Charming coastal villages, world-class wineries, and fresh seafood galore await on an accessible weekend getaway on Long Island. You may find yourself exploring a Gold Coast Mansion, shopping in the Hamptons, or admiring artwork at a renowned art museum! Get ready to plan your amazing accessible weekend on Long Island. Photo credit: @mexikko on Instagram
FRIDAY
3PM: Drop off your bags at the hotel
Drop off your bags at the Residence Inn East End Long Island, where you’ll feel right at home while also being close to local vineyards, attractions, and restaurants. Your hotel also has a variety of accessible features including self-operating lift or sloped entry into hotel swimming pools, van accessible on-site parking, elevators, and guest rooms with self-closing doors with lever handles, lowered electrical outlets, and accessible bathrooms with roll-in showers. For a full list of accessible features, visit the hotel website or call 631-905-5811.
4:30PM: Stop for a tasting at RGNY Winery
Take a 20-minute ride east to RGNY Winery and experience some superb sips. At this Latino-owned winery, book a guided tasting where you’ll get to sample four different wines paired with curated foods. Tasting reservations are offered throughout the day and must be booked in advance. RGNY’s outdoor seating area is filled with loose gravel or grass that may cause the surface to be uneven. The entrance and indoor tasting room are accessible. The vines are only accessible by going on the grass.
SATURDAY
9AM: Breakfast at Sant Ambroeus
Fuel up for a day on Long Island’s South Fork and take a 35-minute drive to Sant Ambroeus in Southampton for breakfast. Delight in freshly-baked pastries or dig into a plate of eggs benedict, and don’t forget to pair your meal with a warm cup of coffee. Outdoor dining in the front of the cafe is accessible with an even, paved patio. To go indoors, there is a step which can be accessed by using the restaurant’s portable ramp if needed. No trip to the South Fork is complete without a selfie with The Big Duck, so be sure to stop on your drive over!
10AM: Explore the Parrish Art Museum
Credit: @mexikko on Instagram
Since the mid 1950s, the Parrish Art Museum has celebrated the artistic legacy of Long Island’s East End, displaying a collection of more than 2,600 works. Admire current exhibitions like “Beyond Reality”, which features paintings and drawings by French photorealist Betrand Meniel. The museum’s public areas are all wheelchair accessible and a limited number of wheelchairs are available to borrow free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Accessible parking spaces are also available and located at the center pathway in the parking lot. If you need assistance from the parking lot to the entrance, call 631-283-2118 x 109 and the museum will assist with necessary arrangements. For more information about accessibility, visit the museum’s website or call 631-283-2118 x 149.
2:00PM: Go shopping in downtown East Hampton
Hit the streets for some shopping in downtown East Hampton. This vibrant area features all kinds of shops and boutiques from luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel (found in its iconic seasonal boutique) to souvenir shops like Breezin’ Up. Sidewalks throughout East Hampton are flat, but a few steps are required to enter most stores. Portable ramps are available to request at select stores if needed. For an afternoon caffeine boost, stop by Tutto Caffe. There are a few steps to enter the cafe and a portable entrance ramp is available if needed. The bathroom is also accessible.
5PM: Visit the Montauk Point Lighthouse
No trip to Long Island is complete without a visit to the Montauk Lighthouse! As the state’s oldest lighthouse, this historic beacon sits on New York’s easternmost point, coined “The End” by locals, and offers an incredible view looking out at where the Atlantic meets the Block Island Sound. The lighthouse is also home to a museum, where you’ll find artifacts from when Long Island was a hot spot for whaling. The museum interior is accessible, but stairs are required to climb to the top of the lighthouse. Paved handicap parking spaces are available in the parking lot across the street front of the lighthouse. Paved paths can be found throughout the grounds and lead up to the lighthouse.
