A Postcard from Oakland: A Relaxing Weekend in Oakland, California

When you think of the Bay area you probably think of San Francisco but just neighboring to San Francisco is the under-appreciated city of Oakland.

This article will cover everything we explored on our weekend trip to Oakland.

We landed in Oakland late on Saturday night, grabbed our bags and took the BART subway to the Oakland city center. We only had to transfer once and it was quick and easy, we had absolutely no problems taking the train. We would definitely recommend it since it was cheaper and faster than getting a Uber.

Our first day exploring happened to be on a Sunday, but we didn’t realize that our car rental place Budget Car Rental, 2428 Webster St was closed on this day. So we hopped back on the BART and took it to Fruitvale Station.

Since we both were craving two different things today Eric ordered pupusas at Pupusería Las Palmas, 3851 International Blvd. I ordered some tacos at El Huarache Azteca, 3842 International Blvd everything we had was delicious!

We found a churro stand Churros Mexicanos, East 12th Street that was making homemade churros so of course we had to stop for some. I got a vanilla filled churro and Eric got a chocolate filled churro, both were delicious but the vanilla one was the best!

We cut our day short and headed back to our hotel to relax after a long day.

The next day we made our way over to pick up our rental car, it was a beautiful sunny day with a cool breeze so our walk there was much more enjoyable.

We spent the entire day in Northern Oakland in the Adams Point neighborhood, there are some of the shops we shopped at while exploring:

Spectator Books, 4163 Piedmont Ave - Great variety of books with adorable greeting cards!

Surprise, 4048 Piedmont Ave - Perfect for finding a gift! Lots of knick-knacks!

Mercy Vintage, 4188 Piedmont Ave - Vintage shop with gorgeous accessories.

For lunch we got a beef and broccoli entree from Holly's Mandarin, 4080 Piedmont Ave and a gyro with a salad from Simply Greek restaurant, 4060 Piedmont Ave.

After having lunch we continued walking north on Piedmont Ave and found a European specialty foods store filled with yummy looking treats. We found these little ice cream cones interesting and got two for the road!

Euromix Delicatessen, 4301 Piedmont Ave

Today was our last day in Oakland, before we head down south to Carmel-by-the-Sea for a week. We drove north to Berkeley for lunch.

We stopped at Homeroom, 40th Street for some spicy mac and cheese and at Taco & Co., Durant Avenue for some tacos! We ordered to go and headed over to Live Oak Park, 1301 Shattuck Ave to have a picnic at this beautiful park.

We drove over to the Normandy Village to view the beautiful European style homes. It’s not really a village, just a few resident homes with limited parking.

Just before sunset we drove over to The Pergola at Lake Merritt, 599 El Embarcadero. There was plenty of street parking so we parked and walked over to Colonial Donuts, 3318 Lakeshore Ave.

While in the neighborhood, a few places to visit are:

Walden Pond Books, 3316 Grand Ave - Oakland’s largest independent bookstore!

Bay-Made, 3295 Lakeshore Ave - Cute store with gifts, plants, art supplies, and jewelry.

Grand Lake Theatre, 3200 Grand Ave - Beautiful theatre with neon signs!

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A POSTCARD FROM NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND

After a weekend of spending time in Cape Cod we made our way to Newport for quick evening. Even though we were just passing by we were shocked on the amount of things we were able to do in just a short period of time.

First on the list was Goat Island, we found a parking spot to do some boat watching while we figured out what we wanted to do next.

Before hitting the road we had to get a closer look at the Goat Island Light, we thought it was a pretty neat little lighthouse especially with the Newport Bridge in the back.

We drove over to the Cliff Walk and found some parking along the street to walk along the waterfront.

Before starting the walk we stopped by the 40 Steps to take advantage of the empty steps. We got to see some beautiful views of the cliffs and the Easton Bay. The sun was almost setting so our walk was extra gorgeous!

Weirdly enough we still had time to see the last of the sunset at the Castle Hill Lighthouse. The sunset seemed to have lasted hours because we were able to do so much in just a quick evening.

We parked at the Castle Hill Inn and made our way west to the lighthouse, there are a few trail markers to give you directions. It’s a bit hidden but once you find it it’s a beautiful place to sit and enjoy the view. I would have loved to come see the sunrise here too!

From Newport we were headed back to Brooklyn, NY but we drove along Ocean Drive before heading home. Overall, it’s a beautiful place to visit and I wish we could have stayed a little longer, preferably a whole weekend but I’ll settle for an evening. I’m already planning our next visit to Newport!

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A QUICK DAY TRIP TO HISTORIC PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS

Before arriving in Plymouth we stopped in Marshfield Hills, Massachusetts to visit the Marshfield Hills General Store, 165 Prospect St. The historic Marshfield Hills General Store, in Marshfield Hills, Massachusetts is owned by actor Steve Carell so you better believe you’ll find a whole lot of the Office merch! Plus, it’s just a 2o minute drive from Plymouth.

We got lunch at Tavern on the Wharf, 6 Town Wharf. I ordered the Mac and cheese, Eric ordered the lobster roll and we got some buffalo wings as an appetizer. Everything was delicious and after lunch we headed over to the Pilgrim Memorial State Park, 79 Water St, to boat watch before setting out on a walk across town.

Brewster Gardens, 30 Water St, is a beautiful little park located on the right side of Water Street where you can sit and relax for a moment. If you decide to sit along the benches at the Brewster Gardens you’ll have an amazing view of Harborside Park, where the Plymouth Rock and Mayflower are.

We started making our way to the Plymouth Grist Mill by following the signs. The signs led us through two bridge underpasses with great views of the river that leads to the Plymouth Harbor.

Once we arrived to the mill there are a few different places you can stand to get a good view of the mill, here is the back of the Plymouth Grist Mill and it’s probably my favorite since it’s surrounded by flowers and wild plants growing all around.

There is a little pathway that leads you down to the bottom of the mill, there is a gift shop, a restaurant and a spectacular view of the mill.

There is a bench once you go around the mill where you can sit and just watch the mill spin. It was a particularly warm day when we visited Plymouth but we still sat there for a few minutes to enjoy the view and to hydrate before moving forward.

Right next door to the Plymouth Grist Mill is the Jenney Museum, a museum with exhibits on local Pilgrim life & offers guided tours of Plymouth.

We walked back to Water Street to check out the Plymouth Rock, it was pretty busy when we first walked by so when we walked back the second time it wasn’t as busy. We were able to get a great view of the historic rock where the Mayflower Pilgrims first landed in 1620.

Right next to the Plymouth Rock is a replica of the Mayflower II. The Mayflower II is a full-scale replica of a 17th-century Pilgrim ship, it also houses multiple exhibits and they also offer tours with costumed guides.

If you like to buy souvenirs we found the best place to get a few knickknacks was Mayflower General Store, 72 Water St, they have a large variety of items for the best prices.

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THE PERFECT WEEKEND TRIP TO PROVINCETOWN, MASSACHUSETTS

Provincetown is one of the most popular towns along Cape Cod, it’s located on the north peninsula of the island. In 1620 the Mayflower first arrived in Provincetown before making its way north to Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Provincetown extends into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts. If you’re looking for a fun summer getaway in New England, Provincetown, MA is the perfect place to go!

We started our day in Provincetown by finding a parking spot in the MacMillan Pier Parking Lot just off Commercial Street. We had a nice view of the waterfront from our car where we spent a few minutes admiring the boats before going on a coffee hunt.

We noticed this cute little cafe around the corner from the parking area, they made it easy to order by posting their information outside as well as a menu. Their breakfast sandwiches made with freshly baked English muffins looked great but we decided to go exploring before grabbing breakfast since it was pretty early in the day still.

Commercial Street is a main attraction in Provincetown, and rightfully so! It’s totally worth wake up super early to take a stroll through this iconic street! Sure a few places were closed but we walk Commercial Street from west to east, admiring all the small shops and restaurants.

I found it interesting that there is two saltwater taffy and fudge stores directly in front of each other, both equally charming! If you know us, you know we love some good mint chocolate fudge!

I absolutely loved this little studio that specializes in custom pet portraits!

Down an alley we stopped at the Box Lunch for a breakfast burrito and an ice coffee. This local chain restaurant is pretty small with no indoor seating, only outdoor seating.

The staff is awesome, the lady who took our order was incredibly nice, she suggested the perfect place to people watch is in front of the Provincetown Public Library, where we enjoyed our breakfast. Overall great experience, not to mention our burrito was really good too!

Just across the street is the Provincetown Public Library, it was formerly a church which was built in 1860. Not only is it a charming building but it’s a great place to sit and relax along Commercial Street.

After breakfast we continued walking and found all sorts of knickknack stores. There are a few that are just focused on Christmas, we definitely had to fight the urge to go shopping for Christmas decorations!!

Provincetown has the most charming visitor center I’ve ever been to, if you have time on your hands to go on a guided tour, the chamber of commerce has plenty of brochures on exciting tours around town.

Hope you’re a fan of ice cream because Provincetown has a handful of ice cream shops!

Take a break from exploring and grab lunch at The Canteen! They have outdoor seating at the beach with delicious lunch options, plus they’re pet friendly so you can bring your pup along with you!

We wandered off Commercial street into the neighboring streets and saw some charming homes! I absolutely love seeing homes with colorful shutters on their windows.

Whalers Wharf has some great shops filled with beautiful art work and public restrooms. There is a lot of little unique stores, definitely worth browsing around. Plus if you go upstairs you’ll see some spectacular views of the ocean!

If you are planning a trip to Provincetown, Massachusetts I hope this blog post helps you plan out the perfect itinerary for your visit to Provincetown! It’s the perfect place to spend the weekend of as a day trip, regardless of your stay there is always something to do and beautiful views throughout town!

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A QUICK WEEKEND GETAWAY IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Living in the East Coast we’ve pretty much have been everywhere, but for some unknown reason we haven’t stopped by Boston. We have previously driven through to get back to NYC but this weekend we decided to visit and see what we’ve been missing out. Just a four hour car ride from NYC (there is also a four hour train ride to Boston from NYC) we headed out late at night to get a head start tomorrow in the morning.

We arrived around 11pm, we parked our car at The Beverly parking garage, then walked over to our hotel, Kimpton Onyx Hotel. We walked down Causeway Street and saw that North Station was very conveniently located with tons of restaurants and shops.

We were pretty excited about today only to see that it was pouring outside but a little rain (or a lot) definitely didn’t stop us from going out and exploring Boston. Thankfully our hotel had some umbrellas we could use. We definitely were not prepared for this rain, but we toughed it out and headed out to brunch.

For brunch we went to the Tavern in the Square, 120 Beverly St, and Eric and I were both feeling burgers! Eric ordered the blackened bacon blue cheese burger that comes with cajun spice, bacon, ale braised onions, and blue cheese and I got the picanté burger that is served with crispy bacon, cheddar, tomato jalapeño relish, and chipotle aioli. Both burgers were good but would try something new next time!

