Montauk and Shelter Island Day Trip

To celebrate our one year anniversary, my husband and I decided to take a day trip together instead of exchanging any materialistic gifts. I wanted to go somewhere that I haven't been, and after I suggested Montauk, he also added Shelter Island to the list.

In summary, it was a beautiful day and we had a great time!

Montauk Point

Montauk Point Lighthouse

It took us close to 3 hours to drive to Montauk Point from home. The lighthouse was closed due to COVID-19, so the tickets were at a discount. The little museum right next to the lighthouse was open. It showcases the stories behind the lighthouse and the history of Montauk.

Montauk Point

The rocky beach was pretty quiet with few people on it. The stone pyramids were sitting still like they were meditating to the sound of the ocean waves.

Facing North Atlantic Ocean

We stayed on the beach for a little while before heading back to the car to drive to the next destination. We had our lunch in the car on the way to the south ferry of Shelter Island. I packed salads, fruit cups, snacks and water in my new cooler backpack, and it served us well.

Shelter Island

This beautiful little island is full of nature. In fact, two thirds of it is a nature preserve. We saw many different kinds of animals there: numerous birds that I didn't know the names of, among them I could only name osprey, seagulls, and turkeys. We also saw deer, rabbits, groundhogs, and jellyfish.

Jellyfish

There were countless jellyfish swimming by our kayak. I caught a few on my cellphone camera. It was my first time seeing jellyfish in real life outside of an aquarium. I was slightly scared at first but mostly thrilled to see so many of them!

Sunset on Shelter Island

After a delicious lobster roll from a local restaurant, we accidentally drove to the north ferry and caught the beautiful sunset. What a nice surprise to wrap up this day in a romantic setting like so.

The beautiful views and cute animals remind me that the world is still full of positive energy and love. I should not be discouraged by temporary insecurities and troubles. The storm will pass, and the sun will come out again.

I love day trips because there is almost no packing time and it's low-commitment. Either loosely planned or completely spontaneous (like my day trip to the Harriman State Park), spending a day outside of my normal surroundings stimulates my imagination and makes the everyday life back home feel fresh again.

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