Long Island is close to the Big Apple, which means so many people visit Manhattan when they are looking for a day of adventure. However, like nearby Brooklyn and Queens, Long Island itself is a New York State gem with plenty of things to see and do, including its own unique attractions and fun spots. It can be tough to know what you should do on Long Island the next time you visit, even if you’ve been here for some time.
As New York City natives, Schwartzapfel Lawyers knows all the best places to have fun with your friends and family on Long Island and beyond. Read on to check out some fun things to do on Long Island during your next weekend away, and contact us today at 1-516-342-2200 if you find you need experienced lawyers during your Long Island vacation.
Enjoy a Long Island Wine Tour
Long Island is well-known as a titan in many industries, especially winemaking! So it’s no surprise that you can find tons of world-class Long Island wine tours, some of which launch from NYC.
These wine tours will take you to one or several winemaking destinations depending on their itineraries. Most of them also have you board a bus, so everyone in the tour group gets to go together.
Along the way, you’ll sample delectable winds from carefully chosen vineyards. It’s a perfect thing to do on Long Island if you are visiting temporarily or if you want to experience the winemaking culture that’s popular in this part of the state.
Some of the best Long Island wine tours even include picnic lunches paired with live music, so you won’t have to worry about sipping your wine without any snacks.
Sail at Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is a wonderful place to sail if you have a boat or if you’d like to rent a seafaring vessel. Cited by F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby,as the most domesticated body of salt water in the Western Hemisphere,” the Sound separates Long Island and coastal Connecticut and is known for its exceedingly calm waters all year round. Thus, it’s perfect for peaceful sailing, fishing, and taking scenic photos of both states’ coastlines.
Even better, if you come during the right time of year, you may find dolphins or whales at Long Island sound. You can take whale-watching tours from this location if you’d like a higher chance of seeing these aquatic mammals swimming around.
Stay long enough, and you’ll be treated to some of the most gorgeous sunsets in the area — perfect lighting for a romantic dinner or date with a loved one.
Visit the Long Island Aquarium
If you’re in the mood for another aquatic experience, you should visit the Long Island Aquarium. It’s open from 10 AM to 5 PM throughout the week, and it’s perfect for both couples and families with small kids. Visit the Aquarium, and you’ll get to experience attractions like sea lion shows, African penguin exhibits, and a 120,000-gallon shark tank.
In total, the Long Island Aquarium has over 100 exhibits, including a recent Butterflies, Bugs, and Birds exhibit. If you or a loved one have a birthday coming up, you can even plan your Aquarium trip around your special day since the Aquarium gives free admission to anyone within seven days of their birthday.
The Long Island Aquarium is reasonably large without being overwhelming, so you should be able to see everything it has to offer in several hours.
Stroll or Sunbathe at Long Beach
Long Beach is one of the best spots to get some sun, play some volleyball, or try your hand at surfing. In addition, it has a phenomenal boardwalk lined with shops and attractions, so you can always grab a bite to eat or purchase some souvenirs to take back home.
But most come to Long Beach thanks to its beautiful sandy beaches. This is arguably the best place to enjoy a day of summertime sunshine in Long Beach and in all of Manhattan. Please note, however, that the beach can get pretty crowded (though not nearly as much as some of its California counterparts).
Visit the Hamptons
The Hamptons is located on the eastern shores of Long Island, and it’s a well-known tourist attraction and retreat for New Yorkers and international tastemakers alike. The Hamptons are a perfect place to walk around for the day, especially if you like to eyeball the real estate and dream about what it would be like to live in some of these gorgeous homes.
You can also enjoy other experiences, like touring local beaches and wineries, visiting national landmarks, and browsing its endlessly-charming shops and cafés. All in all, the Hamptons are the perfect place for a relaxing day trip.
Experience Lavender by the Bay
Lavender by the Bay is a unique experience local to Long Island. It’s a lavender farm that looks like a field full of cotton candy. You can walk through this surreally beautiful scene in the early summer when the lavender flowers bloom naturally.
Lavender by the Bay is a fully accessible, family-friendly farm that includes a gift shop with plenty of souvenirs, ranging from body butters to massage oils to bath salts. It’s an overall stunning experience and a gorgeous idea for a day trip if you want to take the family out while the weather is feeling fine.
Check Out Jones Beach State Park & Boardwalk
Jones Beach State Park is another popular Long Island beach attraction. Sometimes just called Jones Beach, this world-famous vacation destination offers a wide range of entertainment options and amenities. Cafés and diners along the boardwalk mean you’ll never go hungry for long, but you can also shop at a variety of boutiques, stores, and stalls if you’re hunting for that perfect souvenir or gift.
The entertainment centers provide access to family-friendly mini golf, arcade games, and outdoor gaming activities. Even better, outdoor concerts play around this area all the time. Come on a bright summer day, and you’ll feel comfortable walking around in your sandals and favorite T-shirt.
Eat at Blue Moon
Long Island has no shortage of great places to eat, but Blue Moon comes highly recommended by practically all Long Island natives. It’s arguably the best place to get a slice of pizza in all of Nassau County!
Blue Moon’s delicious pizza is tossed in the New York style, with large sizes and thin crusts. But more importantly, the pizza here bakes in coal ovens. That’s why each slice tastes unlike other pizzas you may have had at New York pizza parlors.
Blue Moon creates delicious pizzas of many different flavors and styles, ranging from meat-based pies to cheese pies and more. Should you be in the mood for something other than pizza, this excellent restaurant also offers garlic bread, cheesecake, salad, and other side dishes.
