If you find yourself anywhere near Greenport Village on Long Island, give yourself a treat by visiting Mitchel Park and take a ride on Greenport’s antique carousel!
As the term “antique” implies, this is not your average attraction. Housed in a specially built glass pavilion, the Jess Owen Carousel House is a ticket back to the golden age of carnival rides.
Long Island’s North Fork is home to the only astronomical observatory on the island – The Custer Institute and Observatory.
With the first building going up in 1939, The Custer Institute has been Long Island’s gateway to the stars for almost 80 years. From the first day, they drew public interest – and why not? Those stars up there are not just beautiful but mysterious!
The summer of 2012 has been a record-breaker for heat. However, we know a place you can go where the temperature and overall weather is that much cooler and more pleasant. Where? Right here in the North Fork of Long Island! You know all those storms that you have gotten west in the city and on Nassau County, well we missed them or only got the trailing edge. Most people don’t realize that we enjoy better North Fork weather than the areas to the west of us. There are three very good scientific reasons for this:
1) The Urban Heat Island Effect
The western part of Long Island, Nassau County, is much more developed than the east where we are (Suffolk County). More development means more asphalt and concrete and other materials that absorb and store heat. This is known as the “urban heat island” effect. It’s a powerful enough effect that it can even deflect cooling rains downwind of cities. In the summertime, if you’ve ever driven into the city from a more rural area (without your air conditioner on), you can really feel the difference!
2) Cooling Atlantic Breezes
In addition to the urban heat island effect, the Atlantic Ocean’s cooling sea breezes help temper the summer heat. Those same breezes also tone down the occurrence of thunderstorms, both in their frequency and their strength. We on the North Fork benefit from being the peninsula and have cooler water on three sides. Also, did you know that Cutchogue, the heart of the North Fork wine country, is the sunniest place in New York State? It’s the sunniest place with a moderate climate just like Bordeaux.
3) Radiational Cooling
Sounds fancy, but it simply means that our less developed area is able to radiate the stored heat of the day much faster. And it’s not just a little difference in temperature. On a night with no rain, mist, clouds or wind, Suffolk County can be nearly 20 degrees F cooler than areas west of us.
The net result of all this science talk? It’s time to escape the city’s heat and book your room at our North Fork Long Island lodging. All year round, you can enjoy our inn near Greenport, NY for our welcoming hospitality, fine amenities, cooler summer weather, and less stormy winters. Truly the ultimate getaway!
