Our Community USA - Long Island Vol 6

ABOUT LONG ISLAND LGBTQ Long Island Long Island is as varied and diverse as most states, crammed into 1400 square miles. Though Queens and Brooklyn are technically on Long Island, the term “Long Island” really refers to Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Easily accessible from NYC by the Long Island Railroad (LIRR), Long Island encapsulates mellow suburbs, busy cities and quiet rural areas.

The most popular vacation destinations in Long Island are the North Fork, with its picturesque wineries, and of course the Hamptons for its privileged beach homes. Other areas to know about are the North Shore, once so famous as home to the rich that Fitzgerald set his novel The Great Gatsby there, and the South Shore, which tends to be more diverse and popular for its beaches. Of course, just off the South Shore is the hedonistic Fire Island, which can be accessed by ferry from Sayville or Bay Shore.

The west side of the Island is more populous, with the numbers starting to dwindle the further east you go. And you should definitely head east to experience North Fork.

In the past few years, North Fork wineries have come into their own and LI wines are carried in some of NYC’s finest restaurants. Long Beach, on the South Shore is also worth a visit, as it has become a hip area of hotels and shops.

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