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In an effort to get Long Islanders back on its trains and buses, the Metropolitan Transit Authority is hosting a series of brewery and winery tours on Long Island this summer.
There’s the Long Island Brewery Tour, which will offer discounted round-trip tickets and beer tastings to two South Shore breweries.
Here’s how it works.
Brewery hoppers will be brought by train and bus to Sand City Brewing Co. in Lindenhurst and then the Great South Bay Brewery in Bay Shore. There will also be a stop in Patchogue where beer drinkers can visit the Blue Point Brewery.
The tour dates are Saturday, July 31, and Saturday, Aug. 21. Adult-only tickets are available for $63.50 at gray, green or blue ticket machines until midnight on Thursday of the week of each tour as well as open ticket offices up to the day of the tour.
Both Sand City and the Great South Bay breweries will also offer special beers during the weeks of each tour to honor the Long Island Rail Road. From July 26 to Aug. 1 and again from Aug 16. to 22, Sandy City Brewing Co. will serve a “Cannonball” IPA, named after the Hamptons express train, and the Great South Bay Brewery will offer the “Long Island Ale Road,” a 5% pale ale with citrus notes.
In addition to the brewery trips, other discounted tour packages include visits to the North Fork wine country and trips to Montauk and Greenport (click here to learn more).
“The Long Island Rail Road is all about connecting people and communities — and we’re proud to continue that tradition by highlighting the great businesses and downtown areas our beautiful Island has to offer,” Phillip Eng, the president of the LIRR, said in a press release. “As the island bounces back, plan a day trip and take advantage of this great value tour of two of Long Island’s best local breweries and vibrant downtowns. Using the LIRR across our region is easier than ever. See you on the train!”
The tour is a round-trip, which provides islanders an opportunity to try local beers without having to get behind the wheel. “The suggestion to use the LIRR to travel between localities without the need to drive naturally reduces the potential of DWI,” Lindenhurst Mayor Michael Lavorata said in the press release “It is a safe and enjoyable way to visit your favorite local breweries, restaurants and pubs.”
The tour is part of a larger MTA campaign to encourage people to take the train or the bus to explore the region. The service is also offering several other tour packages this summer, including a Long Island Wine Country tour, a North Fork Fruit & Hard Cider tour, a Greenport Rail Fan tour and a Montauk Lighthouse tour. The wine country tour is for adults only, while the other three are open to adults and children.
“With our world-class wineries, breweries, and vibrant downtowns, there is no better place to spend your summer than right here in Suffolk County,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said in the release. “As we continue on our road to reopening, I encourage all of our residents to hop on the LIRR to take advantage of these deals and support our local businesses who have been especially hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Top: Courtesy photo of the Village of Lindenhurst by the LIRR station.
