excellent (and less crowded) fishing, try Hay Beach and Jennings Point.
North Fork, Long Island
Located at the eastern end of Long Island's North Shore, the North Fork region is home to Long Island's largest concentration of award-winning wineries; nearly 30 are open to the public for tours and tastings. People traveling to Long Island from New London, CT, by ferry arrive at Orient Point, at the tip of the North Fork, and Orient Beach State Park is a beautiful place to spend an afternoon in nature.
South Shore, Long Island
White sand beaches, boardwalks, protected harbors and coves, pristine wildlife, upscale shopping, and superb dining and entertainment make the South Shore the most popular destination for tourists on Long Island. The South Shore is basically one long beach, no matter where you go, you'll find the sand, sea, and surf nearby. A thin strip of land just south of the southern shore, Fire Island is a car-free, pristine oasis boasting seashell-littered swimming beaches, excellent fishing spots, wilderness camping, and trails. Robert Moses State Park and farther south, the Jones Beach State Park, in Wantagh, are popular locations for summer sand and sun fun. Bayard Cutting Arboretum is a great place to breath in the woody fragrance of pine and spruce.
North Shore, Long Island
Glacier-formed high bluffs, rocky beaches, woodlands, coves, and fabulous museums characterize Long Island's North Shore. Bordered by the Long Island Sound, the North Shore boasts the picturesque harbor of Oyster Bay, with its Planting Fields botanical gardens and historic park and Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, the former site of Theodore Roosevelt's home. Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site and Intrepretive Center is located in the North Shore town of West Hills, and ferry passengers from Bridgeport, CT, arrive to the busy coastal town of Port Jefferson. The North Shore is also home to the Sand Points Nature Preserve. Also on the grounds of the Sand Points Nature Preserve are the historic homes of Hempstead House and Castlegould. These grandiose estates, together with many other historic North Shore mansions (12 of which are open to the public), comprise what is commonly referred to as the Gold Coast. The Gold Coast's opulent mansions and summer homes were built by some of the nation's foremost industry and finance barons.
Places to Visit in Long Island, the Hamptons, Montauk, Fire Island
Places-to-Visit
Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park
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