After lunch we made our way over to the North End and wandered through the cobble streets for a while. We stopped to take a pictures of this neat building, The Point, it was still sprinkling out when I took this picture you might be able to tell from the raindrop on the lens.

Down a ways we stopped to check out the Union Oyster House. Did you know that the Union Oyster House has been America’s oldest continuously operating restaurant since 1826? The building itself was built in 1714 making it 307 years old, it didn’t open as a restaurant until 1826 and has been serving chowder and oysters ever since! The Union Oyster House is full of history, the first American waitress, Rose Carey, started work at the Union Oyster House back in 1920. Not to mention it’s right on the Freedom Trail, dating back to the Pre-Revolutionary days. 

There is a wide variety of food vendors and shopping within the marketplace, so try a variety of different foods before enjoying a performance in front of the Quincy Market.  You’ll find regular street performers performing acts such as juggling, acrobatics and much more! 

After walking around Quincy Market we wanted to find a coffee place were we could sit down and enjoy a nice cup of coffee while escaping the rain. We stopped at Boston Public Market, 100 Hanover St just to peep inside, there are some pretty neat vendors and worth stopping by but they unfortunately didn’t have a place to sit so we continued on our quest for coffee.

How cute is this little park? I’m sure its a beautiful place to relax on a nice sunny day!

We came across the Thinking Cup, 236 Hanover St where we then ordered some coffee and a nice foamy cup of hot chocolate.

While sipping our warm drinks I grabbed a deck of Monopoly deal out of my purse a played a few games while we waited out the rain.

After a long gloomy day we decided to do some wine tasting at Boston Winery, 26 Ericsson St.

For dinner we went over to the Lovejoy Wharf and had dinner at the Alcove.

I’m personally not a fan of seafood so for dinner I ordered the fried chicken sandwich with homemade chips. Eric had the blackened fish tacos and thought they were great!

The next day it was a beautiful spring day with a slight breeze, so we started our day off by walking through the Italian District, looking for a place to grab breakfast.

We came across this adorable little park and decided to step in for just a second before continuing forward. Don’t you just love the colorful trees?

On the corner of Salem and Prince we stopped at Bova's Bakery, 134 Salem St. Bova’s was recommended to us by a friend and Eric’s cousin so stopped here to grab something for lunch! I got a slice of cheese pizza and Eric got a meatball marinara calzone.

The cheese pizza was actually pretty good! Eric ended up having half of mine since he liked it better then the meatball calzone.

Not to mention the endless amount of sweet pastries! If we had more room we would’ve definitely gotten dessert here! Everything looked super good and since a decent line does form here I’m going to take a guess and say that their pastries don’t disappoint.

After getting our order to go we walked over to North Square Park to enjoy our lunch. North Square Park is in the heart of the North End neighborhood, Boston’s oldest neighborhood! It’s crazy to think people have lived in this neighborhood since 1640, it’s a beautiful place to live so I guess it makes sense! It’s the perfect place to sit and relax, we were there for only a few minutes but it was great to people watch and check out The Paul Revere House.

You might have briefly learned about Paul Revere in school but his house offers so much information about the patriot who made the famous midnight ride from Boston to Concord. Paul Revere arranged to have a signal lit in the Old North Church – one lantern if the British were coming by land and two lanterns if they were coming by sea, allowing him to warn the colonists. 

Admission is $6 a person, open Thursdays – Sundays 10:00am – 4:00pm

This super cute restaurant was right in front of the North Square Park so I just had to get a quick picture of it before leaving. Next time we are in Boston I definitely would like to come here.

The North End is filled with neat little stores one that I thought was worth checking out is Salumeria Italiana, 151 Richmond St, a small hole-in-the-wall store filled with authentic Italian groceries. If you are looking to spice up your spaghetti dinner I highly suggest shopping here for a few more ingredients or maybe supplies for a delicious dessert.

After lunch we walked around for a little while, we window shopped and got to see a few historical homes before making our way to Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park.

Honestly I’m so happy we came to this park today and not yesterday, I mean check out that sky! It’s crazy how opposite the weather was on this trip.

This park is the perfect place to walk along Boston’s waterfront. There are plenty of places to sit and relax while enjoying excellent views of the waterfront, there also is a rose garden, and a playground for children. We sat here for a little while and just enjoyed the boats and people watched before continuing on.

Not pictured but just across the street is the Greenway Carousel, which you can ride for just $4. It’s very cute, the rides are hand-carved characters designed after animals native to Massachusetts. It is open daily from April through October, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

We started walking down south to the Long Wharf and we saw the cutest little duck house! Unfortunately we didn’t see any ducks get in or come out of it but it sure is adorable. We also saw this super cool gate full of buoys, I love seeing colorful buoys like these on the East Coast!

Since we didn't get to see much yesterday we decided to see as much as possible today. While at the Long Wharf we decided to visit the Boston Public Gardens but we took a more scenic route.

We walked north on State Street till we got to the Old State House, 206 Washington St, there is a cobblestone ring that marks the site of the 1770 Boston Massacre.

We walked down School Street and there are a few notable places to mention, Kings Chapel Burying Ground, Ben Franklin House, Old South Meeting House (the original meeting site for the Boston Tea Party) and Boston's Old City Hall. We zoomed through this area but keep your eyes open for things like this Ben Franklin statue, you know what’s really funny, when we were walking past this statue there was an revolutionary war re-enactor walking by and we thought it was really neat.

From the Long Wharf waterfront it was roughly a mile walk to the Boston Commons and Boston Public Gardens. It felt like a pretty short walk since our walk was basically along the Freedom Trail. We found a bench and enjoyed the afternoon relaxing at the gardens, my favorite part of the gardens is the little duck island. We saw so many cute little ducks and squirrels running around, plus the adorable little duck statues we saw as we were leaving.

We walked down Charles Street and just zig-zagged around, but I’m so glad we happened to visit Boston when all the trees were blooming because look how beautiful these homes are!

We finished the day by admiring these homes like remind me of Brooklyn Heights in NYC and made our way back to the North End for dinner.

We had a delicious dinner at Mare Oyster Bar, 223 Hanover St. I had the Wild Boar Pappardelle, a slow braised wild boar ragu, with oyster mushrooms and ricotta salata. Eric had the Tagliatelle con Aragosta, fresh lobster with shaved black truffles, cherry tomato and lobster sauce. Both dishes were delicious and would definitely get again!

If you have a little room for dessert, Modern Pastry is just around the corner! Grab a few canolis to go and enjoy them at the North Street Park.

We had a crazy long day of walking and sightseeing so we decided to sleep in and check out a little later. We grabbed lunch before heading back home.

We went down the street to Bonne Chance Cafe, 77 Canal St. Eric was feeling something more breakfasty so he got a sausage, egg, and cheese with avocado on an English muffin. I got the Spicy Pork + Japchae with Stir-Fried Vegetables with Rice. It so much food that Eric had to help me out, it was really good with the hot sauce they have! We got a little side of sriracha and teriyaki sauce too.

That wraps up our weekend trip to Boston, Massachusetts! We had a lot of fun and after years of living on the East Coast we’re glad we finally went! If we missed any fun or historical places, definitely let me know in the comments below!

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VISITING THE DUTCH TOWN OF PELLA, IOWA

While on our cross-country trip to Nebraska from New York we came across this hidden gem of a town! This charming small town gives you a small taste of Holland, for a perfect day trip from Des Moines or Davenport. Pella, Iowa is just 50 minutes from Des Moines and 2 and a half hours from Davenport. Plus, it’s just 30 minutes off the I-80 interstate! 

This beautiful little town is best known for their annual “Tulip Time” celebration, where the town is filled with gorgeous tulips in early May. The community plants hundreds of thousands of tulips in celebration of Pella’s Dutch heritage. Lucky for us, we happened to visit Pella during mid May and were able to enjoy the beautiful tulips. 

With this travel guide you’ll find all the best things to do on your visit for a fun and exciting pit-stop! 

Central Park, 720 Franklin St

We found free street parking on Washington Street but there is plenty of parking all around Central Park. We wandered through Central Park admiring all the tulips. We took the opportunity to take a ton of photos of our adorable pup and headed towards the downtown shops. 

Fun fact: More than 200,000+ tulips bloom in Pella each Spring! 

Pella Visitors Center, 915 Broadway St

At the Pella Visitor Center we grabbed a few brochures and sat on a bench to read about all the things there are to do before we continued walking around. The visitor center is open till 4pm. 

Jaarsma Bakery, 727 Franklin St

You can’t get a small taste of Holland without trying a delicious pastry! So we stopped by Jaarsma Bakery to grab a few sweet treats. They have wonderful baked goods and a great selection of souvenirs. We got a postcard and browsed through the assortment of dutch candy. 

All the pastries we got at Jaarsma Bakery were honestly really great! We got a few almond covered treats, one was like a puff that was sweet and flaky and another that was an almond tart with almond filling. The third pastry we got was a peach and creme strudel, this one was definitely my favorite, plus it was warm so that was a plus!

Molengracht Plaza & Pella Canal 

We made our way down Main Street and walked along the Pella Canal. The Pella Canal has a few stores along each side of the canal, there is a chinese restaurant, a nail salon, a movie theater, and even a hotel.  Located in the middle of town, it's a beautiful place to just sit on a bench and relax while people watch and enjoy the view of the canal. We sat on a bench and enjoyed our pastries from Jaarsma Bakery. 

The Klokkenspel, 625 Franklin St

At the Pella Canal, on your first left we saw this little brick walkway into a small plaza with a few benches and a beautiful little fountain. Located behind a glass window high above, you can see a few little figures performing at the top of the hour (11:00, 1:00, 3:00, 5:00). You can sit on a bench in front of the clock to wait for the attraction to begin. Plus, the Klokkenspel is the perfect place to sit and wait for your order at #dutchfix. 

#dutchfix, 621 Franklin St

In the same plaza as the Klokkenspel you’ll find a popular family restaurant, #dutchfix. We stopped here for lunch and we were surprised by how affordable it was! We got a few things to try, we got the gouda mac and cheese, the gouda burger,  the chixfix sandwich (crispy chicken on a Jaarsma bun with mayo and Dutch red cabbage slaw) and a side of fries with chipotle mayo and beer cheese for dipping. Everything was actually really good and we’d definitely come back to try a few more items on their menu! 

Pella Historical Village, 507 Franklin St

The Pella Historical Village and Vermeer Windmill is a museum that consists of 22 buildings that showcase 19th century life. It’s really interesting to learn about the history of the town, admission is $10 a person. Don’t forget to take a picture in front of the Vermeer Windmill outside!

Fun fact: The Vermeer Windmill is the tallest working grain windmill in the United States. 

Sunken Gardens Park

If you are looking for a secluded park to relax, Sunken Gardens Park is just a few blocks from downtown. We came here on a Friday afternoon and there wasn’t a single person here, it was a very relaxing park! There is a small pond in the middle of the park and an awesome windmill (1921 Windmill) surrounded by pink tulips. 

This park was one of my favorite places to walk around, while taking a stroll around the small pond something I noticed was that it’s shaped like a wooden shoe! We saw a few wooden shoes in front of the Vermeer Windmill downtown! 

Tuttle Log Cabin, 608 Lincoln St

If you visit the Sunken Garden Park you should swing by the Tuttle Log Cabin while you are in the area. It’s open to visit inside during the Tulip festival but it’s a pretty neat stop to see this log cabin. Just to give you a  little information about this cabin, it’s named after the first pioneers Thomas and Nancy Tuttle that settled in Marion County in 1843. 

“For four years, the Tuttles farmed what would become Pella’s Central Park and the eight blocks adjacent to it. In July 1847, Dominie Henry P. Scholte, leader of 800 Dutch immigrants, purchased the Tuttle’s land and that of several other settlers in the area, founding the city of Pella. The Tuttle cabin is believed to be the oldest remaining structure in Marion County.”

— Historic Pella Trust

If you happen to visit Pella in the summer months of June and July, keep in mind that every Thursday evening in the plaza there is a carnival with games, performances and fun activities! In the fall they also have their annual Fall Harvest & Dutch Artisan Festival, and in the winter they have a Lights at Night & Holiday Concert. Regardless of when you visit there is always something to see and do in Pella.  

I hope that next time you find yourself driving across Iowa you’ll consider stopping by historic Pella. 

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POSTCARD FROM ROCKPORT, MASSACHUSETTS

Just an hour from Boston, Rockport is the perfect day trip! This quaint little seaside town in New England is a total gem and the perfect getaway for the warmer months.

You can spend a good amount of time just exploring shops and all the galleries in town but I’ve made a mini guide to further help your visit!

Find some street parking along Main Street and start your day by exploring the art galleries!

The Rockport Art Museum has a mix of older art pieces from their collection along with modern art that is available for purchase. They have art from local artists, sculptors and photographers in their exhibits. It’s a really interesting museum/gallery and worth stopping by! The Rockport Art Museum also offers online art courses, sketch groups, outdoor workshops, and much more!

If you are looking for a place to grab some gelato or maybe a refreshing strawberry lemonade, the Robin’s Nest is the perfect place to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Just next to the Robin’s Nest, walk down Pier Ave and get some awesome views of the White Wharf. There is limited seating but there are a few benches, if none are available you can sit on the rocks with caution to enjoy the views.

If you happen to visit Rockport and decide you want to go to the beach such as Pebble Beach, but you didn’t bring anything with you, One Ocean One Love Shop is the perfect place for beach-wear. They have quite a bit of merch and swimwear, basically anything you might need for the beach such as towels, sunglasses, aloe mist, hats and sandals.

If you bring your dog to Rockport make sure to stop by The Ice Cream Store for a frosty paws for pups and maybe a sundae for yourself! They have a super large assortment of ice cream flavors to choose from, they also have multiple flavors for their shaved ice.

How cute is this little shop? The Pewter Shop has some really neat jewelry pieces and ocean themed kitchen and home accessories. If you are picking up souvenirs for friends and family but are looking for something hand-crafted you might want to check out The Pewter Shop.

Original Beach Dog, 18 Bearskin Neck

Going further down Bearskin Neck there are multiple clothing stores where you can shop around for sweatshirts, t-shirts, and unique souvenirs. A few stores you can keep an eye out for are Original Beach Dog, Kayas, Floating Lotus Rockport, The Black Dog General Store, The Blue Lantern, Artesano's and Kala Roopa.

Kaya's Crafts, 21 Bearskin Neck

R Lerch Gallery, 22 Bearskin Neck

Floating Lotus Rockport, 27 Bearskin Neck

The Blue Lantern, 31 Bearskin Neck

Artesano's, 33 Bearskin Neck

Kala Roopa, 43 Bearskin Neck

You can’t visit Cape Ann without getting some fresh lobster! Lobster rolls are Rockport’s speciality and you can find the best lobster rolls in Rockport at Roy Moore Lobster Co.

If you happen to bring your furry friend to Rockport take them to get a treat at Good Dog Gallery, while you’re there you can do a little shopping. You can find all sorts of doggy essentials, such as leaches, collars, and doggie treats.

One of my favorite places to shop while walking down Bearskin Neck was The Bearskin Neck Country Store. This cute little country store has all sorts of unique candies and souvenirs, this is where we got our souvenirs, we got a few postcards and some pretty neat magnets.

They have salt water taffy, old school candy, unique hot sauces, and plenty of other goodies. We couldn’t resist getting some candy so we did get some Turkish taffy.

In case you didn’t think there was enough sweet shops in Rockport there is a Fudgery. Stop by to pick up some creamy fudge bars and if you are trying to watch your sugar intake they do have a few sugar free flavors.

During the warmer months, if you’d like to go kayaking rent some equipment at North Shore Kayak. They offer a couple tours were you can kayak a few miles with the help of a guide. If you happen to visit Rockport for the weekend, add renting kayaks and paddle boats to your list. For rates on rentals and prices of tours click here.

For a quick breakfast stop at Helmut’s Strudel for a delicious Austrian strudel. Although they do serve ice cream their strudels are what they are known for, so get a few pastries and enjoy them by the waterfront with a view.

After exploring all the stores, galleries, and sweet shops you’ll come to a dead end where you can enjoy the views of the colorful homes of Rockport. It was fairly windy so we didn’t walk over the rocks to the very end but if you are careful when climbing the rocks I’m sure you’ll have a pretty sweet view!

This plaque can be better read next to the Old Stone Fort.

At the very end of Bearskin Neck you’ll find some amazing views of Rockport and a slight glimpse of the Straitsmouth Island Lighthouse.

Once you get to the dead end, start making your way back and stop by the Motif #1, an exact replica of the original 1840 building. This colorful fishing shack can be seen anywhere from the Rockport Harbor. We were only there for an afternoon but if we had spent the whole day there we definitely would have come to the Motif to see the sunset.

Just behind the Judi Rotenberg Studio is this super cute cottage with an amazing view of the Motif.

Walk down the T-Wharf for a spectacular close up view of the Motif and all the ships out in the water. This spot is directly in front of the public restrooms/visitor center.

If you have some extra time on your hands make your way down to Gloucester, Massachusetts!

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EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO SEE IN SALEM, MA

Planning to travel in 2021? Keep in mind that information found in this article may have been impacted by travel restrictions and other closures. Please check with each state/destination for its current COVID-19 guidelines.

When you think of Salem you probably think pumpkins, witches, Hocus Pocus, and everything in-between! But with Salem only being a 30-minute car ride from Boston it’s the perfect day trip to take this fall! With that being said we headed out early to see everything witchy Salem has to offer! 

Visiting Salem, Massachusetts had always been on my bucket list. I’ve had an itinerary for Salem for years now, of course, it would be ideal to visit during the Halloween season but visiting any other time is just fine with me! We only spent a day in Salem so there is a lot to cover in a short amount of time, put on your witch hat and let’s get started! 

We began our day by finding street parking between Essex Street and Summer Street. Everything in Salem is within walkable distance so we decided to park and wander through the town.

Ropes Mansion and Garden - 318 Essex St 

This beautiful 18th-century Georgian colonial mansion was built in 1727 and they offer daily tours of the inside. The exterior of the Ropes Mansion was shown in the Disney movie Hocus Pocus and used as the family home of Allison.

There is also a garden that is free to visit, and they’re dog friendly! There are a few benches where you can sit and maybe read a book. Visit during the summer months of June through August when all the flowers and trees are in bloom!

First Church in Salem, 316 Essex St

The First Church in Salem is one of the oldest churches in North America, being built in 1635! It’s a beautiful church to walk by if you are coming from the Ropes Mansion and Garden. 

The Witch House, 310 Essex St 

The Witch House is the only building that is still standing from the Salem Witch Trials back in 1692. The house was home to Judge Jonathan Corwin, the judge who accused the witches during the trials. Nowadays, the Witch House has tours that provide information about the events that happened in 1962 and preserving artifacts from the 17th century.

Tour tickets are sold at the museum gift shop. Admission for entrance is $8.25 per person or $10.25 for a guided tour. 

Lappin Park // Bewitched Statue- 235 Essex St 

Do you guys remember the 1964 sitcom show Bewitched? If so you might want to stop by Lappin Park to see the Bewitched Statue that was donated to Salem from TV Land in 2005. 

Once we got to Washington Street we continued on Essex Street and stopped for breakfast at Fountain Place Restaurant. After breakfast, we grabbed a few postcards at Coon's Card & Gift Shop. Essex Street is full of witchy stores filled with souvenirs and knickknacks, so it’s the perfect place to do a little shopping! 

We stopped at Coon's Card & Gift Shop, 226 Essex St, and stopped around for a little while before continuing down Essex Street. If you are in the market for a good spooky book stop by Wicked Good Books, 215 Essex St, they have a great assortment of all sorts of books. Have a quick stop at Polonus European Deli, 176 Essex St, and pick up some Polish sweet treats, you can find a good variety of European treats!

Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Square

Walk down the alley next to Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery and see Salem's Old Town Hall, a National Historic Site in central Salem. It was built in 1816, the Old Town Hall is also featured in Hocus Pocus! It’s where they held the Halloween party and the Sanderson Sisters sang to all the parents. Aside from it being in the Disney movie, it’s still very much in use today even though it’s one of the earliest surviving buildings in Salem.

Even if you are not a fan of antiquing you must visit Diehl Marcus & Company, 11 Central St. You’ll find some really interesting oddities, if you’d ever imagined what it was like shopping in the old times then this shop is for you!

Salem Visitor Center, 2 New Liberty St

Whether you decide to follow my guide in Salem or if you rather roam free through the village I suggest stopping by the Visitor Center to get a map to help you navigate through Salem. Plus if you are in town for more than a day then grab a few brochures to continue the fun!  We were only in Salem for one day but I think if we were here for a full weekend I would definitely be going on a history tour, or maybe a spooky ghost tour, if you are into that grab more information at the visitor center. 

Directly in front of the Salem Armory, there are a few memorials you can visit and relax, maybe look at a few brochures from the visitor center.

John Ward House, 9 Brown St

The John Ward House is one of the finest surviving 17th-century buildings, it was built somewhere between 1684 and 1723. The house has been restored to reflect what the home looked like back in the 1600s and is part of the Peabody Essex Museum with an admission of $20 a person. 

