New York City Long Island

Long Island, 120 mi. long (hence the name), is the largest island in the US, and it’s a land of multiple personalities. To the west, its strip malls, congested roads, and homogenous housing leave no doubt that you’re in suburbia. In fact, Levittown, one of the first planned mega-suburbs in post-WWII America, sits smack in the middle of its western end. Nonetheless, you’ll find the legendary Gold Coast, a ritzy and exclusive enclave since the Roaring Twenties, to the north. As you travel east, the island begins to feel more like a holiday escape. The Hamptons, on the south fork of the island’s eastern tip, are the weekend vacation spot of choice for legions of well-to-do Manhattanites. Blissfully undeveloped Fire Island, just to the south, provides true natural serenity—and hosts a pair of gay communities with some of the wildest nightlife anywhere. The bucolic North Fork is home to an emerging crop of charming wineries.

Transportation

Trains: Long Island Railroad (LIRR; ☎ 718-217-547, TDD 718-558-3022; www.mta.info). Trains leave from Penn Station in Manhattan (34th St. at 7th Ave.; S 1, 2, 3 to 34th St./Penn Station/7th Ave.; A, ...more

Oyster Bay

The silent streets and small-town atmosphere of Oyster Bay stand in stark contrast to the energetic metropolis of New York City. Visitors come to the Bay, located at the center of the northern portion ...more

Jones Beach

Although Jones Beach State Park is open year-round, things really start to get hot during the summer. While the park is open from sun-up to sundown most of the year, from the end of June through the beginning ...more

Fire Island

Stretching beneath Long Island in a thin, 32 mi. strip, Fire Island is a relatively short train and ferry ride away from the city. The long beach along most of its southern shore is the main attraction ...more