Family adventure is nothing without hidden treasures to find! The Long Island Live Steamers is nestled in Suffolk County’s Southaven Park like a gem awaiting your discovery. You are welcomed as a train enthusiast, really fun parent, and/or someone with a childlike heart. We had a blast riding these small scale train models and were impressed by the detail and passion the members put into their trains.
The Long Island Live Steamers is a unique club founded in 1966 devoted to the fine art of precision steam model making. They make these awesome models to share their passion with the community in addition to scale models of steam boilers, engines, boats and tractors. Their club accepts members from all over the country who share the same passion. They meet three times per year to visit the track and run their equipment. They also volunteer at the Public Fun Days twice per month to share with the community and foster healthy outdoor activity with their trains. If you love trains, membership has its perks.
Public Run Days are offered twice per month, typically the second and last Sunday of the month (some exceptions). The trains run from 10:30am to 3:00pm (last ticket 2:45pm). Their first run of this season is coming up, Sunday, May 20th! Almost everyone in the family can ride- children must be able to walk to train unassisted, pregnant women not allowed to ride, and children who want to ride the Highline Trains must be at least 40″ tall. They offer Groundline Trains (seen in pictures) and Highline Trains. Ticket prices are by donation (couple dollars or more if you’re generous). They have a small concession stand with ice cream, treats and drinks which helps make the ride complete. They also have a small store so you can buy a conductor hat, whistle, or more to get into full character and complete your adventure.
Visit
Long Island Live Steamers at Southaven County Park
Gerard Road Entrance (189 Gerard Road for GPS)
Brookhaven, NY 11719
Family Adventure Rating ♥
Cost- This adventure is super low cost. The parking is free and the tickets are by donation. You can bring your own lunch for a picnic to be super frugal if needed. A family of five can enjoy this adventure for about $15 plus travel.
Parking & Transportation- A car is the easiest way to get to this adventure. Parking is free, but it’s also a small lot. If you don’t get there early for a spot, there’s still plenty of parking along Gerard Road. There is a bus that will get you to Yaphank Avenue, but it’s a 1.2 mile hike to the Steamers entrance. There is a Long Island Railroad stop at Yaphank and then you can call a cab or ride service like Uber or Lyft.
Location- Located on the South Shore of Long Island, there’s plenty of reasons to be in or near this area. You have terrific beaches being close to Fire Island and quaint villages all within reach.
Day Trip or Overnight- Unless you’re vacationing in the area, this is a day trip. There are plenty of places to explore near here, so you have options.
Experience- We got really lucky to stumble upon this fun adventure. No one in our family is a train hobbyist, but we all had a terrific time. If someone in your family really likes trains, then you definitely can not miss out on this. The volunteers are all super friendly and knowledgeable. You feel welcome and excited about their creations in addition to feeling like a little kid living out a fantasy.
Combination- If you wanted to make a full day in the area, you are close to Smith Point County Park, Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge, and the Holstville Ecological Park.