Taste North Fork 2015 Offers Free Shuttles Around LI Wine Country
In an effort to extend tourist season on the East End, the Long Island Wine Council and the East End Tourism Alliance are offering free shuttle loops around the North Fork this Saturday, November 7 and next Saturday, November 14, as part of their third annual Taste North Fork events.
Along with providing free shuttle service to wineries and other key NoFo destinations, each Saturday will include highlights such as special tastings, discounts and live music performances at the region’s top wineries. Also look for specials at area hotels, inns, bed & breakfasts, restaurants, shops and attractions.
The free “hop on-hop off” shuttle service will allow easy access from New York City and New England locations with links to Long Island Rail Road and Cross Sound Ferry from New London, Connecticut. Beginning at noon at the Long Island Rail Road station in Mattituck and Cross Sound Ferry terminal in Orient Point, shuttles will circulate every 20–30 minutes until 5:30 p.m.
The Riverhead loop includes stops between Riverhead and Mattituck—starting at Tanger Outlets 2 parking lot, in front of Office Max (200 Tanger Mall Drive in Riverhead)—while a concurrent Southold loop runs between Mattituck and Peconic, and a Greenport loop (from the S92 bus stop on First Street in Greenport) makes stops between Peconic/Greenport and Orient.
Each shuttle has various scheduled stops, including 21 participating wineries, several breweries, a distillery and a cidery, five farmstands, and 14 North Fork restaurants. Additionally, the buses will make stops in downtown Greenport and Love Lane in Mattituck—where numerous shops and restaurants are participating in the day—along with multiple stops at can’t-miss spots in Aquebogue, Cutchogue, Jamesport, Riverhead and Southold.
Among them, the North Fork Chocolate Company, Alex Ferrone Photography Gallery, The Pitted Olive, Brew Crew Cycles, East End Arts, Blue Duck Bakery Café, Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center, Long Island Science Center, North Fork Fun~N~Fitness, Southold Historical Society and A Taste of North Fork, to name a few.
For those who choose to extend their stay beyond Saturday, more than 20 area hotels, inns, B&Bs and guesthouses are offering special accommodation packages for Taste North Fork visitors.
Taste North Fork 2015 is made possible by a grant from New York State’s Empire State Development and the I ♥ NY Division of Tourism under Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Council initiative.
Visit eastendgetaway.com for more info and the complete travel and shuttle schedule (direct link here), including ferry, train and Jitney times, all stops on the three loops, and the list of participating businesses.