This Side Roads guidebook takes visitors to some of the less-traveled places that make Long Island special. Many parts of the island are lushly green and blue - green from the forests and fields, and blue from the waters surrounding this maritime setting. Side Roads takes travelers on whale-watching adventures and to the home ports of 18th and 19th century whalers, to quiet resting places, and natural places that are not well known even to local residents. The book is organized around six touring areas, all within a couple of driving hours from New York City. The first tour explores marine animals, environmental issues, and cultural history near Montauk Point on the South Fork of the island. The second tour explores the north shore of the South Fork, and includes a visit to a lighthouse, a whaling museum, and a park where visitors can feed wild birds by hand. The third tour looks at the North Shore of the island and its heritage as the "Gold Coast" of mansions, many of which are now parks, and its oyster fishery. The fourth tour looks at the North Fork of the island, home of farmers, mariners, early settlers, and scientists. The fifth tour visits the pine barrens, an unusual ecosystem and the home of many rare, protected, or endangered plants and animals. The sixth tour explores rivers and farms of east-central Suffolk County.