One of LI's hidden gems - also happens to be free. Well kept trails and birds of prey you can check…read moreout before talking a nice walk. Trails are very easy to walk, even if you have a stroller with you. Easy beginner hike or leisurely stroll for just about anyone.

4.5 Stars.    I love…read morethe Long Island Pine Barrens Region. So much so, that in Las Vegas, I have had dreams that I was hiking in Sears Burrows County Park. A few forested miles southwest of it, my dream kind of came true when we visited the Quogue Wildlife Refuge. My stepmother, who is familiar with the Refuge encouraged my dad and I to join her there on a nature walk.    The Quogue Wildlife Refuge has been protecting this 305 acre naturescape since 1934. It is a naturescape adorned with pine forests, fields, the rare dwarf pine forest, bogs, swamps, a pond, and pine oak forests.    Contrary to how I envisioned the Refuge, it was not this difficult to find place. Parking was right off Old Country Road. Across from the unpaved parking lot were the attractions that serve as a trailhead to the four color coded trails (please see the map proceeding the review) that range from a 0.8 mile hike on the Green Trail to a 2.5 mile hike on the Blue Trail. Welcoming us was the Outdoor Wildlife Complex where injured wildlife are well taken care of thanks to the kindness of people that care. One of the acts of kindness are the Visitors who donate money at the entrance. This leads to the point that admission is free, yet a donation is the right thing to do. I took some time photographing the animals that included owls, foxes, raccoons, and Giant African Spurred tortoises in the nearby greenhouse. Although these aren't grand habitats that would be found in the Bronx Zoo, I appreciated that the animals had a home. In the shadow of the Outdoor Wildlife Complex and pine trees was the full service restrooms. All the way to the left was the Old Ice Pond.    My Dad, stepmother, and yours truly engaged in a relatively short walk in the southeast corner of the park where a pine oak forest interspersed with fields dominate. My Dad's knees bother him, so we engaged in a shorter hike with breaks on the benches breathing, hearing, and sightseeing the pine barrens. We'd see a deer and birds up on the pine trees. Our ears would also take in the sound of the nearby train. Our experience leads to the point that the seven miles of hiking trails appear to be more relaxing than strenuous.    The Old Ice Pond framed by a mature forest is the picture postcard centerpiece of the landscape. There are hiking trails that overlook it. We took in this picture postcard from a bench and inside the Charles Banks Belt Nature Center, which looks like an inn overlooking the pond. We shared the panoramic spectacular views of the ice pond with several volunteers who were sending out materials that we assumed were promoting the Refuge. Within this building that reminds me of a lodge, is a museum of neat nature related stuff. Some were real like the lizards. The preserved butterflies were really cool. This is a neat place to check out when it os open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.    Our visit ended with the three of us taking in the springtime scenery of the Old Ice Pond.    I do have a concern that is causing me to leave my rating at 4.5 instead of 5 stars. That has to do with the east preiphery fence. When we walked along the southeast border there was a fence smack dab in the middle of the pine forest. My concern is that this is unprotected land that can fall victim to the bulldozer. If that were to happen, it would ruin the experience on account of a truncated forest causing the Refuge to feel more like a caged in 305 acre yard than a part of a pine forest. I really hope that the other side of the east periphery fence is a protected forest. My concern is merited from seeing a before and after picture inside the Nature Center of rapid sprawl along nearby County Route 104.    On the future, I would love to return to Quogue Wildlife Refuge. Especially in the Fall when the trees change colors over the pond. Until then, I hope to have more dreams about the Pine Barrens.

If you love The Hills Have Eyes, come stay at Sears Bellow! We had the lovely view of the lake, as…read morewell as a man abusing his mother through out the night while we slept! And you might think "oh they won't be there." Nope, they live here and Suffolk County has received many complaints about them Don't worry- the ambulance only came and took the mom TWO TIMES in our 35 hour stay! We had to leave our fire as the man screamed and berated that she was a nuisance for having issues accessing the bathroom. Don't camp anywhere near site 27! Definitely not a safe and serene experience we were hoping for. Will be contacting the main Suffolk County Parks office tomorrow.

