7 Things To Do in Oyster Bay

Postcard Courtesy of the Oyster Bay Historical Society

C&T's Empire Insider will give you the ins and outs of what to do, what to see, and where to see it in all corners of New York state.

Originally posted in AAA's Car & Travel, July/August 2015 

AAA.com/EmpireInsider
By: Andrew G. Rosen

Oyster Bay is often revered as the crown jewel of the opulent North Shore. With deep historical ties, including President Theodore Roosevelt taking up residence in the region, it’s no wonder the area is consistently a must-visit for Northeasterners. The stellar water quality of Oyster Bay helps produce mouth-watering oysters, representing up to 90 percent of the oysters and up to 40 percent of the hard clams harvested in all of New York State.

Planting Fields Greenhouse
Photo by Meredith Maus

1. With over 400 acres of rolling lawns and woodland paths, Planting Fields Arboretum offers a gorgeous collection of horticulture, much of which is unique to the area. Coming soon is the new “sensory garden” where an interactive pool and sheltered outdoor room promise to deliver tranquility and beauty to all who visit.

Sailboats loading at the WFC
Photo by Meredith Maus

2. Once a hub for manufacturing WWII minesweepers for the U.S. Navy, The WaterFront Center is now an environmental education and recreation not- for-profit community center. After renting a kayak or paddleboard, be sure to check out the historic Christeen, the oldest surviving oyster sloop in North America (sunset and harbor sails are offered).

Sagamore Hill NHS
Photo by Meredith Maus

3. One visit and it’s easy to understand why Theodore Roosevelt, the only U.S. president born in New York City, made Sagamore Hill his “summer White House.” Technically in Cove Neck, east of Oyster Bay Cove, the recently rehabilitated home (as of press time, expected to re-open in mid-July) serves up a slice of history.

Flight Tasting at OBBC
Photo by Meredith Maus

4. The nautical-themed tasting room at the Oyster Bay Brewing Company is standing room only, but after a craft beer flight, who cares! Watch them brew their hoppy IPA or crisp amber ale on premises or fill up your empty growler and enjoy from the comfort of home.

Photo Courtesy Audubon New York

5. Originally designed to provide a protected environment for songbirds in the 1920s, the 12-acre Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center was donated to the public by the president’s cousins in his name. Visitors leave with a greater respect for the natural world after enjoying hands-on environmental education programs.

Photo Courtesy Oyster Fest Facebook

6. We had to talk about the oysters, no? The annual Oyster Festival (Oct. 17–18, 2015) attracts over 200,000 people who partake in oysters— raw, fried and stewed. As the East Coast’s largest waterfront festival, you’ll find entertainment, rides, crafts and over 60 food options (just in case oysters aren’t your thing).

Photo by Meredith Maus

7. Rooted in the community since the early 1900s, Bonanza’s is more than your average walk-up snack window. Enjoy a chili dog (it’s boiled!), gooey cheese fries and cool off with creative homemade Italian ice flavors such as margarita, PB&J and cake batter. No wonder this place has been a community staple for generations.

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Re-Opening!

Sagamore Hill, Photograph taken by Meredith Maus

Oyster Bay, New York - The main house at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site has been closed to visitors since December 4, 2011.  In the past four years - while the grounds, Visitor Center, and Theodore Roosevelt Museum at Old Orchard have remained open - the 26th President's former home underwent a $10 million renovation.

The pain-staking renovation may not be noticeable to returning visitors - and this is exactly the point.

All of the books, hunting trophies, and furniture were removed from the massive three-story and 28 room mansion during the renovation - which included replacing the roof, repairing the foundation, and rewiring the home's electrical system - and then replaced exactly where they had been.

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site during Renovation
Photograph by Meredith Maus

"We hope that if he walked

through the front door right

now, he would think he was

back during the presidential

years."

- Susan Sarna

Museum Curator

The home is now slated to open its doors again to the public and a grand re-opening celebration has been organized by the staff to commemorate this momentous occasion!

Come one, Come All!

To the Re-opening Celebration & Family Festival! 

