Long Island holds a long and colorful history tied to the sea. Explore whaling and maritime museums; discover a rich heritage of nautical adventure; and climb to the top of a lighthouse where the view will take your breath away.

Surrounded by water on all sides Long Island has several maritime museums that offer visitors a glimpse of what life was like for those who made their living from the sea. And while whaling is a long gone part of life here, several museums maintain poignant exhibits that reflect on the history and practice of this industry and how it affected life during earlier times. See whaling boats, exhibits and artifacts, scrimshaw, whaling artifacts, ship captain’s portraits, and nautical memorabilia.

Jutting out into the treacherous waters of the Atlantic Ocean, several lighthouses are open to the public to explore, and many more can be seen just off the coastline. Several hold fascinating displays detailing rescue operations, shipwrecks, lighthouse keeper’s tales and amazing lenses used to light the way of passing ships.