The sun is shining and the kids are out of school. Long, bright summer days stretch out before us. For so many of us, this signals the time to pack up the car and head out for a family vacation—perhaps some- where with a world-class beach, an award-winning winery, or maybe to try out the latest trend: glamorous camping, or “glamping.”
Luckily, those on Long Island don’t have to travel far for any of these vacation experiences. In fact, Suffolk County is a prime destination. Our beaches line the Atlantic Ocean, Great South Bay and Long Island Sound, each offering its own culture and experience. The wineries on the North Fork are host to music performances, weddings and events catering to connoisseurs and casual wine drinkers alike who enjoy the breathtaking ambiance of the vineyards. And now, in Cedar Point County Park in East Hampton, residents and visitors can enjoy an outdoor adventure with luxury amenities with the brand new glamping site by Terra Glamping.
Why camp when you can glamp? At the ADA-compliant resort at Cedar Point, visitors can enjoy a water-facing sleeping tent, luxury bathroom/showers, a campfire area, lounge tent, outdoor lounge areas and a kitchen area with propane grills. Not exactly roughing it.
We are committed to constant improvement of our recreational land. For example, by this fall, one thousand donated saplings will be planted in Southaven County Park,
Suffolk’s first park, which had been infested by the Southern Pine beetle. This park offers camping, trap and skeet shooting, a miniature railway, picnic areas, hiking, fishing, horse trails, sports fields, rental rowboats, and historic structures. Five hundred blue spruce trees and five hundred pitch pines will grow into a lush landscape once again.
To make it easier to get to and enjoy our stunning parks, we have introduced two seasonal Suffolk Transit bus lines that will provide direct transportation to Robert Moses State Park and Montauk Point Lighthouse. The county will also be providing a free shuttle bus service for visitors and residents from the Smith Point County Park campsites to the beach. There’s such a profound economic advantage to vacationing in Suffolk. Not only do residents save on travel costs, but tourism helps the local economy, supporting the small businesses that are the bedrocks of our communities and make up the distinct character of our downtowns.
No matter how you choose to spend your summer vacation, know that Suffolk has an abundance of recreational options to make this a vacation destination to suit every whim. There truly is nothing like experiencing summer on LI. When mixed with Suffolk’s world class offerings, the possibilities are endless.