Sunday, July 12, 2015 starting at 10 am

• Reopening address to be presented by Roosevelt family members, public officials, and an appearance by Theodore Roosevelt (portrayed by James Foote)
• 10 AM - Tale of Two Teddies - Children's book author, Kathleen Bart will be signing books in the book store
• 11 AM to 4 PM - Children's Activities
• Arts & Crafts
• Old-Fashioned Games
• Pony Rides
• Rough Rider Enlistment
• 1 PM - "Rough Riders" Cavalry Demonstration
• 2 PM - Sagamore Hill Band - Under the direction of Steve Walker
• 11 AM to 4 PM - Other Performances Demonstrations & Services
• Long Island Band Organ under direction of Michael Falco
• Interactive Photobooth provided by Baltimore Photo Social
• Historic Carriages displayed by Paumanok Driving Club
• Antique Automobiles displayed by Long Island Sound Region: Classic Car Club
• Food & Refreshements will be available through vendors on site

Sagamore Hill's gateway community - Oyster Bay - is also busy prepping for the event.  Trolly service will be available from the LIRR station and other parking locations in the downtown to Sagamore Hill to help cut down on congestion at the hill.  Great restaurants and businesses will be open for those interested in making it a whole day affair!

Camelia House Weekend at Planting Fields, February 25 and 26, 2012

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OBMSA Annual Meeting Podcast, January 26, 2012

For those who were not among the 100 or so people who attended the Annual Meeting of the Oyster Bay Main Street Association, on January 26, 2012, at the Life Enrichment Center at Oyster Bay, or for those who want to relive all of the wonderful moments of that meeting, a podcast of that meeting is available below.

We encourage you to read our Annual Report for 2011. In it you will find updates on our work in the past year, financial report, and four goals we have for upcoming years.

These goal include improving Fireman's Field, upgrading Townsend Park where the bandstand is located, continue our ongoing program of facade and sign improvements, and install interpretive and way-finding signage throughout the downtown.


For past OBMSA meetings, please visit:

• OBMSA 2010 Annual Meeting, September 2010
• OBMSA 2009 Annual Meeting, September 2009
• OBMSA 2008 Annual Meeting, October 2008

Oyster Bay Main Street Annual Meeting on January 26, 7pm!

           

Oyster Bay, New York – Over a decade has passed since the Oyster Bay Main Street Association officially received its charter on September 28, 2001. Since that time downtown Oyster Bay has been transformed for the better. In the past decade over $30 million of public and private investment has been made in the downtown. This has helped to support 57 business start-ups, over 80% which are still open today. Over 60 façade and signs have been improved, with many of these receiving OBMSA support.

                To celebrate these changes to downtown Oyster Bay, Main Street is planning an Annual Meeting for January 26, 2012, from 7pm-9pm at The Life Enrichment Center at Oyster Bay (formerly Doubleday Babcock Senior Center), 45 East Main Street. Many people involved in the founding and the growth and development of Main Street will be present. A special panel discussion on the “Future of Oyster Bay” will be held, echoing a report of the same title published in 1999 that helped to get the Main Street idea in Oyster Bay started.

John Bonifacio, President,
Oyster Bay Main Street

                Guests planning to attend the Annual Meeting are encouraged to RSVP.

                Oyster Bay Main Street President John Bonifacio speaking of the meeting said: “I can imagine no better time than our 10 year anniversary to look back at our past accomplishments, while also sharing a positive and proactive vision for our future.”

                A blog has been created, to provide an overview of positive changes that have been made to Oyster Bay over the past decade. This may be accessed at: http://futureofoysterbay.blogspot.com/.

Four New Initiatives Will be Announced

                At the Annual Meeting four new initiatives will be announced. These will be included in an Annual Report. The report distributed to members who register or renew their membership at the meeting or in advance. One of these initiatives includes a façade and sign improvement fund.

                Oyster Bay Main Street Vice-President, Design Chair, and practicing Architect Henry Clark said: “It has long been an aspiration to have a fund for building improvements that Main Street controls. We are now fortunate to have this thanks to the generosity of our many donors.”

                The new fund will assist with façade and sign improvement funds downtown. Projects receiving funding will be asked to follow the Oyster Bay Design Guidelines available on the Main Street website. This fund will provide up to 75% of the total project costs not to exceed $1,000 for sign improvements downtown. Even greater support is available for façade improvements in eligible buildings.

                The first business to already benefit from this program was Funni Business, a toy store which recently opened at 27 Audrey Avenue. Those seeking funding should request and submit an Application available in the Main Street office in the Oceanic House at 21 West Main Street.

Before and after photo of the Oceanic House, 21 West Main St.