SUNDAY
9AM: Breakfast and coffee from Café Victoria
Rise and shine to start the day with breakfast and coffee from Café Victoria. Found right across the street from your hotel in the Tanger Outlets, this cafe brews organic coffee from Guatemala and Latin America and serves up delightful breakfast favorites like avocado toast and creative omelets.
11AM: End the weekend at Planting Fields Arboretum
End your weekend with a visit to Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Site! This former Gold Coast Mansion is full of old school grandeur with 20 beautiful gardens, five miles of woodland trails, two greenhouses, a dazzling 65-room Tudor Revival mansion. The grounds of Planting Fields are made up of mostly paved roads and some gravel paths. Visitor parking lots, sensory garden, Camellia House, Hay Barn, Conference Center, and restrooms next to the Main Greenhouse are also wheelchair accessible. For access to Coe Hall, call (516) 922-9226 from Wednesday-Sunday 9AM-5PM or email tours@plantingfields.org to arrange for ramp access to the building. The top floors are only accessible by stairs. A virtual tour and descriptions of the rooms of Coe Hall is available on the Planting Fields website.
GETTING THERE
By plane: Long Island Islip Macarthur Airport (ISP)
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Customers needing curbside wheelchair assistance can call (631) 467-3315 upon arriving at the Main Terminal Building. Depending on what airline you’re flying, curbside check-in may be available. Each airline provides wheelchair service at the ticket counter area and a phone is located near the TSA checkpoint to call for services. Individual airlines will provide specialized services for people with disabilities, so be sure to contact your airline for assistance with baggage, ticketing, or wheelchair assistance to or from your departure gate.
By train: Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) from Penn or Grand Central Station to Ronkonkoma Station, then take rideshare or a taxi, or rent a car for 30 minute drive to hotel (note for travelers who use wheelchair and cannot transfer: there are no accessible rideshares in the region)
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Disability Fare (half price, regular fare) is available to be purchased at the station or on the MTA Train Time App (you can use reduced-fare tickets at all times except inbound weekday morning peak trains). Personal care attendants can also ride for free on the Long Island Rail Road.
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LIRR Care Program is available for customers with mobility limitations requesting assistance to board and/or exit LIRR trains.Train crews will know about your itinerary and will be prepared to provide assistance, including placing a bridge plate between the train and platform. Call 718-547-7227 at least two hours before the scheduled departure time of your train. Call service is available 24/7 including weekends and holidays. Real-time assistance is available for customers beginning their trips at Penn Station, Grand Central, Atlantic Terminal, or Jamaica Station. The LIRR Care Program does not provide wheelchairs, passengers who need wheeled mobility should travel with their own devices.
By car:
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From NYC: 1 hr and 30 minutes
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From Philadelphia: 3 hours
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From Albany: 3 hrs 30 minutes
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From Boston: 4 hours
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From Washington, DC: 5 hours
If you’re planning to rent a car to travel throughout Long Island, Bussani in Bethpage offers accessible van rentals. Visitors who have a disability and do not drive may also rent through Enterprise and assign a surrogate driver at no additional charge. Enterprise does not rent accessible vans. If you’re flying into Long Island MacArthur Airport, follow the signs towards the Ground Transportation Center (GTC) to Enterprise. If you’re traveling into Ronkonkoma Station, take a 15-minute rideshare/taxi ride to Enterprise to pick up your rental. Note that accessible rideshares/taxis may not be available.
By bus: Take Hampton Jitney or Hampton Ambassador from Manhattan to Riverhead.
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Priority and wheelchair seating: Hampton Jitney has designated priority seating at the front of its coaches for passengers needing assistance. If you need a priority seat, please advise the call center staff when you book your trip.
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Lift-equipped buses: Call at least 48 hours prior to departure to let call center staff know your needs when making your reservation.
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Storing and handling mobility aids: Smaller mobility aids such as canes or crutches may travel inside the bus in the overhead compartment or under your seat. If your aid will not fit safely in either of these locations, it will be stored in the baggage compartment under the bus at no additional cost.
