This typically tranquil river, located just off Nicolls Bay, treats boaters to vistas of lush foliage, active wildlife, grand homes, and the former LaSalle Military Academy. Now part of St. John’s University, the estate was built in 1897 as one of the homes of Frederick Gilbert Bourne, the founder of Singer sewing machines. Neighboring mansions belonged to a Vanderbilt and a sugar tycoon.

While being on the Connetquot River is usually serene, maneuvering can be a bit tricky — especially if the tide is slack and your boat draws more than four feet (like many waterways along Long Island’s southern shore, it’s not deep). The river turns from salt to brackish and then to fresh water the further north you travel. Follow the markers into the river, turn port, and stay to the right.

If you choose to bypass the marinas offering transient space, you can drop anchor about a mile up the river. Past that point, you’ll want to explore the river in an inflatable or a paddlecraft. The Connetquot River State Park Preserve has an abundance of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, moths, and plants living in the park’s more than 3,400 acres.

After spending a day on the river, you may enjoy dining at restaurants located along the river.

Photo by Jamie Gevirtz.