We came to visit in the spring It looks like it might have potential there is a small but dirty…read morebeach and it looks like they have row boats. There is camping however I couldn't find any literature

The "Big Duck" of Long Island is kind of like the Loch Ness Monster, except that it really exists…read more And it's not that "big". It's not a destination by any means, it's a brief stopover. But you can take it off your Long Island Bucket List and if are going to the Hamptons or Montauk. And it'a free, so it won't cut into your Hamptons oat milk latte budget.

If you enjoy roadside attractions this is a fun stop for sure! It has a little history and a few…read morenovelties inside but the photo ops with the big Duck are the best. If you find yourself in the area be sure to stop by!

I started coming here recently for the sunrise and it is my new favorite thing to do! So peaceful,…read moreserene, stunning views, just all the things. This afternoon I brought the Christian Singles Hub to have an apple picnic. Everyone in the group was just as impressed with the views. It was also great to see that the facilities are well kept. I also loved and appreciated having a garbage so close to the grill!

Came on a cold Wednesday. We walked Indian island park. We…read morewalk to the stairs to the water. Walk back. Some people go faster than the 10mph speed limit.

I went here last week for a hike with family where there would be not be a lot of people and it was…read moresuccessful. We did pass by a couple of groups on the trail, but had spent most of the time alone. There were only a handful of spots in the parking area so that limits the amount of groups that can be there at one time. The trail itself was a easy flat one mile loop around a lake/bog. It was previously used for farming Cranberries as the name suggests. You can even see the leftover of an old pump house used in the process on the side of the trail. Plenty of scenic views of the bog and two bridges that need to be crossed to complete the trail. A few signs from the parking lot to guide people to the main trail and a map at the beginning would be helpful. There was a couple of trails that led away from the main loop, but we did not check it out since we did not know where they went.

Do not let bad reviews discourage you from this park. Cranberry bog is a wonderful place to go if…read moreyou want to explore nature and the remnants of the cranberry harvesting industry. You will find several interesting plants from cedars to sundews to other types. The animal and insect life is also varied, you can expect to see different colored dragonflies, snapping turtles, sunfish and a whole host of other critters to keep your interest. If you look really carefully you can see tree stumps sticking out of the water from long cut down trees from when the place was flooded and industry took over. Bring a field guide and if you go during the warmer weather, tick repellent is required since they unfortunately inhabit the area as well. As of this post the new bridge has been built over the inlet stream so you now can walk the whole loop.

No idea this park even had an official name, just always referred to it by its location (included…read morein this listing). Not quite as many bells & whistles as its traffic-circle neighbor Milton Burns Park since its revamp, but certainly a nice option with closer parking, if walking is an issue for anyone. As Rob stated, there's a public facility of sorts, and they host a 'farmer's market' on occasion.

This place used to be incredibly nice. I felt uncomfortable…read moremy entire stay here. Which was only 15 minutes. You have homeless people sleeping on benches. Every turn you make you have incredibly shady/seedy people around. You have men making derogatory comments towards you because you're a young woman wearing a non-revealing sundress. Won't be back.

Not so nice of a park off Main St in Riverhead. The trails go along the Peconic river. The park…read moreitself is not well maintained, polluted and a bit run down unfortunately. Sadly, there were also some homeless people hanging around. I certainly wouldn't want to walk past or through this park after dark and can not recommend it to anyone. Such a shame because the views of the river are beautiful.

Love this beach so much all year round, except when the biting flies are out and about lol…read more Must have a resident sticker till 9pm during beach season or pay $25 bucks for the day to park. If you don't, you'll be ticketed over and over again by the bay constable until you move your car, unlike other places in the city where you can remain parked once you get a ticket. So be warned! One really annoying thing is that people bring their dogs during off hours and some will bury their dogs waste in the sand instead of picking it up... If you're gonna own a dog... Own all of it, people!!! Still this beach has some awesome sand and great views of the ocean, amazing sunsets and equally beautiful full moon and stars view at night too! Multiple parking areas but one central area with spaces for bikes and electric cars and life guards and a hot and cold food shack with shower and bathroom facilities that was all rebuilt last year and looks beautiful.

Pretty nice beach that accepts nonresidents of The Hamptons! It's $30/parking per day so try to…read morecome early in the day to get your money's worth. They do have rinse of stations and the bathroom is nice compared to some of the other beach bathrooms around town.