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.

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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