Overview
Port Jefferson, often called "Port Jeff" for short, is a village in Suffolk County, Long Island. It is a historical village where good food, friendly people, and pleasant waterfront views can be found.
3 sights · 2 things to do · 5 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Port Jefferson
Theatre Three
A not-for-profit professional regional theatre that was founded in 1969. It performs in Athena Hall, a historic building on Main Street built in the 1860s. Every year the Theatre has a Main Stage season of seven big prod…
Mather House Museum
Is the headquarters of The Historical Society of Great Port Jefferson for most of the year but during July and August the House is open to the public to view the small museum. Within the museum is the Mather House, craft…
Harborfront Park
It is a popular place to enjoy the view of the Long Island Sound. The park is made up of a grassy dune lined with benches, picnic tables, and a play area for the kids. At the heart of the park is the Landmark Sculpture o…
Rocket Ship Park
It is a safe fenced in playground area for the younger kids. The park offers two swing sets, a larger jungle gym for the energetic toddlers, and a smaller jungle gym for the babies, public basketball courts, and public t…
Skating on the Harbor
Skating on the Harbor is offered seven days a week from mid-November to mid-March by the Port Jefferson Village center in Harborfront Park. The outside rink is open for lessons and the public. This is a hot spot for bore…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 84°F; winter lows dip to about 22°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Oct and Jun. (climate data from nearby Pleasantville)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- ISP Long Island MacArthur Airport, Islip — 11 mi away. Directions
- HVN Tweed New Haven Airport, New Haven — 24 mi away. Directions
- JFK John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York — 43 mi away (major hub). Directions
Port Jeff is the last stop on the Port Jefferson Line of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). Trips to and from Manhattan's Penn Station take approximately 2 hours and cost $18.25 at peak times and $13.25 off peak.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Theatre Three, Mather House Museum, Harborfront Park
- Lunch The Steam Room
- Afternoon Rocket Ship Park, Skating on the Harbor
- Dinner Toast Coffeehouse
- Evening Tommy’s Place
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Understand
Port Jefferson is a village in the town of Brookhaven. It was the largest shipbuilding center in Suffolk County in the 1800s. It was incorporated in 1963.
Get in
By train
Port Jeff is the last stop on the Port Jefferson Line of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). Trips to and from Manhattan's Penn Station take approximately 2 hours and cost $18.25 at peak times and $13.25 off peak.
By car
From the Long Island Expressway take Exit 64. Head North on Rte. 112 until the end (about 9 miles). Rte. 112 becomes Rte. 25A at Nesconset Hwy. When you hit the intersection take a right at the blinking yellow light. Continue until you hit Main St.
By ferry
You can enter the village by walking or driving off the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company Ferry from Bridgeport, Connecticut.
The address for the ferry in Bridgeport is: 330 Water St # 2, Bridgeport, Connecticut +1 203 384-9777
The address for the ferry in Port Jeff is: 102 West Broadway.
Get around
By foot
The village is home to mostly foot traffic. To really see the unique shops and restaurants it's best to ditch the car for the day and get out and walk around. But be aware in the spring and summer the village is full of visitors due to the warm weather, so parking is very limited. It’s best to arrive earlier in the day to beat the traffic.
See
See Theatre Three
A not-for-profit professional regional theatre that was founded in 1969. It performs in Athena Hall, a historic building on Main Street built in the 1860s. Every year the Theatre has a Main Stage season of seven big productions, Second Stage season of small plays, Cabernet & Comedy night, and is home to a Children’s Theatre program. Acting classes are offered and tickets can be found online. What the theatre lacks in size it makes up for in talent.
See Mather House Museum
Is the headquarters of The Historical Society of Great Port Jefferson for most of the year but during July and August the House is open to the public to view the small museum. Within the museum is the Mather House, craft house & museum shop, country store, marine barn & sail loft, tool shed, and the spinney clock museum. Each building holds a collection of antiques from the original village in the 1800s. It is an informational tour for the curious local or uneducated tourist.
