Island Hopping by Boat and Bike

Near the Montauk ferry, Gosman's (Flamingo and West Lake Drive, 631-668-2549, http://www.gosmans.com ) takes up the dock with dining options: Choose from the seafood market, takeout window/clam bar, cafe or more formal dining area -- all with water views. East by Northeast (51 Edgemere St., 631-668-2872) spices up its platters with a pinch of Asia; the plates of fish, chicken, tofu and vegetables, etc., are enormous and cost $24 to $36 -- but feed two.

For fish and chips, chowder, burgers and cold beer on Block Island, try Beachead on Corn Neck Road (401-466-2249; meals $6-$13), across from the beach. The romantic Hotel Manisses (Spring Street, 800-626-4773) caters to all budgets and tastes: Its restaurant prepares fine cuisine, such as lobster thermidor and filet mignon (entrees from $22); the Gatsby Room serves lighter fare (from $9); and the Upstairs Parlor sweetens the evening with desserts and flaming coffees. End the night with a pint and a (Celtic) song at Mahagony Shoals bar on Payne's Dock.

WHAT TO DO: Dozens of wineries populate the North Fork, starting with Ternhaven Cellars (331 Front St., Greenport, 631-477-8737, http://www.ternhaven.com ), where you can tour for free the auto garage-cum-winery and sample three red wines for $2. Bike along routes 48 or 25 for more vineyards. Info: Long Island Wine Country, 631-369-5887, http://www.liwines.com . The Mashomack Preserve (631-749-1001, http://www.nature.org ; $2 suggested donation) on Shelter Island offers almost 2,100 acres of Nature Conservancy-protected land great for hiking and wildlife spotting. Bone up on Sag Harbor's whaling history at the Whaling and Historical Museum (200 Main St., 631-725-0770, http://www.sagharborwhalingmuseum.org ; $5), which is featuring a surfing exhibit until Nov. 1.

About four miles north of East Hampton, you can step on Jackson Pollock's paint-splattered floor and tour his and wife/painter Lee Krasner's house at the Pollock-Krasner House and Studio Center (830 Springs-Fireplace Rd., 631-324-4929, http://www.pkhouse.org ; $5 self-guided or $10 reserved guided tour); open Thursday to Saturday only. Before leaving, ask for a map to the Green River Cemetery , where the abstract expressionist and Krasner are buried. Also check out the graves of other buried artists, whose tombstones are works of art. East Hampton also has a few windmills to view curbside.

The Montauk Point Lighthouse (888-MTK- POINT, www.montauklighthouse.com ; $6), which looms at the end of the South Fork, offers tours and uninterrupted views. Sportfishing is big in Montauk, whose waters are filled with tuna, striper, bluefish and, yes, sharks. Book a charter at the Montauk Marine Basin on West Lake Drive, or stay on land and see the full-scale model of the largest great white (17 feet) landed by rod and reel.

Block Island has 17 miles of beaches , and each has its own personality: Scotch Beach is sporty and social; Mansion Beach, family-friendly; and Black Rock, surfer cool. For intense biking and/or hiking, get lost in the flora-dense Rodman's Hollow , which starts on Cooneymus Road and leads to the bluffs.

INFO: For Shelter Island, the unofficial Web site http://www.shelter-island.org has the island lowdown and links to the chamber of commerce. Block Island Chamber of Commerce , 800-383-BIRI, http://www.blockislandinfo.com ; Montauk Chamber of Commerce , 631- 668-2428, http://www.montaukchamber.com . For the North and South forks: Long Island Convention and Visitors Bureau , 877-FUN-ON-LI, http://www.licvb.com .

-- Andrea Sachs