bailey arboretum

There are trails in the forest and around the lake, a small kids play area, rescued animals on display including big owls. The best part is it's completely free. The manor like house was closed at the time of our visit.

My wife and I live just over an hour's drive from this arboretum and we have been there several times over the course of the past 2 years. For anyone who knows Long Island, there are few places that are pure nature. Most of the north shore coastline is occupied by private mansions whose gardens extend to the shoreline and are no-go areas. Parks and open beach areas are also few and far between (despite what Long Islanders would like to believe) and entry is often restricted to local residents or people with expensive annual passes. All in all, Long Island is not a good place for natures lovers who want to wander unrestricted through forests and along coastlines - especially if you live on the inner part of the Island (Brooklyn, Queens or Elmont, for example). Bailey Arboretum is therefore a great place to go if you want to walk in the trees and experience the peace and quite and the sounds of nature ... or at least that's how it should be. Unfortunately, someone this is not always the case. Near the parking area, there is a children's play area, and someone (in a moment of very bad judgement) decided that it would be a good idea to place a xylophone (yes, a xylophone) in the children's play are for any child (or parent) to hammer away at to their heart's content. This annoying sound then drifts throughout the arboretum (as it did yesterday afternoon) and puts an immediate end to any thoughts of peace and quite. Yesterday, it was particularly loud and annoying, so after driving well over an hour to get there, and then walking around for only 20 minutes, we simply had to get out of the place before the highly irritating xylophone noise drove us insane. Before leaving, we complained to a guy who works there and he said that he would pass our complaint on to his boss, but whether this was done we will never know. This is not the first time we have been driven out of the arboretum by kids playing the xylophone or by dog owners walking their barking dogs amongst the trees, occasionally off the leash (which is actually not allowed). Sadly, yesterday was probably our last visit to Bailey Arboretum. We can't take the risk of driving there for over an hour only to find that the peace and quite is being destroyed by kids playing a xylophone. It's a crazy thing to put in such a place and the person who did it really needs to reconsider his or her decision. A response from the management would be appreciated. So if you really want peace and quite, stay away from this arboretum until the stupid xylophone has been removed.

Love the birds being rehabilitated on grounds. Free entry. Great sopt for a walk with my dog, with beautiful trees, ponds with ducks and a couple deer that my dog would have loved to herd around.

I might be biases because I had my wedding here, very easy and affordable compared to most outdoor places. Anyway the grounds are beautiful and nice for a spring, summer stroll. Also it is now home to rehabilitating wild birds and animals. They have festivals and family days and close to the quaint village of Locust Valley. The walks aren't as extensive as planting fields in mill neck but still a beautiful place.