So, the other day I visited Port Jeff (short for Port Jefferson) – or Down Port, as the locals call it. It brought back a lot of memories and it is one of the highlights on Long Island.
It’s about a twenty minute drive from my house or about two hours by train from Manhattan. And the parking is a dollar per two hours.
Port Jeff has been the place where I’ve spent time going on dates, celebrated birthday parties, or just walked on the marina with family and friends or just myself.
It’s the port that houses numerous boats from around the globe. And it’s the port that docks ferries from Connecticut and then sails them back.
Besides the boats, numerous clothing stores, restaurants, cafes, ice cream parlors, bars, and other venues are open to explore. One of the restaurants in particular that I enjoy and is affordable is the Steam Room. It’s half-way outdoors and indoors and dogs are allowed inside. A lot of seafood is available on the menu and my favorite is the clam chowder.
Before the pandemic, Port Jeff hosted the annual Charles Dickens’ Christmas Festival. So both men and women, dressed in Victorian era costumes, congregated in the square and sang Christmas songs. While during the summer time, it was packed with people lining up on the docks just to enjoy the view, or sometimes to look for Pokémon on their smartphones.
Nowadays with the pandemic and the still chilly weather, there have been less crowds.
Yet I prefer it that way. Less is more, as they say. And while traveling abroad may open sometime soon in the future, Port Jeff will still be a place that I will hold dear in my heart.
Is there some place local that you enjoy walking through? Safe travels. (:
Susanna's Musings 
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