Shopping

Antiques -- Route 25A is dotted with lots of little antiques stores, and you'll find a town full of them when you reach Port Jefferson. Along the way, there are a couple of standout villages.

Cold Spring Harbor is a picturesque little town with some nice places to shop. Of special note is the Huntington Antiques Center, 129 Main St. (tel. 631/549-0105), where you'll find collections from about 20 dealers. There are lots of 18th- and early-19th-century items from England, France, and America, as well as an excellent collection of antique Oriental rugs.

Tiny Locust Valley, rarely even plotted on Long Island maps, is a favorite of Long Island antiques hunters in the know. Oster-Jensen, 86 Birch Hill Rd. (tel. 516/676-5454), carries everything from American country-style antiques to furniture in Federal, English Georgian, and Regency styles. There's a host of smaller items as well. Locust Valley Antiques, 94 Forest Ave. (tel. 516/676-5000), boasts two large showrooms of European and Continental artwork and furniture. For a pleasant lunch break, grab one of the best burgers on Long Island at Buckram Stables Café, 31 Forest Ave. (tel. 516/671-3080).

Retail -- One of the most renowned shopping strips on the East Coast is the so-called Miracle Mile. The real name is the Americana Manhasset, 2060 Northern Blvd., Manhasset (tel. 800/818-6767 or 516/627-2277), where you'll find such high-end retailers as Brooks Brothers, Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, Burberry, and Prada, as well as the ubiquitous Banana Republic and Gap. Take a break for a fine lunch -- salads, panini, and more -- at Cipollini (tel. 516/627-7172).