The Scenic Route down Long Island
March 13, 2012 10:58 AM   Subscribe

I need to get from the Cross Sound Ferry terminal in Orient Point to Farmingdale - what's the most scenic route I can take?

I have to head to Farmingdale for work next week and I've decided to drive from Boston. I've got the whole day Tuesday to get there and the whole day Friday to get home, so rather than take the highways I was hoping there would be a more scenic route (and also avoid the shitshow that is the LIE). Are there any good county roads with some scenery and maybe a nice place to have lunch?

I have reservations on the mid-day ferries there and back if it makes any difference. I don't want to be driving forever, but a little bit out of the way is fine.
posted by backseatpilot to Travel & Transportation around New York, NY (5 answers total)
 
Best answer: Spent nearly my entire upbringing in Orient Point. So, I would recommend the following.

Get off the boat, head into Greenport. Have some lunch. I can give you specific recs, just memail me or post again with what sorta food you're into. Finish eating, get on Rt. 25 (the "Main Road," as it's known), and head west. Over the next 15-20 minutes you'll pass through Southold and arrive in Cutchogue, where you'll pass a 7-11 on your right, and reach a sort of fork in the road in town. Go left onto New Suffolk Road, follow it towards the beach, and make a right onto New Suffolk Road, which is long and occasionally winding and a goes through some really pretty country. I may be a little jaded about where I grew up but I still love that road. I'd recommend cutting North before the end, maybe like Maratooka or Locust Ave, and getting on Sound Ave, and following Sound Ave for a while, which will lead you into a cluster of the LI Wine Country.

As an Aside, I would contend that the LIE isn't that much of a shitshow. Though to be fair, as a native, I'm pretty much set on the nice country roads by the time I hit Riverhead. At any rate, staying on Sound Ave will eventually lead you to signs for the LIE that will get you on around exit 72.

Alternatively, Sound Ave eventually (if you follow it straight ahead) turns into 25A, which is, I suppose, more rural and pleasant than the highway, and there are a bevy of places to cut south and get on the LIE if you want.
posted by weaponsgradecarp at 11:57 AM on March 13, 2012


25->Middle Rd/Sound Ave/ Ct rt 48 -> 25a ->110 would be the most scenic. You don't actually see the water much, but there isn't a waterfront path along the sound. Its just rolling farms mostly.

If you have some time to walk around you could cut through the pine barrens and stop at a park but the roads there are pretty boring and straight.

No resto reccs, but there are a bunch of farm stands up on Sound Ave, include a place pretty well known for its Pie.
posted by JPD at 11:59 AM on March 13, 2012


Best answer: I would contend that the LIE isn't that much of a shitshow. Though to be fair, as a native, I'm pretty much set on the nice country roads by the time I hit Riverhead.

Pretty much this. Unless you really like driving 20mph and looking at grapes and tsotchkes, you're going to be dying for some highway by the time you hit Riverhead. And the LIE westbound into Farmingdale shouldn't be too bad, especially mid-day.

Also a friend of mine runs a pretty decent beer bar / restaurant on Main Street in Farmingdale if you have time to kill. Killer burgers.
posted by uncleozzy at 12:54 PM on March 13, 2012


Long Island ceases to be scenic and pretty right around the LIE starts, and the LIE starts to get bad right around/after Farmingdale. I would just take it.
posted by bleep at 7:56 PM on March 13, 2012


Response by poster: Thanks for the recommendations - I'll try route 25 and Sound Ave. until I get bored of it, and i'll definitely check out the bar.
posted by backseatpilot at 10:38 AM on March 14, 2012


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