Montauk beach

Address: 50 South Fairview Ave., Montauk, NY

Phone Number: 631-668-5000

Web Site: http://www.nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkID=136

This is Montauk, or as the popular bumper stickers and t-shirts have dubbed it, “The End.” Indeed it is: Montauk is 118 miles from Manhattan, at the eastern end of Long Island. At its eastern tip -- the end of The End, as it were -- you’ll find Montauk Point State Park, the geographic conclusion of Long Island, and the beginning of what could be a memorable day for you and your family.

Start with the most obvious part of the park: The 110-foot-high Montauk Lighthouse. Authorized by President George Washington in 1792, it is the fourth oldest active lighthouse in the country. You can climb its 137 steps to the top, where its beacon flashes bright enough to be seen 19 nautical miles at sea.

Montauk Point State Park can enlighten in other ways, too. It’s a haven for fisherman, surfers, hikers and nature overs, too (seals are often spotted on the rocks, south of Turtle Cove). This is not a beach for swimming and sunbathing, but for drawing close to nature, reflecting on the vast spaces that lie to the east, and simply enjoying the fact that you have made it to The End.