Pride, Culture and Community: A Queer Getaway from Long Island to NYC
Celebrate identity, creativity and connection through a two-day getaway filled with socially conscious art, coastal views and LGBTQ+ cultural energy.
This itinerary takes you from Long Island’s relaxed waterfront charm to the vibrant, expressive heart of New York City – all the while tuning into and being more present and connected with the places and communities around you.
DAY 1 - Long Island: Culture + Coastal Charm
Northport Village & Waterfront – Northport
Begin with a trip from Huntington Village to Northport, a harbor front village known for its relaxed pace and scenic views.
Travel note: Northport is approximately 15 minutes away from Huntington by car or rideshare.
Set an easy pace for the morning with a walk along the harbor. Take photos from the gazebo or dock and look for the Poetry Path – an outdoor installation of short poems and excerpts along the waterfront that adds a thoughtful, creative layer to your stroll.
Then wander over to Main Street for a taste of local culture. The area is home to a number of indie shops and small galleries. Check out Northport Books, a cozy bookstore-café known for its welcoming atmosphere, poetry nights, and strong community energy. Grab coffee or pastry (or both!) and bring it back to enjoy by the water.
It’s a relaxed, welcoming start – perfect for settling into the day.
Lunch by the Water – Huntington Harbor
Return to Huntington for lunch at Prime: An American Kitchen Bar. The restaurant is designed after a classic boathouse and offers waterfront views with a relaxed but polished restaurant setting. This lunch is a natural pause in the day—one that keeps you connected to the coastal landscape while shifting into the afternoon’s cultural focus.
The Heckscher Museum of Art – Heckscher Park, Huntington
Continue to The Heckscher Museum of Art, a cornerstone of Long Island’s cultural landscape. Summer offerings at the Museum include the Just Powers: Long Island Biennial , Long Island Pride Celebration, and Summer Community Dinner Series. The Museum holds an extensive collection of LGBTQ+ art by internationally significant figures including Marsden Hartley, Alfonso Ossorio, Betty Parsons, Alice Rahon, Robert Rauschenberg, Emilio Sanchez alongside new acquisitions by Amy Adler, Laylah Ali, Vanessa German, and Wardell Milan. The Museum has become nationally recognized as having the largest public collection of sculptures by Emma Stebbins and recently produced a groundbreaking exhibition Emma Stebbins: Carving Out History focused on the Queer icon.
Stebbins, the artist behind Central Park’s Bethesda Fountain, was among the first American women to receive a major public art commission in New York City. Her life and work—shaped in part by her long-term partnership with actress Charlotte Cushman—offer insight into the networks of artists and LGBTQ+ individuals working in the 19th century.
Throughout the summer, the Museum is presenting an augmented reality experience presenting a contemporary interpretation of Stebbins’ Angel of the Waters, allowing you to engage with the work in a new and accessible way before seeing the original in New York City.
Open Thursday–Sunday, 12–5 pm
Huntington Village – Shops, Dining and Local Energy
A short distance from the museum, Huntington Village offers a lively, walkable downtown filled with restaurants, cafés and independent shops.
Spend time browsing – stepping into local boutiques or coffee shops – and enjoy the easy, social atmosphere that the area is known for.
Dinner in Huntington Village
Stay in the village for dinner at Posto Pazzo, where Tuscan-inspired décor and a warm, inviting setting that creates the perfect place to wind down and share a meal.
Evening: Film or Live Music
After dinner, choose your vibe: you can catch a film at the Cinema Arts Centre known for its indie and LGBTQ+ programming), or see live music at The Paramount (check schedule in advance). Either option is a cultural or social experience that allows you to connect with the local creative scene before the day ends. Both are just a short drive or rideshare away.
Overnight: Stay in Huntington
Check in at Hampton Inn & Suites Huntington – a reliable, modern, and centrally located option that keeps everything within easy reach.
Note: While Huntington Village is highly walkable, traveling to Northport earlier in the day requires a short drive or rideshare.
