This is one of the most beautiful State Parks in the system. It's great in all seasons, and a good place for birders and paddlers. read more

Orient Beach State Park - Sunset from the beach, near the parking lot - Parks Near Me - Orient, New York

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Opened to the public in 1920 and made a National Natural Landmark in 1980. Orient Beach State Park is just a beautiful example of a natural beach environment. Orient beach offers a gorgeous environment for passive recreation as well as a paradise for beach goers. There is a 2.1 mile bike path along the park road which stretches along the section of the park called long beach. This road is also the entrance and exit to the park which is situated at the end of this stretch of road. Being part of the bike path it provides for an incredible walk with views of Gardiner's bay on one side and marsh lands on the other. There are many species of Birds and other wildlife life within the park and an amazing and unusual red cedar forest which encompasses the picnic area. Hobbies here include swimming , paddle boarding, kayaking, fishing and a playground for the kiddies . Facilities here are very nice and clean, including a bath room and showers for when you get off the beach. Truly an incredible place to visit at least once in your life, its natural beauty is impressive. read more

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Wanted to see the farthest point on this side of Long Island. Closes at 8pm. After 5pm, no more fees which is ok for us non-swimmers who just want a quick beach walk. After the toll booth, there is a nice drive with views of the bays on both sides. There is a kayak rental place. Parking is very close to the large picnic area (with bbq grills) and the beach. Restrooms, outdoor showers, playground all nearby. I thought this place is more accessible to those who can't walk too far from the parking lot; if only it wasn't 3 hours from Queens when there's heavy traffic. First impression of the beach was not good. Looked messy, with dried seaweed. When by the water though, I liked the very clear water bec. of the pebbles and shells (not cloudy water like in sandy beaches). Water is also calmer bec of the bay. Sign said only swim between the green flags which is not a big area. Also did notice a lot of seaweed on the rocks in the water. read more

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Haven't been back since 2018 or so I recall a vestigial walking beach, roads to hike and amenities to shower and get a snack read more

$8 entry/free with Empire pass. Beautiful, clean, spacious sandy beach with many picnic tables, grills, and beachfront. No swimming is allowed. They have a food shack this year and also kayak rentals. Bathrooms/showers also available. It's worth the 2 hour trip each way from Queens. read more

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Good beach, calm waters to swim in, at least on the day we were there. Snack bar, changing rooms & bathrooms available, at least in the Summer months. Also a souvenir stand! Not far from the ferry to New London, CT. read more

Orient Beach State Park - Orient point beach state park - Parks Near Me - Orient, New York

Lots of fun usually very empty, but pretty far out on the island. Lots of other things to do in the area so plan on making it a day while out here. read more

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Orient Beach State Park is on the eastern most tip of the North Fork of Long Island. It overlooks Gardner Bay. This is not a Hampton style beach. You won't find a Vogue photo shoot happening when you visit. I did not see one person take a selfie! It is a public beach focusing on fishing and hiking. The gravel / sand / shell and pebble beach stretches far out into the bay allowing people to fish. Most spring - fall mornings men line up along the shore fishing for whatever is running at the time. It seems to be a favorite family spot. Groups of families can have a picnic, cook out, fish, and hike. It is also a major beach for the nests of some of Long Island's most rare and endangered birds. Signs and fences are posted throughout the marshland and beach warning people to PLEASE avoid the bird nest area. When I was there all people obeyed the warnings. Overall the up keep of the park is lacking. In the past few winters the park has taken a beating from the storms traveling up the eastern coastline. By the time the land recovers it is winter again. It would be nice if the state spent a couple of bucks on the place as it protects thousands of birds and their nests... as well as Orient Harbor and other lands along the bay from flooding. read more

I've been coming to this location for years now. Some days not like today it gets busy. Even when it's Memorial Day Weekend. The bathrooms are clean, and the beach is well kept. The beach is not pure sand, but seashells and rocks included. They have a lot of playgrounds of the kids to enjoy themselves. There's even a spot where you can rent out Kayaks. They have those built in grilled located all over the park. My only complaint is that the State Park is pretty small. Limited Space and Parking but that can't be helped due to geographical situations. read more

Orient Beach State Park - Beach and Kids Playground. - Parks Near Me - Orient, New York

Nice local. Beach decent, water was not so clear, but the whole experience was wonderful.

