Long Island Travel Guide

Belmont Park in Elmont, Long Island, is the storied thoroughbred racetrack opened in 1905, home of the Belmont Stakes — the final leg of the American Triple Crown. Its grandstands and lawns fill on race days, and off-days offer backstretch tours and breakfast-at-the-track programs — a fine way to experience American horse racing culture.

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site in Oyster Bay, Long Island, was Theodore Roosevelt's home from 1885 and his 'Summer White House' during his 1901–1909 presidency. The main house keeps its Roosevelt-era furniture and décor, a museum gallery covers his life, and the gardens and lawns look out over Oyster Bay.

The Grave of Alfred Thayer Mahan is located in the Quogue Cemetery on Long Island, New York, the resting place of Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan, the most influential strategic thinker in American naval history. Mahan is famous for his work The Influence of Sea Power upon History, published in 1890, which profoundly influenced the naval development strategies of major maritime powers including the United States, Britain, Germany, and Japan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His six elements of sea power theory remains foundational to naval strategic studies. Born in 1840, Mahan served in the US Navy for many years, participated in the Civil War, and later served as president of the Naval War College. The gravesite is simple and dignified, with his name, rank, and years of birth and death inscribed on the headstone, making it a pilgrimage site for military history enthusiasts and naval scholars.

Fire Island is a narrow barrier island off the south shore of Long Island, New York, about 50 km long, one of the most pristine island resorts on the Atlantic coast. No cars are allowed on the island; movement is by foot, bicycle, and a few golf carts, creating a serenity starkly different from New York City's bustle. Fire Island comprises a National Seashore, several villages, and a state park. Ocean Bay is known for nightlife and LGBT-friendly atmosphere, while Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines are historic gay resorts. Original dunes, maritime forest, salt marshes, and deer habitat are well preserved, making it a paradise for birding, hiking, sailing, and beach walks. Since the 19th century it has been a summer refuge for New York's wealthy, with boardwalk cottages and a lighthouse telling a century of seaside resort history.

East Hampton on the South Fork of Long Island, New York, is one of America's most celebrated seaside resort towns and affluent enclaves. Founded in 1648, the historic village is renowned for its beautiful Atlantic beaches, quaint village center, world-class art galleries, and grand estates. Each summer it draws New York high society, Hollywood stars, and finance elites. Main Street offers upscale restaurants, boutiques, and art museums, while the surrounding area features wide beaches, equestrian facilities, and vineyards. East Hampton seamlessly blends New England village charm with modern luxury living and stands as the heart of the Hamptons.

The Montauk Point Lighthouse at the easternmost tip of Long Island, New York, was authorized by President George Washington in 1792 and activated in 1796, making it the first lighthouse in New York State and the fourth-oldest in the United States. The tower stands 33 meters tall with a unique double-wall construction and was restored by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Still active today, it flashes a white light every five seconds to guide vessels in Long Island Sound and the Atlantic. The surrounding Montauk Point State Park offers dramatic coastal bluffs, surfing beaches, and hiking trails, making it a premier natural and historic destination on Long Island with sweeping ocean views from the summit.