Welcome to Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park, Long Island's premier public arboretum and historic site located in Oyster Bay, New York. A former Gold Coast estate, the arboretum is comprised of 409 acres of greenhouses, rolling lawns, formal gardens, woodland paths, and outstanding plant collections. The original historic estate buildings remain including the 65 room Tudor Revival mansion, Coe Hall, which is open for tours spring through fall. The grounds, landscaped by the Olmsted Brothers of Brookline, Massachusetts, are spectacularly beautiful year round. Near the end of America's Gilded Age, the estate named Planting Fields was the home of William Robertson Coe, an insurance and railroad executive. The name "Planting Fields" comes from the Matinecock Indians who cultivated the rich soil in the clearings high above Long Island Sound.
Planting Fields is one of the most beautiful places on Long Island. There is an azalea walk, rose gardens, incredible trees, greenhouses and much more. May is probably the best month to visit this park.
****** NYS PARKS PERMIT # 14-0179 ****
Direction to cache: Park in the parking lot and make your way over to the formal garden, south of Coe Hall. There is a shallow, rectangular pool and cute little cottage.. Walk back toward the mansion, but instead of going upstairs to the patio, bear right, down to a tiny little pond with a bench. Now look up at the mansion, above the patio and see an ornamental sun with a drainage waterpipe coming out of the sun’s mouth! The Roman numeral for “8” points you southwest, towards Taxus Field, where the cache can be found.
Note that there is a State park entrance fee unless you have an empire passport. In the cold weather months there is no fee.