I posted this in the general forum, but since I have gotten good advice here regarding travel to New York last year, here is my question. Are there any train stations along the Long Island Railway line that are in the center of town? A friend and I would like to visit one of the resorts for an afternoon lunch and do not wish to drive. Bus would also be acceptable. Thanks!

I travelled from Penn Station on the LIR quite recently to visit a friend who lives out there. I'd love to help but I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "stopping in the center of a town"....

Thanks for your attempt to help. Let me try to clarify. We would like to spend the afternoon in one of the resort towns ( the Hamptons for example) Since there would be no one to pick us up at the station, we would like to visit a town where the train station is in the center of town where we could do some sightseeing and have a nice lunch.

Hi again. Not sure this will help, but my friend who lives in Long Island recommends the following:

Speak to someone at LIRR, i have never been to the hamptons myself but i am quite sure there will be a taxi servcie at the station, most LIRR stations have taxi cabs on site for that very reason.

Thanks! You have offered a nice starting point.

I have family that live in Port Jefferson, which is a nice little touristy town with lots of great little shops & restaurants (though no public beach that I know of).

The LIRR train stops near the top of the hill leading down to the center of town, an easy walk. (And, from there you could also take a ferry to Bridgeport, Connecticut, if you were so inclined.)

www.portjeff.com/aboutpj.html
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...1743&z=12&om=1

(If you do decide to go don't tell my Aunt I sent you, she hates when tourists get in her way when she's shopping.)

I grew up on LI and have to say I had *NO* idea what you were talking about! I'd never heard or thought about the Hamptons being "resort towns".

There are many LIRR lines, so keep in mind you can't directly, easily or quickly get from Huntington Station to Montauk. You can get to Port Jefferson (which is a pretty good suggestion) though. I'm more familiar with the north shore, have you thought about some wine tasting out on the North Folk? I'm sure there are bus tours.

Decide what kind of "resort" you want. Montauk is a bit different from the Hamptons, but many like the "fishing village" feel.

Getting there is quite easy. Amtrak to Penn Station and LIRR to Jamaica, where you catch the train that goes all the way to Montauk. The train takes about 2.5 hours. During the week, I think the first train doesn't leave Penn Station until 11:30 a.m.

__________________
lee

Thanks again. Perhaps my use of the word "resort" is causing some confusion. Maybe what I really mean is "shore town." In other words, the Long Island equivalent of Ocean City, Cape May, etc. I know that while people in Philly have second homes in Ocean city; New Yorkers are more likely to have second homes in the Hamptons or other towns I was perhaps erroneously calling "resorts."

I have a list of towns where the Long Island RR stops. My question is which one would be within easy walking distance of a shore town. As an aside, many years ago a train stopped at both Ninth and Fifty -second streets in Ocean City. It was a great convenience for day trippers as well as a way to see parts of the country not viewed by the highway.

"shore town" ... please, philly, stay out of LI