It took us almost eight hours to drive to Long Island, New York from Winchester, Virginia, but it was definitely a trip worth making. When you think of Long Island, you think of traffic, cityscapes and urban living, but when you actually visit Long Island, you get tranquillity, scenic vistas, and small-town charm.
Long Island is a beautiful area full of quaint little seaside towns, one of which hosted 150 Macaroni Kid publisher moms for our Annual Macaroni Kid Meet Up. Better known as “The End” to the locals, Montauk is a quiet little fishing town with a population of approximately 3,000 people. We met and talked with several of the locals while we were there and every single one of them was friendly and welcoming. Each one of them recommended the best place to eat, a small restaurant located right around the corner from Long Island Sound called Sammy’s. As I learned early on, the locals will never steer you wrong. Sammy’s was as warm and welcoming in their decor as the staff was to us as patrons. Not only was the food absolutely delicious (I’ve never had such wonderful lobster macaroni!), but the people made us feel as if we were regulars that stopped by for dinner every evening. Then there was the woman that struck up a conversation with me at the wharf. After talking with her while we waited for our lunch to be whipped up at Sammy’s On The Go food truck one afternoon, she recommended stopping by the Montauket, a locally owned restaurant where you can sit and watch the sunset on the deck out back. I have to tell you that it was the most amazing sunset that I have ever seen!
Montauk also offers a number of outdoor excursions, including horseback riding on the beach with Deep Hollow Ranch, guided tours of the Montauk Point Lighthouse, tasting and tours at Duck Walk Vineyards, hiking through Shadmoor State Park, exploring the many beaches that surround Montauk and boat rides with Viking Fleet Boat Excursions. Not only did we walk the beach on Long Island Sound, we explored the Atlantic-side beaches, as well, with their beautiful white sand and crashing waves. Our excursion of choice was the boat ride around the east end coast up to the Montauk Point Lighthouse with Viking Fleet Excursions. You couldn’t ask for a more relaxing ride with beautiful views of Long Island on one side and Connecticut and Rhode Island on the other. It was one of the most enjoyable boat rides I’ve ever taken and we learned a lot of local history from the crew as we made our way up the coast and back.
Then there was our stay at the Montauk Yacht Club. Our accommodations at the Montauk Yacht Club were beyond exceptional. Their rooms are spacious and tastefully decorated in nautical themes, the bed was so comfortable that I thought I was sleeping in my bed at home, and the views of Lake Montauk from our private deck were breathtaking! To be able to sit on our deck and soak in the peace and quiet was a luxury I am rarely afforded and it was like a cleansing of the soul. Not to mention the sunrise across the lake was a calming way to start each morning and sitting around the bonfire was the perfect way to end the day.
If you’re planning your next family vacation and you’re looking for somewhere to “get away from it all”, I would highly recommend you discover Long Island and give you and your family a chance to recharge. That’s what I did this week. I took advantage of the slower pace and the great outdoors and I recharged my mind, body, and soul. Not only did I come back with a better outlook, I am raring to go and ready to make Macaroni Kid Winchester better than it’s ever been!
