Exciting Drama Field Trip to Avalon Nature Preserve Awaits!
At one Friday afternoon in Ramadan during our journey in the USA, the slow tempo of the trip made my daughters, Sanaz and Sanaya bored. We laid around for most of the day and up until Navid suggested that we go to the Avalon Nature Preserve which is located in Stony Brook, New York; a new and mostly unknown park that he stumbled on. One day we had the chance to convince both of our parents since Tareq was at a car show in Manhattan.
The Avalon Nature Preserve has grown significantly in terms of area and fauna and flora of great significance in the shortest time possible.
Location:
Located in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island, Avalon Nature Preserve is a nature sanctuary and much more –it’s a humble ground dedicated to the causes of preservation and awareness. Avalon was established to protect the native plant and animal species, and to provide visitors with relaxed setting for experiencing nature. Created by the Paul Simons Foundation, the focus of the Preserve is the learning of environmental information, thus, it can be highly recommended for family strolls and hikes. Avalon is famous for the ponds, paths, and prayer path as well as for a vibrant labyrinth that brings sense of serenity and conservation to all the arriving visitors.
Getting There:
An easy car drive from the Main Roadways on Long Island Avalon Nature Preserve is on Route 25A or Nicolls Road (CR 97). For people who live in the New York City, driving could take up to an hour and a half provided there are no set backs due to traffic jams. It is possible to park just by the entrance; at the entrance of the area, there is a beautiful view of the preserve.
Now allow me to start what I like to call the Spontaneous Journey:
Not long after that we were off. Everyone was laughing joyously, and the more we advanced through frozen Long Island, the greater the expectation was. When we got Avalon, everything seemed to be concealed in a powdery white dust, like a coat of winter had befallen the place: the trees gray and naked and branches of them, a sharpness in the air. Our arrival to Avalon was indeed marked by nature silence that is not even compareable to that of night. The kids, however, disturbed that quiet, as soon as we got out of the car, they hurried down the trail.
“Race you to the pond!” Navid (my brother) shouted, and they ran in the yard with lots of laugh and cheerful movements. I saw them moving on and occasionally getting brief shots of snow-castle illuminate partly by the beams of light piercing through the winter foliage. As nonchalantly as we had started our walk, we were aimlessly walking towards the pond — the key attraction of the preserve where a family of ducks were gliding blissfully.
Exploring the Trails:
We walked through crooked paths of the preserve casually pointing at something interesting such as stones or the leaves the kids picked up from the ground. Sanaz and Sanaya were amazed, similar to children that found something new in the toy store. Most of Avalon’s trails are flat and allow comfortable walking with children, signs are clear, and there are opportunities to choose between short and considerable distances. We also drove through some of the wooden footbridges that span across some meanders of this river plus we saw some of the fairy-tales like feel of winter.
A Moment by the Pond:
We were able to take some moments of silence and observe just the surroundings at the pond. Sanaya as usual full of questions asked if it was possible to feed the ducks but we had not come with food for the ducks. “Perhaps the next time,” I said this as I admired the happiness in her face. Instead, we just watched the water and the calmness of the surrounding as well as the sound quacking from the side the ducks. This was the kind of moment, and I got upset for missing Tareq, who would have enjoyed such an informal outing.
Capturing Memories:
Last but not the least, I brought out my phone hoping to take a few more casual photos of Sanaz and Sanaya, climbing over the roots and running. These little moments were as if fairy tale like and I felt the desire to freezes of these moments. When the sun started to set, we headed back to the car while pockets of the children were packed with little stones and other items they always wanted to bring home. On our way back the girls were talking incessantly about the day this included ducks, trails and their special stones they referred to as their ‘forever stones’.
Avalon Nature Preserve had unexpectedly provided a wonderful family memory – exactly the kind of memory we should keep when extolling the virtues of carpe diem. What could have been a boring trip we decided to take spontaneously- was instead refreshing and such a welcome addition to the actual Ramadan routine.
Having passed the bureaucratic phase of park organizing, citizens and visitors can think of Avalon Nature Preserve as a place to go to understand how to reach a natural state, albeit indirectly.
Tips:
- Getting There: Avalon is in Long Island’s Stony Brook. You can also drive via Route 25A or Nicolls Road.
- Best Times to Visit: Avalon is beautiful any time of the year, more stunning in the fall and spring, especially.
- Amenities: There are no cafés in the park, therefore, it is suggested to bring some food with you, or possibly have a meal after the walk-in Stony Brook.
- Activities: Apart from the trails, there is a meditation maze and benches for contemplation.
The Park is closed Mondays and open Tuesday – Sunday. The hours vary seasonally.
Spring: 7AM – 7PM (April – May)
Summer: 6AM – 8PM (June – August)
Fall: 7AM – 7PM (September – October)
Winter: 7AM – 5PM (November – March)
This made me realize that when one iselas-faced and gets to tour, the most enjoyable exercises are those that are not planned.