New Office in the Oceanic House

                On October 1, the Oyster Bay Main Street program officially opened a new office in the Oceanic House. President John Bonifacio speaking of this location said, “The Oceanic House and the loving restoration by its owners exemplifies the sort of improvements that Main Street seeks to encourage in downtown Oyster Bay. This building not only affords us an excellent office space but also powerfully expresses our mission to enhancing an attractive and thriving downtown, while maintaining its historic integrity.”

New Members Sought

                In preparation for the Annual Meeting on January 26, an Annual Appeal was sent out to members. Given the 10 year anniversary of the organization, a special request was made for returning members and new members to consider making a three-year pledge to the Association. As an incentive for members who contribute $500 or greater, they will receive a beautiful aerial photograph of Oyster Bay framed and signed by photographer Stephen Mastrorocco. Main Street Treasurer Claude Bahnik said, “This is just a small way for us to recognize and thank people for their generosity.”

                For those wishing more information about the Oyster Bay Main Street Association, membership, sponsorship opportunities, or the upcoming Annual Meeting on January 26, please call (516) 922-6982 or visit www.oysterbaymainstreet.org.


For past OBMSA meetings, please visit:

• OBMSA 2010 Annual Meeting, September 2010
• OBMSA 2009 Annual Meeting, September 2009
• OBMSA 2008 Annual Meeting, October 2008

Celebrate the Holidays at Coe Hall Mansion in Historic Oyster Bay

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Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony at Planting Fields, Fri, 12/9, 5:30pm

The New York Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation is pleased to announce the seventh Annual Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony at Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park in Oyster Bay, NY.

The tree lighting will take place on Friday, December 9, 2011. Arboretum gates will open at 5:30PM and the tree lighting will take place at 6:00PM sharp. As in previous years, we will light the magnificent thirty-five foot Japanese Umbrella Pine, which is located on the south side of the Camilla Greenhouse. The event will feature several special guests, including Santa and carolers. Guests will have the opportunity to view the first floor of Coe Hall. In addition, guests will be able to view the spectacular poinsettia display in the Main Greenhouse. The Main Greenhouse display will feature several hundred poinsettia plants comprising forty varieties of poinsettias. Don’t forget to visit our beautiful Periwinkles café in the Visitor Center and enjoy a great snack.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see Planting Fields in all its’ winter splendor. Both the grounds and the building will be open until 8:00PM. Admission is free. For more information, please call Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park at 516-922-9200 or visit our website at www.plantingfields.org. For more information about New York State Parks, visit our website at www.nysparks.com.

Directions: Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park is located in Oyster Bay and can be reached via the Long Island Expressway, Exit 41 North (route 106) to Route 25A west, and then follow signs to the park.

Christmas with the Roosevelts’ at Sagamore Hill, 12/3, 11am-4pm

Christmas with the Roosevelts’ at Sagamore Hill

Oyster Bay, NY: On Saturday, December 3, 2011 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sagamore Hill National Historic Site will hostChristmas with the Roosevelts at Sagamore Hill. Activities will include holiday music performed on a harp and flute byMusica Dolce, Christmas carols sung by Close Enough, and original and seasonal poems read by the Nassau County Poet Laureate Society. Finally a very special appearance by “Theodore Roosevelt,” as portrayed by James Foote, will share his reminiscences of how the Roosevelts celebrated Christmas at Sagamore Hill and White House. Ranger-guided tours of the Roosevelt Home will feature information about Christmases past and the festivities that the family enjoyed. Complimentary hot cider and cocoa will be provided by the Friends of Sagamore Hill.

-NPS-

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, located at 12 Sagamore Hill Road, Oyster Bay, New York, is a unit of the National Park Service.  The site was established by Congress in 1962 to preserve and interpret the structures, landscape, collections and other cultural resources associated with Theodore Roosevelt’s home in Oyster Bay, New York, and to ensure that future generations understand and appreciate the life and legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, his family and the significant events associated with him. Tours of the home are limited to fourteen persons and are offered on the hour on Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. Tour tickets are five dollars each and tickets are sold on a first-come-first-served basis each day beginning at 9 a.m. NOTE: The Roosevelt Home will be closing to the public for a three year period beginning December 5, 2011 due to a major rehabilitation of the home, however the Visitor Center, Theodore Roosevelt Museum at Old Orchard and the grounds will continue to be open and free interpretive programs will be offered.The grounds of Sagamore Hill are open year round from dawn to dusk. For further information, visit our website atwww.nps.gov/sahi, or call 516-922-4788. Be sure to follow us on twitter for updates at http://twitter.com/SagamoreHillNHS.

