Atlantic Beach, Long Island

In these busy times, occasions when the whole family gets together are often far too seldom, but made that much more memorable for their rarity. During the summer, Lyss Stern’s family’s meeting place of choice is Atlantic Beach, situated only a short drive from Manhattan on Long Island’s South Shore. It’s home to several quaint shops and restaurants, not to mention where several scenes of The Godfather were filmed, but the main attraction is, of course, the beach. “Our entire family—parents, grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles—all gather at our beach club and spend the day and night in the sun and sand. No place brings my family more happiness than the beach, and the memories we make there are extremely special,” she says.