Optional Stop: Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site
Visitors interested in exploring another important cultural site nearby may also wish to stop at the Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site in Huntington Station. Whitman’s poetry explored themes of identity, humanity and connection in ways that continue to resonate today, making the site a meaningful addition for travelers interested in literary and LGBTQ+ history.
Day 2 – NYC: LGBTQ+ Neighborhoods and Energy
Travel
Make your way from Huntington to Manhattan. There are a few ways to get there, but your best option would be the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) from Huntington Station to Penn Station. From Penn Station, take the subway or a quick cab to Central Park.
Central Park Start and Bethesda Fountain
Get your caffeine fix or light breakfast from cafés in the area, such as Black Press Coffee or (in keeping with our itinerary’s waterfront theme!) the Central Park Boathouse Café.
Walk through Central Park to Bethesda Fountain, the original work you explored the day before. After experiencing it through art on Day 1, seeing the fountain in person creates a meaningful, full-circle moment – connecting art, place, and history.
Greenwich Village: LGBTQ+ Roots
From here, the day unfolds naturally as you move downtown and then back uptown through some of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods. Continue downtown to Greenwich Village by subway or taxi (about 20-25 minutes).
Visit the Stonewall Inn, site of the Stonewall Uprising, and take time to explore the surrounding streets filled with cafés and shops. Notice how these public spaces reflect both a key moment in LGBTQ history and present-day community life.
Lunch in the West Village
Stay in the neighborhood for lunch. Check out Joseph Leonard, which offers a lively, rustic setting ideal for conversation. Or stop by Little Owl if you prefer a quieter, more intimate atmosphere.
Both are within walking distance and well-suited for a relaxed midday break.
Chelsea: Art, Movement, and Exploration
From Greenwich Village, take the subway to Chelsea—or opt for a walk if you’d like to take in the sights (and walk off lunch). Walk along the High Line, an elevated park that blends city views, greenery, and public art.
Nearby, explore a selection of contemporary galleries. Check out:
- ACA Galleries: A long-standing Chelsea gallery known for exhibiting socially conscious work by both historic and contemporary artists, with a focus on themes of representation and inclusion.
- Galerie Lelong & Co.: The New York outpost of a Paris-founded gallery, featuring influential artists such as Nancy Spero and Yoko Ono, with an emphasis on conceptual and politically engaged art.
- David Zwirner Gallery: A leading contemporary gallery showcasing internationally recognized artists through museum-quality exhibitions across expansive Chelsea spaces.
This stretch of the day is especially easy to navigate on foot, allowing you to take in and engage with the city’s creative energy at your own pace. It’s the perfect place to see where your feet take you!
Dinner in Hell’s Kitchen
From here, continue north to Hell’s Kitchen, a neighborhood known for its vibrant LGBTQ+ community and dining scene. If you’d like a warm, elevated dining experience for the evening, check out The Marshal. If you prefer a more casual, social meal, 5 Napkin Burger is worth a visit.
Travel note: Hell’s Kitchen is a short walk or quick ride from the Chelsea galleries.
Nightlife and Community Spaces
Stay in Hell’s Kitchen to experience its nightlife—walkable, lively, and welcoming, with plenty of LGBTQ+ spaces to soak up the community vibe. You might start at VERS for a stylish, performance-driven atmosphere, and ease into something more relaxed and social at FLEX. Whether you stay for one drink or the entire evening, these spaces offer a shared sense of connection and celebration.
Overnight
Depending on the vibe you’d like for the rest of the night, you can settle in at The Standard, High Line for a lively, social atmosphere with a buzzing energy, or choose Hotel Chelsea for a more intimate stay steeped in artistic legacy and cultural history.
From a quiet harbor in Northport to the streets of Greenwich Village and the energy of Hell’s Kitchen, this journey moves through spaces shaped by creativity, identity, and community.
By experiencing these places together—through art, landscape, and shared moments—you gain a deeper appreciation of how Pride lives not only in landmarks, but in the everyday spaces where people gather, connect and celebrate who they are.
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