Long Island

We’ve compiled the best of the best in Long Island - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

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  • 1. Boardwalk

    The boardwalk is the social and sentimental heart of Long Beach, so when the beloved historic structure was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, hearts broke. Today a brand new fortified boardwalk stands in its place, a symbol of the city's resilience, and throughout the summer weekend vendors and entertainers attract crowds. Walkers and cyclists hit the planks year-round, and food trucks and a trapeze school are welcome additions to its lively scene.

    Between New York Ave. and Neptune Blvd., Long Beach, New York, 11561, USA
    516-431–3890

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free
  • 2. Jones Beach State Park

    Eleven miles east of Long Beach, this 6½-mile-long expanse of white sand is one of the best-known and most popular of Long Island's beaches. The 2,500-acre park is loaded with facilities and activites to keep locals and visitors busy day and night. A 1½-mile-long boardwalk has deck games (fee), mini-golf, a pool, playgrounds, picnic areas, and two surf-casting areas (by permit), and hosts special summer events like live music at the bandshell. Lifeguards are on duty from late May to mid-September. The park can be reached from the Wantagh and Meadowbrook parkways (head south). Be prepared for crowds on weekends. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

    1 Ocean Pkwy, Wantagh, New York, 11793, USA
    516-785–1600

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Parking $10 late May–early Sept., weekdays 8–4, weekends and holidays 7–6; $8 early Apr.–mid-May and Sept. 13–Nov. 16, weekends and holidays 8–4
  • 3. Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center

    With touch tanks, a submarine simulator, sea lion kisses, swimming with the sharks, and a shark keeper program, this aquarium offers a truly interactive and hands-on experience for its visitors. Based on the theme of the Lost City of Atlantis, indoor and outdoor exhibits, such as a natural rockscape pool and salt marsh, offer a compelling glimpse of regional marine life. Educational programs and events for kids include "sleeping with the fish" overnight stays; for the adults, there are wine cruises. A "Behind the Scenes" tour is offered twice daily and provides a glimpse into the inner workings of the aquarium.

    431 E. Main St., Riverhead, New York, 11901, USA
    631-208–9200

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $29.50, Daily 10–5
  • 4. Old Bethpage Village Restoration

    Re-creating a pre–Civil War farming community, this living-history museum sits on 200 pastoral acres with soft hills and lovely meadows. The 45 historic buildings were moved to this spot from other parts of Long Island and include two general stores, nine homes, a schoolhouse, a tavern, a church, and a working farm with animals. The guides, dressed in period costume, love sharing their knowledge of local history. Special events and seasonal celebrations are held throughout the year.

    1303 Round Swamp Rd., Old Bethpage, New York, 11804, USA
    516-572–8401

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $10, Closed Mon. and Tues., Mar.–Dec., Wed.–Sun. 10–4
  • 5. Parrish Art Museum

    Opened in November 2012, the new Parrish Art Museum, originally established in Southampton in 1898, blends perfectly with its surroundings. A work of art itself, this massive yet subdued 34,440 square foot, elongated Herzon & de Meuron-designed barn blends modern clean lines with a traditional country look. Its seven sky lit galleries are filled with impressive collections highlighting Eastern Long Island greats including William Meritt Chase and Fairfield Porter, as well as exhibitions by world-renowned artists representing all media. There's also a full calendar of lectures, workshops, concerts and children's programs. Fun, family-friendly music programs take place outside during the summer. Juried art exhibitions hang on the walls during the year.

    279 Montauk Highway, Water Mill, New York, 11976, USA
    631-283–2118

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $12, Closed Tues., Mon., Weds., Thurs., Sat., Sun. 10–5 and Fri.10–8
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  • 6. Pugliese Vineyards

    The Pugliese family, in the spirit of the late founder and partiarch Ralph Pugliese, makes good, down-to-earth affordble wines that are local favorites. Its sparklers really shine: the Blanc de Blanc Brut regularly ranks in national competitions, and the off-dry sparkling merlot is an unusual treat. Try the Porto Bello dessert wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, great with chocolate, cheese, or on its own. The Sunset Meritage blend, with its deep, earthy flavors, is a winner. The hand-painted wine glasses and bottles make great gifts. Live music near the fish pond under the trellis on summer weekends attracts groups of friends and families with grandparents and children. In recent years limousine tours have brought growing crowds to this small family operation, but it's still the same friendly, beautiful winery Mr. Pugliese started 35 years ago.