Get Your Halloween Thrills and Chills in Downtown Oyster Bay!

Come visit us in historic downtown Oyster Bay (postcard ca. 1910)

Where better to celebrate Halloween than Oyster Bay, one of the most historic communities on Long Island dating all the way back to 1653?  We've had our fair share of characters pass through from British officers during the Revolutionary War, to the author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Washington Irving himself - who visited Oyster Bay many times, and modern day figures like Mary Mallon who is better known today as Typhoid Mary. Nothing will prepare you for the fun and exciting events family-friendly events we have in store for you this Halloween! Just a few of these follow.

Ghost Rides, Sunday, October 30, 3-7pm
Hop on the horse drawn carriage at Sweet Tomato (91 Audrey Ave.), and just stay on on for a free half-hour circuit ride, OR, for a fee of $10 for adults, $5 for kids (free if they're under 48 inches) you can hop on and off for ghost tours at the following stops: Oyster Bay Historical Society (20 Summit Street), the famously haunted Raynham Hall (20 West Main Street) and the old Railroad Station, (a VERY spooky place at the end of Audrey Avenue) for ghost stories, paranormal investigations, and other spine tingling fun. For more information, call 516-922-6808 or visit www.oysterbayhistorical.org.                                                        

Raynham Hall Museum with spooky Victorian Gothic tower as it appeared around 1880.

What's Cooking Halloween Spooktacular

Thursday, October 27th & Friday, October 28th, 5-7:00pm

There are no tricks to these treats! What's Cooking (30 East Main Street, Oyster Bay) has brewed a Halloween special for our chefs. From tasty treats to decorative ghoulish cookies and desserts, these recipes are as delicious as they are spooky. Create a craft, a take-home treat, There are no tricks to these treats! What's Cooking? has brewed a Halloween enjoy a main course while they are here, and a yummy treat. Menu to include: 

Haunted Chocolate House, 

Mummy Dogs w/ Homemade Fries, Halloween Sugar Cookies, Ghostly Pumpkin Pudding, and Slime Juice. Please visit the What's Cooking website to register!

Last Oyster Bay Farmers' Market of the Year!

Friday, October 28th, 10am-4pm

Come out and get the finest fall produce, as well as special treats that all of our vendors have to provide from pickles, to baked goods, eggs, nuts, dog treats, soaps, mums, and, yes, we have PUMPKINS!  The market is located in Townsend Park by the Derby-Hall Bandstand. Free cider and donuts will be available at the Oyster Bay Main Street table for ghosts and ghouls who stop by and say hi (or boo!).

Halloween Spooktacular! at Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center
Sunday, October 30th (various times) - Please Note Day Change from Saturday due to expected inclement weather

Toddlers Only: 11:00am-12:00pm (spooky)Kids 2-10 years: 1:00-2:30pm (spookier)Kids 8+ years: 6:00-7:30pm (spookiest)Held at the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center (134 Cove Road)

Have an up-close encounter with some spooky animals, find and decorate your perfect pumpkin from the patch, and go on a Halloween adventure walk. We'll end each session with Halloween stories around the campfire and prizes for the best costumes. The spookiness increases as the day progresses. Registration Required! $5 members / $8 non-members per child, $2 per adult. For more information, please call (516) 922-3200. Please visit the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center website for more info!


Fit Fusion Interactive 1st Annual Halloween Costume Party

Sunday, October 30th- 12:00 Noon - 2:00pm

Enjoy free munchies, games, and prizes at Fit Fusion Interactive (67 West Main St.) an interactive fitness studio located in the spooky and historic Octagon Hotel that was built in 1851.

Christ Church in the 19th century, before this building was encased in stone.

Celebration of "All Hallows' Eve" at Christ Church
Sunday, October 30th- 5:00-6:00pm

The Episcopalian congregation in Oyster Bay, dating back to 1705, invites you to Christ Church (61 East Main St.) to hear spooky organ music starting at 5pm, with the sanctuary lit only by candles from Jack-o-lanterns. A ghost and witch straight out of the Bible will make a special appearance. The fun will then continue next door with a festive supper party for the entire community in the Parish Hall with costumes, games and more Jack-o-lanterns, of course! The event will benefit the Episcopal Relief and Development fund. for more information, please call 516-922-6377.