Gardens, beaches, lighthouses and harbor villages for your wedding-day portraits or your engagement session, sorted by area, with the venues closest to each.
70 places
Before you go: many gardens and parks need advance permission or a permit for professional photography, and some charge a fee. Each location below notes what kind of rules to expect. We confirm the current rules when we plan your session.
The former Phipps estate: a Charles II-style mansion among 200 acres of formal gardens, lakes and tree-lined allées. The walled garden is a favorite for both wedding portraits and engagement sessions.
Ticketed garden or museum. Portrait sessions usually need advance permission, and some charge a photography fee. Check with the garden before you go.
Near: Old Westbury Gardens, Westbury Manor, The Royalton Mansion
Photo: Hayden Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
A 409-acre arboretum around Coe Hall, a Tudor Revival mansion, with greenhouses, specimen trees and wide lawns. Lots of variety within a short walk.
Ticketed garden or museum. Portrait sessions usually need advance permission, and some charge a photography fee. Check with the garden before you go.
Near: Planting Fields Arboretum & Coe Hall, The Crescent Beach Club, The Mansion at Glen Cove
Photo: GK tramrunner229 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Gilded Age mansions, including Hempstead House and Castle Gould, with a Long Island Sound beach and woodland trails.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: Hempstead House at Sands Point Preserve, Swan Club on the Harbor, The Mansion at Glen Cove
Photo: Mr.choppers · CC BY-SA 3.0
A 12-acre public garden with ponds, flower gardens and shady woodland paths. Small, quiet and easy for an engagement session.
Ticketed garden or museum. Portrait sessions usually need advance permission, and some charge a photography fee. Check with the garden before you go.
Near: The Royalton Mansion, Westbury Manor, Old Westbury Gardens
Photo: Saturnmondays · CC BY-SA 4.0
An art museum on the former Frick estate, with formal gardens, outdoor sculpture on the lawns and wooded walking trails.
Ticketed garden or museum. Portrait sessions usually need advance permission, and some charge a photography fee. Check with the garden before you go.
Near: Swan Club on the Harbor, The Royalton Mansion, Old Westbury Gardens
Photo: Antony-22 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Woodland, wetlands and Long Island Sound shoreline around the former Harold Pratt estate.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: The Mansion at Glen Cove, Hempstead House at Sands Point Preserve, Swan Club on the Harbor
Photo: Invertzoo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Theodore Roosevelt's Queen Anne-style home, now a National Historic Site, with meadows and a trail down to Cold Spring Harbor.
Federal site. Managed by the National Park Service or U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Commercial photography may need a permit, so check the site's rules.
Near: The Crescent Beach Club, Planting Fields Arboretum & Coe Hall, The Harbor Club at Prime
Photo: Unknown · Public domain
A county arboretum with specimen trees, a pond and quiet garden paths.
Ticketed garden or museum. Portrait sessions usually need advance permission, and some charge a photography fee. Check with the garden before you go.
Near: Planting Fields Arboretum & Coe Hall, The Mansion at Glen Cove, The Crescent Beach Club
Photo: Terry Ballard · CC BY 2.0
A county park with a pond, walking paths and open lawns.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: The Royalton Mansion, Swan Club on the Harbor, Westbury Manor
Photo: AITFFan1 · CC BY-SA 4.0
A small village park around a pond in the heart of historic Roslyn.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: The Royalton Mansion, Swan Club on the Harbor, Old Westbury Gardens
Photo: AITFFan1 · CC BY-SA 4.0
An 1870s brick lighthouse offshore in Long Island Sound, seen from the Kings Point shoreline.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: Leonard's Palazzo, Hempstead House at Sands Point Preserve, New York Botanical Garden
Photo: User:Kadin2048 · CC BY 2.5
Poet William Cullen Bryant's former home on Roslyn Harbor, with a pond, gardens and water views.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: Swan Club on the Harbor, The Royalton Mansion, Old Westbury Gardens
A preserve on Hempstead Harbor with woodland trails, meadows and shoreline bluffs.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: The Mansion at Glen Cove, Swan Club on the Harbor, Hempstead House at Sands Point Preserve
A harbor-front park in Oyster Bay with a beach, lawns and views across the bay.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: Planting Fields Arboretum & Coe Hall, The Crescent Beach Club, The Mansion at Glen Cove
A large county preserve with meadows, woodland trails and the ruins of the Knollwood estate.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: Planting Fields Arboretum & Coe Hall, The Fox Hollow, The Mansion at Oyster Bay
Long Island Sound beaches along Bayville Avenue with wide-open water views.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: The Crescent Beach Club, Planting Fields Arboretum & Coe Hall, The Mansion at Glen Cove
One of Nassau County's largest parks, with open lawns, a lake and mature trees in the middle of the island.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
A state park best known for its golf courses, with rolling fairways, tree lines and picnic lawns.
