Beautiful Shelter Island will entice you
The area's history and museums are just a few of the reasons to vacation in Shelter Island. Travelers to this scenic city praise the island views, kayaking and parks. Many of our vacation rentals offer full kitchens, spacious living quarters and sometimes even a hot tub—perfect for a relaxing getaway.
Shelter Island - a plantation nation
Aside from just feeling the sand between your toes, Shelter Island has a wealth of history. You can easily spend an hour or so exploring the historic Sylvester Manor, an educational farm and manor house which dates back to 1652. A former plantation, the manor house and grounds are open to the public for tours between Tuesday and Saturday. Now you've got a taste for island history, dig deep into Shelter Island's past at the Havens House Museum. Run by the Shelter Island Historical Society, Havens House was built in 1743 and features a fascinating array of period displays.
An island of peachy beach adventures
Shelter Island life is all about the beach, just ask any local. There are 3 main beaches on the island. Crescent Beach attracts watersports enthusiasts, who come for a cheery paddle around the island. It has a cafe, lifeguards, and several places to rent kayaks and paddleboards. The pristine sands of Shell Beach and Wades Beaches are perfect for sunbathing and beach picnics. It's also popular with the golfing crowd, who come to tee off on the island's 2 golf courses that, along with a minigolf course, will satisfy any wannabe Tiger Woods.
Summer swelters on Shelter Island
Shelter Island has been popular weekend getaway for savvy New Yorkers for decades. Although a year-round vacation destination, that's not to say the weather is great all year round. During the summer months, expect dry days with plenty of sunshine and a higher than average humidity. However, in winter, the mercury drops dramatically and snow is all but guaranteed. If you book a Shelter Island vacation rental in the shoulder seasons, spring and fall, you'll find cool but sunny days, and lots more rain, so be prepared to get soaked.
Discover the Sound of silence at the Mashomack Preserve
Less than a 10-minute ferry ride from the eastern shores of Long Island, Shelter Island lies a 100 miles east of New York City. Surrounded by the cool clear waters of the Block Island Sound, Shelter Island hosts loads of marine life, with dolphins, and humpback and pilot whales regularly spotted from the shore. Large swathes of the island are part of the Mashomack Preserve, which has 10 miles of coastline and salt marshes. It's a big draw for the state's birdwatchers, who flock to spot osprey, great blue heron, and the snowy egret.
How to get to and around Shelter Island
The nearest airport is in MacArthur Airport (ISP), located 44.1 mi (70.9 km) from the city center. If you can't find a flight that works for your travel itinerary, you could book a flight to East Hampton, NY (HTO), which is 8.8 mi (14.2 km) away.