New York's Laid-Back Long Island Hamlet Is A Perfect Weekend Getaway With Parks And Bay Views

Long Island's North Shore, immortalized in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby," is nicknamed the Gold Coast. It's a reference to the opulent Gilded Age-era estates that aristocratic New York families built along the rocky coastline in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, like the Vanderbilt Mansion in Centerport and Huntington's Oheka Castle, built to resemble a miniature version of France's Palace of Versailles. But some of the region's highlights are more down-to-earth, like the laid-back village of Kings Park. Despite the regal name, the town isn't known for historic mansions, but for its quiet parks and bay views. 

Fifty miles east of Manhattan, Kings Park is located between Smithtown and Nissequogue. It's only about 1.5 hours from the City by car or public transportation (though traffic can increase the travel time), making it an easy weekend getaway from the big city, especially in comparison to more remote Long Island destinations like  Greenport, the quaint town with a lively shopping scene out on the North Fork. 

One of Kings Park's top attractions is the gorgeous Sunken Meadow State Park, comprising three miles of beaches backed by towering bluffs along the Long Island Sound. In addition to miles of trails, the park features a boardwalk with bay views. Cyclists can ride on the boardwalk all day outside the summer season (though bicycles are prohibited during peak hours from May to September). Depending on the time of year, activities include swimming, golf, fishing, horseback riding, kayaking, and cross-country skiing. It costs $8 to $10 per vehicle to enter the park, which is open daily from sunrise to sunset.

Another outdoor area to explore is Kings Park Bluff, located immediately to the east of Sunken Meadow. Ideal for coastal hikes and bird-watching, its elevated trails and lookout points over the bay are especially attractive at sunset. 

Back in town, pay a visit to the Kings Park Heritage Museum. Housed in a school, it's a good place to learn more about the town's colorful history, which is closely tied to a now-defunct psychiatric hospital that operated locally from 1885 to 1996. Tours are by appointment only, and it's advisable to call the museum to make arrangements.

Kings Park's eclectic dining scene is mostly centered around a busy stretch of the town's main street, close to the Long Island Rail Road station. Try Ciro's for classic Italian-American cuisine and patio seating (rated 4.6 stars on Google), or Café Red for modern American and Italian dishes and a cozy bar (also rated 4.6 stars). Slightly removed from the center of town, Shanahans Bar & Grill is a lively pub in a wooded setting with outdoor fire pits. 

Though Kings Park doesn't have any hotels, cottages and apartments are available for rent through Airbnb. Or you could venture just outside town and stay at the classy Northport Hotel, a boutique hotel located inside an elegant corner building in nearby Northport. It's less than a 15-minute drive away from Kings Park. If you're exploring Long Island by car, don't miss the historic coastal retreat with a quiet beach and trails at Old Field, including a two-mile loop with views over the Long Island Sound.