Garvies Point

When we moved to Michigan as a young family with a tight medical student and stay-at-home parent budget, one thing we really enjoyed doing was just exploring the outdoors. It was generally free and tons of fun to be outside. With the move to New York and the beginning of residency and Ava attending school, I think we kind of lost this habit of seeking nature. Shelter in place mandates forced us to slow down and whet our appetites to go on adventures once more.

Mitchell finally got a weekend off and we decided to make the most of it. I asked a fellow residency wife for hiking suggestions and one on her list was Garvies Point Museum and Preserve. The museum itself is still closed right now. New York is in the process of opening back up slowly and the museum is poised to open during later phases. The trails are open though. We made our way to behind the museum and spied several trails. We opted to take one marked by several big boulders and followed signs that pointed to the shoreline.

It was the kids’ first time stepping out of the car beyond our neighborhood since mid-March when everything first closed down. They’ve accompanied me to drive ups at Target and various drive thrus for french fries but they never physically got out of the car. So today was extra special for all of us.

Once we reached the shoreline, we begun exploring in earnest. There are natural clay deposits that you can find here and there. Mitchell and Ava found three different colors of clay. It was fun to just squish and mold. Since Garvies Point is a preserve, we made sure to not pick any foliage or bring anything back with us.

The shoreline was rocky enough that it wasn’t very pleasant on bare feet. We’d worn our socks and sneakers though and the temptation of dipping our feet into the soft, lapping water was hard to resist. For future visits, I’d be comfortable with the kids wearing their saltwater sandals since the trails aren’t strenuous by any means (at least for us). Then we wouldn’t have to fuss with wet feet, sand, and sneakers. I’m sure any sort of water shoes would work well too. We’re still not completely used to the often rocky shorelines of Long Island.

Shaded areas were ample when we visited around 11 a.m. I’d probably pack a blanket to sit on and lunch for future visits. The water in Hempstead Bay was generally quite gentle and the kids had fun exploring the water independently.

We saw a pair of turtles, numerous horseshoe crab exoskeletons strewn about the beach, and even had a lone horseshoe crab swim up to us in the most shallow parts of the water. I’d say Garvies Point is a great place to go with young children. The trails are short enough so that it’s not miserable for the most novice walkers and yet there’s still so much to see and do. Best of all, it’s free!