Long Island is a huge island of 3,600 km², part of which belongs to New York City. This residential, commercial island is also a tourist mecca thanks in particular to its Suffolk beaches.
Long Island area
Long Island is located off the coast of Connecticut, south of the mouth of the Hudson River. However, its administrative and geographical relationship is with New York.
Located south of America’s largest city, it is connected to New York by a dozen bridges from the Verrazano-Narrow Bridge to Manhattan to the Throgs Neck Bridge, which is located east of the Bronx.
Long Island is the largest island in the United States, except for the island of Hawaii. It is over 190 km long and averages 30 km wide.
About 7.5 million people live on the island. The island is divided into four counties, two of which are also boroughs of New York. These are Queens and Brooklyn, while further east are Nassau and Suffolk counties. While the first two are highly urbanised, the last two have a much more rural feel.
Two of New York’s three airports are in Queens (John Fitzgerald Kennedy and La Guardia). As for Suffolk County, it is very famous for its beaches on the Atlantic Ocean, such as Long Beach, Atlantic Beach, the Lido or Jones Beach State Park. Below, a 360 degree view from Long Beach
Every summer, they attract many New Yorkers. During this season, the weather is hot and humid, but the sea breeze cools the temperatures, which is another reason for New Yorkers to come here to escape the stifling heat of the capital.
Visit Long Island
Tourism therefore plays a major role in the island’s economy. On the other hand, winters are often icy and snowfalls are quite frequent.
On Long Island, tourists can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities:
- golf,
- horse riding,
- sail,
- surfing,
- windsurfing.
Dining and entertainment. There are hundreds of restaurants and several attractions, including Splish Splash, one of the world’s largest water parks.
For those who love the great outdoors, Fire Island National Seashore is a must. This part of the island is car-free and offers a peaceful and welcoming setting.
The history of Long Island is very eventful. Long inhabited by Indians, it is still home to two Indian reservations, Poospatuck Reservation and Shinnecock Reservation.
The island was in turn colonised by the Dutch and the English. In the 19th century, many immigrants and free slaves settled on the island, which had the reputation of offering a better life.
