If you love getting out into nature and appreciating the beauty of our wondrous land, a trip to Montauk Point State Park should definitely be on your to do list. If world-class surf fishing off Montauk Lighthouse is your thing, you can work on catching lunch while others enjoy hiking, nature walks and photographing the seals or winter birds as they bask in the warm sun.

Montauk Point State Park is about a hundred and thirty miles from Manhattan and is near Hither Hills State Park and Montauk Downs State Park. The whole area is beautiful and untouched, offering a simplistic contrast between soil and sea. There is nothing that recharges your batteries quite like those fresh ocean breezes! It is a perfect family holiday destination, with activities like hiking, hunting, cross-country skiing and bush walking. Not to mention ocean fishing, bird watching, beachcombing and guided seal watch walks.

The park, like most others in the area, is open all year from sunrise to sunset. You are able to hunt for small or big game in their permitted seasons. If you are planning to take your dog, that’s okay, but be aware there are restrictions as to what areas they can go to. Watching the sun go down from high up on the cliff reminds you of how small you are and how big and beautiful the world is. It is experiences like these that help you put everything back into perspective and really relax with the rhythms of nature.

Montauk Point Lighthouse is part of Long Island’s heritage and has been protected through time from possible corrosion. Surfcasting or ocean fishing from the moors is an exciting and rich experience. Permits are not required and fishing there will feel like you’ve have stumbled onto a secret gold mine nobody knows about. It is considered one of Montauk’s top fishing places and there are experienced and devoted anglers who return repeatedly for that Montauk Point exhilaration.

About the Lighthouse

The lighthouse was built in 1792 (George Washington himself approved building the structure). The lighthouse was completed in 1796, making it over 210 years old. It was the first lighthouse built in New York and is, therefore, the oldest standing structure of its kind. Its warning lights flash at five-second intervals and it's 110'6" high. Originally it was painted white, until the 1900’s, when the brown band was added. The lens on the light was also changed around the same time. There are a hundred and thirty two steps to climb to the top and, when you do, you can gaze over more than seven hundred acres of natural beauty. Standing firm as the waves pummel below is an amazing feeling you have to experience for yourself, as you look over the Atlantic Ocean with views to Block Island.

A museum has been arranged in what was once the light-keepers quarters. There you can see historical photographs and artifacts. There are guided tours where you will be taken through the entrance of the parlor to see drawings and photos from 1791-1939. In the bedroom, there are models of the lighthouse, what it was and what is predicted for its future because of the effects of erosion. The south basement, which used to be a dining area, now screens a movie for tourists called "The Montauk Lighthouse, Sentinel of Long Island". There is a spectacular lighthouse model in the central hallway and what used to be the radio room is currently the light-keepers quarters today. In the oil room, you will see the original light’s lens and you will be lead up the spiral staircase to see the new lens and lantern room and take in the view. The first assistant keeper’s bedroom is now a gift shop for museum memorabilia and the place where the tour ends.

Montauk Point State Park has so much to offer those who visit. It is becoming a popular tourist destination as more people become aware of the beauty and history it has to offer. There are activities for the whole family, as well as plenty of beautiful havens to relax and enjoy time together to unwind from city life. An experience as special as Montauk Point State Park is one you keep with you for a life-time and one you will want to return to time and again.