Baseball in the Hamptons

If you are a sports worshipper like me your summer would be nowhere near complete without taking in some baseball in the sunshine. If you are sports worshipper who is traveling to Eastern Long Island this summer you are in luck because the area is home to the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League which offers some of the best summer collegiate ball in the country.

Just a quick background for those who do not know, most college baseball players spend their summers playing summer ball somewhere around the country. The most famous league that college ballplayers go to is the Cape Cod League in Massachusetts although it is far from the only league out there. The HCBL popped up just a few years ago and has quickly evolved to welcome top college players from schools all around the country.

The quality of ball in the HCBL is really high and this is coming from someone who has spent her life watching mostly just major league ball. I think the ballplayers end up impressing all the fans that come to watch with their flawless play.

Something that adds to the HCBL is the personal aspect of it all. The ballparks are mostly local high school fields so they are tiny and all the fans get an upfront view of the action. It's also easy for fans to interact with players after the games asking for autographs and such. I have seen first hand especially how much these ballplayers love kids and giving autographs and balls to their youngest fans.

Even if you are not a big sports worshipper I highly recommend checking out a HCBL game during your visit to the area because of how unique summer league baseball is. Keep in mind some of these players are well on their way to the majors as plenty of alumni of the league have been drafted in the past few seasons.

There are seven teams in the league so really anywhere you travel to on Eastern Long Island you are close to a team to check out. The teams are located in Peconic, Riverhead, Westhampton, Southampton, Sag Harbor, Montauk and on Shelter Island. If you want more information and to check out game schedules you can visit hamptonsbaseball.org.

High quality baseball featuring future major leaguers in beautiful summer weather, what more could you want on your vacation?

Enjoying Wine Country Without Drinking

As a 19 year old living in Wine Country on the North Fork of Long Island you might not think I get many chances to enjoy the vineyards surrounding me. It turns out however that there is a lot to enjoy at the vineyards in the area without tasting wine all afternoon.

For those of you that are like me and are not able to sample the wine at vineyards I want to provide you with a few reasons why the vineyards on Eastern Long Island are still worth your time.

• Some provide you with breathtaking views
• Some offer really good food
• Some offer other entertainment like musical or comedy acts
• Some of the vineyards themselves are in beautiful buildings worth checking out
• Some offer tours of the vineyards so you can see how the wine is made

When thinking about the reasons above I actually had a few specific vineyards in mind that I feel are the best for those who are looking to take in Wine Country minus the wine.

Kontokostas Winery in Greenport is one of the newer ones in the area and has the slogan "Sound Life. Sound Wine." The slogan is a perfect description of it's beautiful location on the Long Island Sound. Kontokostas is definitely one to check out if you love beautiful views.

Martha Clara Vineyards in Riverhead (as a local I can tell you it is more in Jamesport/Mattituck than Riverhead) is one that usually has a lot of public entertainment. If you check out their calendar on their website (marthaclaravineyards.com) you will find a band playing almost every weekend. Martha Clara is one to check out if you want to enjoy some music while maybe others you are with enjoy some wine.

Raphael Vineyard in Peconic is my personal favorite to look at. The main building looks like it belongs in Tuscany and is absolutely beautiful. I think it is worth going to even if you do not drink just to see how beautiful it is.

Of course those are just a few of the roughly 50 vineyards on the North Fork to check out (head to liwine.com to get a taste of what the others are like) and while those are my favorites they really all can offer something to someone who does not drink. So do not let Wine Country scare you aware even if wine is not your thing, there are other aspects of it to enjoy during your vacation too!