Salem Witch Museum, 19 1/2 N Washington Square

This museum consists of life-size stage sets figuring what life was like in 1692 and an interactive narration you witness what it was like during the Salem witch-hunts. Overall this museum is full of information on the background leading to the Salem witch trials which are really fascinating. 

After visiting a few museums or just taking a quick look, go for a walk along North Washington Square. We found some really pretty homes along this street, just direct across from the Salem Common.

Salem Common, N Washington Square

This 17th-century park is a great place for a walk, especially if you have a dog, the park is huge! I highly recommend visiting in October when it’s decorated for Halloween.

We came across this street fire alarm box, but how cute is this fire alarm? I did a little research on these fire alarm boxes since I had never seen one before and learned that the first telegraph fire alarm system like this one was actually developed by William Francis Channing and Moses G. Farmer in Boston, Massachusetts in 1852.

The House of the Seven Gables, 115 Derby St

The House of the Seven Gables was built in 1668 along the Salem harbor by John Turner, a ship-owner. Years later the House of the Seven Gables is now best known as the setting for Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1851 novel, a romance gothic novel full of murder, ghosts, witchcraft, curses and hidden secrets. 

Salem Maritime National Historic Site, 160 Derby St

Salem Maritime National Historic Site marks the port where ships from the United States would exit when carrying cargo from the West to Asia. The Salem Maritime shows the development of the Atlantic triangular trade during the colonial period.

The grounds are open 24/7 and free to the public.

Fun fact: The Salem Maritime is the first National Historic Site in the National Park System.

We stopped to read this plaque in the Salem Maritime National Historic Site and it was interesting to see the Custom House in a historical print and in real life.

Derby Wharf Light Station

Walk over and see the Derby Wharf Lighthouse in the Derby Waterfront District. It’s a fairly quick walk and you get a great view of all the ships and make sure to look back to see the Salem Custom House!

There were only a few ships docked at the waterfront but it was nice to check out the old ships and historical buildings.

The Burying Point, 51 Charter St

If you are feeling brave enough to go on a spooky tour of this graveyard I suggest booking a haunted walking tour to get all of the history and information behind every location, especially the scary stories of a cemetery! If you are interested in finding some famous memorials click here. 

Fun Fact: Some graves dating as early as 1637. If you are interested in visiting the oldest cemetery in the United States, Myles Standish Burial Ground is just an hour and 20 minutes away from Salem in Duxbury, MA. 

Salem Pioneer Village, 98 West Ave

The Pioneer Village is the oldest history museum in the United States and is designed to represent Salem in the year 1630. It’s opened only on the weekend by tours only. Admission to the museum is $6 per person, as of right now the museum is temporarily closed but is planning to open back up on June 6, 2021.

Pioneer Village is just a ten-minute drive from downtown Salem and might be recognized from the movie Hocus Pocus. In the opening scenes of the film Hocus Pocus, you can see the Sanderson sisters having a cottage in the Pioneer Village.

Forest River Park, 32 Clifton Ave

Before heading back to Boston we stopped by the Forest River Park, which’s directly next to the Pioneer Village. This park is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the view of the waterfront. There is plenty of benches and picnic tables for a nice afternoon at the beach.

Meatlover’s Omelet at the Fountain Place Restaurant

WHERE TO EAT + DRINK IN SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS

Fountain Place Restaurant, 232 Essex St - We had an awesome breakfast at the Fountain Place, it’s conveniently located on Essex Street, and with a window seat, it’s the perfect place to grab breakfast and people watch. I ordered the meatlover’s omelet with a side of fruit and Eric ordered the Maryland eggs benedict which is two poached eggs on an English muffin with house-made crap cakes topped with hollandaise sauce.

Ugly Mug Diner, 122 Washington St - You can’t go wrong with pancakes and waffles! Plus, I didn’t mention they have some delicious thick-cut french toast. They have everything breakfast so check out their menu and scroll through their delicious section of breakfast food.

Red's Sandwich Shop, 15 Central St - They got some really good omelets and not to mention at a super affordable price! This is the perfect place for a hearty breakfast, definitely come with an appetite because their servings are huge!

Boston Burger Company, 133 Washington St - If you are craving burgers, you HAVE to stop by the Boston Burger Company for some insane burgers. All the burgers sound super good, just take a look at their menu, they have some combinations that I would have never thought would go together.

Jaho Coffee Roaster & Wine Bar, 197 Derby St - They have a large variety of pastries and gelato, but if you are into sweet treats they also have boba drinks with delicious flavors!

Red Line Cafe, 188 Essex St - They have a large variety of drinks here both cold and hot, perfect if you want to go enjoy your drink at the Salem Common. Plus they have wraps, sandwiches, salads, breakfast sandwiches, and sweet and savory crepes.

I hope you enjoyed this guide! Have you been to Salem before? Let me know in the comments!

Print out my free guide to visiting Salem!

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A DAY TRIP TO MONTAUK, NEW YORK

Montauk is known by most Long Island residents as "The End” or “the end of the world”, since it’s the furthest east point on Long Island and the entire New York State!  Living on Long Island has given us the opportunity to visit multiple times and allows me to gather all the super fun activities there is to do in one blog post!

Montauk is a super popular place to visit during the summer months so this guide will come in handy when visiting year-round. I hope this mini guide to visiting Montauk helps you visit without breaking the bank and instead have a relaxed weekend at a very low-budget cost! Here is how you can have an amazing weekend of relaxation! 

Montauk General Store, 669 Montauk Hwy

This a great place for artisan cheeses, pies and pastries! You can find some really unique treats you can only find in Montauk, like their spicy garlic jalapeños. Not to mention anything you might need for charcuterie boards. You can find old-fashion soda and candy! Just the other day Eric and I were talking about candy cigarettes and how we hadn't seen them in forever so they must be discontinued, but we saw some here! Any knickknacks and souvenirs you’d like to pick up from Montauk you can find some really neat gifts here!

Kirk Park Beach, 95 S Emerson Ave

Right off Montauk Highway is Kirk Park Beach, Montauk’s free main public beach. This is one of the most beautiful white-sand beaches on Long Island and a must when visiting Montauk! There is no parking permits needed, the parking is free at this beach. There are lifeguards on duty during the summer season from 10am - 5pm. There are public restrooms in parking lot. Conveniently located downtown you’ll have anything you might need for the perfect day at the beach. There are restaurants and stores within walking distancing of the parking lot and a IGA supermarket and 7-Eleven across the street too!

From the beach stairs we saw a little seal out in the distance and used zoom lenses for a closer look! At first we thought it might need help but after further research we read that seals come to shore to relax and enjoy their food, which is super cute!

Kirk Park, Montauk, NY

Also, just across the street from Kirk Park Beach is Kirk Park, a super small but relaxing park! If you are looking for a secluded park to just relax for a bit and maybe see some wildlife I suggest coming by here.

Deer at Kirk Park, Montauk

We happened to see some deer enjoying some grass! There wasn’t anyone at this park too, it’s just off the road with no parking. You’d have to park in at the Kirk Park Beach Parking Lot and walk over.

Gazebo At The Plaza, 742 Montauk Hwy

The gazebo at the plaza is a super cute place to sit and relax before you continue exploring Main Street. Besides the main gazebo and the benches inside, there are eight benches and plenty of lawn space to sit and people watch. There are a few shops that are conveniently located near the gazebo too. Just across the street is Whites of Montauk, 95 The Plaza, the perfect place to grab all of your Montauk souvenirs! I got a few postcards here and while browsing around the department store I noticed that if you happen to forget anything on your trip you probably find it here. If you are in the mood for fudge or something sweet, just down the street is Fudge N Stuff, 41 Carl Fisher Plaza, our go-to fudge flavor is mint chocolate every time! 

Vintage Pink, 787 B Montauk Hwy

If you’d like to continue shopping along Montauk’s main street, stop by Vintage Pink for some amazing candles! Plus, if you need any workout outfits you’ll definitely find some here!

The Market | Montauk Harbor, 463 W Lake Dr

This grocery store  is located in Montauk Harbor in the north side of the island. When you are driving through Main Street in Montauk you might think that is all there is but there is a whole other part of Montauk, the north Montauk Harbor. Just a few restaurant places to check out if you drive up to the North Harbor is TTs Montauk, 466 W Lake Dr, they have some awesome tacos and their street corn appetizer is delicious! Frozen Anchor, 478 W Lake Dr is the perfect place to grab some ice cream on a hot summer day, check out their menu ahead of time since they have different types of cold treats like frozen key lime pies, ice cream cake, ice lattes, milkshakes, mochi, and ice cream sandwiches! They have so many flavors and toppings for every frozen treat that you’ll probably want to know ahead of time what you are going to order, especially since ice cream shops get busy! 

Sunset Beach, 469-493 County Rd 77

Sunset Beach is my favorite place to watch the sunset! We’ve stopped by this beach a few times now and it’s high on my list of places to watch the sunset. Just park your car in the free parking lot and enjoy the ocean waves as the sun goes down! The past few times we’ve visited it was crazy windy so just parking in our car was good enough for us! But there are benches where you can sit and enjoy the view, or maybe sit on the beach and watch the waves.

There is a public parking lot and a public restroom at 479 County Rd 77

Camp Hero State Park, 1898 Montauk Hwy

The Camp Hero State Park  was first built in 1942 and was used as a military base and is now a historic site. It’s a wonderful place to go for a hike and just walk around, plus after you are done exploring get some breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean by the cliffs. 

Fun fact: There are a lot of conspiracy theories circulating Camp Hero and that Stranger Things from Netflix is actually based off Camp Hero. 

There is an $8 admission fee per vehicle, free parking, and dog friendly. 

Montauk Lighthouse Museum, 2000 Montauk Hwy

You can’t visit Montauk without stopping by the Montauk Lighthouse! Walk around the rocks and get breathtaking views of the Lighthouse and of the Atlantic Ocean. The inside of the lighthouse is actually a museum that has numerous historical documents and photographs from the early years the museum was open as well as an 1860 keeper’s house.  Did I mention that there’s a gift shop? Overall, it’s an awesome place to stop on your visit! 

Fun fact: The Montauk Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in all of New York and the fourth oldest active lighthouse in the US! It was first built in 1796! 

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Check out my Sag Harbor, New York post! Sag Harbor is super close to Montauk and would be a great place to stop for a small detour! 

DAY TRIP FROM NYC: SAG HARBOR, NY

The charming village of Sag Harbor is located on the eastern part of Long Island and is partly in Southampton and partly in East Hampton. Sag Harbor is the perfect summer getaway, it’s just two hours by car from New York City. You’ll find a lot of small town charm in Sag Harbor, there are so many fun things to do and it’s full of history! Sag Harbor was first settled in the 1700s and was named after the neighboring village of Sagaponack which is located south of Sag Harbor. A fun fact about Sag Harbor is that it’s mentioned in Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick.

