Hamptons & Long Island

Long Island gets its name from - what else? - its length: it's 100 miles long. The western end, New York City, is arguably more famous than the eastern tip, with its summer playground, the villages of the Hamptons, dozens of wineries, and broad white sand beaches that melt into the horizon. Jones Beach is simply the finest public beach east of Hawaii, better even than the mostly private beaches in the Hamptons and Fire Island, a smaller neighboring island with several villages of its own. Fresh seafood and shellfish abounds, with New England-style shacks in Greenpoint and Port Jefferson. The conservation movement was started here, in Oyster ...

Long Island gets its name from - what else? - its length: it's 100 miles long. The western end, New York City, is arguably more famous than the eastern tip, with its summer playground, the villages of the Hamptons, dozens of wineries, and broad white sand beaches that melt into the horizon. Jones Beach is simply the finest public beach east of Hawaii, better even than the mostly private beaches in the Hamptons and Fire Island, a smaller neighboring island with several villages of its own. Fresh seafood and shellfish abounds, with New England-style shacks in Greenpoint and Port Jefferson. The conservation movement was started here, in Oyster Bay, by resident Teddy Roosevelt; his summer retreat, Sagamore Hill, is open to the public. A bird sanctuary is across the road and a vast botanical garden is nearby.

About the Expert

Evelyn Kanter is a contributor to Fodor's NYC and Fodor's Canada, editor of the Michelin Green Guide Switzerland, and author of Great Destinations: The Hudson Valley.