How to Meet New People on Long Island
Long Island has a vibe all its own, and is proudly independent. While both Queens and Brooklyn are geographically located on Long Island, they are boroughs of New York City, and Long Island is not. If you’re new to the island, it can be tricky to meet new people. Here are some of the best ways to start to feel at home.
If You Are Single and Ready to Mingle
Voted the best place for singles on Long Island for 2021, The Refuge in Melville offers a twist on Italian and Latin cuisine and a weekend brunch. It also has specialty cocktails and offers catering and event spaces for private functions. It’s no wonder it has earned 4.5/5 stars in Google reviews.
From 2016 to 2020, Spiro’s in Rocky Point was voted the best place for singles. It might have been dethroned in 2021, but it’s still the place for a variety of happy hour drink options, and their signature baked clams and seared tuna.
From singles’ dances, date walking, trivia and karaoke nights, age-differentiated speed dating and dances or speed-friending, WeekendDating.com has lots of options. Covering all the different corners of Long Island, if you’re ready to meet new people, there’s an event for you. It has earned 5 stars on Yelp.
If You Love Being Active
Long Island has 1,600 miles of shoreline--it’s surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island Sound, New York Bay and the East River. Beaches are amazing, but a tad chilly in winter. Here are some options if you love being active.
Long Island has both fresh and salt water to paddle in, and Long Island Paddlers wants everyone to enjoy the waterways. Whether you canoe or kayak, you can paddle, attend programs and listen to guest speakers or participate in conservation activities, advocacy and river clean-up.
With 200 sports, 1200-plus teams and 16,000-plus players, LI Kick prides itself on providing lots of options for co-ed adult social sports. Kickball? Check. Cornhole? Check. Ultimate Frisbee? Check. Pickleball? Check. Whatever your skill or fitness level, you can get out, get active and make new friends.
If You Love the Arts
If you are more quiet, it can be tough to meet people who share your interests. If you are interested in the arts, Long Island has many options from mainstream to niche. You never know who you might meet while perusing the displays.
Long Island has a long history of strategic naval importance, and since 1966 the Long Island Maritime Museum has showcased maritime stories. The estate was previously the home of Mr. & Mrs. Anson Wales Hard. Mrs. Florence Hard was the daughter of Commodore Frederick G. Bourne, President of Singer Sewing Machine from 1889 to 1905.
There is a volunteer boat building program, interactive exhibits, the William Rudolph Oyster House, which is a National Historic Landmark, and during summer months, the 1888 Oyster Sloop Priscilla is available for public sails and private charters.
From sea to sky, the Cradle of Aviation Museum, on the former location of Mitchel Air Force Base has a planetarium, permanent and virtual exhibits and large military and civilian aircraft including a Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, a Grumman F-14 Tomcat, a Grumman A6-F Intruder and a record-breaking El Al Boeing 707 flight deck.
There are STEM camps for kids, and an archive of relevant aviation plans, documents, letters and photographs.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
Theodore Roosevelt, 26th president of the United States, lived in Sagamore Hill on the north shore of Long Island until he died in 1919. It has been preserved and is now a museum and national park.
If You Have Children
Children have it a little easier when it comes to making new friends, since they have the advantage of school. Short of stalking other parents at the school talent show, or joining the parents’ council (shudder), how do you meet other adults? Here are some options.
With 14 interactive exhibits, live shows, art spaces and other activities, there are lots of ways to keep your little ones busy. They even offer STEM classes, community outreach and accommodations for neurodivergent kids so art becomes accessible to all.
The Long Island Aquarium is recognized by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. That signifies the Aquarium adheres to accreditation standards for animal care, state-of-the-art veterinary practices, exceptional welfare practices, conservation and education.
Indoor exhibits include a coral reef, bugs, butterflies, a giant pacific octopus and the Lost City of Atlantis shark exhibit. Outdoor exhibits include a reptile habitat, sea lions, seals, penguins and the Lost Temple of Atlantis, guarded by Japanese snow monkeys.
If you need a place to store your kayak, your off-season clothes or your seasonal decor now that you are settled on Long Island, Storage Post has a number of Long Island locations that provide many different self-storage options, including climate-controlled units and free truck and shuttle services to and from some of the facilities.
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