You must bring bug spray. The green flies and the terrible bites, no good. Beach itself, so nice and quiet ! I would imagine on the weekend and being the summer- get there early to be close to the water. Umbrellas have to sit further back. There is a gift shop, bathrooms, and a little spot for rentals for kayaks and paddle boards. You can bring food and drinks but your alcoholic drinks cannot openly be out! Nice beach, a bit rough, not all sand BUT worth it! read more

What a hidden gem on the North Fork of Long Island! The short: a big state park with rocky beaches, hiking trails/nature walks, bike paths, and tons of picnic tables and playgrounds for young children. The longer: we came off season (Sunday in November). It was chilly, and the park was totally empty. The drive to the parking area was so pretty. It's a peninsula surrounded by water and rocks, wildlife and bike paths. The parking lot is next to several different playgrounds and a rocky beach (bring good water shoes for the summer!). There's also picnic tables, a pavilion that's available by permit, and nature walks. We did the 1/2 mile nature trail by the parking lot. We ended up coming back through the trail and walked off the trail through the beach. It was quiet, pristine & perfect. We found swinging benches, and it was overall a perfect afternoon. read more

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Located on the North Fork of Long Island. The 2 mile drive into the park was absolutely beautiful. WZter views on both side. Osprey nests. Lots of shore birds. Deer. At the end of the road is a small (for a beach) parking lot. There appears to be separate bath houses and restrooms. Large playground area which is fun for adults even though the sign says for children under 8. Lots of porch swings on huge frames overlooking the ocean (guess what is going on my honeydew list!!!) Lots of shore for walking. I was here in March, so lots of shells on the beach. It's right near the Orient Point ferry, so you could easily come over with your bike and spend the day. read more

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Gorgeous beach and park ! Free parking and access in the winter too. Would like to come back and kayak through the marshes.

We have visited each year during our Spring pilgrimage to the end of the island. The park is usually empty this time of year, with visitors limited to a few dog walkers, an occasional person fishing off the beach or folks like us just out for a stroll along the beach. Admission is free this time of year, but a mete $10 in season. The park is adjacent to the ferry and offers expansive parking, clean bathrooms and a gift shop. There are picnic tables, grills and separated trash for recycling. The park also houses a bird sanctuary for terns and other shorebirds. The rocky shoreline makes for an interesting walk and I usually carry a garbage bag to pickup some of the crapload of trash left behind by uncaring visitors. Beautiful park - be great if everyone left only footprints. read more

The long drive into the park is really lovely and the beach itself is a nice way to spend a couple hours. I came here with a friend earlier this summer and had a bit of time to kill before hitting the wineries. Orient Beach State Park is extremely close to the Cross Sound/Orient ferry so it was a perfect first stop on a sunny day. $10 to get in, there are beautiful views, a playground for kids, bbqs, decently clean restrooms, lots of parking, picnic tables, bike paths and more. I'll definitely come back next time I take the ferry over from CT. read more

Orient Beach State Park - Parks Near Me - Orient, New York

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I had checked online prior to coming out, and nowhere said No Dogs Allowed-- we drove up and the signs (and police) were everywhere saying No Pets Year round. We've been here before with pups with no problems so this must be a newer rule. Would have appreciated clearer guidelines online before making the trip out here. read more

Gorgeous beach. Shrubs, grasses, stones, and wildlife indicative of NE beaches. Beautiful view, crashing waves. All around great beach for chilling, families, strolling the sand for treasures, and bird watching. read more

