Long Island's Montauk Point

Montauk Point State Park occupies the easternmost tip of Long Island's South Fork in Suffolk County, New York, where the Atlantic Ocean and Block Island Sound converge at a dramatic headland of glacial moraine. The Montauk Point Lighthouse, completed in 1796 under orders from President George Washington and the first lighthouse built by the federal government of the United States, stands 110 feet above the water on cliffs that have eroded significantly over two centuries — the lighthouse that was originally 300 feet from the cliff edge now stands less than 100 feet from the drop. The lighthouse and its attached museum are open to visitors, with a staircase of 137 steps leading to the lantern room and panoramic views of the Atlantic, Block Island Sound, and on clear days Block Island itself. The state park surrounding the lighthouse encompasses approximately 860 acres of rare coastal heathland, maritime shrubland, and rocky beach. Tidal pools in the rocks below the lighthouse are accessible at low tide and harbor sea stars, mussels, and crabs. The village of Montauk, 3 miles west along the point, has evolved from a traditional commercial fishing port into a summer destination known for surfing at Ditch Plains Beach and a dining scene significantly more sophisticated than the location might suggest. The 118-mile journey from Manhattan via the Long Island Rail Road ends at Montauk station, a short taxi or bicycle ride from the point. Autumn visits after Labor Day bring dramatic quiet to a location that can feel overwhelmed in peak summer.