Any Suggestions- day trip to Long Island beaches

Some folks from Indiana are coming to New York and will be staying in Manhattan, but would like to take a train to Long Island, walk along the beach, see the ocean and do some shopping in cute little antique type stores.
Can anyone suggest a place where they can accomplish two or three of their wish list?
Appreciate your help.
Best regards,
Rodger

Long Island Tool's Terminal Directory

So far as terminals go,

Long Beach is three short blocks to the beach and boardwalk, lots of shops but no antiques. Best beach. It costs about $6 to get on the beach but swimming's great and there are some waves.

Far Rockaway is a slum. It's a mile walk to a beautiful beach walking past shops that look like you're on Nostrand Avenue. You can get hit over the head and robbed. Nice demonstration if your visitors are liberals. But the beach is free and very nice if you dig loud rap music.

Port Washington has a nice half mile walk down to the dock with lots of little antique shops, but there's no beach.

Port Jefferson is a pretty walk to the dock; a little over a mile; lots of shops by the dock but no beach.

Oyster Bay is a beatiful 1900's town. The dock is right near the station. Some of the village has been overrun with illegal Mexicans. If your guests are offended by public urination this can be a problem. Pretty place, safe town and by far the most beautiful ride. A few neat shops but no beach.

Many of these places have street fairs and similar events through the summer so look them up.

Montauk, hands down. The beach (about a mile walk/$3 cab ride from the station) is the best on LI in my opinion. The town has some great little restaurants and shops, as does the always-popular Gosman's Dock. Plus, it is a fantastic ride out there; just don't take the Cannonball, lol.

I agree with Kyle if you want a beach. For an old fashioned New England style town and great shops, Greenport is better.

Either town is fantastic for great seafood.

Hi LI tool,

Sounds like you got burned at a Far Rock beach. I am an ex Far Rock fella and never had such a problem. Beach 20th st. was always a clean beach, and the 101st pct. of the NYPD was well represented there. So things were copacetic. My home was on Beach 47th st. and similar situation there. I also should point out that the Rockaway Park beaches are rather nice as well, with boardwalk concessions. There the NYPD's 100 pct. is in charge and since that section, around Beach 116th st. is essentially an Irish neighborhood, you should have NO problems.

These days, the Lifeguards are equipped with cell phones and can summon assistance at a moment's notice. So the sand is safe and the water is safe.

Let them take Amtrak to Penn Station.

Then, the LIRR out to wherever they will be staying.

After that, my favorite would be to rent a car and drive out to Greenport, arriving there mid-morning and walk around the downtown area looking at the shops, then take the Shelter Island Ferry across to Shelter Island.

Drive through the picturesque island and take the south ferry across to Sag Harbor.

Eat lunch at Sag Harbor (unless you already did so at Greenport) and spend the afternoon walking amongst the many shops there.

When done, return back via car along the south shore. Take Montauk Highway (27A) back as it takes you along a more scenic route and allows you to dip further south into the various Hamptons et. al. for further sightseeing.

One nice, circuitous route with plenty to see, killing the entire day in the process. And both ferry rides are really fun, especially on a picture-perfect Long Island day!

Dave

Montauk is probably the best bet although the other stops in the Hamptons
are probably OK too. The farther you get from New York City, the better
everything is.
Noel Weaver

Yeah just pray the loco doesn't die on the way out to Montauk, anything over 20 miles at 55mph kills those things.

pineywoodsman wrote:Yeah just pray the loco doesn't die on the way out to Montauk, anything over 20 miles at 55mph kills those things.

Actually two years ago I had a great trip to Montauk and back, both ways
on time. I expect to do it again this summer while I am in the north east.
Noel Weaver

Everyone: Good ideas posted by all for travel ideas here! Another beach to visit would be Robert Moses State Park accessible by the S47 bus from Babylon. For info: WWW.SCT-BUS.ORG/ the web address of Suffolk Transit.
Tool: You neglected to mention the walk NB from Port Jefferson Station to the village and ferry is Downhill all the way! - That makes it really easy! DK: That trip you suggested out east is nice-but you have to remember E end traffic is heavy on weekends in the prime summer season. That suggestion of driving NY 27 WB after leaving Sag Harbor should be avoided from the early afternoon on especially on Sunday or Holiday return west days. To me the best time to go E is the 4-week period after Labor Day - the summer crowds have mostly left,the weather is usually still good and the water is still warm enough to swim in comfortably. The biggest drawback to the E end is the traffic handled on its limited road system-the LIRR is the true alternative there. That's my views on visiting LI-have an enjoyable trip!! MACTRAXX

I'm going to have to say Long Beach is up there in my book. It definitely does NOT feel as if you are on LI anymore. The boardwalk I think resembles a California feel. If you're coming from NYP getting to LB is going to be a lot easier than traveling to Greenport/Montauk.

Keller's day long adventure probably sums up what is ideal if you really have the entire day from very early morning to late night. Although taking 27a home on the way back I'd hop on 27 (Sunrise HWY) after the Hamptons. Once you get into Bayshore the traffic really starts to get thick, especially in Babylon village.

Yo Kushy Tushy,

If I remember correctly, Southern State Parkway is NY 27, and Sunrise Highway is 27a. If you want to get somewhere quickly on the south shore of Long Island, Southern State Parkway is the way to go. If you have the time and want scenic areas for photography etc. Sunrise Highway is the way to go. And don't forget Watermill. They actually have a Windmill in the town. My kids used to love the Penny Candy store there, and of course it probably isn't a penny any longer.

Again, use your AAA or your travel agency. They can provide books, brochures, routings and everything including reservations for lodging and eating. And they would be far more up to date than we are.

Needless to say there are a number of possibilities for a Day Trip to a LI Beach via the LIRR.

A few more to consider, take the morning train to Greenport, then the quick ferry ride to Shelter Island. A short cab ride will bring you to Cresent Beach and what has become "the scene beach of the East End", the section of Cresent Beach in front of the South Beach Hotel.
For a more serene beach take a cab ride to Wades Beach on Shelter Island, and it has facilities.

Montauk is as mentioned, unique and well worth the trip. Take the morning train out and then have an early lunch at Duryea's Lobster Pond, a short walk from the station, and then cab it to Ditch Plains Beach.

For a true taste of the Hamptons, take the train to East Hampton, and then cab it to Main Beach (it is too far to walk). This beach has full facilities, and it is ranked as one of the top 10 beaches in the USA year after year. Yes it is the Hamptons, at it most "Hamptons", but is beautiful.

One word of caution, if you plan a day trip on a weekday to The East End,
LIRR service remains limited. Sometimes the return trip (on a weekday) is best done by the far more frequent Hampton Jitney. www.hamptonjitney.com

Ken

Check your LIRR timetables...how much time do you want to spend on the train and how much time on the beach? Anywhere along the Brooklyn shoreline will be crowded and city like. Probably like that out as far as Far Rockaway or further. Check the LIRR web page for beach packages and outings complete with jitney or bus from the LIRR station. I would say look at Babylon and east for more relaxed settings. Greenport is also worth the look with a noon arrival and a departure in the early evening. But, again, check the LIRR timetable and web pages to get the information you want.

pennsy wrote:Yo Kushy Tushy,

If I remember correctly, Southern State Parkway is NY 27, and Sunrise Highway is 27a.

Southern State Parkway has no number identifictaion. (Actually it does, but you'll never find it on a map.)
RT 27 is Sunrise Hwy
RT 27a goes by various names.

Heading east, Southern State Parkway ends in East Islip after which you would switch to Sunrise Hwy (RT 27) to continue going east.