Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday January 17, 2007
LONG ISLAND MARKS TOURISM GROWTH AS ILOVENY CELEBRATES 30 YEARS
Contact: Kristen
Matejka
Director of Marketing and
Communications
LICVB&SC
631 951-3900 xt.317
LONG ISLAND MARKS TOURISM GROWTH AS
ILOVENY CAMPAIGN CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY
HAUPPAUGE, NY -(January 17, 2007)- Celebrating
the 30th anniversary of the ILOVENY campaign, the Long Island region has grown
tremendously over the past three decades to include new attractions and
adventures that make visiting New York more exciting than ever.
Long-known for its sparkling sand beaches and amazing golf, Long Island is now enticing visitors with a thriving “Long Island Wine Country” region steadily growing since 1975; a whole range of exciting new kids attractions; several new world-class museums; and a recently established “North Shore Heritage Trail,” giving travelers even more reasons to plan a Long Island vacation.
Long Island Wine Country, started in 1975 with just one vineyard, has steadily grown to now encompass 30 wineries open to the public for tastings and tours, along with over 60 vineyards growing the finest merlot, pinot noir, cabernet and chardonnay, among others. Located primarily on the North Fork of Long Island, the rich farmland, excellent seafood restaurants, waterfront golf courses, beaches, quaint villages and harbor front towns, make this a charming place to visit. The North Fork of Long Island is more laid-back and rural than its star-studded counterpart on the South Fork (known for its upscale Hamptons villages and movie star sightings), and makes for a relaxing retreat. Several new hotel and spa openings make it a wonderful destination to spend some time.
Recognizing that most kids love a beach vacation, the number of kid’s attractions on Long Island has grown, giving families additional reason to visit. These include Splish Splash Water Park in Riverhead, rated the #1 Water Park in the Tri State area by the NY Post and the # 5 Water Park in America by the Travel Channel. Experience one-of-a-kind water rides, including The Hollywood Stunt Rider, the Giant Twister and Shotgun Falls.
Also new is Atlantis Marine World in Riverhead, located on 3.2 scenic acres on the Peconic River. See its newest exhibit: The Penguins! Come to Atlantis Marine World and be a “Sea Lion Trainer for the Day,” or have an up close experience by “Snorkeling with the Sting Rays” or for true adventurers try: “Shark Dive.” With reservations, you can go down in a cage, directly into the shark tank. Atlantis Marine World is also home to many exciting live marine exhibits including sea lions, octopus and a giant, bright green moray eel. During your visit, board the Atlantis Explorer for an educational environmental tour boat adventure along the Peconic River, where you can experience the natural wonders of Long Island.
Also new is the Dinosaur Walk Museum in Riverhead, where you can see one of the world’s largest collections of sculpted prehistoric animals, ranging from the two-story-high Tyrannosaurus Rex to a tiny 12-inch tall Microraptor. Other exhibits include giant sea lizards, flying reptiles, and replicas of bones, skulls, and skeletons of ancient prehistoric creatures. The museum also features a movie theatre showing high-definition educational films that bring dinosaurs to life. We also have activities for children of all ages, including a dinosaur fossil dig and movies about dinosaurs.
A short ride to Manorville will land you at the Long Island Game Farm. This beautiful facility offers a wide variety of animals, from mountain lions and lemurs, to bears and alligators, in addition to the kangaroos! A Long Island institution for over 35 years, the Game Farm here recently made news when it acquired some of the animals, including a cougar and a camel, put up for auction at the closing of the Catskill Game Farm. Be sure not to miss the Big Cat Encounter Show, featuring rescued lions and tigers. Take a ride on the free children’s rides or have a bite to eat at the snack bar. Don’t forget to pet Jerry the Giraffe! Kids will also love Bambiland at the Game Farm, where they can feed deer and other baby animals.
Also new to Long Island is several world-class museums: The Children’s Museum, The Cradle of Aviation Museum and the Nassau County Firefighter’s Museum.
How thrilled would your children be to learn of a museum created just for them? At the Long Island Children’s Museum in Garden City, exhibits and amazing hands-on displays help children to learn…fun! Pop the boundary between play and experimentation in the Bubble Room; or visit Sandy Island to shape a sand dune with wind; venture through a two-story climbing structure; or experience the magic of making music, among many other adventures.
And right next door, for kids (and parents) fascinated by airplanes and flight, The Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, features an extensive collection of actual planes and other exhibits tracing all the way back to “the dream of wings,” through the Golden Age of flying, to space exploration and contemporary aviation. The authentic collection includes historical planes from WWI and WWII, as well as the actual test model for the Lunar Excursion Module, produced right here on Long Island. An exciting IMAX theater, the largest on Long Island, allows visitors to fully experience through sense and sound, what it is like to be a fighter pilot, or a NASCAR driver, or to travel to the depths of the sea.
The Nassau County Firefighters Museum and Education Center in Garden City provides a unique setting for the preservation and interpretation of the volunteer fire services heritage via the collection, restoration, and exhibition of historic and contemporary firematic memorabilia and equipment. A major goal of the Center is to educate and inform the public about fire safety and prevention and to display the proud history of volunteer firefighting. The Museum and Education center opened to the general public on Sunday, June 4, 2006
Also new on Long Island is the North Shore Heritage Trail. Embark on a journey along Long Island’s North Shore “Heritage Trail” and take a remarkable trip through the past where the scenic splendor is rivaled only by the historic significance of the area. The North Shore of Long Island, traversed primarily on Rte. 25A, offers visitors historic sites, quaint harbor front villages, scenic vistas overlooking the Long Island Sound, beachfront parks, castles and public gardens.
Explore the “summer Whitehouse” of former president Theodore Roosevelt; or visit Long Island’s Gold Coast, where neighbors at the upper echelon of high society strove to out-do each other in terms of lavish, castle-like mansions and gardens of European caliber during the Roaring 20s (many now open to the public).
Visit museums that explore Native American heritage, or catch a glimpse of
the rich whaling history of Long Island. Stroll public arboretums and gardens
where rare species are carefully tended, or visit the birthplace and
interpretive center of poet Walt Whitman.
North Shore Heritage Trail guide
available.
The Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission
(LICVB&SC) was established in 1979 as the official tourism promotion agency
for the destination’s travel and tourism industry. Based on Long Island in
Hauppauge, NY, the LICVB&SC contributes to the economic development and
quality of life on Long Island by promoting the region as a world-class
destination for tourism, meetings and conventions, trade shows, sporting events,
and related activities. For more information about Long Island, please contact
the Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission by
calling 1-877-FUN-ON-LI or visit www.discoverlongisland.com.
Get Your FREE
Travel Guide
Search Our Website
Upcoming Events
- Home for the Holidays with Sammy Davis Jr.
11/12/08 - 1/11/09 - Holiday Mansion features Seats and Settings
11/28/08 - 12/14/08 - Dicken's Festival
12/5/08 - 12/7/08