North Fork of Long Island New York

North Fork of Long Island (aka NoFo) is a beautiful summer getaway from New York City. One of the best places to taste different kind of wines, enjoy good local food, explore laid-back towns and relax on the beach, if you are looking for low-key destination compare to its other part (South Fork – The Hamptons).

We had a day to explore and here are the things we loved in the area.

Best things to do in North fork of Long Island

The Vineyards and Wineries of Long Island

There are lots and lots of vineyards & wineries in the North fork stretch of Long Island (aka North Fork wine trail). You can spend whole day hoping from one winery to another and taste different kind of wine the area has to offer. There is a long list of vineyards and kind of wines they have to offer – you can check here based on what you prefer.

Among many options, we chose Croteaux Vineyard and tried all type of rosé they had to offer. They have a lovely garden area where we had a relaxed afternoon with a glass of Rosé.

Take photos at Lavender Farm

Yup, you read it right! There is a Lavender farm (2 hours drive from Manhattan). We were are very excited to visit as it was something we never expected to be found in NY. Lavender by the Bay is owned by a family that has been growing lavenders in Long Island for more than 15 years. The best time to visit the farm would be from late June to early July – Do check for latest updates about the blooming, timing and pricing.

Stop at 67 steps beach

When we were researching about the area we found this lovely beach. It is a small pebble beach where staircase takes you to beautiful rocky seashore.It is important to note that if you are arriving by a car you need to get parking permit before hand.

Walk around Greenport, Long Island

Greenport is a small laid back town in the North fork on the bank of Peconic river. Take a walk around the Front and Main street and you will find everything you are looking – best morning coffee, all day breakfast or brunch spot, delicious seafood for lunch/dinner, vintage shops and more. There are plenty of free street parking available around the town you just need to look for one.

Drive to Orient beach state park

If you are looking for a good beach day outing, visit Orient beach State park. It is located on the eastern tip of the north fork. Don’t forget to take your water shoes as the shore is lined with pebbles. Note – The parking fills up pretty fast on weekends so plan your day accordingly.

Visit Sunflower Maze in Long Island

If you are visiting in July end to early August you should check out the gorgeous Sunflower fields. You can find one in Sidor Farms in Mattituck. Do check their Instagram or Facebook page for recent updates or call them.

Visit Wickham’s fruit farm

There are lot of farms around North Fork which sell fresh fruits and Bakery item (Pies are popular here). Do check them out while you are in the area. We have been to one of the oldest farm called – Wickham’s Fruit farm . They also provide field tours where you can pick your own fruits or vegetables. Do check with them before you plan if any tours are available on the dates you are visiting.

Unfortunately, when we visited there were no field tours available.

Finally, keep some time to wander and see where the roads takes you . You cannot do everything when you are traveling, so just relax and enjoy the journey!

What we ate

But first Coffee

Start your morning a cup of coffee from North Fork Roasting Company or Aldo’s Coffee. They offers great locally grown coffee and coffee based drinks.

Love Lane is an amazing place for breakfast or brunch before you start exploring the wineries.

For lunch/dinner, there are lots of option available in Greenport. Before heading back home, check out the menu in North Fork food truck, situated in North fork Table & inn Parking area. We tried Hot Lobster Rolls here (yum!)

How to reach

There are multiple options to reach North fork from NYC. In our opinion, Car is the easiest way to get to the North Fork from New York City. Other options are (1) The Long Island Railroad offers daily service between New York Penn Station and Greenport Station (2) The Hampton Jitney bus takes passengers from Manhattan to the North Fork, making multiple stops along the way.

Getting Around

The North Fork is spread out with the majority of vineyards about 15 to 20 miles from the main town, Greenport. Car is the easiest way to get from location to another. Those without a car can use taxi service or Uber/Lyft.

All things considered, North fork is an amazing place to go for a drive and explore for a day from New York City in summer. It is also a perfect summer weekend getaway. Hope you enjoyed reading our blog.

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