'''Long Island''' is an island stretching eastward from New York City in the Metro New York region. The largely suburban area is approximately 115 miles long from Brooklyn and Queens at the western end, to Montauk at the easternmost point. At its widest the island is approximately 20 miles from north to south. While Long Island geographically includes Brooklyn and Queens, politically Long Island in general includes Nassau County and Suffolk County of New York State only.

The primary tourist attractions are the large number of excellent beaches along Long Island Sound to the north and especially along the Atlantic Ocean to the south. The North Fork is also home to many wineries. Other attractions include harbor towns such as Port Jefferson, where a variety of eateries and small businesses thrive in a bohemian atmosphere.

Regions

  • Nassau County
  • Suffolk County
  • Cities

    Long Island is essentially a suburban area throughout (except for the Twin Forks region, which is rural) and has few major cities. <!-- Keep this list to no more than nine, please. -->
  • Brookhaven
  • East Hampton
  • Huntington
  • Islip
  • Mineola
  • Shelter Island
  • Other destinations

  • Fire Island
  • The Hamptons
  • Shelter Island
  • The North Fork
  • Understand

    Long Island consists of Nassau and Suffolk counties. Queens and Brooklyn are boroughs of New York City, and are generally not considered to be part of "Long Island," even though they are physically part of the island. A generation or so ago, Suffolk had a lot more farmland; the only remaining farmland is on the East End, where one can find many farmers' markets and wineries. Brookhaven National Laboratory's particle accelerator in Upton is visible from space.

    Talk

  • The daily, Island-wide newspaper is ''Newsday'', which also provides a detailed history of the island at www.lihistory.com.
  • News 12 on Cable TV (Cablevision) also covers local news.
  • Tourism

    [http://www.discoverlongisland.com The Long Island Conventions & Visitors Bureau] provides information about Long Island and the places to visit.

    Get in

    By plane

  • '''MacArthur Airport''' in Islip is a convenient regional airport centrally located on Long Island.
  • '''John F. Kennedy International Airport''' (''JFK''), [http://www.panynj.gov/aviation/jfkframe.HTM] is convenient because the AirTrain connects JFK's monorail system to the LIRR at Jamaica or Howard Beach Stations for only $5.
  • '''LaGuardia Airport''' (''LGA''), [http://www.panynj.gov/aviation/lgaframe.HTM].
  • '''Newark Liberty International Airport''' (''EWR''), [http://www.panynj.gov/aviation/ewrframe.HTM] is located to the west of the Island (and New York City) in the state of New Jersey.
  • By train

  • The Long Island Railroad [http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/lirr/] runs from Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan to various points on Long Island on many branches. Service is not as frequent as the NYC subways.
  • By boat

  • Ferries from north shore of Long Island Sound.
  • By car

  • There are many controlled-access highways that run through New York City from Connecticut and New Jersey. It is advisable, however, to travel on routes that do not cross Manhattan Island (where traffic is perpetually horrendous). From New Jersey, I-278 runs across Staten Island to Brooklyn where major roads (including Route 27 and the LIE) can be reached. From Connecticut, take I-95 South to I-678 and the Throgs Neck Bridge. Once into Queens, nearly every major thoroughfare is encountered while still heading south on 278.
  • A convenient way to bypass most traffic is to take a car ferry from either Bridgeport, CT to Port Jefferson (on the North Shore in the center of Suffolk County) [http://www.portjeffferry.com/] or New London, CT to Orient Point (on the North Fork). [https://www.longislandferry.com/] However, always check the ferry schedules while they do not operate overnight.
  • The Southern State Parkway runs from East Islip to Queens where it becomes the Belt Parkway. The SSP is a very busy thoroughfare during rush hours and connects most of Nassau to each other. The Meadowbrook Parkway runs from Jones Beach, through Long Beach connecting the south shore towns to Mineola and The Northern Parkway. The Long Island Expressway, or The LIE is billed as the world's longest parking lot, especially during peak rush hours. The LIE connects Manhattan to Riverhead. Sunrise Highway, or NY-27, as a divided highway goes from Queens along the south shore of Nassau County, becoming an expressway in Babylon, back to a divided highway in Suffolk County and ending at the east end of the island in Montauk.
  • Get around

  • Long Island Bus has a main terminal in Hempstead. There is also a terminal which serves about 4 or 5 different buses in Mineola that take you to the North Shore. Long Island Rail Road (which has a major transfer point at the Jamaica LIRR which nearly EVERY train line goes through) can take you to Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn.
  • See

