We know some people will be coming into New York City and Long Island a few days before our wedding celebration or staying a few days afterwards. We wanted to provide folks with some fun things to do both on the island and in the city. Listed below are our recommendations!  

New York City

There is SO MUCH to do and see within NYC. Jared and I have only scratched the surface of what you can experience. So, where should you start?

Where every summer should start and end. Celebrating America's pastime at Yankees Stadium. Yes, the tickets are pricey. And yes, A-Rod is bound to strike out. But there is nothing quite like an evening game at the House That Ruth Built. The new stadium is beautiful, and the Yankees are baseball royalty. Chalk it up to a "must" even if you're a hater. If you want a full day in the Bronx you could also visit the Bronx Zoo or Botanical Gardens, and grab dinner on Arthur Avenue, the famed block with lots of Italian restaurants. 

Moving south to Manhattan you will have options galore. For adults, I would strongly recommend visiting the Museum of the City of New York or the Whitney Museum. The first has interesting exhibits on NYC history, the second a nice variety of art that is no where near as intimidating as the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A stroll through Central Park is always nice too. For a yummy - albeit girly - lunch try Alice's Tea Cup on either E 65th or E 81st streets. For a fancy dinner head to Rogue Tomat. We ate there a couple of winters ago and you can't go wrong. You could also visit the iconic Russian Tea Room. Both are a bit pricey outside of NYC Restaurant Week, but worth it for a special dinner. For some inexpensive burgers try Shake Shack or Bare Burger; both have multiple locations.

The Upper West Side has some great children's activities! The American Museum of Natural History is great for older kids and teens, and the Children's Museum of Manhattan for young children. For a low-key lunch grab yummy sandwiches at Alan's Marketplace, a few blocks from Lincoln Center and enjoy them by the fountain, which everyone should see. (I can attest to the sandwiches from Alan's: I used to get them for lunch/dinner while at Fordham, which is right across the street!)

Continue downtown to the Highline Park. Built on old elevated subway tracks, it's a funky park with great views of the city. The nearby Chelsea Market is full of a variety of vendors, with affordable meal options. If you're over 21 you can enjoy a drink at The Tippler, also nearby. The cocktails are great, but fair warning, they're pricey. Making your way further south, and back east, swing through Washington Square Park. There is always a funky performance happening, and the park is one of the nicest. At this point you're not too far from Little Italy and Chinatown, which will have plenty of meal options. If you're looking for something more mainstream we have enjoyed the TriBeCa Grill and Souths in TriBeCa, and The Smith, Peels, and Lanza's all in the East Village. For drinks grab a beer - light or dark are your only options - at McSorely's Old Ale House or a cocktail at PDT (reservations required) also in the East Village. . 

Depending upon where you started your day, and where you want to finish it, you can make your way to the Brooklyn Bridge and walk to Brooklyn. It can be busy, but you get great views of both southern Manhattan and Brooklyn. When you reach Brooklyn you can treat yourself to pizza at Grimaldi's. If you want something a little less touristy, mosey down to Brooklyn Heights and grab some fabulous coffee at Iris Cafe, one of our favorite places in NYC. 

Brooklyn has a TON to offer. If you want super cool and edgy head to Williamsburg and be sure to wear your best hand-me-downs. There you will find interesting bars (often themed), good coffee (often strong), and lots of cool kids (often judging you). Kidding. Sort of. There are interesting shops scattered around too, but a visit is mostly to give you a sense of the hipster-meets-Hasidic-Jewish culture. 

If you're looking for something more mainstream, say window shopping, walk Atlantic Avenue from Court Street to Bond Street. You could also visit the MTA Transit Museum, which is a lot of fun. It has all of the old subway cars from NYC on an out-of service track which you can walk through. Admission is super cheap too, just $7.00 for adults, $5.00 for kids, and free on Wednesday's. Need a bite to eat? Head to Park Slope, where we call home, for some breakfast/lunch/dinner options. For breakfast we recommend coffee and a pastry from Konditori, diagonal from our apartment. For lunch you can't beat Zito's or Bierkraft, both sandwich shops. For dinner try Benchmark (American), Los Pollitos (Mexican), Franny's or Campo De Fiore (pizza). What's that? You still need dessert? Try Caramello's for gelatto. All but Franny's are located right on 5th Avenue in Park Slope. 

Prospect Park is worth a visit, where you can visit the Prospect Park Zoo, go horseback ridging, or just enjoy the park. For a truly Brooklyn experience, take the R local train to Bay Ridge for L & B Spumoni Gardens pizza (Sicilian, so good, and they have spumoni) or take the N train to Coney Island. If you ride the Coney Island Cyclone you rock life!! It's made of wood and not a smooth ride. On a clear day the Wonder Wheel offers a beautiful view of the ocean, and the city from afar. You can enjoy some Nathan's Famous hot dogs and a Brooklyn Cyclones game for a fun (and cost effective) evening.   