“Arrived at last in old Sag Harbor; and seeing what the sailors did there; and then going on to Nantucket, and seeing how they spent their wages in that place also, poor Queequeg gave it up for lost. Thought he, it’s a wicked world in all meridians; I’ll die a pagan.”

— Herman Melville

THINGS TO DO IN SAG HARBOR 

VISIT THE WINDMILL AT THE WINDMILL BEACH 

Windmill Beach is located in downtown Sag Harbor Village and is a very well known beach for locals and tourists since it’s a beautiful place to catch the sunset. This cute little beach is not so much a beach that you’d want to jump in and go for a swim rather more of a beach where you can hangout and have a picnic at. There is plenty of free parking and clean public restrooms. Restrooms and parking are located on Marine Park Drive. Another great place to park is in Parking Lot A at 31 Division St. 

CATCH A MOVIE AT THE SAG HARBOR CINEMA

They also have a virtual cinema option where you can purchase a ticket to watch a movie virtually. If you are curious of what the cinema looks like from the inside, go on a photo tour of the inside, click here for the free photo tour.

VISIT A HISTORIAL MUSEUM 

Sag Harbor Whaling & Historical Museum, Main Street - The museum is set in a 1845 mansion with whaling exhibits and a gift shop with homemade nautical gifts. This historic building is located on South Main Street and open for daily guided tours 10 to 5 during the summer months.  As of right now it is temporarily closed but they do have a free virtual museum tour that you can explore at home!

Sag Harbor Historical Society: The Annie Cooper Boyd House, 174 Main St - This 18th century Sag Harbor home has some amazing historic exhibits, it’s the perfect place to see a glimpse of early life Sag Harbor. Annie Cooper Boyd was a local artist who did an amazing job at documenting life in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. The Sag Harbor Historical Society holds archives of historical documents, books, photography, art, and clothing from that period. This small museum is 100% worth stopping to check out!

Sag Harbor Fire Department Museum, 46 Church Street - In the 1800’s four huge fires broke out in the village which led to the first volunteer fire department in New York State. The museum is actually the original 1833 building and holds old firefighting equipment including a 1890’s hand-pulled hose cart and an early 1900’s fire trucks. There is a $1 admission fee.

WHERE TO SHOP IN SAG HARBOR 

Sag Harbor Variety Store, Main Street - If you happen to visit Sag Harbor and you forgot any essential items such as sunscreen the Sag Harbor Variety Store is full stocked with anything you could possibly need. They have snacks and drinks, souvenirs such as postcards for $.39 each, and Sag Harbor merchandise.

Sylvester & Co. Modern General®, Main Street - This home goods store doesn’t just have fabulous home pieces, they are also a wonderful coffee shop with great coffee! My favorite things to browse through are the kitchen items. I’ve personally found some really great serving bowls and utensils. If you happen to visit during the holidays and you’re looking for gifts, Sylvester & Co. has some really great stuff to gift anyone who has an eye for home decor or would enjoy a thoughtful gift basket.

Sag Harbor Books, Main Street - Sag Harbor Books has a large variety of different genres of books for all ages. One really neat thing I enjoyed was browsing through the first editions and collectible books they have in the back near the register. They are very pricey ($11,500 for a Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 1900 first edition) if you are in the market for a first edition add Sag Harbor Books to your must-visit-list!

The Wharf Shop, Main Street - The Wharf Shop is a family owned specialty toy, gift and card store since 1968. I’ve found some really unique items here such as Long Island based chocolates, color-in postcards from The Hamptons, and unique Sag Harbor gift ideas. Located just across the street from LT Burger this cute little store is worth stopping by to take a look around.

WHERE TO EAT IN SAG HARBOR 

Schiavoni's Market, 48 Main St - If you are looking to have a picnic Schiavoni's Market is the perfect stop! They have a variety of fresh baked sweet treats and a great selection of fresh fruits and vegetables. Consider having a picnic at the Windmill Beach or Marine Park there are plenty of picnic tables and benches to people watch or boat watch!

LT Burger, 62 Main St - This is definitely one of the most affordable restaurants in Sag Harbor, plus you can’t go wrong with burgers and shakes! Along with their delicious burgers and shakes you can get a variety of different sweets such as deep fried oreos, floats, hot fudge sundaes, and fountain sodas all below $9 a piece! If you aren’t feeling burgers and shakes they also have brunch items like pancakes, omelets, chili, New England clam chowder, bbq nachos, and salads!

Stop by Grindstone Coffee & Donuts for a sweet treat, I personally loved the cinnamon sugar donut holes plus they’re great to snack on while walking down Main Street. Grindstone Coffee & Donuts has a variety of delicious flavors such as chocolate churro, lemon poppyseed and Nutella s’more. They also have breakfast sandwiches if you are in the food for a savory breakfast on the go. During the hot summer months stop by Big Olaf's Ice Cream for homemade ice cream! They have a wide variety of different ice cream and frozen yogurt flavors, 34 to be exact, but my favorite is the soft serve swirl of chocolate and vanilla in a waffle cone, plus they make their waffle cones homemade too!

That concludes our trip to Sag Harbor, New York! We had a blast visiting Sag Harbor and walking down Main Street, we started making out way over to Montauk soon after visiting so stay tuned for more posts on East Long Island.

If I missed any of your favorite places in Sag Harbor, comment below I’d love to check out new places next time we visit!

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TAKE A DAY TRIP TO STONY BROOK, NEW YORK

Stony Brook is located in the Northern Shore of Long Island, it’s a residential neighborhood just 65 miles east of New York City. It’s a 2 hour ride if you take the LIRR, Port Jefferson Line to the Stony Brook Station then a 15 minute walk to the village center. If you visit by car it’s just under an hour and a half. 

The charming village was first settled in the late 17th century and has a lot of history to offer, this colonial-style village is one of my favorites on Long Island and highly recommend visiting!

Fun Fact: Comedian and American actor Kevin James, known for movies like Grown Ups and Hitch, or maybe you know him as Paul Blart the mall cop, was raised in Stony Brook. 

TAKE A STROLL THROUGH FRANK MELVILLE PARK

This small hidden gem is the perfect place to relax and bird watch. There are plenty of benches located around the park, all facing the pond. It’s not very big  and it’s an easy walk so it’s a great place to walk a few laps around the pond while enjoying a relaxing day.                                                                                                              

Free to visit, there is plenty of parking directly in front of the post office located at the corner of the park. There are also a few parking spaces in the back of the post office leading into the park. 

HAVE A PICNIC AT THE OLD FIELD POINT LIGHTHOUSE

I can’t name a more perfect place to have a picnic at, the fresh breeze near the water, shaded by large trees and the view of the lighthouse is just perfect! Although there is no access to the beach it’s still a wonderful place to relax at. It’s free to visit with plenty of parking. Keep in mind that there are no facilities available.  Free to visit with plenty of parking available. 

VISIT THE HISTORICAL THOMPSON HOUSE

The Thompson House is located on N. Country Road in East Setauket and has a rich and storied past. This two story building was originally home to Dr. Samuel Thompson, a farmer, doctor and patriot. This historical farmhouse was built in 1709 was run by Samuel Thompson and his family with the help of their slaves, “enslaved Africans, indentured Native Americans, and short-term laborers performed many of the myriad tasks”*. The Thompson House was home to five generations of the Thompson family, although it is unclear where on the enslaved and indentured servants lived. Although there doesn’t seem to be any tours for the public of the inside of the building there are education programs by appointment only.

* Estate Inventory, Samuel Thompson, 4 October 1811, box 2, Samuel Thompson Papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.

VISIT THE HISTORICAL GRIST MILL

The Stony Brook Grist Mill and Museum is a water-powered grist mill that happens to be the only remaining structure from the 19th century industrial area. In the 1950s the The Stony Brook Grist Mill was still in operation, farmers would bring their wheat and corn to be ground at the mill.

The Stony Brook Grist Mill is open to the public for guided tours with a miller on Saturdays and Sundays, 12pm – 4:30pm, April through mid-October. Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for children.

DUCKS WATCH AT A POND

Directly in front of the Stony Brook Grist Mill is the T. Bayles Minuse Mill Pond Park, an eleven-acre park. During the 1800s, there was a vineyard that was planted on the island in the Mill Pond. The grapes were then pressed and fermented in the Stony Brook Grist Mill across the street, the wine made was then bottled in Brooklyn and sold locally. Also, the water in the Pond has been driven in by the Grist Mill since 1699. But is now the perfect place to duck watch and simply enjoy a nice afternoon. I think it’s super cute to see little ducks eating underwater!

RELAX AT THE BEACH

Bring a blanket because you will definitely want to enjoy a sunrise or sunset here! Sand Street Beach is one of my favorite public beaches to have a picnic, plus if you go further down the beach you’ll see the Gamecock Cottage. The little cottage was first built in 1876 and used for storage for rowboats and oars, it’s now the last standing beach cottage.

EXPLORE THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS

After a afternoon of exploring continue your adventure, by driving through the neighborhood. We stumbled across this church with a spooky graveyard in the back, we stopped to take a closer look and honestly I can see myself walking down this street come Halloween. Wander through the residential homes of Stony Brook and Setauket, just by the look of these homes you can just tell how old some of them are.

HIKE AT THE AVALON NATURE PRESERVE

Avalon Nature Preserve is a super popular spot to hike it has a beautiful pond, a boardwalk and even a small labyrinth. It’s the perfect place to go for a walk, there are a few different trails you can go on, the longest being 2.2 miles and the shortest being 0.3 miles. It’s family friendly and easy enough to hike at any age, it’s also dog friendly! 

The entrance to the park is located at 200 Harbor Road, there is plenty of parking along Main Street. Avalon Nature Preserve is free and open to the public.

VISIT THE LONG ISLAND MUSEUM

This nine-acre museum consists of seven buildings including an art museum, a historical museum, and a carriage museum all of which are full of historical artifacts. The property also has a few outdoor sculptures spread out through the gardens. The Long Island Museum has over 50,000 artifacts, some temporary some permanent, the artifacts are split into three categories, art and archives, history, and carriage. Admission to the museum is $10 per person. 

WHERE TO GRAB LUNCH IN STONY BROOK

Sweet Mama's, 121 Main St - An amazing place to grab lunch, they have really great burgers, my personal favorite being the BBQ Bacon Burger! They also have a large variety of breakfast items, making this the perfect place for brunch! Also, did I mention it’s super affordable!

Crazy Beans, 97 Main St - Just across the way from Sweet Mama’s is Crazy Beans a super fun diner/coffee shop with delicious brunch options! They don’t have a dinner menu since they’re only open til 4pm but it’s a great place for lunch! They have lots of great choices for sandwiches too!

