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
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram