New Yorkers can ditch the car for a weekend beach trip with a new lineup of summer travel packages and the revival of a ticket discount program on the region’s commuter rail.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is bringing back its discounted summer travel packages to Long Beach, Jones Beach, Robert Moses State Park and multiple locations on Fire Island. Another package offers reduced admission to Splish Splash Water Park in Calverton. The bundles include reduced rail tickets, along with bus, taxi and ferry vouchers on weekends or daily through the end of May into September.
Packages cost adult travelers between $23.75 and $54.75, depending on the journey.
Day trippers can also take advantage of a new lineup of escorted tours offered by the Long Island Rail Road on dates beginning in June through October. This year’s destinations include visits to the North Fork vineyards, Montauk lighthouse and Fire Island ferry cruises. On July 27, history buffs can partake in a LIRR tour commemorating the 190th anniversary of the railroad.
The escorted tours run from $64.25 to $139.75 for adults.
“If we can get you to do it once you’ll never want to sit in that car again,” said Kristen Reynolds, president and CEO of Discover Long Island, which promotes tourism. “Because there has been so much work done by local downtowns across Long Island to make it more walkable, more bikeable and more accessible.”
Reynolds estimates that Long Island’s tourism industry last year outpaced its 2022 performance of $6.6 billion in visitor spending, based on data from research firm Tourism Economics. The spending, she said, generated more than $800 million in tax revenue and supported roughly 100,000 jobs.
The MTA is also bringing back perks for Long Island commuters with the return of its Summer Saturday discount program for the LIRR, and also for the Metro-North Railroad.
Beginning July 6, the program enables monthly ticket holders on weekends to travel anywhere the railroads go and bring up to two friends or family members for $1 per person each way. The promotion runs through Aug. 31.
The program does not cross-honor discounted tickets between the railroads, meaning LIRR customers cannot use their monthly tickets for discounted travel on Metro-North and vice versa.
Caroline Spivack , 2024-05-29 11:48:08
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