1089 Noodle House, 1089 NY-25A - This is a delicious Chinese food restaurant, I personally go for the Sesame Chicken with a side of fried rice. You get a great deal for a decent size portion, for $6.95 you can get a decently big lunch!

That wraps up my visit to Stony Brook! I hope you enjoyed my mini guide on what there is to do in Stony Brook, New York! I had an amazing time exploring and would definitely visit Stony Brook again just for the relaxing environment, hope this guide helps you have a relaxing visit too!

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THE PERFECT SUMMER GUIDE TO VISITING BOLTON LANDING, NEW YORK

Bolton Landing is located on Lake George in the Adirondack Mountains. It’s a very common place for tourists to visit along the summer months, since it’s conveniently between Lake George village and Ticonderoga. Bolton Landing is family friendly and filled with activities for all ages, this Adirondack resort community is the perfect place to escape the city and wine down to enjoy a few summer days.

You can camp & fish, as well as shop from numerous boutiques! I enjoy browsing through antiques whenever I get the chance and if you do too you are in for a treat because Bolton Landing has quite a bit of antique shops.

ENJOY A SWEET TREAT

Along with Ben & Jerry’s down the street you can visit Mrs. Whizzy-Fizz Popp’s candy shop to satisfy your sweet tooth. Located downtown on Main Street it’s hard to miss with their red lawn chair sitting out front.

GO SHOPPING FOR SOME ANTIQUES

There are some great stores if you enjoy antiquing, I personally enjoyed browsing through Black Bass Antiques. They have a large variety of Lake George vintage memorabilia and lake inspired home decor, they do have some locally made t-shirts and a lot of Lake George maps. Although not very big it’s tightly packed with some great pieces and is 100% worth visiting!

Another great place to look through antiques is Lakeview Antiques conveniently located across the street from Black Bass Antiques. right away they have an overwhelming amount of antiques, knick knacks and trinkets so make sure to give yourself some time to look around. The shop itself is very small so you must be careful not to bump into something, there is a lot to look at and even more upstairs. They have a whole room filled with LIFE magazines which I could look through till the sun comes up!

GET FRESH FLOWERS AT THE GARDEN CENTER

Before you leave make sure to stop by for some fresh produce and an ice cream sandwich before you continue exploring. They have a greenhouse in the back where you can browse through flowers and plants that are available for purchase.

VISIT A MUSEUM

Bolton Historical Museum - Located across from the visitor center and in front of Rogers Park right on Main Street. They have some pretty neat exhibits some featuring art and others that consist of historic value. It’s a neat little museum that is worth stopping by to check out.

The Sembrich - The Marcella Sembrich Opera Museum, that is also known as The Sembrich and the Marcella Sembrich Memorial Studio. It was built in 1922-24 as a teaching studio for Marcella Sembrich. Here you’ll find some pictures of the museum from 1922-34, experience live music by purchasing tickets here. There are several trails along the bay that are available for the public to walk through. Admission to the museum and Sembrich grounds are free and open to the public.

ADMIRE A HISTORIC CHAPEL

Just a 20 minute drive from Bolton Landing you can find Grace Memorial Chapel in Silver Bay. Grace Memorial Chapel on Lake George was built on August 11, 1884. The designer of this chapel, William B. Tuthill, also happens to be the same designer who designed Carnegie Hall.

Another beautiful church is the Church of St. Sacrement, located up a steep hill it overlooks Main Street and is worth making a quick stop to admire.

RELAX IN ROGERS PARK

The park is open seven days a week from 10:00AM - 5:00PM located right on Main Street. The park has a public beach with lifeguards on duty (10:00am-5:00pm), plenty of tables and grills, a basketball and tennis court as well as public bathrooms.

It’s free to swim and relax at the park but there is a $5 parking fee per vehicle if you choose to park within the park’s parking lot. I suggest parking on Main Street and walk over to the park since Bolton Landing has free parking.

KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR WILDLIFE

If you happen to rent a boat take the time to cruise while looking for wildlife. We found an eagles nest up on a tall tree, a crane, a chipmunk resting on a rock, a few ducks on the dock, and even a few loons swimming in the middle of the lake.

ENJOY A SUNSET OR SUNRISE OVERLOOKING LAKE GEORGE

If you find yourself walking around Main Street as the sun is setting I suggest stopping by Rogers Park and grabbing a seat by the beach! If the beach is a bit crowded there are some boulders in the back of the park that over look the lake which will allow you to have an amazing view of the sunset without anyone standing in your way.

Another great place to watch the sunset is at the Sembrich. If you don’t have a lake house or if your rental doesn’t have a private beach the Sembrich’s ground are free to the public and it’s definitely a hidden gem! Enjoy the sunset within the gorgeous wooded grounds surrounding the museum.

WHERE TO EAT + DRINK IN BOLTON LANDING

Palazzo's Pizzeria- We arrived to Bolton Landing fairly late and didn’t care to dine-in anywhere and we noticed the line to this pizzeria was out the door and down the street! Although busy we ordered and carried-out within 20ish minutes, during that time we walked over to the supermarket across the street to get drinks and snacks for later. The pizza itself was great! Delicious crust and sauce, we would definitely get again.

Bolton Beans Inc- This little historic diner is an adorable place to have brunch! It’s an original railway diner car which we found to be pretty neat! It is pretty small so I would suggest calling ahead for a reservation if you have a bigger group, but it’s the perfect place for a quick breakfast or just to grab a cup of coffee.

Algonquin Restaurant - This is a great place to grab dinner and drinks! They have a great view of the lake, delicious food and overall great atmosphere! The southern crispy chicken sandwich and the sweet baby ray burger are both great, I personally would recommend getting a side of the zesty cajun sauce its delicious! It comes with the chicken sandwich but I thought it paired perfectly with my burger! Also, if you sit in their outdoor seating not only will you get a great view but you just might see some friendly ducks walking along the dock. *also, just a quick reminder to not feed the ducks.

WHERE TO STAY IN BOLTON LANDING

I was fortunate enough to be able to stay at my boyfriend’s family lake house but I found some great suggestions and recommendations to help you book the perfect place near the lake!

Candlelight Cottages - A one bedroom cottage sleeps 4 people and is roughly $1,330 during the in season and $133 a night during the off season. For a larger two bedroom cottage that sleeps 6-7 is $1,675 during the in season and $148 a night during the off season. It's located just off the lake and they offer some great activities such as canoeing and kayaking free of charge, relaxing around the fire pit, and even playing basketball in their private basketball courts.

During the off season which is May 1 to June 26 and Sept. 7 to Oct. 14 their prices are dramatically cheaper.

Lyn Aire Motel - Located in Lake George Village, just a 20 minute drive from the center of downtown Bolton Landing and a quick 5 minutes from downtown Lake George Village. A night costing you roughly $120 a night makes this adorable little motel is a more affordable way to relax within the small towns surrounding Lake George.

That wraps up my visit to Bolton Landing in Lake George, New York. I highly recommend visiting this summer and spend a relaxing time by the lake taking in the gorgeous scenery!

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POSTCARD FROM TICONDEROGA, NEW YORK

While visiting Lake George we decided to go on a mini adventure up north, we didn’t have a specific plan when we hit the road so we really just winged the whole day by exploring as much as we could in Ticonderoga.

Our first stop was visiting the Heritage Museum & Visitor Center, we had a full day to explore Ticonderoga so we wanted to take full advantage of everything there was to do.

We started walking toward Bicentennial Park from the Visitor Center and we came across this super neat covered bridge that led us directly to the falls.

Immediately after crossing the covered bridge we came to the cutest place to watch the falls or even have a nice little lunch with a view. We stayed at the Falls of the La Chute for a good half hour before looking for a place to have lunch.

There are a few restaurants along Montcalm Street but a great place for breakfast or lunch is Libby’s. They have some really awesome freshly baked goods and sandwiches! Plus, it’s super affordable!

After walking down Montcalm Street we decided to just drive around Ticonderoga. At the end of Montcalm Street there is a round-about with a neat little monument, if you take the first exit the Ticonderoga Historical Society is the first building on the right. If you have the time stop by and view the exhibits of American life under Prohibition.

We spent the majority of our day just driving around residential neighborhoods when we finally made our way down Hague Road. We got some soft serve at Wind-Chill Factory, further down the road we stopped at Lonergan's Antiques.

We started making our way back to Silver Bay, when we noticed this neat little church hitting on top of a little hill on the side of the road. We pulled into the church to get a better look. I personally thought it was pretty neat, it was made of cobblestones and established in 1901.

That concludes our mini trip to Ticonderoga! Although we were just passing by we enjoyed visiting this charming little town and will definitely be stopping by next time we stay in Lake George during the summer.

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POSTCARD FROM GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK

After a long weekend in Lake George we headed South back to New York City but stopped in Glens Falls, NY along our way. Glens Falls is just a 20 minute drive from Lake George and a 25 minute drive from Saratoga Springs. 

We walked down Glen Street and stopped in a few shops. Finders Keepers had a good variety of vintage and thrift clothing, I got a few pieces at a great price! We

A quick stop for coffee of course, we thought SPoT Coffee was the perfect place to stop and take a little break. We grabbed a seat outside and enjoyed a nice afternoon before we continued exploring Glen Street.

We made a full circle, we started by walking downtown Glen Street and made our way back to City Park by Ridge Street. We didn’t stop by to enjoy the afternoon there but it was a beautiful little park with plenty of benches to sit and relax.

There isn’t an official parking lot but there is plenty of street parking, located just off Glen and Maple Street.

Continuing down Glen Street right over the Hudson River is Cooper’s Cave, a small viewing platform next to the bridge. Across the bridge, there is a picnic table. There isn’t much to see but if you are in the neighborhood and need a place to park and relax, this is a great place to park for free.

Parking for Cooper's Cave Overlook can be found right off Cooper's Cave Drive.

We headed over to the Hyde Collection and spent an afternoon browsing through their private collection, they even have a Picasso. We took our time walking through the museum then relaxed in the courtyard before deciding where to head next. Admission is $12 a person.

Another great museum to visit if you have the time is the Old Fort House Museum - The Old Fort House is part of a 17 building museum complex with 5 structures, the museum is filled with beautiful antique furniture. There is also a ghost tour you can go on at night!

Overall, we had a very pleasant afternoon in Glens Falls! So glad we had the opportunity to stop by this charming little town, and hope to make our way back to Glens Falls in the future.

I hope you have a chance to visit this adorable little town in upstate New York, if you happen to visit tag me on Instagram I’d love to see your pictures! Follow along on Instagram @lightlytraveling!

