A beach is always a good idea—be it for surfing, skinny dipping, or saddling up. If you like the idea of a sea breeze salting your lips while you canter through the waves, check out one of these four ranches and farms near NYC when planning your next equine adventure.
1. Deep Hollow Ranch | Montauk, Long Island
Head to the easternmost tip of Long Island and ride the coastline of Montauk, courtesy of the oldest working cattle ranch in the United States. Enjoy the gentle breeze of the Block Island Sound on a ride toward the nearby Montauk Point lighthouse. Guided tours are offered every day of the week, and are available at 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm and ending at 5pm. Riders must be at least eight years old, and rates begin at $75 for a one and a half hour ride.
How to get there: Consult oM’s public transportation guide to the Hamptons.
2. Jamaica Bay Riding Academy | Queens, NY
Brooklyn goes bucolic at the Jamaica Bay Riding Academy, located in the Gateway National Wildlife Preserve. Riders can enjoy a 40-minute-long group trail ride on the facility’s 400 acres of forested trails, and three-mile private beach. To take part in a guided tour, riders must be 14 years or older and rates are $37 per person. For a private guided tour, the length is extended to 50 minutes and riders are only required to be aged six or older.
How to get there: Take the B, D or Q Train to the Sheepshead Bay Station, where the Riding Academy is a 5-minute taxi ride away.
3. Rustic Rides Farm | Block Island, RI
Gallop along Block Island’s coves, courtesy of the Montauk Ferry and Rustic Rides Farm. Daily rides in the sand and surf are available, beginning at 9am and taking place every hour and a half. Young riders can enjoy the equine adventure, too, as riders aged four and up can ride along Dory’s Cove. Make it romantic with the idyllic Sunset Ride. Arrive at 6pm if you want to trot under a brilliant night sky. A one-hour ride costs $65, while the two-hour option is $100.
How to get there: Take the Hampton Jitney to Montauk, where a Viking Fleet high-speed ferry will be waiting to take you to Block Island.
4. Ridge Valley Stables | Cape Cod, MA
Escape the city and set your GPS for 286 Upton Street in Grafton, Massachusetts. The “Full Day Cape Cod” ride will have riders traversing the soft dunes and splashing surf of Sandy Neck Beach. The trip is tailored to the group’s needs; longer and shorter rides are possible, as well as saddling up and riding from the stables or beginning at the beach. Riders are invited to attend a traditional New England dinner after the trip, though the price is not included in the package. Rates for the Full Day Cape Cod ride begin at $175.
How to get there: Consult oM’s guide to renting hybrid cars.
Photo: Lindley Ashline