Avalon Nature Preserve is a nice place to go hiking. I've always enjoyed being outdoors, taking in…read morethe scenery, listening to the birds, and meeting others who share my love for mini adventures. Upon arriving, my husband and I parked in the Forest parking lot, which had ample parking spaces and a map, laying out available trail options. We began with the Hilltop Meadow, which we completed fairly quickly. After, we thought we'd challenge ourselves a bit more by taking on the Forest Sanctuary. We enjoyed this trail, although we sometimes had to look over our shoulders to investigate the noises around us. Everything kept us on our toes, from squirrels to deer, chipmunks, and other wildlife. The terrain may be difficult for some, due to the tree roots and the uphill climbs, but other than that, it was manageable. We appreciated that there were several signs posted throughout the park, helping us to keep track of our location. Additionally, there were warning signs reminding us of the possibility of tick exposure. One thing is for sure: we kept it moving and thoroughly checked our clothing afterwards. My favorite trail of the day was The Mill Pond. I loved the well-paved paths and the overall layout. I could've spent hours here. I highly recommend this park for those who enjoy the outdoors.

Gorgeous place! Lot's of cool trails to go through and has so many separate areas! First you have…read morethe lake area, then the meadow, then the forest...etc Avalon has lot's of variety!

Great neighborhood spot for a hike. Quiet and peaceful and beautiful. Great place to spend a Sunday…read moremorning to regroup for the work weekend.

Happened upon this hidden little spot after a long bike ride--a perfect end to the ride. Gorgeous…read moreviews all around, very quiet and secluded. It'd be a lovely spot to have lunch and read a book. The roads there are very hilly and the town it's in is quite wooded and forest-y; it doesn't feel like the usual strip-mall suburbs of Long Island. If you're driving, there isn't much parking. It's wonderful but tiny--not really meant to be a destination or anything, but a great surprise for those chancing upon it.

My boyfriend and I came here later in the evening and we loved this beach to sit and enjoy the…read moresunset. We dipped our feet a bit in the water a bit, looking to come back for a full beach day.

10 dollars per hour parking in Wes Meadow Beach in the town of Crookhaven, if you park and leave…read moreyour car to get your parking pass that costs $10 an hour a meter maid will run up to your car and give you an $80 ticket. Beach is full of large rocks, no soft sand. I don't recommend this awful place, across the water you see three smoke stacks from a large industrial factory. Not safe to swim there.

I love nature and history. The T Bayles Minuse Mill Pond and Park (referred from this point on as…read moreThe Mill Pond) is where nature and history unite.    I have visited the Mill Pond and seen it from Christian Avenue several times over going all the way back to the Jimmy Carter Administration when I attended Minnesauke Elementary School. When I a little child, my mother brought me here to feed the ducks. Over 43 years from my first visits here in the 1970s, I returned here when visiting my Dad this summer.    This is a beautiful and charming postcard worthy spot where pristine Long Island lives. When I looked west, my eyes took in a forested hillside beside a pictorial pond. When I looked north I saw a small bridge carrying Harbor Drive over the stream feeding the pond from the Long Island Sound and the historic Stony Brook Grist Mill to the right. The wide shoreline that is interspersed with flowers and mature trees provides sufficient room for waterfowl and people. In this pictorial postcard scenery; the geese, birds, and squirrels were the stars.    There are signs along the pond that educate guests about the ducks and wildlife that live here. The sign said the ducks include mallard ducks, Peking ducks, gadwall, and wood ducks. On my last visit, I saw primarily geese.  The Mill Pond is the Gateway to the Avalon Park Trail, which travels through the forested hillside that I described. This is where my brother and I started off before hiking on the Avalon Park Trail. Following the hike, we'd sit by my dad who had been relaxing on a rock overlooking the pond.    The amount of historic sites surrounding the pond is commendable. We parked at the Stony Brook Village Center, which could be the oldest shopping center in America. On the way, we stopped at the Hercules Figurehead. After passing the Stony Brook Grist Mill, we made our way to the pond. If we kept walking past the pond we'd arrive at the Carriage House Museum. So, the Mill Pond can be an attraction in a day filled with historic attractions and taking in the Long Island Sound.    I am a fan of what I have always called the Stony Brook Mill Pond. In contrast to several of the Long Island forests, the Mill Pond shoreline  was not  a victim of the wrecking ball. On the contrary it only got better with land purchases that helped create the adjacent Avalon Park Trail. With that said, I would love to return to it again several times over.

Great park to do some bird watching. Lots of double crested cormorants, swans, geese, ducks. We…read morealso saw great egret.Very well maintained. This park is located next to Avalon Park and Preserve and across from the Stony Brook Grist Mil. Street parking is easy to find. Definitely worth visiting if you live nearby.

Haven't been in a while but it's so beautiful so calming and a great place to study-…read moreThe stained glass windows always got me

This is my favorite spot to come when I want to be alone with nature. Although the lake loop is…read moresmall, the park has much to offer. Firstly, the wildlife spotting here is excellent. The lake is home to swans, ducks, turtles, deer, birds (they even have birdwatcher gatherings here), frogs, and squirrels to name a few. Every time I go I am amazed at how many pictures of wildlife and nature I end up with. Secondly, the park is beautiful in any season and offers hiking, events, and peaceful walks for the neighborhood. In the summer they have live music. There is lots of parking around if the small parking lot is filled.