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VISITING FIRE ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE , FIRE ISLAND NY

I’ve been planning to visit Fire Island for roughly 3 years ever since I moved to New York and I finally had the chance to take a small day trip. Really the only thing I knew about Fire Island was that there was a lighthouse there but other than that I wasn’t sure what I would find there. I hope this post clears things up on what you can expect so you too can have an amazing beach day in Fire Island.

Fire Island’s year-round population of about 400 residents grows to an estimated 20,000 during summer months. The main mode of transportation is walking and biking but of course some locals have golf carts and boats to get around.

HOW TO GET TO FIRE ISLAND

There are multiple ways to get to Fire Island from Manhattan or Long Island.

I began the day by driving to Robert Moses State Park, taking exit 41 from Sunrise Highway then merging onto Robert Moses Causeway. These directions are if you are coming from eastern Long Island, if you are driving from Brooklyn you’ll want to take exit 40 from Southern State Pkwy to Robert Moses Causeway and continue south.

The Suffolk County Transit S47 Bus makes stops at the beach with connections at the Babylon Long Island Rail Road station. The S47 summer service runs from June 17 to September 2 with a fare of $2.25 each way. You can print out the bus schedule and route here.

Fire Island Map via National Park Service

PARKING

Upon arriving there is a $10 fee to park at Robert Moses State Park from sunrise to sunset. They do accept credit and debit if you are short on cash.

At the front entrance of the parking lot there is a few restrooms that are provided for the beach, but if you plan to visit the lighthouse and the small towns ahead I suggest parking on the east end of the parking lot. Before beginning your walk I would consider using the restroom since this will be your only chance for quite some time. Follow the boardwalk for roughly ¾-mile to the lighthouse.

Parking is $10 per car 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m

GETTING TO THE LIGHTHOUSE

It’s pretty straightforward but follow the boardwalk that goes from the parking lot to the lighthouse. It’s a really beautiful walk, especially on a windy day seeing the tall grass shifting in the wind.

The walk down the boardwalk to the lighthouse is gorgeous. You can take a nice walk along the dunes on the boardwalk to get to the lighthouse. We happen to visit mid-summer and if you do the same, consider bringing a hat and wearing plenty of sunscreen!

TAKE A TOUR OF THE LIGHTHOUSE

If you have extra time on your hands book a tour to see the top of the lighthouse, commit to climbing 182 stairs to see from the top. Once you get to the top you can actually see the New York City skyline.

Admission to view the inside of the lighthouse is $8 per person.

LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY

Explore the different exhibits on Fire Island’s maritime history and learn interesting historic details. Just before you arrive at the lighthouse you can see the ruins of the first lighthouse that was removed. The materials from the previous lighthouse were recycled into the present-day lighthouse which was completed in 1858. Stop inside the Fire Island Lighthouse Museum where you’ll find a few interesting reads inside, such as more information about the lighthouse itself, the life of the light-keeper who maintained it, artifacts, and old photographs.

Fun Fact: The Fire Island Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse on Long Island.

Located near the beach just behind the Fire Island Lighthouse you’ll find this 1939 boathouse. Inside they hold an exhibit on the U. S. Lifesaving Service and there is a display of original hand-paddled rescue boats and other equipment. Located just outside they have the bones of a juvenile humpback whale. They have a sign that mentions they aren’t sure how the whale died but it was found in Ocean Beach, just 4 miles from the lighthouse.

WALK DOWN TO THE BEACH

Right after walking past the lighthouse you’ll come to a fork in the road with the option to continue straight into the community of Kismet or turning left to walk down to the dock. Turn left and continue straight on the boardwalk. It’s incredibly peaceful and the perfect place to set up a picnic!

VISIT THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES

Before visiting Fire island I did my fair share of reading up on Fire Island and I tried to understand why cars were not allowed within the central area of Fire Island, but once we arrived I finally understood! The island has small roads that are made of wood therefore making it quite hard for cars to drive on but instead easier for residents to ride their bikes and walk to the beach. The island is pretty small so I can’t imagine the type of traffic there would be in the summer, so it’s a good thing for everyone.

Fire Island Communities Map via Fire Island Finder

A neat little feature I noticed was every home had a bike rack and wagons in the entrance of their homes. The atmosphere here is so relaxing and calm, it almost makes me want to buy a home here and enjoy the beach daily.

While exploring keep an eye out for while life, we came across a few deer and some adorable seagulls while walking around Kismet. Just make sure to avoid feeding them, they feed off the land and we wouldn’t want to disrupt their lifestyle.

ENJOY THE VIEW AT KISMET BEACH

Enjoy dipping your toes in the clear blue water on a nice hot summer day, have a picnic on the beach, or enjoy a nice afternoon relaxing. If you’re looking for a nice beach this summer that isn’t packed I’d suggest visiting Kismet Beach, it’s a great place to soak up some sun while watching surfers ride the waves. If you happen to make a day of it, make sure you stick around for the sunset, it’s as gorgeous as it gets.

WHERE TO EAT + DRINK IN KISMET

Surf’s Out - If you’re looking for a refreshing restaurant make sure stop here for a delicious lobster roll or some lobster mac and cheese. It’s conveniently located near the Bayshore ferry dock and just a quick 5 minute walk from Kismet Beach.

Fire Island Tap - After a long day of swimming and exploring Fire Island Tap is the perfect place to enjoy the evening with a glass of wine and a plate of cheese or get a charcuterie board to share.

Although we only explored from the Field 5 parking lot to Saltaire and only got a small glimpse of what Fire Island has to offer, I will definitely be coming back to explore of the island in the near future! If you happen to know fun things to do further within the island I would love to hear it!

Comment any suggestions below!

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A GUIDE FOR THE BEST HIKES AT THE GRAND CANYON

If you’re planning to visit the Grand Canyon National Park you’re going to want to plan the best and most effective itinerary to get the most of your trip. I hope this post will help you out with that.

Located in Northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon is a national park that you must visit at least once in your lifetime. Roughly 5 million visitors come to the Grand Canyon a year, to witness the mesmerizing views of the canyons. It’s considered to be one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World, and as you make your way through my list of hikes you’ll come to understand why.

GRANDVIEW TRAIL

Watch a beautiful sunset or sunrise, wake up super early to make sure you get some awesome pictures. One of my favorite places to get some great pictures along the Grandview Trail. This is a very steep trail and a very difficult hike so be cautious when hiking, it is braced by logs and a few steel rods. Beginning at Grandview Point along Desert View Drive, roughly 3 miles in you’ll come across the remains of Last Chance Mine.

RIM TRAIL

Have a picnic along the Rim Trail, here you’ll find a quiet spot isolated along the pine forest where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Grand Canyon. Although it’s a 13 mile trail it’s mostly paved so just find the perfect stop to get some awesome pictures or hike the whole way enjoying the view!

CAPE FINAL TRAIL

This 2 mile hike will have you hiking through the ponderosa pine forest with a mainly flat and easy trail. Right away you’ll come across a few canyon overlooks and a glimpse of the Colorado River.

NORTH KAIBAB TRAIL > SUPAI TUNNEL

In the North Rim and the only trail that goes in the depths of the canyon, is the North Kaibab Trail. Although it’s a 2 mile hike (one way) it’s quite difficult since it’s mostly downhill, then on your way back straight upward. Once you reach the end you’ll arrive at the Coconino Overlook.

TRAIL OF TIME

Just a quick 1.4 mile hike is just a section of the Rim Trail, the reason behind the name is because you can actually see how far back the canyon is dated due to the colorful walls. Keep an eye out for the bronze markers, they mark your location in time, every tenth marker is labeled in millions of year. You can start the hike at Yavapai Point after visiting the geology museum where you can get an illustrated walking guide.

SOUTH KAIBAB TRAIL > CEDAR RIDGE

This steep hike is mainly made of dirt, and there is very little shade along on trail, mostly from canyon walls and dependent on time of day. After hiking roughly 1 mile you’ll come across the half-way mark, Ooh Aah Point, a small overlook along the canyon.

That wraps it up for my quick list of amazing trails to hike while visiting the Grand Canyon, did I miss your favorite trail? Let me know in the comments! While visiting the Grand Canyon make sure to stop by Page, Arizona for more breathtaking views!

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10 HIDDEN GEMS AND UNIQUE THINGS TO DO IN LONG ISLAND

Looking for things to do in Long Island? I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite hidden gems that are perfect for an outing year-round. If you happen to visit Long Island without a set itinerary or without a plan in mind I hope this post gives you a glimpse of all the great things there is to do in Long Island. There is numerous hidden gems distributed all across Long Island some more common than other such as The Hamptons, Montauk and Fire Island but today I’ll give you a fresh new list of places that are lesser known. Plus, it’s nice to have a little insider information to guide you to the best kept secrets in Long Island. 

ARGYLE LAKE

Located in Babylon in southern Long Island visit this beautiful lake to take some time for yourself. I personally love visiting in the spring when there is ducks near the walkway where you can feed and admire them, but of course it’s best to feed them seeds rather than bread. There is seating along the lake and a fairly large middle sidewalk that’s great for walking or running around the lake.

MILLERIDGE VILLAGE

Milleridge Village is the perfect place to spend a mini vacation without having to leave Long Island, especially if you have children. The village has a great atmosphere along with delicious food served at the Milleridge Cafe. I personally enjoy how this mini village looks during the Winter time since they decorate so nicely for Christmas. I actually have a post all about visiting the village, you can check it out here.

AMERICAN GUITAR MUSEUM

This small museum of guitar memorabilia also happens to be a guitar repair shop. This little museum holds a great collection of guitars and other valuable instruments, overall great for guitar enthusiasts!

Admission to the museum is free.

NASSAU COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART

The museum itself is fairly small museum hosted in a gorgeous mansion in the woods, there is plenty of unique artwork and historical pieces. The sculpture garden surrounding the museum was my favorite part about my visit, there are hiking trails all around the museum leading to different sculptures and monuments.

Free admission to visit the walking paths and art sculptures, admission to enter museum $12.

CLARK BOTANIC GARDENS

This beautiful 12-acre botanical garden located in Albertson is home to a variety of different trees, plants and flowers. This is a great place to go on a relaxing walk, there is different areas were you can sit on a bench and read a book or bring a blanket and have a picnic! They have some lovely flowers and trees surrounding the park, there is no concrete path in some walking trails, there is two little ponds located in the middle of the gardens, one has a small little bridge you can cross to get a great view of the small pond, and the other has multiple benches around the pond where you can enjoy a quiet afternoon. Another favorite thing I enjoyed about this garden was seeing adorable little chipmunks run across the rocks.

Honestly, by far my favorite little garden I’ve been to, and lastly, there is a gift and garden shop towards the exit. Admission to the gardens and parking are both free.

BAILEY ARBORETUM

This 42 acre arboretum is home to an assortment of trees, plants and a pond. The park has free admission and plenty of parking.