We went to peek at the lighthouse and enjoyed our brief visit. As others have stated the drive itself is quite lovely. We did not pay to park, maybe we did it wrong! We don't know our way around the area. We parked kind of near the ferry and walked down a path that turned out to be a road (ha!) to the beach. There was no sand, all shells and rocks, but as it was a cool September day we had no plans for a 'beach' day. Kids would love to explore here. We climbed up on some rocks and scrambled along for a bit. Eventually you can make it out to the furthest point to look out at the lighthouse, which is in the water. At this part it's little more than a sand bar (well, a shell and rock bar) with the tide lapping in from both sides. We didn't mind getting our shoes a little wet and ventured out as far as we could! On the way back to the car we took the 'right' path through the woods. A very brief but nice walk! read more

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I went here yesterday with my family. The weather was perfect and the beach was quiet. It has an area with old cedar trees and picnic tables. They also have barbecues available. There's a playground for kids and the whole park itself is nice and clean. I wish I lived closer to it so I could go more often. read more

Wonderful park at the end of the North Fork in Orient Point. A great place for an outdoor barbecue picnic, relax on the beach, swim in the calm water of the bay or take a stroll through the nature preserve. $10 to get in unless you have a NY State Park Pass which is worth it. An absolute must if you're in the area. read more

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A great park and beach that has miles and miles of places to walk. Apparently not very many people know about it because it never seems to be crowded, especially if you walk away from the parking lots. Beautiful scenery and if you walk the miles out to the end you get great views of Shelter Island and the Long Beach lighthouse. This light is about 60 feet tall and was first constructed in 1870. It was called bug light because in high tide it looked like a huge bug. It's a strange looking Victorian building that is unique. Unfortunately some idiots burned it down in 1963. It was rebuilt based on the original archival drawings and replaced in 1990. Since it sits off shore it can only be reached by boat and no one is allowed in it. Orient beach State Park is a quiet, isolated, and lonely place for a great walk, especially in the off season. read more

Beautiful park on the very tip of Long Island to North Fork. We enjoyed biking the 2 mile trail that takes you out of the park. We watched the Orient point ferry and ate at the little snack bar at the ferry site and then rode back in to the park. Lots of families were barbecuing and the beach is wide and clean. Although we had our kayaks with us we did not launch them this time but we did one other time. You can bring your own kayaks or rent them at the park which is nice. Just a very pretty park overall. read more

Orient Beach State Park is a nice, elongated strip of beach and brush at the end of the North Fork: Park amenities include picnic and play grounds, shuffleboard, bocce, and volleyball courts, and restrooms and a rentable pavilion for your functions. . . The beach here is long for the walking and offers a fine destination in the lighthouse at the end of the southwestern peninsula, being a great spot to check out a sunset and ponder time and tide. Accessible by Suffolk County Transit, Take the S92. read more

For what this is, this is a phenomenal beach. And what it is: a quiet pristine beach that family friendly and has beautiful scenery. We enjoyed an entire beach with three lifeguards and 15 other folks. That's worth 5 stars, two hours from NYC. We headed out to Orient Beach State Park wanting to see the North Fork of LI, after visiting Montauk's lighthouse a couple of days before. Orient State Park's route, from the City, requires going through the North Fork Wine Country. The drive there is quiet and bucolic. There are farms and vineyards and sweet corn for sale on the side of the road. Soon, you'll forget the concrete jungle and will relax into zen. Orient Point has a ferry to New London. That fact doesn't affect the park, but seemed interesting at the time. We arrived after 4, because it took 2 hours from the City, and did not have to pay the $10 car entrance fee. The park is perfectly planned for families or even a family reunion. There are lots of picnic tables, places to grill, a playground on the beach as well. (There's even a small store and bathrooms nearby.) It's just a quiet time at the beach. Nothing more, nothing less. It's beautiful and will allow you to walk in peace. A couple of suggestions: 1. Wear crocs or water socks. The beach itself is very rocky and so is the shelf. It will hurt to walk out on your bare feet. So don't do it. I wore crocs and swam, even doing the breaststroke and butterfly and kept them on. But you'll appreciate not putting your weight on lots of uneven rocks and shells. 2. Bring a padded blanket. Again, there are a lot of rocks on the beach. Laying out is fine, but it will be more comfortable with just a little padding. 3. Bring bug spray. There are serious horseflies and they can bite. Something to deter them will be appreciated. This beach is primarily for families. None of the Young and Restless make it this far out on LI. If that's what's your looking for, i.e., you and your family, including kids, want to enjoy each others' company without worrying about others, this is perfect. (I think it would be great for a family reunion or other gathering.) But if you need the beach to provide other entertainment, then this probably is not the best place for you. But if it's bucolic charm and quiet swimming, this will work perfectly. read more

