Leeds Pond Beach

Leeds Pond Beach sits along the edge of Manhasset Bay, where you can drop anchor and take in a stretch of shoreline backed by a hilly 35-acre preserve. The land was nearly developed in the late 1960s before Nassau County stepped in to protect it, and now it's home to diverse ecosystems, mature trees, and Leeds Pond itself — all part of the Science Museum of Long Island grounds, including a Victorian mansion. It's a surprisingly wild and historic corner of Long Island's North Shore.