Fall might just be the best season imaginable to be outside. There’s lots of color, you don’t sweat and it’s probably the only time when you can feel quiet, reflective, and transcendental around family members without it being weird (it’s something magical about the weather).
And a perfect excuse to get your friends and family outside is a sporting activity. May we recommend fishing, kayaking, camping, hiking, biking, or running? Or even skydiving, for those more adventurous?
Fishing might be the Island’s most famous pastime. Plenty of lavish restaurants in the Northeast charge top dollar for Long Island fish you could be catching on your own. The South Shore can be great for inshore fishing, with tons of small ponds, wetlands, and inlets (the Fire Island inshore is also host to many good spots). For those without a boat who want to get further out into the water, plenty of regular charter trips run along the Long Island Sound around Port Jefferson and out into the Atlantic around the Montauk area.
If you’re planning on heading south to the preserved parts of Fire Island, there’s a nice camping spot with access to inlet fishing, beautiful beaches, and scenic hiking at Watch Hill Campground. More woodsy, autumnal camping can be found at the Indian Island County Park in Riverhead, and really, with 26 state parks in Nassau and Suffolk, there’s no shortage of sites for a quick, inexpensive vacation.
As there’s limited time left this year in which you’ll probably want to be anywhere near cold water, early October could be ideal for kayaking and canoeing. Shelter Island Kayak Tours runs a relaxing, family friendly tour great for inexperienced kayakers. More widely, Long Island Kayak Club does rentals, lessons and tours, and has locations in places like Stony Brook, Setauket, Massapequa and East Hampton. Any seasoned kayakers should be sure to check out Orient Beach State Park or the Jones Beach fishing piers, both of which come recommended by Steve Berner, president of the Long Island Paddlers, as two of the most beautiful paddling spots in the area.
Biking can be a good way to get out, exercise and see a lot of the Island in a short amount of time. A number of bike shops offer paid bike tours, like Adventure Cycles and Sports in Farmingdale, which runs a popular tour of Long Island’s wine country. There’s also a free biking group called Bike Around Long Island that takes regular rides and trips open to the public, with specific times and information available on their website. If you want to ride solo, try some of the Long Island route maps available here, like the 60-mile, day-long ride around the Peconic Bay.
For no clear reason, (other than the more manageable temperatures), October seems to be the month for Long Island 5K walk/run races. Many of them are either on or around Halloween—a Sunday this year, so your day will be free—which can help fill the long hours before parties and trick-or-treating. Several other races happen throughout the month, with plenty of worthy charity runs as well as straight competitions.
Skydivers have two main options on LI: Skydive Long Island in Calverton, or Long Island Skydiving Center in East Moriches. Both offer tandem jumps and courses towards jumping alone.
They’ll also make you a DVD of your jump, which can make for excellent family gloating material on Thanksgiving.
