To celebrate the 4th of July this year, I convinced my husband who is constantly working, whether it be his paid job or the thousands of chores around the house, to take a break and do something special to commemorate our freedom that so many have sacrificed for us and that foreigners want so desperately. 
I have been wanting to visit Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay for a while now, and I thought it would be a wonderful place to have a picnic. So I checked the website and found that Sagamore Hill, a National Historic Site, was closed on Monday and Tuesday, but the park was open 7 days a week until sunset. That was perfect because all we wanted to do was have a picnic by the water.
With traffic light on 25A, we followed the GPS to the location without a hitch. As we wereturning onto Yellow Cote Road, a huge private coach bus turned in front of us. That gave me a hint that maybe something was going on at the summer estate of Theodore Roosevelt. With a sign posted on Cove Road that the lot was full, we knew something was going on. We continued forward, to arrive at what was a splendid afternoon at Sagamore Hill.
The U.S. National Park was filled with people coming to see re-enactments of cavalry, shows, free entry to the first floor of Sagamore Hill, which was the Summer White House, and lots of things for children. What was evident to me was that many people spoke different languages, teaching their children about American history. What a wonderful opportunity to learn how soldier’s dressed at that time and why.The crowd was big, but the park, with more than 80 acres, was plenty of space.
Our destination was the water, so we journeyed with our blanket and picnic basket past the museum through the forest to a bridge which crossed onto a beautiful quiet beach. It was lovely, pristine and unspoiled. Boats were moored in Cold Spring Harbor, enjoying the beautiful summer weather. I felt like I was in paradise and I could fully appreciate this extraordinary treasure of the Gold Coast.
What is amazing about this national park is that it’s free and in our backyard. As we left the beach, I looked back to make sure nothing was left behind to spoil this natural setting until the next time I come to visit.
