By Paul Palazzolo

There are only 17 days remaining until graduation. Even though there is only a short amount of time, there are activities students can still do on Long Island. Those who are not graduating or not living in New York state can feel free to partake as well.

Montauk Point

Montauk is the infamous eastern ending point of Long Island. Because it is over two hours east of the University, few students have ventured there during their tenure. But adventure-seekers can enjoy the long, scenic drive along New York State Route 27 passing by the Hamptons and the southern fork of the island up to the Montauk Point State Park. It is void of the hustle and bustle that students are surrounded by in Nassau County and the city. Unlike the majority of Long Island, the park is heavily-wooded and offers hiking and nature trails, hunting, fishing and picnic areas. The park also offers the infamous Montauk Lighthouse, one of the signature landmarks of Long Island. There are great views of Block Island, the North Fork of Long Island and the coast of New England during a clear day. One of the best ways to spend the last days at the University is to travel during the middle of the night to Montauk and to observe the first sunrise in all of New York state.

Sunken Meadow State Park

Sunken Meadow State Park, located in the North Shore of Suffolk County, is not as well-known as the legendary Jones Beach or Montauk Point. Despite its lack of attraction from outside of Long Island, it still is a great place to go, especially to fend off the large crowds during the summer. To get there, take the Northern State Parkway east to exit 45N, then take the Sunken Meadow Parkway North until its end. The 1200 acre park offers hiking trails, bicycling, 314 miles of boardwalk and three nine-hole golf courses. There is also a heavily-wooded area that visitors can use to escape. The coast of Connecticut is easily visible when it is not overcast. Sunken Meadow is another Oasis in the middle of Long Island for the tired and stressed-out member of the University.

Sands Point

Another place for students to escape to is located in Sands Point. This park is located on the North Shore of Nassau County, near Port Washington. This is a short drive from the University and only requires a few hours to visit instead of a whole day or more. Sands Point Preserve is more than just a nature preserve; it showcases Nassau County’s turn-of-the-century Gold Coast estate period. One example is the large estate, Castlegould. This is taken from Ireland’s Kilkenny Castle, which was originally designed as an equestrian parade stable and carriage house. This house currently holds the preserve visitor center, special exhibit halls and shops. Nassau County acquired the majority of Castlegould for preserving the historic park.

The 216-acre park is an outdoor recreation site that highlights the environment of the North Shore. There are large, sculpted boulders and sandy cliffs that make visitors forget that they are still in Nassau County. The one-mile shoreline skirting Long Island Sound features six nature trails. The best part about Sands Point is the view of the Whitestone bridge and the Throgs Neck bridge. The night skyline is highlighted by the bridges’ lights. This park if also off the radar, so it is not as crowded as more popular attractions.

Experiencing Huntington’s Nightlife

For those who did not grow up on Long Island, Huntington is an area that is not well-known for spending time during the night. There are varieties of bars, clubs, restaurants, theaters and pubs located in downtown Huntington. The best part about Huntington is that it is not necessary to drive to get there; the downtown district is near the Huntington train station for the Long Island Railroad’s blue line. The nightlife attractions in Huntington include CoCo’s Water Café, Tello, Orbit’s Expresso Bar, University Avenue, Christopher’s Courtyard Café, the Crazy Donkey and Checkers Café and Pub. Unlike the clubs in the city, these places are relatively inexpensive and do not place a strain on the average college student’s wallet. However, there is still good variety of places to go and spend time.

Mets and Yankees game

New York Mets and New York Yankees baseball are a part of the heart and soul of Long Islanders. Each team plays 81 home games a year, which includes six games against each other.

A trip to Shea or Yankee stadium is a good way to spend a relaxing afternoon or evening with friends and visiting family members watching a Major League Baseball game. Since all teams from Major League Baseball travel at least once to New York during the course of the season, one does not need to be a Met or Yankee fan to see their favorite team. Therefore, it is a good excuse to go when the team from back home is in town.

There is no need to drive because both stadiums are convienent to get to via subway. Yankee Stadium is accessible by the Long Island Railroad to Penn Station, then transfer to the N or R trains to Lexington and then transfer to the four train. Shea Stadium is accessible by taking the Port Washington Line on the Long Island Railroad, or change lines at Woodside. Shea Stadium is off of exit 22B of the Long Island Expressway or exit 8 off of the Grand Central Parkway.

Graduating or not, these are great places to visit while students are in Long Island.