The New York herald., 1868-06-30
Our Watering Places,


Notwithstanding all complaints against the
extravagance, extortion and discomfort of our
American watering places complaints that,
in too many cases, are but too well founded,
and which have practically resulted in Danish
ing large number of our wealthier and more
cultivated classes to Europe for their summer
tours-it must be admitted that our own water
ing places offer great and peculiar attractions.
If the old glory of Saratoga, with all its his
torical and its medicinal claims upon popu-
larity, has somewhat waned, Gettysburg offers
its more recent thrilling historical associations
and its healing springs of extraordinary virtue.
New Workers and Bostonians may still forget
their traditional jealousies at Newport, with its
too costly hotels its delightful cottages, its in
teresting little Redwood Library its mysterious
Round Tower, its unsurpassed facilities for
surf bathing, and its splendid views of
the Atlantic Ocean. The attractiveness of
Newport is attested by the fact that
its waters are favorite rendezvous for
the yachtmen of New York, Boston and other
cities At Cape May and Atlantic City New
Workers. and Philadelphians, Baltimoreans and
Washingtonians, as well as visitors from Pitts
burg, st. Louis, Cincinnati and Chicago, are
glad to fraternize. Rockaway beach, although
enjoyed few years ago, is still a very agree
able seaside resort What New Yorker is not
familiar with Coney Island, which boasts of
''the best beach on the Atlantic coast ?"
Staten Island, our American Isle of Wight,
with its undulating, woody hills, its excellent
drives, its cottages and villas, and its seagirt
shores, admits. visitors at each Of its various
landings-at New Brighton, Snug Harbor,
Factoryville, Port Richqaond and Mariners
Harbor'and the rest, to an elysium Of rural
delights. The Yacht Club House, on Staten
Island, is a new addition to its attractions.
Long Branch last year welcomed 6fty thou
sand guests to the gay and animated scenes
which are so vividly depicted by Rosen-
berg's fine oil painting, 'Long Branch by
Moonlight" and to all the daily enjoy
ments of that favorite watering place.
At Pleasure Bay, on. the Shrewsbury river,
the picturesque mouth of which Clifford has
reproduced in one Of his most charming pic
lures at the Highlands Of Navesink, at East
Hampton, at Patchogue and at Bath, on Long
Island at Bergen Point, in New Jersey; at
Stratford, at Fairfield, at Savin Rock neaE
New Haven; at Guilford, al Branford and
Indian Point, at sleepy New London, al
Rocky Point, at Stonington, on the Connect
cut coast; at Narraganset Pier, Rhode Island
at Swampscott, the Long Branch Of Boston;
at cool Nahant, at the Isle Of Shoals, at Hamp-
ton beach and at Rye; at Cushings Island in
Portland harbor; at Cape Elizabeth, at Cam.
den, at Mount Desert Island, at Eastport, and
at many other points on the coasts Of Massa-
chusetts, New Hampshire and Maine; at the
islands of Marthas Vineyard, and at Nan
tuoket, with its seclusion varied by the livelies
s'squankams, or clambakes; in fine, a
innumerable points along our Atlantic coast
from Old Point Comfort, in Virginia, with IL.
memories pleasant yet mournful to the soul,
and Cape May, at the extreme southern point
of New Jersey, to Eastport, in Maine as vel
as from the once famous mineral springs o
Virginia, which now Issue anew their invita-
tions to tourists, to the distant sulphur spring
Of Arkansas; everywhere, on the borders Q
| our lakes, amid our mountains and In our for
ests, the seeker Of health and recreation, n
less than the artist In search Of the picturesque
, may find abundantly what is sought for.
, There Is only the embarrassment Of choic
. | among such manifold attractions Th"s In th