Minutes from the hustle and bustle of Times Square and Manhattan lies the Atlantic paradise of Long Island. Although it is attached to New York City, Long Island is not a borough of New York City. In fact, the island contains the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. Seven bridges and two tunnels within New York City connect to the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in the western end of Long Island. The region consists of two countries: Nassau and Suffolk. Some of the highlights of Long Island include the Hamptons, wineries, mansions, beaches and quaint villages. Two of New York City's major airports, LaGuardia Airport and JFK International Airport, are located on Long Island, in Queens.
Visitors to Long Island can expect a delightful experience. It is a marvelous place to visit, with a wide variety of things to do, see and experience. Whether you want to unwind on a beach, in a park or at a winery, explore a museum, a preserve or an art gallery, or cherr a hockey match, baseball game or cheer at a hockey match, baseball game or horse race, you will find it in Long Island. This is what makes the island such a wonderful, special and exciting place for visitors.
Activities are plenty in Long Island. Explore art collections, parks and preserves, historic mansions and towering lighthouses. Long Island also features dozens of museums, historic sites and wineries. There are also plenty of events that happen in Long Island. In fact, there is an exciting event practically every month. From the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Racetrack, the Long Island Marathon as well as the New York Islanders NHL hockey team. Lighthouses are another family-friendly attraction in Long Island. Several of the island’s lighthouses are open to the public , including New York State’s oldest and most iconic lighthouse: The Montauk Point Light at the eastern tip of the island.
Long Island is full of wide open public spaces. Beaches, parks, rivers, forests, lakes and byars and other wonders show the island in its natural state. Long Island’s beaches, which are open year-round, are perfect for swimming, fishing, beachcombing and surfing.
Long Island’s Public beaches are among its most precious natural resources. From the beaches of the Hamptons to Long beach and Jones Beach in Nassau County, the island has plenty of amazing beaches for swimmers, sunbathers and body surfers. The Hampton beaches are heralded as some of the best in the world, offering visitors 50 miles of uncorwded fun in the sand. North Shore featues breathtaking beaches with calmer waters which makes them ideal for families with small children.
The area is recognized as major wine-producing region. The island currently boasts about 3,000 acres or vineyards and some three dozen wineries with tasting rooms. You can travel from one tasting room to the next, sampling glasses of Long Island varieties such as Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. Most wineries are open year-round for tasting, tours and events, and offer their products for sale. Some offer concerts, art exhibits, food pairing, barrel tastings and seasonal activities such as harvest fests.