See Harborfront Park
It is a popular place to enjoy the view of the Long Island Sound. The park is made up of a grassy dune lined with benches, picnic tables, and a play area for the kids. At the heart of the park is the Landmark Sculpture of four seamen holding the bones of a ship above their heads.
Do
Do Rocket Ship Park
It is a safe fenced in playground area for the younger kids. The park offers two swing sets, a larger jungle gym for the energetic toddlers, and a smaller jungle gym for the babies, public basketball courts, and public tennis courts. The park closes at dusk, which is strongly enforced by the local police.
Do Skating on the Harbor (local or alternative name)
Skating on the Harbor is offered seven days a week from mid-November to mid-March by the Port Jefferson Village center in Harborfront Park. The outside rink is open for lessons and the public. This is a hot spot for bored local teens at night, and family bonding during the day. Skates rentals are offered.
Buy
Eat
Eat The Steam Room
The Steam Room is a restaurant that offers casual dining fresh seafood, burgers, sandwiches, homemade soups and salads. Open for lunch and dinner with the choice of seating inside, outside, or by the fire in the winter months. Occasionally live bands play Friday and Saturday nights.
Eat Toast Coffeehouse
Toast Coffee House is a small, funky local café that offers an original breakfast and lunch menu weekly with assorted Fondue flavors and Tapas offered Friday and Saturday nights. Each month the coffeehouse rotates the art on its walls to feature different local artist’s making the atmosphere fresh and entertaining. Because this Coffeehouse is so small and so popular it makes the wait for a table unbearable on weekend mornings. Toast has been reviewed by The New York Times, and in 2008 was voted Best Breakfast on Long Island by AOL City’s Best.
Eat Z-Pita
Z-Pita is a Mediterranean style restaurant that offers a selection of seafood, Greek, and Italian dishes. Fondue is also served seven nights a week, cheese or chocolate. Open for brunch lunch and dinner this restaurant, can cater an event or host a small party. The space is tight and can sometimes get crowded and loud when trying to have an “intimate dinner.”
Eat Tiger Lily Café
Tiger Lilly Cafe is a healthy vegetarian/non vegetarian international cuisine café with an artistic vibe and limited seating. Their menu is full of original recipes such as wraps, sandwiches, salads, soups, fruit smoothies, soy smoothies, juices, energy shakes, and an espresso & java bar. Along with offering vegetarian selections they offer daily gluten free specials. In 2008-2009 Tiger Lily Café was rated number one Vegetarian on Long Island by AOL City’s Best
Eat Sweet n' Savory
Cafe with a wide variety of crêpes with numerous optional fillings. Offers large portions and filled with friendly staff members.
Drink
Drink Tommy’s Place
Tommy's Place is a local bar and restaurant where college kids like to spend their Friday nights. Weekends the bar gets very crowded and very loud. Locals complain of over priced drinks and slow service.
Drink Tara Inn
Tara Inn is a bar and grill where you can find the locals on St Patrick’s day or a Saturday night with friends. Good prices on food and drinks.
Sleep
Stay Danfords Inn
Larger inn featuring 85 guest rooms and suites some with harbor views. Along with a variety of rooms this Inn offers different dinning, entertainment, and conference facilities used for parties, gatherings, and weddings. This inn also offers marina access. This is a respectable inn with clean, comfortable rooms.
Go next
- You can go to Bridgeport, Connecticut by ferry. From there, New Haven and several other places are easily reachable by train.
- If you want to go toward New York City but prefer not to spend the time and money to go all the way there, consider Huntington, which is about half way to the city.
- Farther east, there are areas of beautiful coastline that are comparatively sparsely inhabited.
Nearby
Mount Sinai
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Stony Brook
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Smithtown
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Brookhaven
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Islip
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Northport
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Black Rock
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My experience
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