Visit the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site- The Adventuring Millennial

How to Visit Sagamore Hill National Historic Site- The Adventuring Millennial

Living in NYC is great, but every now and then I need a break from the city.

I love road trips. My husband and I used to take road trips all the time, but now that we live in New York and don’t have a car, it’s been much harder for us to make road trips.

We finally decided that not having a car wasn’t a great excuse. We live in NYC after all and it is one of the most connected cities in the world. There are trains, buses, and ferries that can help us get out of the city.

A few weeks ago we took a lovely day trip on Metro-North to Beacon, New York. That was a wonderful trip, so we decided to investigate another train option: the Long Island Rail Road. After some research, we decided to take a day trip in the LIRR to Oyster Bay.

Why Oyster Bay? This looked like a sleepy town with some cute restaurants and coastal views. Those two things already got me excited. But the main reason we chose Oyster Bay was to visit the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site.

If you guys didn’t already know this, I’m fascinated by history. I always seek out historical sights on my travels and I really want to check out more of these sites around where I live, too. So Sagamore Hill was the perfect choice for our day trip!

Honestly, I loved the trip to Oyster Bay. It was an easy escape from the city. If you are also looking for a nice break from NYC or want to add a unique historic site to your trip, keep reading. In this post, I will tell you everything you need to know to Plan Your Visit to the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site. Plus, I will include some of the best things to do in Oyster Bay to make this a full day trip!

Ready to go? Next stop: Oyster Bay!

Everything You Need to Know to Plan Your Visit to the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

History

Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, was born in New York City in 1858. You can actually visit his childhood home in Manhattan, which I also highly recommend. During his childhood, he frequently visited Long Island with his family. In 1880, Theodore Roosevelt purchased 155 acres of land in Oyster Bay. He had a Queen Anne-style house built on the property. From 1885-1919, this house (Sagamore Hill) served as Theodore Roosevelt’s primary home.

During Roosevelt’s presidency, Sagamore Hill became known as “The Summer White House.” Roosevelt took meetings and hosted foreign dignitaries at the home during the 7 summers of his presidency.

The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1962, the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site was established so it could be protected under the National Parks Service.

Location

The Sagamore Hill National Historic Site is located in Oyster Bay, New York on Long Island:

20 Sagamore Hill Road Oyster Bay, NY 1177

How to Get Here

Sagamore Hill is located about 40 miles outside of Midtown Manhattan. If you are traveling here without a car, the best way to get here is with the Long Island Rail Road. I took the LIRR from the Jamacia Station in Queens. You can check out the timetable for the LIRR route here. You can purchase tickets for the LIRR at the Jamacia station (your Metro card doesn’t work for LIRR) or on the MTX eTix app. I used the app and it was so easy. Just buy your ticket on the app and activate it right before you board the train. Make sure you confirm if you are traveling during peak or off-peak hours, as there are different tickets for these options. You will take the LIRR to the Oyster Bay station. The main heart of Oyster Bay is about a 7-minute walk from the train station.

To get to the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, you will need to take an Uber. At least when I visited, Ubers were not very frequent. I took an Uber to and from the historic site and had to wait over 15 minutes each time for my driver to arrive.

Another option for getting to Oyster Bay is with a Long Island Getaway. You will still need to take the LIRR to Oyster Bay but with this package you OysterRides minivan transportation to and from many of the sites in Oyster Bay, including Sagamore Hill. Basically, you wouldn’t have to worry about Uber with this option. This getaway package is only available on Saturdays and Sundays in the summer (Memorial Day-Labor Day). These tickets cost $24.25 for adults and $10 for kids. You can buy these tickets at Gray, Green or Blue Ticket Machines at the station. Select “Deals & Getaways”, then “Long Island Getaways” and then “Oyster Bay Village” on the kiosk screen.

Cost

It costs $10 to tour Theodore Roosevelt’s home. Children 15 years and younger can visit the house for free. The Old Orchard Museum and grounds are free to enter.

The LIRR round trip fare between Jamacia and Oyster Bay is $14.50 during off-peak travel and $20.00 during peak travel.

Hours

The buildings are open Wednesday- Sunday. Park grounds are open every day from sunrise to sunset.

The Old Orchard Museum & Visitor Center is open Wednesday-Sunday from 9:00 am- 5:00 pm. This is where you need to check-in and purchase tickets for the house tour.

The only way to visit the Theodore Roosevelt home is with a guided tour. These are offered from 10:00 am- 4:00 pm Wednesday-Sunday.

What to Expect

When you arrive at Sagamore Hill, you will see the large Queen Anne-style home. To get tickets to tour the home, you will need to walk on the trail (from the parking lot) to the Old Orchard Museum & Visitor Center. Tickets are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Tickets do sell out daily so arrive early to secure your spot.

