Tour Long Island’s Castles

Europe is this you? Nope. Long Islanders have long kept their local hidden gems under wraps. We’re here to unravel it all. Who knew that scattered across New York, one could find the most beautiful and historic castles and mansions? Some of these estates are straight out of a fairy tale, and you’ll see for yourself shortly. Here’s a guide to visiting the best Long Island Castles.

At the turn of the 20^th century, many wealthy New Yorkers built lavish estates in the countryside. As hundreds of mansions, castles and properties were constructed along Long Island’s North Shore, the term Gold Coast was coined.

     Vanderbilt Mansion & Museum    

Starting off with our favorite Long Island castle, the Eagle’s Nest. Built by the prominent architectural firm Warren and Wetmore, famed for their design and construction of the Grand Central Terminal. This baroque Spanish-style mansion was constructed for none-other than William Vanderbilt, and certainly gave us major flashbacks to architectural beauties in Spain’s Andalusian region.

 Beyond the architecture of the mansion, is a breathtaking backdrop of the Northport Harbor. Through the many trails, you can easily make your way down to the secluded beach area. For those interested in astronomy, there’s also a cool planetarium on the property with a magnificent rooftop observatory. We couldn’t rave enough about the extravagance of this estate! Purchase your entry tickets here.

     Oheka Castle    

The second-largest private home ever built in the U.S., happens to be perched right in Long Island – the largest being the Biltmore estate in North Carolina’s Asheville. This French chateau was built in 1919 and offers a glimpse of the intricate doings of the roaring twenties. It’s no surprise that this beauty is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Oheka is also said to be a source of inspiration for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. More recently, it was the filming location for Taylor Swift’s song “Blank Space.”

To enjoy everything the Oheka Castle has to offer; you can grab lunch or dinner at the OHK Bar and Restaurant. We highly suggest booking in advance to ensure seating in the courtyard or back patio. From the patio, you get direct access to the gardens and a view of the Cold Spring Country Club’s world-class golf course.

     Old Westbury Gardens    

Nestled among 200 acres of grounds, the Westbury House was built in 1906 for American lawyer and businessman John S. Phipps. Enjoy a splash of English flair in the middle of Long Island at this Charles II-styled mansion. Not just that, the property is bustling with beautiful gardens and woodlands. Old Westbury Gardens is yet another property listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Like many of Long Island’s castles, the Westbury estate is a popular wedding venue. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a peek of a wedding photoshoot or witness a full-on ceremony. Regardless, exploring the Walled Garden while marveling at the rare plant species scattered around the property is a refreshing experience. You can easily grab tickets to enjoy the gardens here.

     Castle Gould    

Now this one really gets us. Modeled after Ireland’s Kilkenny Castle, Castle Gould is a stunning 100,000-square-foot limestone medieval structure. Financier, Howard Gould purchased the estate along the edge of the Long Island Sound in 1900. Castle Gould was built right away and was meant to be the living quarters for the family. But Howard’s wife was displeased with how it turned out to be (yes, really), and so, her humble husband began constructing the adjacent and even more fabulous Hempstead House. This glorious limestone castle was then used as stables and servants’ quarters. Can you believe it?

     Hempstead House    

Howard Gould really stepped up his game with the construction of Hempstead. Happy wife, happy life, am I right? The humble home is yet another great example of the Gold Coast’s opulence. With 40 rooms and 3 stories, one can only imagine how much maintenance the house needed. But we don’t have to wonder too much, because supposedly the Coe’s had 17 full-time house servants just for upkeep.

Both Castle Gould and the Hempstead House are a part of the Sands Point Preserve property. Enjoy an afternoon on The Great Lawn, a majestic spacious park which makes for the perfect picnic location. There are also several marked trail-loops that visitors can enjoy; our favorite was a cliff-side walk along the mile-long beach strip.

     Coe Hall at Planting Fields Arboretum    

This is a beautifully integrated property bringing together fascinating structures and nature, here’s the Planting Fields Arboretum. Despite the name, this stop is home to a historic Tudor Revival mansion built in 1918. What began as a purchase of 6 farming properties, transformed into 400-acres of land dedicated to the natural world. Wildly, Mr. Coe sold the property in 1949 to the State of New York for a whopping total of one dollar, so that the site could be enjoyed by visitors. Today, the estate is valued at over $50 million – a loss or an extraordinary contribution?

What to do: Can you tell we enjoy gardens yet? Planting Fields is an exquisite combination of landscaped gardens, greenhouses, rolling lawns and a plethora of plant and floral collections. Make sure to check out the Italian garden, the famed pink playhouse and the Cloister garden with its Circular pool.

     Coindre Hall    

A vibrant French-styled mansion built between 1906-1912 for the pharmaceutical moguls the McKessons. This was probably the most colorful Long Island castle we stumbled upon, and the intricate architecture, both front and back, was another major win. Picturesque views of Huntington Harbor can be seen from behind the 80,000 square foot building. Further down the hill is a small dock and boathouse of similar design to the main house.

Currently the mansion is only open for events and social affairs, but the surrounding 33-acre park is a great place to explore. The scenic lawn is frequented by locals and is known for allowing furry friends to roam freely. Apparently, the rolling hills behind Coindre Hall are also a notable location for some serious sledding.

     The Mansion at Glen Cove    

Unlike other properties mentioned in this post, the Mansion at Glen Cove is now solely a luxury-hotel and wedding venue. The mansion was constructed in 1910 and by 1967 it was one of the first conference centers in the U.S. No tours allowed here, but if you feel like spending a night at a luxurious historic mansion, you can book a room at Glen Cove. That wraps our guide to Long Island Castles! We hope you enjoyed this post.

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