The North Fork of Long Island is where New Yorkers go when they’ve had enough of velvet ropes, reservation anxiety, $75 designer chicken salad, $24 martinis and hearing the phrase curated experience.

In the NoFo, life slows down. The roads narrow. The air smells like salt, vineyards, sunscreen, and fresh seafood.

People suddenly become deeply interested in heirloom tomatoes, the perfect shrub and hanging flower planters. It is both peaceful and slightly performative in the best possible way.

Start in Mattituck.

A North Fork pilgrimage is not complete without a stroll on Love Lane.

The best shop is Love Lane Sweet Shoppe with adorable household goods and gourmet candy. The store made me want to open a charming little shop in my new village.

Nearby is the legendary Magic Fountain where lines form for ice cream and followers emerge spiritually fulfilled.

Continue toward Southold.

Southold is quieter, understated. It is wineries, boats, hydrangeas, and weathered homes past down from generation to generation.

A must is a stop at the Southold Fish Market, one of those places that reminds you seafood should taste like the ocean and not like it completed a six-state trucking journey.

Lobster rolls with huge chunks of meat, thick, rick New England clam chowder, local sweet oysters.

Greenport was the end of the line yesterday.

Greenport is the North Fork’s former whaling and fishing village that features the most action, but was our least favorite. There are little boutiques, wine bars, harbor views, old carousel rides, bookstores, oysters, and clothing for those still living life the Woodstock way from days gone by.

Do not bypass Jamesport if only to view some beautiful homes. Jamesport is lower-key. Farm stands everywhere. Lavender fields. Vineyards.

The wineries are part of the NoFo ritual.

The beauty of the North Fork is that nothing feels rushed.

No one is trying quite so hard. It is beaches, seafood shacks, vineyards, old fishing towns, farm stands, weathered marinas.

The North Fork (NoFo) and the Hamptons (South Fork) are both on Long Island’s East End, but they offer vastly different vibes. The North Fork is a laid-back, agricultural region known for vineyards and local charm. The Hamptons is glitzy with a heaping side of attitude, an affluent destination famous for sprawling estates, upscale dining and designer shops.

NoFo feels like old Long Island…salty, slightly rumpled, and an infinitely more charming, grounded lifestyle.

Plan a day trip or a cozy staycation…you won’t be disappointed.