Pleasures & Pastimes

Pleasures & Pastimes

Beaches

Clean white-sand beaches are Long Island's main attraction for most visitors, whether their idea of beach fun is lounging on the warm sand, watching the sun drop slowly into the water, swimming or surfing in the rolling waves, or just strolling along the shore and breathing the fresh salt air. For serious waves, head to the magnificent South Shore, which includes Jones Beach, Robert Moses, and Fire Island. The seashore tends to get crowded on summer weekends, but as you move out east, the crowds thin—especially all the way out in Montauk. Most Hamptons beaches are open only to residents, but lodging properties usually have beach passes for their guests.

Fishing

Lined on one side by the Long Island Sound and on the other by the Atlantic Ocean, and nicked by numerous bays and harbors, Long Island provides countless chances for anglers to indulge their passion and fisherfolk to make their living. The waters here draw commercial-fishing vessels and sporting boats, pros and weekend warriors. In virtually every village that snuggles up against the water, you find docks, marinas, bait-and-tackle shops, and people willing to discuss the tides, weather, and best places to fish. Depending on the season and area, you can try your rod at striped bass, fluke, bluefish, flounder, skate, and even tuna and shark offshore. There's good surf casting at Montauk Point and Jones Beach. Charter boats glide in and out of harbors at Greenport, Shelter Island, and Montauk, filled with people seeking a prize for their wall or freezer.

Wineries

The white-sand beaches of the North Fork encircle a broad, central agricultural belt that, it turns out, has near-perfect conditions for ripening European grape varieties like merlot and chardonnay. Now that the quality of Long Island wines rivals that of the world's top labels, the North Fork draws serious wine lovers and sightseeing fun seekers alike. Navigating the North Fork wine trail is really about deciding how often to stop, as all but three of the region's 30 wineries are on Route 25, which runs east-west through the fork, or on Route 48, running north of and parallel to Route 25. Each winery has its own personality; some encourage a quiet focus on the wine, whereas at others you jostle for a place at the lively bar. Some are in old barns that retain rural charm in wide-planked wood floors, heavy beams, and old farming equipment. Summer weekends—particularly when bad weather foils beach plans—attract droves of winery-hoppers. Fall brings harvest festivals and day-trippers buying fresh vegetables at farm stands and mixed cases of wines for the holidays. Off-season, the wineries are very quiet, and you're likely to be showered with extra attention.