Long Island Sound Coastal Drive

The Long Island Sound Coastal Drive offers an unforgettable experience steeped in maritime lore, ecological significance, and vibrant town life. Stretching along the edge of Connecticut and New York, this route weaves through charming waterfront communities, historic seaports, and natural landscapes shaped by sea, storm, and time. What makes this route truly engaging is not just its scenic appeal, but the interplay of human culture and coastal resilience evident at every turn.

From the industrial pulse of Brooklyn to the quiet harbors of New London, the Long Island Sound shoreline reveals a journey where trains, ferries, buses, and footsteps trace a living shoreline that has evolved through centuries of storm surges, conservation efforts, and coastal engineering.

1. Starting Point: Brooklyn’s Atlantic Terminal

Your journey begins at Brooklyn’s Atlantic Terminal, one of the Long Island Rail Road’s busiest hubs. This historic line, chartered in 1834, once linked the boroughs to the farthest reaches of Long Island. Today, it connects modern-day explorers with Suffolk County’s far eastern tip.

The LIRR trip toward Greenport showcases New York’s progression from urban landscape to maritime fringe. As the train pulls into Ronkonkoma and later Greenport, the scenery shifts from concrete to cedar-shingled buildings and boatyards. The old Greenport train station, dating back to the 1880s, now serves as a maritime museum, a nod to the town’s salty heritage and continued relevance as a ferry port and fishing village.