One of America’s Prettiest Towns is just a couple miles down the road from our Long Island Bed and Breakfast. It’s called Greenport, New York.
Each year, Forbes compiles a list of America’s prettiest towns. To do so, Forbes works with travel experts (from Frommer’s, Midwestern Living magazine, and Rough Guides) who scour the country in search of potential candidates for America’s Prettiest Town. They passed by the Hamptons in 2011 and found themselves in an old fishing village on the North Fork of Long Island. Greenport stands up well to the competition.
The Village of Greenport was established in 1838, though settlers were in the region as early as the mid 1640s. Shipbuilding, trade, and the whaling industry flourished for decades; in its prime, Greenport could support up to 24 whaling ships at one time. Business boomed. Goods and people from all over the world traveled between Greenport, Connecticut, and New York City by ferry and rail.
Greenport is much quieter today than it was then, but it’s economy is still largely linked to the sea. Today, people travel to Greenport to relax in a beautiful, tranquil setting. They come to stay in inns like our North Fork Long Island Bed and Breakfast, and to rediscover a slow pace of life–even if it’s only for a weekend. They visit the pretty town of Greenport, take long beach walks, and feast on local seafood.
The North Fork of Long Island is not immune to change, of course. Quite a few old tackle shops and fish huts have been transformed into art galleries, internet cafes and gourmet restaurants. Restaurants serve wine made from grapes nursed on ocean mists in local vineyards.
We appreciate these changes. What’s not to like about restaurants full of good food, art galleries full of good art, and great local wine?
Fortunately, Greenport has retained much of it’s quaint, small town charm, and it draws people who find simplicity appealing. The online editor of Frommer’s travel guide, Jazon Clampet, is quoted as saying that the Village of Greenport draws visitors who “would rather relax than star-gaze.” Mr. Clampet is referring here to stars like Meryl Streep, not stars found in constellations.
The next time you have a few days to yourself, consider heading to one of America’s Prettiest Towns. Stay in our New York Bed and Breakfast, and discover just how lovely and relaxing the North Fork of Long Island can be.
Please visit Forbes to read more about America’s Prettiest Towns.
Our New York Bed and Breakfast is located on the North Fork of Long Island. We’re close to the glitter and opulence of the Hamptons, but the mood is more down to earth here. The towns are small and unpretentious. There are more fruit stands than bars along the roads, and more antique shops than high-end boutiques. It’s bucolic here, and we like it that way.
Guests come to our Long Island, NY Bed and Breakfast to get away from the noise and bustle of the city. They come here for fresh air, windswept beaches, and small town charm. It’s impossible not to feel reinvigorated and rejuvenated after a few days here.
Our inn sits near the tip of the North Fork of Long Island. We’re surrounded by water and beaches, and the beaches are reminiscent of Mediterranean beaches. The water is clear, the sand smooth, and the surf gentle. Even in the wintertime, there is no better place to watch the sunset than from one of the nearby beaches.
When guests have had their daily fill of beach walking, many enjoy exploring the Village of Greenport, which is just down the road from our inn. At this time of year, visitors find inspiration in the many interesting shops located in that quaint, historic town. Several antique stores feature furniture, fine arts, folk art, hand crafted stained glass, nostalgic toys, and other fun items. A number of jewelry stores feature hand made originals as well as big name jewelry, and two outstanding stores deal in wine and spirits.
Indeed, wine tasting is a favorite activity out here. In the last couple decades, many of the farms on the North Fork of Long Island have been replaced by small wineries; and more than 2 dozen wineries are close to our Long Island, New York Bed and Breakfast. Northfork Wine Tours operates out of Greenport; they’ll collect you at our inn in the morning, whisk you away for 8 hours of wine tasting at various North Fork Long Island wineries, and return you here safely in the evening.
Come discover the North Fork of Long Island. Plan to spend a few days at our New York Bed and Breakfast as soon as you can.