New York State park. Many state parks charge a vehicle fee in season, and professional photography may need a permit. Check with the park office first.
Near: The Heritage Club at Bethpage, The Fox Hollow, Crest Hollow Country Club
A recreated 19th-century Long Island village with historic houses, barns, a church and dirt lanes.
Ticketed garden or museum. Portrait sessions usually need advance permission, and some charge a photography fee. Check with the garden before you go.
Near: The Heritage Club at Bethpage, Crest Hollow Country Club, The Fox Hollow
Miles of Atlantic beach and dunes, with the landmark water tower and boardwalk.
New York State park. Many state parks charge a vehicle fee in season, and professional photography may need a permit. Check with the park office first.
Near: Coral House, Riviera Waterfront Mansion
Photo: Bjoertvedt · CC BY-SA 3.0
A large lake with wooded paths, ponds and a carousel.
New York State park. Many state parks charge a vehicle fee in season, and professional photography may need a permit. Check with the park office first.
Near: Coral House, The Garden City Hotel, The Inn at New Hyde Park
A long greenbelt of ponds, streams and woodland trails.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: Riviera Waterfront Mansion, The Heritage Club at Bethpage, The Lannin
A long oceanfront boardwalk with wide beaches and Atlantic views.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: Coral House
A quiet beach community at the eastern tip of Long Beach barrier island, with dunes, bay and ocean.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: Coral House
The former Marshall Field III estate on Lloyd Neck, with meadows, woodland, historic buildings and a Sound beach.
New York State park. Many state parks charge a vehicle fee in season, and professional photography may need a permit. Check with the park office first.
Near: The Harbor Club at Prime, The Crescent Beach Club, Planting Fields Arboretum & Coe Hall
A wildlife refuge on Lloyd Neck with woodland trails, a rocky beach and old estate gardens.
Federal site. Managed by the National Park Service or U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Commercial photography may need a permit, so check the site's rules.
Near: The Harbor Club at Prime, The Crescent Beach Club, Oheka Castle
Photo: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region · Public domain
William K. Vanderbilt II's Spanish Revival mansion on Northport Bay, with courtyards, a bell tower and water views.
Ticketed garden or museum. Portrait sessions usually need advance permission, and some charge a photography fee. Check with the garden before you go.
Near: The Harbor Club at Prime, Larkfield, Oheka Castle
Photo: Dmadeo · CC BY-SA 3.0
A harbor village with a historic Main Street leading to a waterfront park and dock.
Village streets & waterfront. No entry fee. Be mindful of private property, businesses and working docks.
A boardwalk along Long Island Sound, with bluffs and salt marsh.
New York State park. Many state parks charge a vehicle fee in season, and professional photography may need a permit. Check with the park office first.
Near: Larkfield, The Estate at Three Village Inn, The Watermill
Photo: Mchaelh · CC BY-SA 4.0
A preserve along the Nissequogue River with ponds, woodland trails and the historic Wyandanch Club building.
New York State park. Many state parks charge a vehicle fee in season, and professional photography may need a permit. Check with the park office first.
Near: The Watermill, Larkfield, Flowerfield
Photo: AJW1188 · CC BY-SA 3.0
An 18th-century grist mill on the mill pond, a short walk from Stony Brook Village and the harbor.
Village streets & waterfront. No entry fee. Be mindful of private property, businesses and working docks.
Near: The Estate at Three Village Inn, Flowerfield, Windows on the Lake
Photo: Traitor · CC BY-SA 3.0
A former whaling village with a harbor-front main street, small shops and water views.
Village streets & waterfront. No entry fee. Be mindful of private property, businesses and working docks.
Near: Oheka Castle, The Harbor Club at Prime, Crest Hollow Country Club
A working harbor with marinas, boats and waterfront views around Halesite.
Village streets & waterfront. No entry fee. Be mindful of private property, businesses and working docks.
Near: The Harbor Club at Prime, Oheka Castle, Crest Hollow Country Club
A waterfront park on Port Jefferson Harbor, steps from the village shops and ferry dock.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Wooded bluffs above Long Island Sound with a long beach and hiking trails.
New York State park. Many state parks charge a vehicle fee in season, and professional photography may need a permit. Check with the park office first.
An arboretum on the Connetquot River with a Tudor-style mansion, lawns, a pinetum and riverside paths.
New York State park. Many state parks charge a vehicle fee in season, and professional photography may need a permit. Check with the park office first.
Near: Bourne Mansion, The Watermill, Windows on the Lake
Photo: pshutterbug · CC BY 2.0
A Great South Bay park with beaches, dunes, fields and bay views.
New York State park. Many state parks charge a vehicle fee in season, and professional photography may need a permit. Check with the park office first.