If you are looking for a quiet place to leave the city and have a noise-free afternoon, this is it! It truly is a hidden gem, there is multiple benches and wooden chairs where you can enjoy an afternoon of reading, a picnic, or simply spend some quiet alone time.

It’s a fairly small park, but I had a very relaxing time there. There are a few walking paths with educational flyers on the animals and trees, a children’s playground, a bird sanctuary of rescued owls and two decently sized ponds.

HORTON POINT LIGHTHOUSE NAUTICAL MUSEUM

Horton Point Lighthouse Nautical Museum is part of multiple buildings maintained by the Southold Historical Society, the buildings the society maintains range in date from 1750 to 1900 and include a lighthouse, several houses, barns, buildings, and structures.

Admission is $5.00 per adults or $10.00 for a family, includes for all museums. There is parking available at the Horton Point Lighthouse in the Southold Park District’s lot for a $5 fee, along with street parking.

PATCHOGUE LIGHTHOUSE

This recently renovated lighthouse is worth visiting at least once while in Long Island. It’s conveniently located near a park making this the perfect place to spend a relaxing afternoon. Take a walk along the oceanfront and make your way over to Shorefront Park to enjoy a picnic by the pond.

67 STEPS BEACH

Next to Horton Point Lighthouse before you get into the parking lot there is a staircase leading down to one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. The water is so clear and the rocks are big enough you can take a seat and enjoy the scenery and breathe in the fresh saltwater. I was shocked to see the beach was completely empty, I was relieved to see the beach was so nicely kept.

SAGAMORE HILL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

The former home which is now a museum, offers an incredible look into how Theodore Roosevelt and his family lived. During the house tour you’ll get a view of the parlor where our former president would entertain guests, a view of the Roosevelt’s bedroom, and you’ll even see quite a bit of president Roosevelt’s personal collection of taxidermied animals.

Visiting the grounds is free, but to take a tour of the house it cost $10 per adult (kids are free). Photography is not allowed during the house tour.

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This concludes my list of hidden places in Long Island that you won’t want to miss on your next visit. Did I miss any of your favorite places? Let me know in the comments below!

Also, check out my previous posts on some of the best towns in Long Island.

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INSIDER'S GUIDE TO PATCHOGUE, NEW YORK

Patchogue, a small village town located on the south shore of Long Island in Suffolk County is an up and growing vibrant town! This seaside community has a lot to offer, from entertainment to awesome restaurants and delicious eats!

THINGS TO DO IN PATCHOGUE

Patchogue Theatre - Various different plays and concerts are held in this small venue and at a reasonable price too!

Flo’s Luncheonette - Ready for some Bingo? On Thursday night Flo’s Luncheonette host a bingo night with awesome prizes! Also, the yummy food they service is just a plus!

Roe Alley Murals - Just a block from Flo’s you can find Roe Alley Murals, a small alley with murals painted by talented artists, it’s right next to the public library with plenty of free parking in the back.

Village of Patchogue Community Garden - Just across the parking lot from Roe Alley Murals there is a super cute park with a gazebo and a few art sculptures. It’s a really charming place to get a few pictures!

Bowl Long Island - They have some great Groupon deals such as Two Games of Bowling for Two with Shoe Rental; available Monday–Friday for $17.

Swan River Schoolhouse - This small one-room school house was built in 1858. You can see what an everyday classroom would look like in the 1860’s, outfits a teacher would typically wear, books, chalk boards, bookcases, etc. It’s worth a quick stop! 

Sandspit Marina - Stop by the Sandspit Marina to get a beautiful view of the Patchogue Lighthouse. Located fairly close to Shorefront Park, pack a nice picnic and enjoy an afternoon at the park then make your way over to the Sandspit Marina to take some awesome pictures in front of the lighthouse.

WHERE TO SHOP IN PATCHOGUE

Paper Doll Curiosity Shoppe - This is definitely a unique store, you can find some great pieces of clothing, retro items, and accessories.

Ellie J. + Co - This beautiful boutique that provides a relaxed shopping atmosphere, with friendly customer service and a great variety of home decor. They have plenty of accessories and different types of clothing. I personally think their summer and winter merchandise is very cute! 

Say More Boutique - They have some beautiful dresses here! Definitely worth stopping by to shop for a few new pieces!

WHERE TO EAT + DRINK IN PATCHOGUE

The Oar Steak & Seafood Grille - Their beer battered fish & chips with a side of spicy chipotle aioli is great, but their grilled salmon served over cabbage slaw topped with grilled pineapple jalapeño salsa was delicious! They also have some great desserts, for example their molten lava cake topped with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge was amazing!

Rhum - The Dominican ribs are amazing, they are incredibly tender and full of favor, marinated in a sweet chili ginger soy glaze, it’s my go-to when dining at Rhum. Another great choice is their ahi tuna burger, make sure to order a side of remoulade sauce!

Tap Room- I’m a huge fan of their whisky burger and Eric loves the blackened mahi mahi tacos. Along with the main entrees we always get the truffle fries with a side of their beer cheese for dipping!

Local Burger Co. - This is one of my top favorites places to go for burgers, I can’t recommend Local Burger enough! I personally enjoy the Smokeshow burger and my boyfriend likes the Atomic burger, both are really good choices! Also, their chili cheese fries with house-made chili are a must! There is two locations, one in Patchogue and another in Bay Shore. 

El Matador Restaurant - The food here is incredible! We went to El Matador for my fiancé’s birthday and everything was delicious! We both ordered the steak with a side of rice and beans, I’m personally a bigger fan of pinto beans but the black beans were great too! For dessert we tried the coffee cheesecake and it was great just like everything else!

Arooga's - Their wagyu cheeseburger is pretty good especially with their burger sauce, the OG Chicken sandwich is also great! The chicken sandwich is definitely my go-to sandwich when ordering from Arooga's, it’s served on a brioche roll with crispy dill pickles. Arooga’s is definitely a go-to for us when we are craving late-night bar food!

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HIKING TO CANYON OVERLOOK TRAIL - ZION NATIONAL PARK

Where to park

This hike is not accessible using the Zion Shuttle, so you will have to go in your own car. Located just east of the tunnel, there is a small designated parking area immediately after you exit the tunnel on the right, but if you continue driving forward there is an overflow parking area on the left.

This trail is about a mile round trip, about an hour hike with great views of lower Zion Canyon along the way. Once you get to the viewpoint at the top the views of Pine Creek Canyon are totally worth it!

How to get there

Once you find a parking spot the trailhead is located on the left, directly in behind the ranger station. First up, a flight of stairs, with odd steps that are a bit slick to step on but good thing there is a rail to hold on to (it’s a lot more tricky when you return).

Although it is rated easy and quick, I was surprised to come across a iron bridge with a railing on the side of the mountain. The bridge itself is fairly sturdy but I personally got a little nervous crossing, especially since it goes around a corner. Keep an eye out for crowds coming in the opposite direction, there is a small area with railing where you can stand to wait if people are walking across.

On you way back make sure to cross quickly to avoid bumping into someone midway or before you arrive at the bridge look ahead to see if you can spot any other hikers coming your way.

Quickly after getting off the iron bridge there is mini cave where you can take a small break and enjoy the view while cooling down. If you’re like me, it’s also a good place to step aside and let other hikers go ahead if you want to catch your breath or sip some water.

After a second of relaxing/enjoying the view at the cave, there is a narrow area where you have to cross one person at a time. When I went it happened to be wet due to the snow melting, so just keep an eye out for slipper rocks. After crossing that it’s a straight trail up, just continue on the worn out path.

Once you arrive the trail will open up to a widen area with a fence that overlooks the Upper East Canyon. On your left you’ll see Bridge Mountain, the highest peak on the left side of the canyon. On your right you’ll see the East Temple, the beautiful rock formation above the overlook.

Then you just return the same way you came in, keep an eye out for hikers coming in your direction and be courteous to others.

If this is your first time at Zion I highly recommend this to be your first hike, it’s short and easy with an awesome view at the end! Regardless if you’ve been to Zion or not try to arrive early to avoid the crowds in narrow spots, it’ll make your hike go more smoothly.

I have provided you with a map of Zion that shows different hiking trails in the link below. Canyon Overlook Trail is located as number 15 on the map, it’s a small trail located on the west side of the park.

Zion is by far my favorite place to hike, I really enjoyed my time here. I hope to visit again in the near future, have you been to Zion National Park? Comment below your favorite hike!

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HIKING TO EMERALD POOLS - ZION NATIONAL PARK

Located in the Zion National Park, the Emerald Pools are three separate spring fed pools connected by a stream. It is one of Zion's most breathtaking spots! There are varies trails to all three pool areas with the option of doing a loop hike back to the Lodge.

Upper Emerald Pool Trail located in front of the Zion Lodge, is roughly an hour hike round trip. It’s a fairly rocky and sandy trail around the base of a cliff. This hike is roughly 3.2 miles round trip with a 200 feet elevation gain. At the trailhead there are several hiking options available, ranging from short and easy to strenuous and steep.

How to get there

If you are taking the shuttle from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and ride the shuttle to the Zion Lodge( 5th stop). Exit the shuttle to your right and follow signs to the Emerald Pools trailhead.

Once you arrive at the Zion Lodge continue to the wooden bridge located across the street and that is directly in front of the parking lot. Before continuing take a moment to quickly use the restrooms at the Zion Lodge or refill your water bottles.

One of the best places to get a real nice pictures is on the bridge, take a second to look to the sides because you might just see some wildlife by the Virgin River, plus the landscape isn’t too shabby.

After crossing the footbridge there will be a sign to show you the different hikes you can go on, we’ll be headed left and up the rocky stairs.

What to expect

Both the Upper Emerald Pool Trail and the Lower Emerald Pool Trail hikes lead to glistening waterfalls and sparkling pools.

The hike to Upper Emerald Pools is a short trail with uneven sand and a very rocky surface with little to no shade. It’s important to bring a good pair of hiking shoes and to wear sunblock.

While hiking you’ll be surrounded by majestic sights including views of Red Arch Mountain, Lady Mountain, and the Great White Throne.

Additional information

Swimming and walking through the water at the Emerald Pools is not allowed. If you happen to visit in the winter, if the water is frozen make sure to not walk on the frozen pools. It might seem like common sense but the park ranger that was supervising the Upper Emerald Pools was telling us people have fallen into the frozen pools before since the ice isn’t very thick, so be warned!

The Lower Pool is accessible to people in wheelchairs if they have assistance. The trail is closed till Spring 2020 for maintenance.

A few nearby trails include Sand Bench Trail, Kayenta Trail and Grotto Trail. Another great hike is Angel’s Landing, a more steep and challenging hike, the trailhead is located down the road to the left.

That wraps it up for my quick review on the Upper Emerald Pools hike. I hope that this post helps you out if you plan to visit in the nearby future!

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