What an amazing first experience! For years I've been wanting to try this place out and we finally…read moredid. We rented paddle boards for a great fee. They gave great information upon booking the reservation on the phone. Parking was very easy but depending what time you go I'd go sooner for parking! The women who checked us in was very sweet. She explained everything to us. She told us where to go and how to stay safe. The man who got us on the boards was equally as nice. He gave us a quick course on how to use the boards. The boards were much easy than I thought. I felt secure and got the hang of it pretty quickly. We paddled to an amazing area with a waterfall and past some beautiful houses and shoreline. I loved that you could kneel , lay , stand and just float in the water. It was definitely a fun day and I can't wait to do it again.

This has become a summer tradition; have been both kayaking and SUP. Went out on the water again…read moretoday and truly enjoyed taking in the beautiful scenery and just being out on the water on a blistering hot day. They've got an informative video if you're unfamiliar with the area and they're always happy to give you pointers. Sign up is easy. Equipment is clean and in good condition. The other folks out on the water are always so nice as well helping one another out with pictures...it's a great clientele. Do yourself a favor and go out and enjoy all that is summertime!

Hannah, and every staff member I have had the pleasure to interact with, in a word, fabulous…read more I purchased the $99 three supervised workout sessions package. At 68, I wanted to stay in shape but was completely unschooled. Perfect timing. Facilities are well maintained. Staff welcoming. And my hundreds of questions answered. And Hannah. When I signed up I was told I would be supported, supervised and instructed by "the best". Well. An absolute truth. Emphatic and encouraging, Hannah's instructions succinct and effective. Yes, I ache, but am absolutely feeling physically better, improved balance too. Thank you.

A novice at going to the gym and working out (and sticking to it), I feel like I finally found a…read moregreat team at Redefine Fitness/Stony Brook. Each trainer has a different style, but their energy is high and commitment to personal and achievable improvement is clearly evident. Hannah was the first personal trainer I met at the SB location -- I cannot say enough wonderful things about her -- I love her style, energy, and commitment to healthy living. We talk about many things health-related, including diet, nutrition, lifestyle, and the importance of self care. She encourages me at my most fatigued, and delivers great results. Kolja is another member of my training team, and his encouragement, patience, and enthusiasm peppered with lots of humor makes the routines enjoyable and achievable. His military service is inspirational and a great part of why he is so dedicated to carrying out all "missions" for his gym clients. Kyle is the third of my favorites at the SB location -- his friendliness, patience with clients of all abilities, enthusiasm, humor, and love for good country music to work out by are all a part of his unique style. He knows when to push and when to encourage in a creative individualized way. Even though all of my trainers are young enough to be my children, I respect their knowledge, enthusiasm, patience, concern, and most of all, their professionalism. I couldn't have asked for a better team to make me feel comfortable and to help me get into a healthier lifestyle. Love them!! Highly recommend them all!

This is my fav "town" beach since moving to north shore 7 yrs ago from south shore. At Long Beach…read moreNissequogue, the water is so clean, you can see to bottom most days and although we have rocks on our beach; I'll gladly take a rocky beach with clean water and S P A C E : ) to breathe, and not be crowded than a beach with no rocks; but water is dirty and ocean beaches are too crowded. Also, your car is...where now? Parked far away. Now you have to carry everything farrrr. UGH. I hesitated to write this....as I want to keep Long Beach all to myself and the "regulars" that love it as much as I do. Then I felt guilty for not sharing... so here ya go : ) PS) DO NOT TAKE MY SPOT!!!!!!!!!!!! ; )~

Gorgeous large beach indicative of the north shore complete with cliffs and mansions. The most…read morebeautiful way to start any day is to take a walk or run on the beach. Sound on one side with marsh on the other. Very clean and relaxing.

I was looking for something fun to do outside of my comfort zone. My friend begged me to try tennis…read morewith her at Eastern Athletic; when I finally caved in I was not able to join due to a long waitlist. My personal trainer also encouraged me to increase my physical activity outside of our sessions.I decided I would take a leap of faith and with luck I found this place. I called and they were able to squeeze me in the middle of the semester. I take private lessons with Christine and she's awesome. I've also had the pleasure of taking lessons with Damiano and Nick who are amazing as well. For me it's more for physical activity not really for competing , but it sure is fun learning. I couldn't be happier with my experience here. I encourage you to check this place out.

I joined with the sole purpose of getting my skills to the baseline threshold to join a league. I…read morehave little interest in tennis; my primary motivation was a social fitness activity that was competitive. Compared to golf or bowling, tennis was the best fit! I subsequently took lessons with a pro there, named Damiano. He is a true professional, who is devoted to his work, and also an excellent tennis instructor. Overall, the place is run quite well. The folks are very organized with scheduling and keeping appointments, and very flexible when you need to change an appointment. The new owner, Spencer, spent a small fortune refurbishing the facilities and its reflected in all aspects of the operation. Unfortunately, due to a new job, I could not proceed with joining a league which is a real bummer. But it's my hope to do so, somehow, in the future.