Pick up your rental bike and helmet at the Massapequa Train Station, located near the entrance to the Bethpage Bikeway on Long Island. With your provided map, set your own pace and mileage as you ride through state parks and wetland preserves along the 13-mile scenic, traffic-free path.
Your independent tour on a multi-speed comfort bike begins at Brady Park, where you’ll enter the Massapequa Preserve — 423 acres (171 hectares) of woodlands, lakes and freshwater wetlands that are home to hundreds of species of plants and animals. Pedal about 6 miles (9.7 km) farther on the trail to come upon Bethpage State Park.
When you reach a picnic area, stop to eat lunch — either one you've brought along yourself or a provided boxed lunch, if selected, that includes a gourmet wrap, side salad, pickle and bottled spring water. If you've selected the picnic lunch upgrade, you’ll find a tablecloth or picnic blanket, cloth linens and fresh flowers (yours to keep!) to accompany your lunch for two, already set up for you at a pre-selected spot.
After you've eaten, you can head back to the starting point, if you wish, or continue riding north through a section of the historic Motor Parkway, leaving Bethpage Park to enter Trailview State Park, which takes you past residential and industrial areas with gently rolling hills. Then it’s just a bit farther to the end of the Bethpage Bikeway in Plainview. Go as far as you like before turning around and cycling back to the starting point to drop off your bike.