  • [http://www.atlantismarineworld.com/ Atlantis Marine World Aquarium] - Located in Riverhead at the end of the Long Island Expressway. Has stingray and shark petting, large tank with sharks, moray eel, turtles and manta rays, outdoor exhibits including emus and tortoises. Many conservation efforts.
  • The Americana mall (popularly called the Miracle Mile, like in the Billy Joel song "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me). Some of the richest people on the island shop in this stretch of conspicuous consumption, beautiful store layouts, and mind-boggling prices. On Northern Boulevard in Manhasset.
  • Long Island has some great villages, like Great Neck and Huntington where you can just wander around and see cute little stores and take in nice views.
  • Port Washington has a beautiful bay with a public park where you can see all the boats and the water.
  • Drive around Old Brookville and look at how gigantic the houses are.
  • [http://www.nps.gov/sahi/ Sagamore Hills] It is the summer-home of President Theodore Roosevelt. Includes tours, a museum, and a visitor center. It is run by the National Park Service.
  • [http://www.gregorymuseum.org/ The Hicksville Gregory Museum], which has hundreds of scientific specimens.
  • [http://www.cradleofaviation.org/ The Cradle of Aviation], a museum about airplanes and the history of aviation.
  • [http://www.garviespointmuseum.org/ Garvies Point Museum and Preserve], which has Native American artifacts.
  • [http://www.sandspointpreserve.org/ Sands Point Preserve], with its two castles.
  • Old Bethpage Village Restoration, which has a farm as well as houses and businesses from the early-to-mid 1800's.
  • [http://www.sagtikosmanor.com/ Sagtikos Manor] Montauk Highway and Manor Lane, West Bay Shore. Sagtikos Manor, built in 1697, served briefly as headquarters for the British army during the Revolutionary War. President George Washington stayed there during his tour of Long Island in 1790. Take a tour of the Manor House led by costumed docents and stroll through the grounds and nearby Gardiner County Park. June, Sundays 1-4PM, July & August, Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday 1-4PM, 631-854-0939. Robert Moses Causeway Exit RM2E Bay Shore. Turn right onto Rt 27A and continue east approx. 1/2 mile. Entrance on left.
  • Do

  • Splish Splash water park at exit 73 of the LIE.
  • Tanger Outlets in Riverhead & Deer Park.
  • Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City.
  • Bar hop through Huntington
  • Strike Go-Karts/Bowling/Arcade in New Hyde Park.
  • ICE Nightclub in Farmingdale.
  • Jones Beach and Captree State Park
  • Go see the Amityville Horror House in Amityville.
  • Eat

    Long Island is a lot like New Jersey and parts of Connecticut inasmuch as a there are a lot of 24 hour diners that serve pretty much anything whenever. Young people congregate in these diners at odd hours, and they can be found spread out on the major roads like Jericho Turnpike or Sunrise Highway. Long Island is also like a lot of suburbia as some of the most popular restaurants are just classy chain restaurants.

  • '''Peter Leuger's Steakhouse''' in Brooklyn is considered one the world's best.
  • The restaurant at the '''Jedediah Hawkins House''' [http://www.captainhawkinshouse.com] in Jamesport is really good and in a beautiful setting.
  • The really amazing New York restaurant, '''Il Mulino''', has a location in Roslyn.
  • '''Mama's''' in Copiague has some of the best Italian food
  • '''Kitchen Kabaret''' in Greenvale, while not the best ambiance for a restaurant, has great food to take out. Very popular for rich kids getting lunch and upscale north shore catering.
  • '''The Cider Mill''' in Laurel on Route 25 has the best pies.
  • '''All-American Drive-in''' in Masssapequa has the great hamburgers.
  • '''Bobbique''' in Patchogue has fantastic real pit barbecue and lots of great beers on tap. Not for vegetarians.
  • '''The Milleridge Inn''' in Jericho is a rustic eatery perfect for dinner or classy lunch.
  • The mashed potato at '''Boston Chicken''' is good.
  • '''Red Lobster''' serves nice food.
  • All major fast food chains and chain casual dining restaurants have locations on Long Island.

    Drink

    The well known cocktail, the Long Island Iced Tea, was first created on Long Island. One of the most celebrated local beers is called [http://www.bluepointbrewing.com/ Blue Point], named for the town of the same name.

    Drinking on Long Island is tough because you need a car to get around. At night, there is little public transportation, but there are taxis. The south shore has some good bars, but except for Huntington the north shore is notoriously at a lack for popular hangouts. The Hamptons have many classy bars.

    Stay safe

    Be smart, don't travel to towns with a lot of crime at night. These towns include: Roosevelt, Hempstead, North Amityville, Valley Stream (Green Acres only), North Baldwin, Wyandanch, Rosedale, North Bay Shore, Central Islip, New Cassel, Uniondale, Brentwood, Freeport and West Babylon. In the daytime, these areas are generally safe.

    Get out

    Manhattan or Connecticut.

    Or Brooklyn!