We visit the charming nautical town of Greenport, NY in Long Island's North Fork, accompanied by our son Rich and wife Deitre for a long weekend at Townsend Manor Inn and Marina in Greenport, NY.
Greenport was settled in 1682, and Townsends has been serving visitors since its 1920 conversion from the former Cogswell whaling mansion. She shows her age in places, but this is part of the charm of opting for a historical property.
We have docked the MY Patriyacht at this boater's paradise more than a dozen times, and the kids are quite pleased with their "landlubbing" rooms, and with our recommendation!
We tour the grounds with them and help plan a trip next month to the Greenport Town Marina, then take a quick walk into town.
Even though it is overcast, the streets are filled with young families and locals, making this the American equivalent to Rome's "passeggiatta"!
We love to stroll through this nautical haven with all its New England Charm, where old and new clash in the storefronts and local eateries. We browse decorative nautical decor and boating supplies at Preston's, a venerable mariner's paradise. We stop to watch the whirl of imps on the carousel and the grind of the organ brings me back to my childhood in Central Park! I check out boutiques, then, as usual, opt to procure a few gifts for the grandkids.
We end a perfect day with a casual, elegant meal in ubiquitous Claudios, the oldest continuously-owned restaurant in the United States. The menu today offers succulent fresh lobster, traditional turf, pasta and great vegetarian fare; their presentation and quality are better than ever under their current chef! Ending off with the dark chocolate covered raspberry sorbet means I will forego bikini shopping just a bit longer, but it is well worth the sacrifice!
Greenport's location on the North Fork makes easy work of a day trip to Shelter Island or Sag Harbor, whether by land or sea, with equal pleasure. This charming fishing town continues to be one of the finest examples of New York's richly varied destination experiences.