Long Island Mansions
The Oscar-winning film 'The Great Gatsby' starring Leonardo DiCaprio allowed global audiences to once again experience the opulence of 1920s America. The castle mansion of Gatsby in the film brought Long Island back into the spotlight. The prototype for Gatsby's castle is debated, but the ones closest to the novel are Oheka Castle in Huntington and Old Westbury Gardens in Westbury. Oheka Castle, after the owner's death in 1934, was sold multiple times but quickly abandoned due to high maintenance costs. It remained in decay and desolation for thirteen years until Long Island developer Gary took over in 1984. Now, Oheka Castle has been renovated at great expense and operates as a hotel with 32 ultra-luxurious suites, catering to those curious about that extravagant era.
Long Island Beaches
Long Island's beaches boast beautiful scenery, allowing you to temporarily escape the hustle and bustle of New York City and enjoy a peaceful and leisurely weekend.
Crab Fishing at Jones Beach
Jones Beach is the most fun and lively beach on Long Island. It hosts the famous Air Show in May and fireworks in July. The most popular part is Captree State Park. Located at the eastern tip of Jones Beach, Captree State Park is the largest fishing area in New York. The water is deep and clean, with fishing docks along the shore and many fishing boats. There's a tackle shop on the pier where you can get all the gear you need. Crabs here are easy to catch, and you can fill your bucket in half a day. Next to the pier is a BBQ area, so students who like BBQs can bring their supplies and have a picnic on-site.
Long Beach Getaway
Long Beach is the most popular and accessible beach on Long Island. The sand is fine and soft, with a 2.2-mile boardwalk perfect for biking, jogging, or strolling. The atmosphere is elegant; you just need to bring a beach chair, sit on the white sand all afternoon, listen to the waves, and relax. After the beach closes, you can also enjoy a drink at a nearby bar or savor fresh seafood at a seafood bar.
Long Island Shopping
Manhasset Mall
This mall has over sixty brand-name stores like Chanel, Dior, Fendi, Prada, and Versace, making it a favorite shopping center for fashion lovers. Each boutique provides Chinese-speaking staff to ensure smooth communication and a satisfying shopping experience.
Tanger Outlets
Tanger Outlets features 165 world-famous stores, including Gucci, Polo Ralph Lauren, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, Coach, CK, Tommy Hilfiger, Ann Taylor, Timberland, and many others. It is a renowned American outlet center for international fashion brands. You can also find many U.S. brands like Liz Claiborne, Banana Republic, LOFT, Nine West, Sunglasses Hut, Bath and Body Works, Kate Spade, etc. These brands offer extra discounts on top of existing discounts, and savvy shoppers often score world-class items at low prices. It's the go-to destination for bargain hunting.
Roosevelt Field Mall
As the largest shopping mall on Long Island, Roosevelt Field Mall has over 270 stores, with anchor stores including Macy's, JCPenny, Bloomingdale, Nordstrom, Dick's Sporting Goods, and more. The shopping options are abundant, and the supporting services are comprehensive. Besides clothing and bags, ladies can get their hair done, have a manicure, or practice yoga, while gentlemen can browse the Apple store, listen to Bose speakers, or shop for camping gear and fishing rods. You can also catch a movie at Lowe's Cinema, take photos at Picture People, or enjoy Chinese and Western cuisine at the food court.
Long Island Dining
On Long Island, you can not only taste the freshest local seafood but also enjoy premium seafood cuisine from around the world, including American, French, Japanese, and Thai dishes, satisfying your palate.
Capatain Bill's
Capatain Bill's, built along the harbor, occupies the best location. The splendid harbor becomes the backyard of Capatain Bill's, where guests can enjoy the sunset through glass windows indoors or host themed parties on the outdoor terrace. The famous Fire Island beach is also visible in the distance.
Peter Luger
Peter Luger Steakhouse, founded in 1887, is renowned for its steaks and remains family-owned, with two locations in Long Island and Brooklyn. The secret to its America's best steaks lies in selecting the finest ingredients. For Chinese people, however, foreign cuisine can only be a spice of life; to satisfy our Chinese palate, we rely on Chinese food. Long Island has many authentic Chinese restaurants to help you alleviate homesickness.
Xiang Tian Xia
This spacious restaurant features Chinese-style decorations like pavilions and bridges, adding a unique charm to the Sichuan restaurant. Recommended dishes include sour soup beef, shredded rabbit, and fish in chili bean paste sauce, allowing you to enjoy authentic Sichuan cuisine in New York. They also offer various hot pot options: spicy hot pot, half-and-half hot pot, fish head hot pot, lamb hot pot, etc., making it a great spot for group dinners.
Jin Lun Ge
As the most popular Cantonese restaurant on Long Island, the dim sum variety here is extensive, covering almost all the dim sum you can find in a tea restaurant. Many people come here on weekends to enjoy morning tea and chat with family and friends.
Long Island Transportation
Long Island has convenient rail, bus, and highway systems, providing easy travel for residents. Bordering Queens, New York City, to the west, it is only about 20 miles from Manhattan, the world's busiest financial center. By highway or train, you can reach Queens or Manhattan within an hour. Express commuter buses also reach Midtown and Downtown Manhattan within an hour.
The Long Island Railroad is the busiest commuter rail in the U.S., with its main terminal at Penn Station in Manhattan, extending eastward with a total of eight branches and 124 stations. It serves Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and all key towns in the two Long Island counties in New York State. Trains run frequently and connect with the NYC subway, making travel very easy.
Buying a car on Long Island is also convenient; you can purchase a new car at a 4S dealership or buy a used car from a dealer or graduating student, giving you more freedom to travel.
Living on Long Island
With its beautiful environment, convenient transportation, and excellent school districts, Long Island has become a popular place to settle for New Yorkers. Besides school dormitories and homestays, Long Island offers many affordable apartments and single houses. Nassau County, located in the western part of Long Island, borders Queens and Manhattan, with a train ride of under 40 minutes to Manhattan. Due to its location, Nassau County is especially attractive to commuters working in Manhattan, compared to Suffolk County to the east.
Long Island Schools
Stony Brook University, also known as the State University of New York at Stony Brook, is located on the North Shore of Long Island, east of New York City. It is a renowned public research university and is considered a Public Ivy. Stony Brook boasts many top scholars, and its teaching quality and research achievements are internationally recognized. Nobel laureate physicist Chen Ning Yang taught here for 37 years. The world's first MRI image was also produced here.