See the Cradle of Aviation Museum
The Cradle of Aviation Museum is an aerospace fan’s dream. Buy tickets to this experience, and you’ll get up close and personal with life-sized aircraft, rockets, and even lunar landing modules. The Museum includes plenty of hands-on exhibits, enabling you to touch space debris, astronaut uniforms, and engines that were used in real life.
Aside from the hands-on exhibits, the Cradle of Aviation Museum also has a fantastic planetarium, which displays a regular surround-sound experience exploring the true wonder and magnitude of the universe. Come here for a great afternoon experience or for a good kid-friendly adventure.
View Montauk Point Lighthouse
Montauk Point Lighthouse is a Long Island icon, and it’s definitely one of the best things to do if you’re visiting or planning on staying for a while. The lighthouse was built in 1797 and commissioned by George Washington. To many immigrants around that time period, it was the first thing they saw of the new world.
Nowadays, the Montauk Point Lighthouse is a nationally protected landmark and surrounded by several gardens. Visitors can check out the museum housed within or enjoy the views from the observation points that overlook the surrounding ocean.
Have an adventurous spirit? Buried treasure is rumored to be hidden somewhere on the Montauk Point Lighthouse grounds…
Check Out Adventure Park at Long Island
Adventure Park is one of Long Island’s other major attractions. It’s nestled deep in the heart of one of Long Island’s forested areas, and it’s a perfect place for older kids and adults to enjoy outdoor challenges and invigorating experiences.
Adventure Park offers rope courses, zip lines, and exploratory trails so you can reconnect with nature and breathe in some fresh air before heading back to the steel jungle of Manhattan. Adventure Park further offers a playground for younger children, so they can join in on the fun. Tickets aren’t too expensive, but you should try to come on a standard weekend rather than a holiday weekend to avoid crushing crowds.
Shop at Roosevelt Field
In addition to being one of the largest malls in New York State, Roosevelt Field is also one of the biggest shopping malls in all of the United States. Visit this monument to retail shopping, and you’ll find dozens of stores from the most popular brands, ranging from clothing stores to jewelers and much more.
In fact, there’s a dedicated dining court at Roosevelt Field, and it’s much better than the standard dining arena you might expect from a big shopping mall. An AMC movie theater and plenty of souvenir shops are also available to entertain you, perfect options if you want to spend some time out of the sun or humid summer weather.
All in all, if you want to hit your shopping milestones on Long Island, Roosevelt Field will help you cross them off the list.
See the Vanderbilt Museum & Planetarium
The Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium is the go-to Long Island destination if you’re a space enthusiast. While the Cradle of Aviation Museum is great for aircraft fanatics, this museum and planetarium is a sight to see, partially thanks to its rooftop observatory. Attend at night, and you can see the stars through a scientific-grade telescope.
Alternatively, visit the Museum’s entertainment dome for a light and laser show that is entertaining and educating in equal measure. Exhibits of natural history throughout the museum featuring wildlife specimens carefully curated by William K. Vanderbilt make it a perfect place for a school field trip or a weekend date.
Pig Out at the Oyster Bay Oyster Festival
If you’re an oyster fan, you can’t afford to miss the Oyster Bay Oyster Festival. This once-a-year festival is held in October and is a celebration of all things oyster, including:
- Oyster eating competitions
- Oyster shucking competitions
- Pirate shows and ship displays
- Carnival rides
- As many oysters as you can eat!
Check it out while it’s around – otherwise, you’ll have to wait another year for it to come back!
Additional Long Island Locales To Explore
If you’re still looking for activities to include in your Long Island weekend getaway, check out our list of extra recommendations below.
- Pay a visit to the Old Westbury Gardens, a Gatsby-style Gold Coast estate with plenty of history and a view of the nearby Atlantic Ocean
- Explore the Sag Harbor Whaling and Historical Museum in the Hamptons
- Check out the Southampton History Museum
- Take a private Fire Island lighthouse tour
- Hang out at the Huntington Village Farmers Market
- Visit the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation
- Check out the exhibits at the Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn Harbor
- Visit Old Bethpage for the Bethpage Air Show
- Go for a swim at Cooper’s Beach
- Go to the Long Island Children’s Museum on the East End
- Visit the Hempstead House in Hempstead Lake State Park
- View the Mitchell Air Force Base near our Garden City office
- Stay a night at the East Hampton House Resort or the Blue Inn at North Fork
- Visit Sagamore Hill, a national historic site featuring the Theodore Roosevelt Museum
- Take a walk along Stony Brook Harbor
- Check out the Vanderbilt Museum on the North Shore of Long Island
- Stroll through the Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park
- Check out the Peconic Herb Farm in Calverton, a hidden gem for those of us with green thumbs!
Contact Schwartzapfel Lawyers Today
No matter your interests, there’s always something fun to do on Long Island. There are plenty of great places to eat, lots of outdoor and indoor attractions, and ample opportunity to enjoy the Island’s fantastic weather.
On top of that, Long Island is known for its highly qualified local professionals and businesses. As New York City natives, Schwartzapfel Lawyers is well-equipped and ready to assist with any legal needs you may have, whether by filing a workers’ compensation claim for you or a loved one, suing an at-fault party for auto accident injuries, or something else entirely.
So, please, if you’ve been injured or are in pain because of the fault of someone else, don’t wait. Your future is too important. Protect the things that matter most today by contacting us online or at 1-516-342-2200 for a free case evaluation and so much more!
Sources:
Schwartzapfel Lawyers, P.C. | Fighting For You™™
What Makes it Special? | Long Island Sound Study
The Hamptons: A Guide to New York’s Opulent Beach Playground | Visit the USA
