Our First Family Getaway – North Fork Wine Country

While we were waiting for our little one to arrive, we talked about taking him on adventures. Travel near and far is important to us, and getting him on the road and in the air right away was a priority. His passport has arrived, and our tickets to Ireland are booked! In the meantime, we wanted to enjoy the gloriousness that is summer in the Northeast. Our first family road trip brought us to New Jersey to visit family, and we made our way back to Boston through one of my favorite places, the North Fork of Long Island. I’ve visited the North Fork four times now, and I just want to keep going back. It has a beautiful serenity, a feeling of closeness to the sea and the earth, that I simply love.

Our drive from my mom’s in New Jersey wasn’t the worst, and Myles slept for much of it. We made a quick stop for a hot dog at Coney Island, and we were on our way to wine country!

We decided that since we are now traveling with a baby, we would try our best to find lodging with suites whenever possible. It worked out perfectly that my husband had Marriott points from work travel and that the Residence Inn in Riverhead was fairly close to the local wine scene. The hotel was beautiful! It was spotless, modern, offered a great lounge with great wine (Bridge Lane wine in a can, hello!). Our room had a kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom, so we had space to put the rock and play where the baby could sleep without our being awake bothering him. It was the perfect setup for family travel while also being totally chic and vacation-y.

I have a list of North Fork favorites, but I am also always eager to try new places. On this trip we visited three new-to-us wineries, along with a restaurant we hadn’t eaten at before. Read on to learn all about our trip!

Clovis Point Vineyards was absolutely beautiful and super family-friendly. The expansive lawn leading down to the vineyard had several picnicking families on it. I love that places like this are great for adults while being fun for kids. I have also learned that lots of fresh air = sleep, so being outside is key. Clovis had some fantastic wines, and I especially loved their barrel-aged Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc. I love Cab Franc, and the North Fork is definitely one of my favorite spots for this grape.

Macari Vineyards was a gorgeous spot for some delicious bubbles. It was a weekday morning in June, we had the patio all to ourselves, and their music selection was excellent. Our baby loves music, so we made a morning of dancing with him while looking out at all of that green. Bliss.

Their rosé display was seriously beautiful!

The winery with the most lasting impression on us was Jamesport Vineyards. It was our last stop on our very first day, and it happened right in the middle of a very long baby meltdown. I was crying, he was crying, life felt like it would never be fun again. I felt like a traveling failure, like taking trips was over. And then we went into the beautifully sunlit tasting room and received the warmest hospitality. Thanks to Matt for suggesting we get the bottle and for not rushing us, even though it was the end of day and near closing. The rosé we had was a breath of fresh air, with summery strawberry notes. The space at Jamesport is so beautiful, both the indoors and outdoors. Inside, light streamed in through a lofty ceiling, while out back, a huge stretch of green space awaited. We left feeling a bit more put together and relaxed!

Thanks to Matt for capturing this family photo!

We were tired from our travels and found a cute restaurant, Jerry & the Mermaid, for great seafood and more local wine for dinner.

Blue Point oysters are some of my favorites!

I paired them with a salad and Clams Casino while Eric had fried shrimp. Everything was delicious, the restaurant is on the water, and it was perfectly baby friendly. Everyone around us was smitten with Myles!

After a fairly decent night sleep, we had the next day to explore and revisited Lavender by the Bay, and while it wasn’t yet in bloom, it was still a magical place. You can view my photos from the full lavender bloom here.

I never visit the North Fork without a stop at Kontokosta, and we made it our last stop before we headed to the ferry. You can read about a past visit here. Kontokosta is absolutely gorgeous and has some of my favorite wines anywhere, including, you guessed it, Cab Franc! We grabbed a picnic and ate it on their sprawling property which overlooks Long Island Sound. We found a bit of shade and had a happy baby while we sipped great wine and indulged in meats and cheeses.

Summer paradise

We said our goodbyes to North Fork wine country an headed to the Cross Sound Ferry dock to get ready to make our way back to Boston via New London. The ferry itself is incredibly relaxing and has a great selection of food and craft beer, making the experience part of your getaway. Look at that sparkling sea! The engines of the ferry made Myles fall to sleep almost instantly, and he slept the entire ride. One recommendation I would make, especially if you are traveling with children, is to get the priority tickets. We were able to board early and were one of the first cars off, which made the trip a bit smoother. As we navigate family travel, I am using every tip and trick I can find!

Until next time, North Fork!