Long Island Aquarium
Riverhead's big family aquarium at the gateway to the North Fork wineries and the Hamptons, with a shark tunnel, a sea lion show, touch pools and an easy rainy-day plan.
New York
Long Island & the Hamptons
Long Island is far more than the Hamptons.
This guide covers the whole island: North Fork vineyards and the harbor village of Greenport, the Hamptons villages and Montauk's lighthouse and surf, Fire Island's car-free sand and the boardwalk at Jones Beach, and the North Shore's Gold Coast mansions, Theodore Roosevelt's Sagamore Hill and the Revolutionary War spies of Setauket. It also covers family favourites such as the Long Island Aquarium and the Cradle of Aviation Museum. Choose from tours, sails and tickets with booking partners, plus hotels from Montauk resorts to practical bases in Riverhead, and six travel guides on where to stay, wine, beaches, history and trips with children.
Don't miss
North Fork Wine Country Day Tour
A full day among the vineyards of Long Island's North Fork, with a driver handling the roads, tastings at several estates and the farm stands and bays in between.
Montauk Point Lighthouse
The oldest lighthouse in New York State, standing at the very tip of Long Island with a climb, a museum and the Atlantic on every side.
Fire Island Lighthouse and National Seashore
A barrier island of car-free villages, wide ocean beaches and a striped lighthouse, reached by ferry or bridge, with a private guided lighthouse tour as the easy way in.
Jones Beach State Park
Long Island's great public beach, with miles of Atlantic sand, an Art Deco boardwalk, a landmark water tower and summer concerts, only an hour from Manhattan.
Things to do in Long Island & the Hamptons
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
North Fork Wine Country Day Tour
A full day among the vineyards of Long Island's North Fork, with a driver handling the roads, tastings at several estates and the farm stands and bays in between.
Mattituck Wine Country Bike Tour
A guided cycling loop through Mattituck vineyards and farm lanes, with tastings along the way and flat roads that suit casual riders.
Greenport Village and Brunch Sail
A working harbor village at the tip of the North Fork, with a carousel, a seaport museum, seafood shacks and a Sunday brunch sail on the water.
Montauk Point Lighthouse
The oldest lighthouse in New York State, standing at the very tip of Long Island with a climb, a museum and the Atlantic on every side.
Montauk Village and Beaches
Surf at Ditch Plains, fishing boats in the harbor, the cliffs of Camp Hero and a laid-back village that feels a world away from the Hamptons.
Fire Island Lighthouse and National Seashore
A barrier island of car-free villages, wide ocean beaches and a striped lighthouse, reached by ferry or bridge, with a private guided lighthouse tour as the easy way in.
The Hamptons Self-Guided Village Tour
A self-paced tour through the Hamptons villages, from Southampton and Bridgehampton to East Hampton and Amagansett, covering estates, beaches, shops and village greens.
Southampton Village
The oldest English settlement in New York State, with a polished main street, a historic museum, wide public beaches and a scavenger-hunt route through the village.
Sag Harbor Whaling and Historical Museum
A museum in a grand 1840s mansion in Sag Harbor, once a major whaling port, with scrimshaw, whaleboats and a village of wharves, bookshops and old captains' houses outside.
Parrish Art Museum
A long, low gallery building in Water Mill devoted to the art of the East End, from the landscape painters of the nineteenth century to the abstract expressionists who settled here.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
Theodore Roosevelt's home above Oyster Bay, the Summer White House, with a preserved Queen Anne mansion, a trophy room, a museum and grounds that run down to the water.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Gurneys Montauk Resort and Seawater Spa
Oceanfront, Montauk
A long-established oceanfront resort on the Atlantic at Montauk, with a seawater spa, a beach, pools and restaurants, for visitors who want everything in one place.
Check rates →The Montauk Beach House
Montauk
A boutique, beach-house style hotel in Montauk with a laid-back, design-minded feel, a pool and a social scene that suits couples and friends.
Check rates →Montauk Manor
Signal Hill, Montauk
A historic, castle-like hotel on a hill above Montauk, opened in the 1920s, with a pool, tennis, views over the village and a traditional resort feel.
Check rates →Sole East Resort
Montauk
A relaxed, motel-style resort in Montauk with a pool, garden spaces and a short drive to the beaches, popular with couples and friends on a first Montauk trip.
Check rates →The Montauk Soundview
Sound side, Montauk
A waterside Montauk stay on the sheltered Sound side, with a pool and harbor-area atmosphere and a calmer, family-friendly feel than the ocean beaches.
Check rates →Beachcomber Resort at Montauk
Montauk
A family-oriented Montauk resort with a pool, relaxed grounds and a short trip to the beaches, offering more space than a typical motel.
Check rates →The Atlantic Hotel
Southampton
A Southampton-area hotel on the South Fork, giving access to the village, Hamptons beaches and the Parrish Art Museum without a Montauk drive.
Check rates →American Beech Hotel
Greenport Village
A boutique hotel in the harbor village of Greenport, close to restaurants, the waterfront and the ferries, ideal for a North Fork weekend.
Check rates →Hotel Indigo Long Island East End
Riverhead
A chain boutique hotel in Riverhead, the gateway to the North Fork and Hamptons, with local-themed design, a restaurant and easy access to the aquarium and wineries.
Check rates →Hyatt Place Long Island East End
Riverhead
A modern chain hotel in Riverhead, practical for families and groups visiting the aquarium, North Fork vineyards or Hamptons beaches, with easy parking and breakfast options.
Check rates →Long Island & the Hamptons guides
Long Island in Three Days: Wine, Beaches and the Gold Coast
A three-day plan that splits the island into its natural regions, with advice on trains, buses and cars, so you see the North Fork, the Hamptons and the Gold Coast without wasting hours in traffic.
Where to Stay on Long Island: North Fork, Hamptons, Montauk or Riverhead
A guide to choosing a base on Long Island, comparing Montauk's beach hotels, Southampton, Greenport and the practical chains of Riverhead, with advice on seasons and minimum stays.
The North Fork Wine Trail: Vineyards, Farm Stands and Harbor Towns
How to plan a North Fork wine trip, from the grapes and the climate to tours, bike rides and the harbor town of Greenport, with advice on seasons and pacing.
Long Island Beaches: Jones Beach, Fire Island, the Hamptons and Montauk
A guide to the island's best beaches, from the classic boardwalk at Jones Beach to the car-free sand of Fire Island, the Hamptons shoreline and the surf at Montauk, with permit and parking advice.
The Gold Coast and History Trail: Roosevelt, Spies and Mansions
A history-focused guide to Long Island's North Shore, linking Sagamore Hill, Planting Fields, Oheka Castle, the Vanderbilt estate and the Revolutionary War spies of Setauket.
Long Island with Kids and on Rainy Days
Family-friendly ideas for Long Island, including the aquarium, beaches, a lunar module, a hockey game and indoor options for bad weather.