Near: Bourne Mansion
Photo: Harvey Barrison · CC BY-SA 2.0
A tree-lined lake with walking paths around the water.
New York State park. Many state parks charge a vehicle fee in season, and professional photography may need a permit. Check with the park office first.
Near: The Piermont, The Heritage Club at Bethpage, Riviera Waterfront Mansion
Photo: The original uploader was Jimerb at English Wikipedia. · CC BY 2.5
A large preserve with a river, ponds and the historic Southside Sportsmen's Club lodge.
New York State park. Many state parks charge a vehicle fee in season, and professional photography may need a permit. Check with the park office first.
Near: Bourne Mansion, Windows on the Lake, Villa Lombardi's
Photo: Christine from L.I. · CC BY-SA 4.0
The black-and-white striped lighthouse on Fire Island, reached by a boardwalk from Robert Moses Field 5.
Federal site. Managed by the National Park Service or U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Commercial photography may need a permit, so check the site's rules.
Near: The Piermont
Photo: Don Fick · CC BY-SA 3.0
Ocean beaches and dunes at the western end of Fire Island.
New York State park. Many state parks charge a vehicle fee in season, and professional photography may need a permit. Check with the park office first.
Near: The Piermont
Photo: Anthony22 (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0
An 1857 lighthouse on the bluffs above Long Island Sound.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: Sparkling Pointe, The Halyard at Sound View, Brecknock Hall
Photo: User:GCW50 · Public domain
A walkable harbor village with a working waterfront, a carousel and Main Street shops.
Village streets & waterfront. No entry fee. Be mindful of private property, businesses and working docks.
Near: Brecknock Hall, The Halyard at Sound View, Sparkling Pointe
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
A long, narrow beach at the tip of the North Fork with bay views and maritime forest.
New York State park. Many state parks charge a vehicle fee in season, and professional photography may need a permit. Check with the park office first.
Greenport's waterfront park, with a boardwalk, an antique carousel and harbor views.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: Brecknock Hall, The Halyard at Sound View, Sparkling Pointe
An island between the forks, reached by short ferry rides, with quiet beaches, shoreline and a large nature preserve.
Village streets & waterfront. No entry fee. Be mindful of private property, businesses and working docks.
Near: The Halyard at Sound View, Brecknock Hall, Sparkling Pointe
Photo: Hayden Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
A historic whaling village with a long wharf, a windmill and a Main Street of 19th-century buildings.
Village streets & waterfront. No entry fee. Be mindful of private property, businesses and working docks.
Near: Wölffer Estate Vineyard
Photo: Hayden Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
An oceanfront state park with beaches, woods and the Walking Dunes.
New York State park. Many state parks charge a vehicle fee in season, and professional photography may need a permit. Check with the park office first.
Near: Gurney's Montauk, Montauk Yacht Club
Photo: Hayden Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
New York State's oldest lighthouse, at the eastern tip of Long Island, with bluffs and rocky shoreline below.
Ticketed garden or museum. Portrait sessions usually need advance permission, and some charge a photography fee. Check with the garden before you go.
Near: Montauk Yacht Club
Photo: Hayden Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
A 16-acre sculpture garden and arboretum created by textile designer Jack Lenor Larsen.
Ticketed garden or museum. Portrait sessions usually need advance permission, and some charge a photography fee. Check with the garden before you go.
Near: Wölffer Estate Vineyard
A village park on Lake Agawam in the heart of Southampton.
Public park or preserve. Rules vary by town and county, and some require a photography permit. Check before your session.
Near: Wölffer Estate Vineyard
The grand terrace, arcade and fountain at the heart of Central Park, overlooking The Lake.
NYC Parks property. Rules on equipment, crews and permits vary by park. Check current NYC Parks guidance before your session.
Near: The Central Park Boathouse, The Pierre, 583 Park Avenue
Photo: Julian Lupyan · CC0
An elevated park on a former freight rail line on the West Side, with plantings and city views.
NYC Parks property. Rules on equipment, crews and permits vary by park. Check current NYC Parks guidance before your session.
Near: Glasshouse Chelsea, Gotham Hall, Cipriani 42nd Street
Photo: Dansnguyen · CC0
The Greenwich Village park known for its marble arch and central fountain.
NYC Parks property. Rules on equipment, crews and permits vary by park. Check current NYC Parks guidance before your session.
Near: Tribeca Rooftop, Capitale, Glasshouse Chelsea
Photo: Isabella Ruffalo-Burgat · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gardens and a waterfront promenade at the southern tip of Manhattan, looking out to the Statue of Liberty.
NYC Parks property. Rules on equipment, crews and permits vary by park. Check current NYC Parks guidance before your session.
Near: Tribeca Rooftop, Capitale, Liberty Warehouse
Photo: Gryffindor · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Met's medieval art branch in Fort Tryon Park, with stone architecture, gardens and Hudson River views.
