Get to Know Manhasset

Manhasset, on the North Shore of Long Island, has long been a byword for gracious living. Its reputation started in the early 1900s when tycoons built palatial estates along the waterfront, with the most spectacular being the Whitney family’s 438-acre estate of Greentree. Greentree was so fabulous that one of John Hay Whitney’s grandchildren, after visiting the White House, commented that the Presidential mansion was nice enough, but no Greentree. In the decades since Greentree’s heyday, Manhasset residences have come down a notch, now more likely to be mere multi-million-dollar single-family homes, rather than rolling acres of parkland. This isn’t a town of quiet luxury and the local shopping district, or “Miracle Mile,” which encompasses the Americana Manhasset shopping center, boasts branches of Van Cleef & Arpels, Louis Vuitton, and Jimmy Choo. Commute into New York City is a half-hour on the LIRR, with the train stop right in town.

Living in Nassau County

Nassau County’s North Shore, also known as the Gold Coast, is where to go to live the good life. Here, you’ll find waterfront towns filled with splendid real estate, and all located just a short train ride away from New York City. In the early and mid-1900s, the Gold Coast was home to palatial properties, inspiring F. Scott Fitzgerald to set The Great Gatsby in his fictional versions of Great Neck and Sands Point, describing houses where the lawn stretched from the beach to the front door. Those estates are mostly gone, many transformed into nature preserves, museums, and in one case, into the grounds of the North Shore University Hospital. The lure of living on the North Shore is still strong though, as newcomers and natives alike are drawn to the prospect of backyards with enough space for a playset, warm and welcoming communities, and a quick commute to Manhattan.