Fall Fun on Long Island

Long Island is home to several hiking trails such as the ones in Garvies Point Preserve, which lead down to a quiet beach. There are also some wonderful wildlife refuges such as the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge. At the Nature Conservancy’s Uplands Farm Sanctuary, you can hike a double-loop trail surrounded by red cedar, oak, hickory, and other tall trees that put on a colorful display in the fall.

Long Island in the fall is a great place and time to go apple picking with family and friends. Take home some apples to use in cider, pie, cake, or just eat them raw.

Many Long Island pumpkin farms also offer seasonal fun such as corn mazes and Halloween events. Some sell already-picked pumpkins. There are so many Long Island farms where you can pick your own pumpkins that you'll have a hard time choosing just one.

To celebrate Halloween, read about Long Island's most haunted places—or even visit one, if you dare! If you are feeling brave, you will surely get a good fright at one of these top haunted spots on Long Island.

Fall is a great time to stroll the sands of Long Island's beaches plus you won't have to pay a daily fee or buy a season pass. The high temperatures of summer are gone, summer crowds have dwindled, and you can breathe in the salt air and listen to the soothing sounds of the surf.

Long Island in the fall is a great place and time to take a leisurely walk through some of the area's beautiful public gardens. Explore arboretums, formal gardens, woodlands, greenhouses, and historic homes. If you enjoy Japanese gardens, be sure to visit LongHouse Reserve or John P. Humes Japanese Stroll Garden.

The Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn Harbor, NY, features exhibits of major artists in its Gold Coast Georgian mansion. Beyond the mansion, you can wander through 145 acres of fields, woods, ponds, and formal gardens where sculptures by Niki de Saint Phalle, Fernando Botero, Tom Otterness, Alexander Calder, and other luminaries adorn the outdoor setting.

Sit back aboard a pontoon boat leaving from Stony Brook Harbor for a 1.5-hour cruise through the wetlands. An onboard naturalist will entertain you with facts about the history, geology, and ecology of this 88-acre wetlands preserve.

It's great to jog or take long walks with your dog on Long Island in the fall, but some places in Nassau and Suffolk won't allow your canine friend. Never fear though—there are designated dog runs on Long Island where your dog is welcome. Both of you will easily make friends—both human and canine.

Have a Long Island getaway at places such as the award-winning Glen Cove Mansion built in 1910 or the historic Oheka Castle reminiscent of a French chateau. Other ideal fall getaways are in the Hamptons (now that the summer crowds have left) and Long Island wine country. 

From seafood restaurants to vegetarian restaurants to outdoor dining and everything in between, Long Island offers a wealth of great places to eat. You'll find casual and upscale restaurants offering South Indian favorites, fresh catches of the day, and beautiful water views.

Now that the weather is pleasant, take a walk or drive through some of Long Island's many wonderful neighborhoods. From Oyster Bay, once home to Teddy Roosevelt's "Summer White House," to the Lloyd Neck neighborhood where Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie once rented a luxurious estate, Long Island's neighborhoods offer great scenery and attractions. Also, consider taking an Oyster Bay walking and driving tour or a walking tour of the Port Washington waterfront.