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.

PRINTABLE AVALON PARK MAP

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!