How to Find Cheap Hotels in Long Island, New York. New York is famed for being both super-urban and down-home rural. Long Island, New York offers visitors the best of both worlds, with plenty of metropolitan splendor and a touch of quiet in its coastal communities.
Read up on fun local facts. Long Island is the 17th most populous island in the world, ahead of Sicily, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and even Ireland.
Familiarize yourself with the map. Long Island contains the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn, both part of metropolitan New York City. This will give you good access to New York City itself, as well as all the accommodations in the cheaper boroughs.
Be sure to dress for the season.
Fly to Long Island using any of the region's major airports. Both LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy Airport are located on Long Island. Transportation to Manhattan is readily available at both.
Take the train for a fast, simple connection to Long Island. The Long Island Railroad (LIRR) is the main mass transit on Long Island, running from Montauk Point all the way to Penn Station in Manhattan. There are dozens of stops along the route, giving plenty of options to casual travelers looking to stop and see a town or two on their way to the Point.
Use taxis to get around Long Island. Taxi service is extensive throughout the island, and both Brooklyn and Queens have plentiful taxi services. Outlying cities have independent taxi services running throughout.
To book accommodations, contact Long Island Convention and Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission at (877) FUN-ON-LI or visit their Web site (see Resources below).
Book your accommodations in Long Island as far in advance as possible. Rates can be very cheap in places like Brooklyn or Queens. It's not uncommon to see prices below $70 a night for a decent room (1- or 2-star quality) in a good neighborhood.
Take a trip to Long Island's outer communities. Long Island is renowned as the home of the Hamptons, an incredibly popular summer destination for people wanting a touch of peace and quiet, and more than a little coziness. Small but charming inns and bed and breakfasts abound, and rates will be particularly cheap in winter and early spring.
Choose your accommodations based on location. Scan the streets near Coney Island, Jones Beach or Sunken Meadow State Park for inexpensive motels, many of which are as cheap as $60 per night.
