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The Big Duck
Rating Details »
8 reviews for The Big Duck
Well - you just can't miss the Big Duck - it's about as famous a landmark as Lucy the Elephant in Margate. You know you're in Long Island, baby! (But alas, most of the Duck farms - and farms in general are gone.)
Please save the remaining farms (and not all are vineyards) - try One Woman Farm or the many Goat farms with great products. Such good local produce here.
Long live the East End (North Fork)!
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I only have one thing to say about the Flanders Long Island Duck... I hate the Duck! I mean really, who woke up one morning and said, "You know what Long Island needs...a BIG duck, right on the side of the road, because that will help my duck farming business and everyone will want to come see my 20 ft tall cement duck!"
How much of your taxes go to maintaining and staffing this duck? Suffolk County owns it, so you can bet you're paying the salaries of the workers and upkeep of the big duck. The county is probably employing volunteer senior citizens who have nothing better to do then sit in the duck all day, reliving stories of the early 1930's and how Long Island was known for its ducks... and not paying them, and pocketing the cash to expense their expensive Mercedes and BMW's,
Apparently, the duck was rated one of the seven wonders of Long Island...OOOOO, who cares? The only wonder about Long Island is the fact that they've managed to fit about 8 million people on an island that is 118 miles long and 20 miles wide. Feeling cramped????
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The Big Duck is DEFINITELY one of my favorite things about Long Island! I'm really jealous that I wasn't the first person to review it. There isn't really much to do here, it's really teeny inside and unless you want to pay the astronomical prices for Big Duck merchandise, then I don't really recommend bothering to stop. Although, if you're on your way to the Hamptons, perhaps overpaying for things isn't of your concern.
When I actually did stop one time (my mom and I pass it on the way to the Tanger Outlets), the lady working there was absolutely NUTS. I guess someone who chooses to sell merchandise in a building shaped like a large duck probably would have to be a little crazy, though.
I just realized that I didn't exactly give the place a sparkeling review. It's a building... shaped like a duck! It's awesome! That should be enough for you... I grew up in Long Island and have made countless trips to Riverhead for shopping and the optometrist and the DMV, but have never tired of seeing The Big Duck.
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If you thought Long Island was a suburban sprawl without a unifying symbol, think again. This 20-ft. tall, 30-ft. long duck says "Long Island" like nothing else. It was originally build by a farmer in the 1930 as a store to sell his ducks from. Now it's been moved to a park and has a gift shop inside (sorry, you'll have to go elsewhere to buy LI ducks).
This is a perfect stop over if you're taking a drive out east to visit wineries or the Hamptons. The duck's always willing to pose with you and your friends for a photo, and is very photogenic. It's a nice spot for a picnic too -- just don't eat duck in front of it.
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What can i say its a duck... not a seagull or a pidgeon, a duck, a damn duck really big damn giant mallard fucking ducky duck duck duck goose....
Really cool!
I love ducks!
My brother used to say ohh SUCK A DUCK!
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The Big Duck is currently located in Sears Bellows County Park and is slated to move (for a fourth? time) a few miles down the road this October 5th. Should make the evening news, at least on Channel 12. Christmastime, the county has an annual ceremony lighting a wreath around its neck, and it is pretty much a photo op for some local politicians, where some horrible childrens chorus sing carols and they give out candy canes, free coffee and watery hot chocolate. Last year, WALK FM was there, as well as News 12, and the mascot for The Long Island Ducks baseball team.
The duck is rumored to have Model-T headlights for its red devil eyes.
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One of the best examples of roadside architecture, and the progenitor of "duck buildings" -- buildings shaped like the products or services they promote or support -- the Big Duck is definitely worth checking out. Just make sure that it's a stop on the way somewhere, not your final destination.
During the winter, the duck, now a gift shop near the entrance to Sears-Bellow County Park, is closed. And it's smaller than you might expect. It's still worth seeing... and photographing.
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The Big Duck is kind of like Long Island's Mickey Mouse, when I see it I can help but smiling. I get an uncontrollable urge to hug it.
You can buy items that are Long Island and duck related inside. I wouldn't say the items are over priced, they're standard souvenir prices. I got a bunch of pirate rubber ducks there.
When I was there, the woman running the place was super nice and very friendly.
I've seen pictures of people on top of the duck, obviously taken when the place was not open. I'm not encouraging this activity, I'm just stating it has been done.
Renegade decorators have been known to make the duck festive for different holidays. I think whoever is actually in charge of the duck only decorates it for Christmas.
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