Jayne's Hill in West Hills, New York

About a mile from Walt Whitman's birthplace is Jayne's Hill, located in West Hills County Park in West Hills, Long Island. Although Whitman only lived in the house where was he born for the first four years of his life, he frequently returned to the area, where his family had roots for more than a century.

On his visits, he enjoyed wandering the grounds of what is now the park, climbing up to what is the highest peak on Long Island—at a whopping 400 feet in elevation. (Hey, nobody said Long Island was known for its hills.)

Nowadays, the top is marked by a sturdy rock emblazoned with Whitman's poem, "Paumanok," the Algonquian name for Long Island. At its base, you can also usually find an assortment of smaller painted rocks left by fellow travelers on the trail.