Fort Salonga takes its name from a British stronghold of the Revolutionary War. Fort Slongo stood on a bluff above Long Island Sound, and in 1781 American troops crossed the water from Connecticut and raided it. Nothing much remains, but the name lives on in this leafy corner of the North Shore, between Kings Park and Northport, where wooded hills drop to rocky beaches and the Sound glitters to the north.
Riding here means Route 25A, the old North Shore road that wanders east from the city through villages, past estates and over gentle hills. It is not fast, but it is pretty, with stone walls, old churches and the occasional glimpse of the water. Nearby, Sunken Meadow State Park has a long boardwalk and views across to the Connecticut shore, and the bluffs at Fort Salonga itself offer a quiet stop with similar outlooks.
Traffic can be heavy, especially on summer weekends when half of Long Island heads to the beaches, and the road is lined with driveways and junctions, so stay alert. Deer are common at dusk. Northport, just to the east, is a lovely harbour village with a main street sloping down to the water, cafés and a long maritime history, including shipbuilding and oystering.
For fuel and food, Northport, Kings Park and Commack all have plenty of choice, and delis and bagel shops abound. From here, the route continues east towards the North Fork, where the land narrows, vineyards and farm stands replace the suburbs, and the lighthouses at the end of the island beckon. Fort Salonga is a gentle pause on the way, a reminder that even the busy North Shore keeps pockets of history and quiet.