Lavender by the bay: a lavender farm in New York

One of my favorite things to do, besides discover unexplored places in New York City, is to find places near the city that are great day trips or getaways! You can check some of my suggestions on the Travel category. There are several good places to visit in New York State. Last week, I was lucky to find out about Lavender by the Bay – a lavender farm which is located in Long Island, specifically in East Marion in NY State. Who could imagine that you don’t need to France to see a wonderful lavender field? On Sunday, last week, we rented a car and we went there!

Lavender By the Bay is New York’s premier lavender farm and one of the largest in the USA.  A family-run farm, it has been growing the highest quality lavender on Long Island for over 15 years. The farm has planted twenty varieties of lavender across seventeen acres of farmland, yielding over 50,000 plants for cultivation. The place is open for visitors and also has a store, that sells lavender, of course, honey, cosmetics, and other things. Needless to say how much it was amazing to see a field of these flowers closely, right? And I don’t need to mention the delicious aroma of the place, right?

The plants come into full, gorgeous bloom during three different times – these are approximations and bloom times are ultimately decided by mother nature. You can’t predict the exact time. The first English Bloom typically takes place mid to late June and sometimes into early July. The main French Bloom usually begins in early July and lasts about 2 weeks. This is the best time to visit because this bloom is the most impressive. The second English Bloom typically starts late Summer early Fall. You can check the Fan Page for blooming status.

The farm opens Friday thru Sunday 9AM-5PM for the month of May. From June to September, it is open 7 days a week 9AM-5PM (they close the fields at 4:30).  In October, the farm is only open Friday, Saturday & Sunday 9AM-5PM.  During the blooms, there is a $10-$12 fee per person ages 12 and up.

Lavender by the Bay is approximately two hours from Manhattan by car. We had never rented a car before and we took the opportunity to do this. The trip is super nice – much of it for the Long Island Expressway. It was a delight to pass through small towns, to see strawberry fields, and see those nice houses we usually see in the movies. We spend about  $72 with the rental car – by Dollar Car Rentals, but we took the car in Astoria.

• Rent your car.
• If you want an easy way to rent a car, I highly recommend trying Getaround. It’s an app that lets you rent and unlock cool cars nearby, directly from your phone. No membership fees, no paperwork, no hassles. I have a special link for you to sign-up with that offers $20 free credit.

What about public transportation? There is no public transportation directly to the farm, but you may take the LIRR to the town of Greenport. Lavender by the Bay is only a 15 minute bike ride from the Greenport train station. You can arrange Dan’s Bike Rental to meet you with bikes at your hotel, train, or bus stop. But keep in mind that the average price for one person, round-trip, by train, is $40.

Since we drove, we took the opportunity to choose a very nice restaurant for lunch. We stopped at Alure Chowder House & Oysteria before heading to the farm, a seafood restaurant with an amazing view! The menu includes options with shrimp, lobster, and fish with prices from $ 20 to $ 27.

Lavender by the Bay:

• 7540 Main Rd, East Marion, NY 11939
• Calverton, NY 11933 (new location!)

Laura Peruchi

Content creator and journalist in New York City. Here, I share lifestyle, beauty, NYC tips, thoughts, and the struggles about living in the most amazing city in the world! I’m not gonna pretend to be another person: I’m a Brazilian immigrant and I think this is my soul, it is part of who I am. I hope you enjoy my content! Follow me on Instagram!