    34515 Main Rd., Cutchogue, New York, 11935, USA
    631-734–4057

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Tasting $5, Daily 11–6
  • 7. "Home Sweet Home" Museum

    The 19th century poet, playwright, and actor John Howard Payne so loved this circa-1720 saltbox home that, it is said, it became the inspiration for his now-famous lyrics for the song, "Home Sweet Home." Today guided tours lead you through a refined home decorated with English ceramics and American furniture and textiles. The museum is in a historic district within walking distance of 19th-century windmills, including the Old Hook Mill.

    14 James La., East Hampton, New York, 11937, USA
    631-324–0713

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $4, May–Sept., Mon.–Sat. 10–4, Sun. 2–4; Apr., Oct., and Nov., Fri. and Sat. 10–4, Sun. 2–4. Dec.–Apr. by appointment only
  • 8. Adventureland

    This amusement park, operating since 1962, is good family fun, with more than 30 thrill rides, kiddie rides, a ghost house, a couple of water rides, and a large indoor arcade. There is no admission fee, parking is free, and the food—admittedly not gourmet fare—won't cost you an arm and a leg. In summer, go during the week if you want to avoid long lines.

    2245 Broad Hollow Rd. (Rte. 110), Farmingdale, New York, 11735, USA
    631-694–6868

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $1 per ticket (each ride costs 3–5 tickets) or $26.50 for P.O.P (pay one price) wristbands for unlimited rides, Late June–Labor Day, weekdays from 11, weekends from 11:30, closing between 7 and 11; late Mar.–early June and Sept.–Oct., weekends and holidays from 11:30, closing between 5 and 7; call or visit website for details
  • 9. Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park

    You can visit this 125-acre park over and over again and have a different experience each time. After enjoying refined gardens with statues and century-old trees, you may find yourself lost in a ramble of free-growing woods or the maintained trails of the Connetquot River. Keep walking north, and you'll come across a working farm. The arboretum, 8 miles east of Bay Shore, also boasts one of the largest collections of conifers on Long Island. The grand 1886 shingle-style mansion overlooks a great lawn that sweeps down to the river. The first floor of the house, including a charming café that offers high tea, is open to the public.

    440 Montauk Hwy., East Islip, New York, 11739, USA
    631-581–1002-arboretum

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Parking $8 (Apr.–Nov.), Closed Mon., Tues.–Sun. 10–4 (to 5 Apr.–Oct.)
  • 10. Bedell Cellars

    Merlot is the benchmark of the region, and Bedell's reputation as the area's premier maker of this wine attracts serious wine lovers. The tasting room, in a New England farm–style building, has a modern-art collection and a stainless-steel bar. It has fine environmentally-friendly sustainable credentials. Splurge on the 16-month, oak-aged $90 Musée 2010.

    36225 Main Rd., Cutchogue, New York, 11935, USA
    631-734–7537

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Tastings $15–$20/flight, Sun.–Thurs. 11–5, Fri. and Sat. 11–7; may close at 3 on certain summer weekends for weddings; call ahead to confirm. Tours on weekends only, by appointment
  • 11. Blue Point Brewing Company

    These local brewers may have made it big, but they've never strayed from their roots of creating—and drinking—some really good beer. About 4 miles east of Sayville, the tasting room, where you can sample a dozen brews, is quintessentially local, with a handmade bar that was built using bricks from the old Patchogue Lace Mill and a wildly colorful ceramic-tile-mosaic top. Come in your jeans, T-shirts, and flannels, because when you're here, you're home. There's an outdoor area behind the brewery where you can enjoy Toasted Lager or one of their seasonal brews and maybe grab a bite from a food truck.

    161 River Ave., Patchogue, New York, 11772, USA
    844-272–2739

    Sight Details

    Tasting Room: Thurs. and Fri. 3–7, Sat. noon–7; brewery tours Sat. at 1 and 4
  • 12. Castello di Borghese Vineyard & Winery

    For more than four decades, Long Island's founding vineyard has been bringing a little piece of Tuscany close to home. A former barn near the main tasting room provides a lively venue for festivals, opera, jazz performances, live comedy, and art exhibits. Try the Cabernet Franc.

    17150 County Rd., Cutchogue, New York, 11935, USA
    631-734–5111

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Tastings $10–$15/flight; tours $20, includes tastings, Tastings daily 11–5. Tours July–Oct., Thurs. and Sun. 1 pm; Nov.–June, Sat. at 1 pm; call ahead to confirm
  • 13. Cathedral of the Incarnation

    The 1876 Gothic-style cathedral, the bishop's house, and the St. Mary's and St. Paul's school buildings were all part of an elaborate memorial for Garden City's founder, A.T. Stewart, commissioned by his wife, Cornelia. The bells, purchased at the Philadelphia Centennial exposition in 1876, are replicas of the Liberty Bell; there are 13 of them, one for each of the original colonies. The church is noted for its hand-carved mahogany woodwork and rare marble. The Casavant organ, the largest pipe organ on Long Island, has 103 ranks of pipes.