We're going to skip Staten Island....mostly because we haven't been there. If you visit, please report back. Unfortunately we haven't spent too much time in Queens. If you're gung-ho on doing something there, head to CitiField to see a Mets game. The Mets are pretty terrible, but CitiField is more affordable than Yankee Stadium, and more family friendly. If you're looking for a daytime activity, you could also try the the New York Hall of Science. I have no restaurant recommendations though I'm fairly certain you could find some good Greek food in Astoria, so I'll end Things To Do in NYC here. Hope it's helpful!

Long Island

Long Island has some amazing beaches, especially along the South Shore, and we strongly suggest you hit one. Jones Beach (Nassau) and Smith Point Beach (Suffolk) are definitely worth visiting for a morning or afternoon. Other popular beach spots are Cupsogue Beach, Shinnecock East County Park (Beach), or Montauk Point State Park all on the east end between the Hamptons.

If you're looking for something more relaxed, maybe a small town with little shops to peruse and to grab a nice meal, visit any of the following:

1. Sayville, on the southern half of the island, is great. There are some really wonderful shops to enjoy, especially the Sayville General Store and Debra Canavan Classics. Cafe Joelle is right in the center of town and is great; definitely order the fried ice cream for dessert.
2. Bellport is also along the southern half of Long Island, and has a few galleries and antique shops, and a great selection of restaurants. You cannot go wrong with The Bellport or Porters On the Lane. One of my all time favorite things to do each 4th of July is head to Bellport to enjoy Artists on the Lane. Artists from across Long Island and New York City bring their finest work for display and sale, and set up all along Bellport Lane. It is lovely to walk around and you almost always find a little (affordable) something you like.
3. Also along the South Shore is Westhampton Beach. Westhampton Beach, another quaint little town, has the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, which often has some funky things happening. I saw Sally Ride speak there years ago. For a simple, but good, affordable dinner try the Post Stop Café.
4. Heading up to the North Shore you can swing through Port Jefferson. Bigger then both Sayville and Bellport you could easily spend an entire afternoon or morning there. Again, lots of little galleries, but also lots of unique home stores and specialty shops. Danfords is right on the water and although I haven’t eaten there in a long time, it was great when I was a kid. If you swing away from the water head to Pasta Pasta (the Menghini’s have celebrated many a special occasion there). For something more relaxed try Toast Coffeehouse, or for something cheap hit Salsa Salsa. 

Okay enough small towns.

Many if the activities listed below are geared towards folks with children, but can be enjoyed by adults too.

1. Visit the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead. It's small but has nice exhibits, and a seal show.
2. Enjoy a Long Island Ducks game in Central Islip. I’ve been to a few Ducks games. They're very interactive and lively, but be prepared for a lot of quacking since most kids have duck noise makers.
3. If you like history visit Teddy Roosevelt's home, Sagamore Hill, in Oyster Bay. Be sure to check the website before you visit. As of mid-March part of the mansion was closed for a rehabilitation project.
4. Long Island has a great water park: Splish Splash. It will probably be crowded since it's a holiday weekend, but would make for a fun day. 

For those of you over 21, Long Island has great wineries on the North Fork. Recommendations for vineyard visiting are below and come from Nancy and Peter (Margaret's parents) and Ashlyn (Jared's sister):

1. Osprey's Dominion
2. Bedell Cellars
3. Martha Clara
4. Laural Lakes

Adults might also enjoy visiting the Hekshire Museum of Art in Huntington or the Nassau County Museum of Art. If the arts are of interest, Legends In Concert (selections from Barry Manilow, Elvis Presley, Tony Bennett, and more) will be playing at the Gateway Playhouse in Bellport, and at Theater Three in Port Jefferson, Rumplestistkin, perfect for little ones.

If outdoor activities are more you can look into some of the things listed below.

1. Kayak or canoe on the Nissequogue River. I did this a TON during the summer I worked as a camp counselor at the Knox Schools (so did Patrice!) and it was always really nice. Try Nissequogue River Canoe and Kayak Rentals Inc.  
2. Hike the Long Island Pine Barrens. Visit http://www.pinebarrens.org for more information.
3. Climb the Montauk Lighthouse at "The End" of the island. I’ve done this a few times and it’s fun. The walk to the top is easy and you get some great views.
4. Visit Old Westbury Gardens. My dad used to take my sister Patrice and I there when we were little (my grandparents lived close by) and it’s beautiful.

If you still need some restaurant recommendations and are looking for some super low-key and inexpensive dining, definitely head to Patchogue, the Verdi's old home town. Nancy's Crab Shack offers simple fried fair, with outdoor seating, and the sweet potato fries are excellent. Another option is Bobbique for some good, inexpensive BBQ and music many nights, or Reese's 1900 Pub for a burger. For breakfast try either Peter's Luncheonette or George's Luncheonette, also on Main Street in Patchogue.

Lastly, Long Island celebrates the 4th of July like the best of them! Fireworks can be seen at:

1. Bald Hill in Farmingville. The New York Philharmonic plays earlier in the evening, so you'll have to get there early to snag a great viewing point. Check out www.VisitBrookhaven.com for more information. 
2. Jones Beach. Check their website for more information as we get closer to 7/4.

Still looking for something to do? Visit http://www.discoverlongisland.com. And have a great visit!