As COVID-19 infection rates continue to plummet across New York State, and vaccination numbers climbing, restrictions on access to the many summer treasures we associate with Long Island — including world-class beaches, charming bars and restaurants, museums and other fun attractions — continue to be lifted, clearing the way for a great summer season.
Let’s take a quick look at some of the great LI attractions that have reopened and should be on your Summer 2021 must-visit list.
Back to the Beach!
Long Island has some of the greatest beaches in America — the good news is that they’re all open for Summer 2021. Several popular beaches — including Jones Beach, Montauk Point, Orient Beach and Robert Moses — remain capacity-limited at 50 percent as of this writing, whereas others, including beaches on Fire Island, have no such limits. (The State’s goal is to have all State parks and beaches at 100 percent capacity by July 4th). Park authorities reserve the right to selectively limit access to preserve safe social distances, so the smart thing for beachgoers to do is visit early in the day to avoid being turned away. If possible, check the beach’s official website before leaving: a good list of great LI beaches (with links to their official pages) is available at: https://magazine.northeast.aaa.com/daily/travel/day-trips/top-10-long-island-beaches/
Support Your Local LI Restaurants & Bars
COVID put a serious kibosh on Long Island’s nightlife, making the past 15 months especially challenging for restauranters and bar owners. Sadly, a number of great LI restaurants have closed over the past year, but the good news is that restaurant capacity limits and curfews are now a thing of the past. As of June 1, restaurants are allowed to operate at 100 percent capacity and the closing time for bars has been set back to its traditional time of 4 AM.
So, get out and support your favorite local LI restaurant, coffee shop or watering hole!
Adventureland is Back!
Adventureland — Long Island’s longest-running amusement park and Maidenbaum sponsoree — had a very difficult summer last year because it was never allowed to fully re-open; consequently it lost 97 percent of its revenue. Fortunately, its forward-thinking management used the downtime to invest time and money into the site’s many attractions, making the park a perfect spot for family-entertainment this summer. And yes, even though the worst of COVID seems behind us, the park will be sanitizing each ride on an accelerated schedule this summer. Maidenbaum is happy to see this great family-owned park survive and thrive, so get on over to Adventureland in East Farmingdale!
Time for a Great 1-Day Long Island Summer Micro-Vacation!
Prior to COVID, Maidenbaum compiled a list of compelling 1-Day Micro-Vacations on Long Island and we’re pleased to say that the majority of destinations have re-opened for Summer 2021. These include:
Old Westbury Gardens (Westbury)
Hempstead House (Port Washington)
Chelsea House (East Norwich)
Coe Hall (Oyster Bay)
The Nassau County Museum (Roslyn Harbor)
The Cradle of Aviation (Garden City)
The American Air Power Museum (Farmingdale)
Riverhead Raceway (Riverhead)
Walt Whitman’s Birthplace (Huntington Station)
Friday Night Promenades in Garden City
Throughout the summer, from Thursday to Sunday, the Village of Garden City & Garden City Chamber of Commerce (proudly supported by Maidenbaum) will be converting 7th Street in Garden City to a pedestrian mall for safe shopping and dining. On each Friday night in July — between 6 PM and 10 PM — you can stroll through Friday Night Promenades, themed outdoor events featuring fun giveaways, fabulous food, music and family-friendly activities, at Seventh Street, between Franklin Avenue and Hilton Avenue, in Garden City. For more information, go to: https://business.gardencitychamber.org/events/details/2021-friday-night-promenades-subway-series-5665?calendarMonth=2021-07-01
Free Concerts Return to Eisenhower Park
Music lovers take note: free concerts at Eisenhower Park’s Lakeside Theatre are resuming in 2021. Concerts will happen each Saturday in July, from 8 PM to 10 PM, and will feature some of Long Island’s best tribute bands. Classic bands being paid tribute to in July are: The Grateful Dead (July 10), the Allman Bros. (July 17), The Beatles (July 24) and Tom Petty/Fleetwood Mac (July 31).
Although the concerts are free, you’ll need to make reservations at: https://www.nassaucountyny.gov//parks
Maidenbaum wishes you a Great Summer 2021!
It’s been a tough year, but Summer is finally here, and there’s no reason you can’t make the next few months a cherished and memorable time for you and your family. Get out in the sun, grab some great food, support your local business people, and explore some of the great cultural resources that Long Island has to offer – you deserve it!