I am a bit cautious about posting this, as I enjoy the quiet on this sand spit, but since there are miles of beach here, I'm not overly concerned. Orient Beach SP is at the eastern end of the North Fork, just before the New London ferry. It faces Gardner's Bay and forms the protective arm for Orient Harbor. The beach is pebbly, not rocky, and the water is cool but not cold, as it's semi-exposed. It's not the ocean, but it's delightful. The park is open year round, and there's a small bathhouse. Enjoy the sea and the sand! read more

The walking along the beach is lovely.beautiful views. Clean bathrooms!! Picnic tables and grills and swimming

I stood at the HP LaserJet patiently awaiting my printout to emerge from the seemingly endless queue at work. I flipped through what'd already made it through the line - as we all surreptitiously do, c'mon - and noticed a printout of the "Top 10 Secluded U.S. Beaches". OBSP graced this list, a bit undeservedly IMO, at least in the last few years. While it's incredible to come here during the week or in the offseason, it can get messy even on the North Fork from MDW to LDW. Bottom line: Come any day in months that have an "r" or most mid-weekdays in months that don't. read more

Beautiful! My friends and I came here after a day of exploring North Fork. We wanted to soak up the sun and relax and we found this park at the end of Orient Point. Very relaxing and peaceful. You can choose to lay down and sunbathe or be adventurous and explore the unknown parts of the park. We did a little bit of both while we were here. I have to say though, the beach is much more rocky than I expected. I'm used to the sandy NJ beaches, so this was a big wake up call. A bit of an adjustment at first, but I was used to it by the end of our trip here. Come here after 4pm and you don't have to pay the $10 fee. You'll still have plenty of time to explore and look around! read more

Love to ride my bicycle thru the park, sit on a swing enjoying the view and strolling the beach.

The thing that struck me as most peculiar, and inspiring, was that I saw plenty of wild cotton plant here. Along side the maritime scenery there was something quite majestic about it. read more

This is a nice beach park at the tip of Long Islands North Fork.A lot of pretty rocks and shells on the beach.I 'm not persuaded that it would be a lot of fun swimming here.Your feet might take some serious punishment.Youre next door to the ferry to Connecticut.There is some bird action here - mostly seagulls and a few cormorants in the wetlands. I forgot to add we went late in the day and it was free. read more

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It's May 7, 2016. We had the sprawling beach and park to ourselves for a while, though there was intermittent light drizzle. The high tide line on the beach was strewn with scallop shells and colorful rocks, likely due to recent storms. The south fork was visible through the light fog, and the distant ferry horn lulled you to submit to the beauty. read more

Orient Beach State Park - Parks Near Me - Orient, New York

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Such a pleasant surprise to find this gorgeous, natural beach! It feels likes locals spot. It's quiet here, but lots of picnic tables, playgrounds, and ample places for your own private spot. There is a lifeguard on duty and it's very clean. The beach is a mix of pebbles, sand and broken shells. Water is clean And cold but very swimmable. (Is that a word?) read more

