Nestled in the heart of Long Island just an hour east of New York City, the town of Brookhaven is an often-overlooked region boasting a broad array of historical, cultural and natural attractions. While officially designated a town, Brookhaven encompasses more than 400 square miles, stretching from idyllic colonial villages on Long Island Sound to the Atlantic Ocean beaches of Fire Island. That expanse prompts locals to exclaim, "from shore to shore, we've got it all;" even a short visit proves that's no idle boast.

Native Americans lived in the area for more than 4,000 years before a party of six English settlers arrived on the town's North Shore by boat from New England in 1655. Legend has it they purchased eight square miles stretching from Stony Book to Port Jefferson for tools, wampum lead, powder and "one pair of children's stockings."

In 1666 it became part of the Colony of New York along with the rest of Long Island. The region eventually became an important center for the shipbuilding and lumber industries, and during the Revolutionary War it was the site of numerous battles between colonists and British forces.

Brookhaven celebrated its 350th anniversary in 2005, and numerous historic sites are sprinkled throughout the town, as are acres of pristine nature reserves, dozens of museums and first-class venues for the arts and miles of sandy beach. Since Brookhaven spans such a wide geographic area, it is best visited by car. Likewise, as it offers a vast variety of attractions, visitors can choose to take in the entire area over three or four days, or experience individual villages and sections on shorter weekend getaways.

To make planning your trip easier, we've split the town into three geographic regions: the North Shore, central Brookhaven and the South Shore.