    50 Cathedral Ave., Garden City, New York, 11530, USA
    516-746–2955

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free, Closed Sat. and Mon., Tues.–Fri. 10–4, Sat. 8–noon, Sun. 12:30–2 (excluding service times)
  • 14. Caumsett State Historic Park

    Set in magnificent Lloyd Neck, which juts into Long Island Sound, this park covers 1,500 acres and includes a sliver of beach and a bridle path for those who bring horses in by trailer. You can also hike, fish, bike, and cross-country ski here. The park was originally the estate of Marshall Field III; his mansion can be viewed from the outside, but is closed to the public.

    Huntington, New York, 11743, USA
    631-423–1770

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $6 (Memorial Day–Labor Day), Daily sunrise–sunset
  • 15. Cedarmere

    The prominent 19th-century poet, civic leader, and newspaper editor William Cullen Bryant lived in this house, built in 1787 by Quaker farmer William Kirk, from 1843 until his death in 1878. Bryant purchased the house as a rural retreat where he could work on his poetry and indulge his love of nature. He renovated and enlarged the original farmhouse, and planted exotic trees and flowers on the grounds, transforming the estate into a horticultural showplace.

    225 Bryant Ave., Roslyn Harbor, New York, 11576, USA
    516-544-3944

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free, Main House Open for Guided Tours on Thursdays at 2pm and at 3pm
  • 16. Children's Museum of the East End

    Here, as their motto says, learning begins with play. This is a perfect place to let kids run off some steam on a rainy day, or just to take a break from the beach. There's a fire engine replica, painting room, library, climbing ship, and a separate play area for toddlers. A mini-golf course is open in season, weather permitting. There are plenty of educational and fun classes and events on the calendar too, including the Summer Family Concert Series in August.

    376 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Tpke., Bridgehampton, New York, 11932, USA
    631-537–8250

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $12, Closed Tues., Wed.–Mon. 9–5 (also Tues. during school breaks.) Sometimes closed for special events, so call ahead
  • 17. Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery and Aquarium

    Eight outdoor tanks at this educational center hold the largest collection of native freshwater fish, turtles, and amphibians in New York State. For a fee, visitors can try their hand at trout fishing. It's 1½ mi from downtown Cold Spring Harbor.

    1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, 11724, USA
    516-692–6768

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $6, Daily 10–5, Oct.–Labor Day until 6 weekends.
  • 18. Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum

    One of the highlights of this museum's permanent exhibits exploring Long Island's whaling industry is a fully equipped 19th-century whaleboat. Whaling implements, paintings, scrimshaw, and ship models are also on display.

    301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor, New York, 11724, USA
    631-367–3418

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $6, Memorial Day–Labor Day, daily 11–5; Labor Day–Memorial Day, Tues.–Sun. 11–5
  • 19. Corey Creek Vineyards

    A short, winding road leads to this airy, chaletlike tasting house with a spacious deck and one of the best vineyard views in the area. They host events like the Twilight Series, featuring live music and food trucks from late May to early September, some for an additional cover charge. Now under the banner of Bedell Cellars, they continue to produce acclaimed wines like the Chardonnay Reserve and Late-Harvest Reisling.

    45470 Main Rd., Southold, New York, 11971, USA
    631-765–4168

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Tastings $15, Apr.–Dec., daily noon–5 (to 9 Thurs., to 7 Fri. and Sat.)
  • 20. Cradle of Aviation Museum

    The museum, housed in two 1932 hangars, is a tribute to Long Island's reputation as the "cradle of aviation." Displays here include a 1929 Brunner Winkle Bird, a biplane; a 1938 Grumman G-21 Goose, originally intended for civilian use; a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, and a Grumman F6F Hellcat, both World War II fighter planes; a supersonic F-14 Tomcat, a strike fighter in service today; and one of only three existing original Apollo lunar modules, as well as dozens of other planes. Special exhibits have focused on space-theme toys and the Wright brothers. The museum encompasses the Leroy R. & Rose W. Grumman IMAX Dome Theater and a restaurant, the Red Planet Café.

    1 Davis Ave., Garden City, New York, 11530, USA
    516-572–4111

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Museum $9, IMAX $8.50, Tue.–Sun. 9:30–5

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