Ticketed garden or museum. Portrait sessions usually need advance permission, and some charge a photography fee. Check with the garden before you go.
Near: Wave Hill, New York Botanical Garden, The Central Park Boathouse
Photo: Christopher Down · CC BY 4.0
A long, tree-lined park along the Hudson River on the Upper West Side.
NYC Parks property. Rules on equipment, crews and permits vary by park. Check current NYC Parks guidance before your session.
Near: The Central Park Boathouse, 583 Park Avenue, The Pierre
Photo: Momos · CC BY-SA 3.0
Piers and lawns beneath the Brooklyn Bridge with views of the Lower Manhattan skyline.
NYC Parks property. Rules on equipment, crews and permits vary by park. Check current NYC Parks guidance before your session.
Near: The Green Building, 501 Union, Capitale
Photo: (User:Wgreaves) · CC BY-SA 4.0
A 52-acre garden with a Japanese garden, a rose garden and the cherry esplanade.
Ticketed garden or museum. Portrait sessions usually need advance permission, and some charge a photography fee. Check with the garden before you go.
Near: 501 Union, The Green Building, Liberty Warehouse
Photo: Three60five (talk) (Uploads) · Public domain
Olmsted and Vaux's 526-acre park, with a lake, meadows, a boathouse and stone bridges.
NYC Parks property. Rules on equipment, crews and permits vary by park. Check current NYC Parks guidance before your session.
Near: 501 Union, The Green Building, Liberty Warehouse
Photo: King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0
A National Historic Landmark founded in 1838, with rolling hills, ponds and a Gothic Revival gate.
Ticketed garden or museum. Portrait sessions usually need advance permission, and some charge a photography fee. Check with the garden before you go.
Near: 501 Union, The Green Building, Liberty Warehouse
Photo: Rhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0
A Williamsburg waterfront park on the former Domino Sugar site, with an elevated walkway and bridge views.
NYC Parks property. Rules on equipment, crews and permits vary by park. Check current NYC Parks guidance before your session.
Near: Brooklyn Winery, Wythe Hotel, Capitale
Photo: MusikAnimal · CC BY-SA 4.0
A riverfront park with restored gantries, piers and a direct view of the Midtown skyline.
New York State park. Many state parks charge a vehicle fee in season, and professional photography may need a permit. Check with the park office first.
Near: The Foundry, Ravel Hotel, Cipriani 42nd Street
Photo: Joe Mabel from Seattle, US · CC BY-SA 2.0
The 140-foot steel globe from the 1964 World's Fair, with fountains and wide plazas around it.
NYC Parks property. Rules on equipment, crews and permits vary by park. Check current NYC Parks guidance before your session.
A 39-acre garden with themed gardens and water features.
Ticketed garden or museum. Portrait sessions usually need advance permission, and some charge a photography fee. Check with the garden before you go.
Near: Terrace on the Park, Ravel Hotel, Leonard's Palazzo
Photo: Queensbotanicalgarden · CC BY-SA 4.0
A waterfront outdoor sculpture park with rotating installations and East River views.
NYC Parks property. Rules on equipment, crews and permits vary by park. Check current NYC Parks guidance before your session.
Near: Ravel Hotel, The Foundry, 583 Park Avenue
New York City's largest park, with Orchard Beach, woodland and shoreline.
NYC Parks property. Rules on equipment, crews and permits vary by park. Check current NYC Parks guidance before your session.
Near: New York Botanical Garden, Wave Hill, Hempstead House at Sands Point Preserve
Photo: Peter Romano · Public domain
At the southern tip of Staten Island, with a 17th-century stone manor house and waterfront.
NYC Parks property. Rules on equipment, crews and permits vary by park. Check current NYC Parks guidance before your session.
Photo: Dmadeo · CC BY-SA 3.0
A historic fort beside the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge with bridge and harbor views.
Federal site. Managed by the National Park Service or U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Commercial photography may need a permit, so check the site's rules.
Near: The Vanderbilt at South Beach, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Liberty Warehouse
Photo: whomever · CC BY-SA 2.0
Woodland trails and ponds in the middle of Staten Island, starting from the Greenbelt Nature Center.
NYC Parks property. Rules on equipment, crews and permits vary by park. Check current NYC Parks guidance before your session.
Near: The Vanderbilt at South Beach, Snug Harbor Cultural Center
Photo: Dorothy Reilly · CC BY-SA 4.0
Engagement sessions start at $650. Tell us where you are thinking and we will help you pick the time and the light.
No pressure, no spam, just your availability and a custom quote within 24 hours.
Photos of venues and public places on this page are not RF Studios' work. They come from Wikimedia Commons and are used under the licenses shown. Places without a freely licensed photo show an icon instead.