*If you are traveling from NYC and are taking the LIRR, make sure you plan your trip to arrive as early as possible. I took the 8:50 am LIRR train from Jamaica (which was the first-morning train). I got to Oyster Bay around 9:50 am and had time to get a coffee before heading to Sagamore Hill to get my tickets. Once I arrived, the first available tour was 11:30 am. The LIRR runs about every 2 hours from Jamaica on the weekends so just keep that in mind when you are planning*

Once you get tickets, you will join a group of about 20 people for a guided tour of the house. You can’t take pictures inside but you will get to see 3 floors of the house. My tour lasted an hour and was very informative.

After the tour, you can explore the grounds, visit the museum in the Old Orchard House, or walk on the nature trail. You can bring a picnic but you won’t find any restaurants or cafes on the site.

Good to Know

Backpacks are not allowed in the house. There is a place to store these in the visitor center.
Photography isn’t allowed in the home.
Tours sell out daily, so make sure you arrive early to get tickets.

What to Do at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

The three mains things to explore at the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site are the Theodore Roosevelt House, the Theodore Roosevelt Museum in the Old Orchard House, and the Nature Trail.

Tour Sagamore Hill– This is the main reason why most people visit the historic site. Sagamore Hill was Theodore Roosevelt’s home and the “Summer White House” during his presidency. Tickets for the tours are offered on a first-come-first-serve basis. Tours last about an hour and give you plenty of time to see TR’s home! Arrive early to get tour ticket.
Nature Trail– Teddy Roosevelt was known for his conservation efforts and love of the outdoors. So, it’s no surprise that you can enjoy a beautiful nature trail during your visit to his house. This 0.7-mile loops trail starts and ends at the Old Orchard House. About halfway through the trail, you can walk out on a boardwalk and enjoy views of Cold Spring Harbor. Bring a picnic and/or a swimsuit if you want!
Old Orchard Museum– The Old Orchard Home was built in 1938 by Teddy Roosevelt Jr. He lived here with his family until 1960. This home is now part of the historic site. It serves as a visitor’s center (where you can purchase tickets for the Sagamore Hill tour) and as a Teddy Roosevelt Museum. It is free to visit the Old Orchard Museum so spend some time learning more about Teddy Roosevelt before visiting his home.

What to Do in Oyster Bay

Besides visiting the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, there are some other great things to do in Oyster Bay, Long Island!

Restaurants

You will find most of the restaurants in Oyster Bay along Aubrey Avenue or Main Street. Spend some time strolling through this area for small-town vibes and good eats!

Southdown Coffee– this cute coffee shop offers homemade Maple and Vanilla syrup for their espresso beverages + a selection of tempting pastries
Oyster Bay Brewing Company– local brewery complete with board games and pinball machines
Taby’s Burger House– no-frills diner offering one of the “best burgers on Long Island”
Canterbury’s Oyster Bar & Grill– casual American bistro next door to the Oyster Bay Brewing Company
Wild Honey– upscale eatery serving creative American cuisine
2 Spring– elevated eatery with an outdoor patio and a menu of seafood, farm-to-table steaks, plus a good wine list

Other Museums + Sites

Besides Sagamore Hill, there are a few other museums in Oyster Bay!

Raynham Hall Museum– this historic home was once owned by George Washington’s intelligence operative Robert Townsend. The museum offers visitors a glimpse at life on Long Island during the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Oyster Bay Railroad Museum– this museum focuses on long term train travel throughout America’s history. Here you can learn more about the LIRR and see the historic red-brick train station used by Teddy Roosevelt.
You ngs Memorial Cemetery– this small cemetery is 1.5 miles from Sagamore Hill and is the final resting place of Teddy Roosevelt. Visitors are welcome to the cemetery year-round from 9:00 am- dusk.
Theodore Roosevelt Audubon Sanctuary– explore the trails and gardens while keeping an eye out for birds, like the Great Egret and Eastern Kingbird.

Oyster Festival

Oysterfest is a large waterfront festival held in Oyster Bay each fall. This year’s festival will take place on October 18 and 19, 2019. During this festival, you can enjoy live music, plenty of oysters + other seafood, and amusement rides. This festival is free and over 150,000 visitors are expected to attend in 2019.

Visit the Beach

Looking to hit the beach? You’ve got a few options in Oyster Bay. But be aware, many of the beaches are only open to Oyster Bay residents. The public beaches require a pass, which you must purchase before using the beach. Check out the Town of Oyster Bay website for more information on the beaches that are open for visitors and how to secure a pass. Weekend passes are available to select beaches for $40-$60 per person.

I hope you enjoyed my post about the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site. Are you adding this site to your must-visit list now?

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