Are you bored silly when the weather’s chilly? You really have no excuse because there’s plenty to do on Long Island during the off-season. Use our list of many of Long Island’s attractions, including quite a few that carry an outdoor or nautical theme. 

AQUARIUMS

Cold Spring Harbor

Fish Hatchery & Aquarium

http://cshfishhatchery.org/

Long Island Aquarium

http://www.longislandaquarium.com/

New York – Coney Island

https://nyaquarium.com/beach

ARBORETUMS

Bailey Arboretum

https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/2818/Bailey-Arboretum

Bayard Cutting Arboretum

http://www.bayardcuttingarboretum.com/

ICE SKATING

Brooklyn by Prospect Park Lake

http://lakesidebrooklyn.com/visitor-info/ice-skating/

Port Jefferson by the harbor

http://www.therinx.com/port-jefferson/public-session-times/

Greenport by the harbor

http://villageofgreenport.org/ice-rink-skating-greenport-village.php

LIGHTHOUSES

Fire Island Lighthouse

https://www.nps.gov/fiis/planyourvisit/fireislandlighthouse.htm

Horton Point Lighthouse

http://www.southoldhistoricalsociety.org/lighthouse

Montauk Lighthouse

https://montauklighthouse.com/

MUSEUMS

Children’s Museum of the East End

https://www.cmee.org/

East End Seaport Museum

https://www.eastendseaport.org/

LongHouse Reserve

https://www.longhouse.org/

Long Island Children’s Museum

http://www.licm.org/

Long Island Maritime Museum

http://www.limaritime.org

Long Island Science Center

http://www.lisciencecenter.org/

Maritime Explorium

http://maritimeexplorium.org/

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

https://www.nps.gov/sahi/index.htm

Sagtikos Manor

https://sagtikosmanor.org/

Science Museum of Long Island

http://www.smli.org/

Southampton History Museum

https://www.southamptonhistory.org/

The Hicksville Gregory Museum

http://www.gregorymuseum.org/

The Long Island Museum

http://longislandmuseum.org/

The South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center

http://sofo.org/

Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium

https://www.vanderbiltmuseum.org/

Whaling Museum and Education Center

http://www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/index.html

NATURE CENTERS, REFUGES, SANCTUARIES, AND PRESERVES

Alley Pond Environmental Center

http://www.alleypond.com/ 

Avalon Park and Preserve

https://avalonparkandpreserve.org/

David Weld Sanctuary

https://www.nature.org/en-us/search/?q=david%20weld

Fuchs Pond Preserve

https://www.huntingtonny.gov/filestorage/13749/13843/15187/99828/17956/Trails_Guide_Fuchs_Pond_Preserve.pdf

Garvies Point Museum & Preserve

https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/2821/Garvies-Point-Museum-and-Preserve

Hoffman Center

http://www.hoffmancenter.org/

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

https://nyharborparks.org/visit-parks/#nyh-parks-jama-title

Levy Park and Preserve

https://hempsteadny.gov/preserves-and-nature-areas/norman-j-levy-park

Long Island State Pine Barrens Preserve

https://www.pinebarrens.org/

Mashomack Preserve

https://www.nature.org/en-us/search/?q=Mashomack%20Preserve

Muttontown Preserve

https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/2839/Muttontown-Preserve

Pine Neck Sanctuary

http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/newyork/places-preserves/long-island-pine-neck-nature-sanctuary.xml

Prosser Pines Nature Preserve

http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Parks/OurParks/ProsserPinesNaturePreserve.aspx

Quogue Wildlife Refuge

http://quoguewildliferefuge.org/

South Shore Blueway

https://southshoreblueway.com/

Seatuck Nature Centers

http://www.seatuck.org

Sweetbriar Nature Center

http://sweetbriarnc.org/

Tackapausha Nature Preserve

http://tackapausha.com/

Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center

http://ny.audubon.org/about-us/centers-sanctuaries-chapters/theodore-roosevelt

OBSERVATORIES

Custer Institute

http://www.custerobservatory.org/

Montauk Observatory

http://www.montaukobservatory.com/

Check websites for hours of operation, parking or admission fees, and special events. Some venues may only operate seasonally.

Top photo by Elizabeth Rogers