Orient Beach State Park - Orient Beach State Park - Parks Near Me - Orient, New York

The place is beautiful and way less crowded than beaches closer to the city. The Maritime Forest is pretty interesting. If you want food, your need to stop at the gift shop in the way in. There are only soda vending machines at the beach. There are only two reasons I gave it 3 stars. One, the beach is mainly shells and pebbles, not sand. And the second is the water is full of seaweed. If those things don't bother you then it's a perfect spot. I went in early August and didn't have trouble with bugs. read more

We got here at 10:30 am on the Friday after July 4th. There were no more than 10 cars here! Not crowded at all. The beach is located about 2 miles down a 4 mile sandbar. We spent the morning kayaking. There is a rental spot right off the parking lot, and the staff will help you launch the kayak if needed. Highly recommend doing a kayak trip. We saw ospreys, egrets, deer, diving birds, and even a school of fish that almost jumped over the boat (they were really small). We went through a marsh area; you could also go the other way down to the light house. After kayaking, we had lunch at the beach. Do not rely on the snack shop....it is microwaved hamburgers. Go to the Sterlington Commons deli in Greenport and get sandwiches...great place! Bring your own food!!!!! We also stopped at a berry farm in Orient on the way and got blueberries and three types of raspberries (red, black, yellow). After lunch, we hung out on beach. Wear water shoes. There are a lot of rocks and shells, and they make it hard to stand. Beach is on Gardiners Bay. Very small ripple waves. Water does get deep pretty fast. After 2+ hours on beach, we canceled our dinner plans and went for long walk on beach and almost reached the light house. The bottom 2+ miles of the sand bar is a wildlife sanctuary...you are allowed to walk it. We were the only people on this section. And the seagulls...which we watched gobble up crabs. One thing...bring bug spray. The horse flies are the only annoyance. With bug spray, they bounce off you, but don't bite. We stayed until near closing time...park closes at 8 pm in summer. Night before, we came down and watched sunset. Parking fee is $10. read more

A very favorite place of mine. Love the natural setting. Have been coming here since I was a kid. Just love it!

This is one of the best beaches and parks on the North Fork. The grounds have a nice bike trail with views of the water on both sides and nature at its best. The park offers kayak rentals, so take advantage and explore. The nature trails are an easy walk and are well marked. The grounds offer a covered pavilion, grilling stations next to the picnic tables, so bring the fixings for a great lunch and volley ball courts. The snack bar has a nice selection and are reasonably priced. The beach goes on forever. This is a relaxing and friendly find and you have to go at least once! read more

Very quiet and pretty beach, feels like I own the whole nature. There's BBQ area, people grill smells delicious. Very spacious, and wide beach coast line. The driving in was very pretty too. Quite wavy for north fork! read more

Orient Beach State Park - Beach front - Parks Near Me - Orient, New York

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We've spent Sunday of the Labor Day weekend at this beach. We had to wait about 10 minutes at the Park entrance as it was full and they only just let cars in as they came out. The park costs $ 10.- per car which I think is reasonable! And the whole drive to get to the park and in the park is just beautiful! We thought a lot nicer than the south fork which next to having a lot less nicer scenery seems snobby, packed and just crammed! The parking lot was packed at the Orient Beach and so was the park. Many people were having BBQ's and the atmosphere was great with some music and good smell in the air. It did not feel packed at all since there are many tables and it spreads out quiet far! The beach is mostly with stones and shells and for us just perfect. Only a small part of the beach was open to swim with a lifeguard. But that was fine and still not too crowded! (We've been to Ditch Plain yesterday and THAT WAS CROWDED!!!) The water was nice and warm and we spend great times in the water. There is also a nice playground and about 5 big adult swings to sit and gaze out to the sea! While behind us some guy's complained about the beach because of the stones, we loved it and had a perfect day!!!! There are a couple of bathrooms around which looked quit clean to me too! It's a perfect spot to spend the day!!!! read more