Long Island

Long Island is an amazing area located in the state of New York. This piece of information is known by the majority of the population; however there are lots of important and interesting facts about Long Island that people just don't know. However, by the end of this article those reading will find a new sense of understanding for the area and just might be surprised by some of the facts they discover.

Long Island's Location

On the very edge of the state of New York lies Long Island. This island has lots of bragging points, but one of them is that it is the United State's largest contiguous island. Not only is Long Island known for its island status, but also for the cities that are located there. For example, Manhattan is located on Long Island and this is one of the largest cities in the world with some of the tallest skyscrapers. You might think of Long Island as a city that is pretty small, but that is not the case at all. The Island stretches 118 miles in length along the Atlantic Coast and then it is up to 20 miles wide. The Long Island Sound surrounds the north of the Island and the Atlantic Ocean the southern part of the Island.

Since Long Island is actually pretty large and has a population that is considerably higher than about one third of other states' populations you could probably figure out on your own that it is broken up into areas. Five different regions boast different lifestyles and they are known as South Fork, North Fork, Central Suffolk, and the North and South Shores. Additionally, these regions are home to more than 2.65 million people.

You have probably heard of South Fork before, even if it was not called that, because this is where the world famous "Hamptons" is located. The rich and famous visit this area to enjoy socializing, the beautiful beaches, and the lifestyle that accompanies such large incomes.

North Fork is not too far away from South Fork, but it sports a different type of lifestyle. Here the landscape is dotted with farms and relatively new vineyards. Amazingly, the vineyards in North Fork are becoming increasingly popular worldwide and a true success to the area. This new dimension to Long Island really makes the Island diverse.

Central Suffolk is interesting in itself as well. Here virgin land coexists with natural inlets yet an immense shopping paradise called Tangers exists here as well. You will find a little bit of everything in Central Suffolk from the peace of untouched woods to amazing shopping.

North Shore is definitely worth a trip if you enjoy seeing large mansions, built many years ago, that tell many historical stories due to their age, the many famous families who lived there, and other interesting facts associated with this homes. You will be amazed to see this style of home still exists and truly in awe of the architecture and beauty.

Finally, the South Shore is the place where everyone meets for fun spectator sports, entertainment, and outstanding beaches. Everyone will have a good time at South Shore because it is laid back and no hold bars fun.

Transportation in Long Island

One of the most popular forms of transportation on the Island is the train. The Long Island Railroad offers approximately 740 passenger trains on a daily basis and more than 250,000 travelers take advantage of these services each and every day. There are three different significant routes that run east to west and carry the many passengers. You will find the convenience of the trains wonderful especially if you don't have a car or simply don't like to drive.

Of course, if you do have a car and enjoy driving you will find a sophisticated system of roads leading you to and from all the important places you need to go.

Living on Long Island

Moving to Long Island is a wonderful choice because there are so many beautiful neighborhoods. You have the opportunity to choose high class up town living or a more down country laid back lifestyle. No matter what you are looking for you can find in one of the five regions of Long Island.

If you are looking to invest a large sum of money in property and would like a large estate then you can certainly find this on Long Island in the North Shore area. There are many mansions that are breathtaking and wonderful real estate investments. Of course, you might be shopping for a summer home in the Hamptons or perhaps one that is smaller or more affordable at the South Shore. No matter the size of the home and the type of location you are looking for you will surely be able to find it in Long Island.

When here on Long Island you will appreciate the many police officers who work to keep you and your family safe. There are approximately 6,000 police officers working in Nassau and Suffolk Counties to keep residents and property safe. Also, these counties that make up Long Island are also protected by many volunteer fire departments.

Schools
Long Island children get a great public education at one of the over 125 public schools that are on the island. These schools serve over 400,000 students and almost 30,000 teachers educate these youngsters. There are also private schools on Long Island as well as universities, too. So, no matter what your age or what you are trying to learn you can do so on Long Island. In fact, the majority of high school students on Long Island do choose to continue their education with almost 89% of all students choosing to go to college or another educational institution following graduation. This is consistently higher than the rest of the country and Long Island students really are getting ahead in the world. Go to Long Island Schools for more information on the schools on Long Island.

Activities and Dining on Long Island

You will enjoy knowing that Long Island also has lots of fun activities from beautiful beaches and fishing to outstanding golf and tennis to rocking concerts and dramatic theatre. There are also plenty of outstanding restaurants from your local pizza kitchen to an all out five star restaurant. Plenty of other community activities take place frequently from wine tastings to festivals and parades to art shows. All of the things you enjoy can be found on Long Island and living here you will surely find happiness, peace, and all the opportunities in the world.