When Labor Day weekend arrived, you flocked to Long Island's plethora of parks for one last bit of summer fun. You barbecued. You played softball, baseball, basketball, golf, soccer, Frisbee and anything else you could think of. You enjoyed picnics, the water, the walking, the jogging and the bicycling. It's part of what makes summer at the parks an enjoyable experience.
But that doesn't have to end once the schoolbooks come into play. While we all know about Eisenhower, Bethpage and Sunken Meadow, here are five more unusual park experiences that will last even beyond the summer solstice.
Go fish in Smithtown
It's Saturday afternoon and, on a whim, you decided it's time to teach the kids to fish. Your local pier will do nicely, but if you really want to give the kids a memory, take a look at Blydenburgh County Park (631- 854-3713). There, you can rent rowboats, and set out to catch large-mouth bass, sunfish, perch, bluegill and anything else swimming around in the lake. For more intense freshwater fly fishing, Connetquot River State Park in Oakdale (631-581-1005) is top-notch for trout.
Anchors aweigh in Roslyn- North Hills
There's only one way to figure out if the model boat you spent hours building will work: Put it in the water. Try the boat basin at Christopher Morley Park (516-571-8113). Designed specifically for the model-boat builder, the basin is roughly 140 feet by 300 feet. That's more than enough room for your model boat, unless, of course, you built a life-size replica. In that case, try a marina. Or just go play the 9-hole golf course there, instead.
Start your engines in Seaford
All the way in the back of Cedar Creek Park (516-571-7470), there's space dedicated to faster-operating equipment. At the tether-car racetrack, one of three left in the United States, small cars (up to 2 feet long) zip around a concrete circle 200 feet in circumference at speeds of up to 200 mph. Races are twice a month, from April through October. Permits are required, as they are also for the aerodrome just down the road from the track. There, people can fly their remote-controlled model airplanes.
Woof! Woof! in Huntington
There's fun for the whole family at West Hills County Park (631-854- 4423), and "family" means the dog, too. Aside from the hiking trails that include Jayne's Hill (at 400 feet, Long Island's highest point), the horseback riding, bridle paths and youth camping sites, Suffolk County added a dog park at the beginning of the summer. The 1.75-acre playground is fenced in and includes fountains and bag dispensers.
Off-roading on the East End
Five parks on the East End allow Long Islanders the chance to go off-roading near the beach. Permits are a must and a number of requirements and restrictions are involved. The five parks are Cedar Point County Park (East Hampton), Cupsogue Beach County Park (Westhampton), Theodore Roosevelt County Park ( Montauk), Shinnecock East County Park (Southampton) and Smith Point County Park (Shirley). Call 631-854-4949 for park specifics.
