Welcome to Centre Island
Private oasis on a 605-acre peninsula with panoramic views of Cold Spring Harbor, Oyster Bay Harbor, and Long Island Sound
Centre Island is a private oasis with its own police force located on a tranquil 605-acre peninsula connected to the rest of Long Island’s North Shore by one access road. With just over 200 households, Centre Island is the smallest of Nassau County’s 64 villages. The peninsula boasts four miles of coastline fronting the waters of Cold Spring Harbor, Oyster Spring Harbor, and Long Island Sound.
Centre Island’s blissfully private setting provides the canvas for spectacular historic and contemporary estates with mesmerizing waterfront views. Architectural styles range from stately colonials to elegant French country manors. These palatial properties sit on acreage wooded lots featuring tennis courts, collector car garages, inground swimming pools, floating docks, guest cottages, and other luxurious custom amenities. Centre Island’s stunning collection of residences are some of the grandest homes on Long Island’s Gold Coast.
What to Love
- A charming, close-knit community
- Spectacular historic and contemporary estates
- Convenient to Oyster Bay shopping and dining
Local Lifestyle
Centre Island’s spectacular setting and impeccable privacy have made the community a beacon for some of Long Island’s most prominent residents. Media mogul Rupert Murdoch, musical legend Billy Joel and HBO Founder Charles Dolan are just some of the well-known Centre Island residents. While this tranquil community is exclusively residential, it is within easy reach of Oyster Bay’s array of upscale shopping and dining options.
Dining, Entertainment, and Shopping
The town center of nearby Oyster Bay offers a fine choice of local businesses. Southdown Coffee is renowned as the best coffee roaster on Long Island. The Printery is a family-owned business selling hand-engraved stationery and bespoke cards from a historic 1899 building. Other Oyster Bay highlights include 2 Spring for acclaimed multi-course tasting menus and Wild Honey for inventive cuisine and international wines served in a romantic, candlelit space.
Things to Do
Just south of Centre Island, the peninsula of Cove Neck’s Sagamore Hill National Historic Site covers 83 acres of beautiful natural scenery surrounding President Theodore Roosevelt’s historic estate. The main residence at Sagamore Hill was built in 1884 and lived by Roosevelt until his death in 1915. During Roosevelt’s two terms in office, Sagamore Hill became known as the Summer White House. Guided tours are available of Roosevelt’s home while nature trails run through a gorgeous expanse of woodlands, open fields, salt marshes, and beaches on Cold Spring Harbor.
In Oyster Bay, the Waterfront Center offers a diverse range of sailing and marine education programs aimed at all ages. Boating tours of Oyster Bay are available on the Waterfront Center’s floating museum Christeen, a rigged oyster sloop that has been in service since 1883. The WaterFront Center also offers rentals of sailboats, kayaks, and paddleboards.
Raynham Hall Museum is another Oyster Bay attraction within easy reach of Centre Island. Raynham Hall was built for the Townsend family in 1738 and expanded in 1851. The house has a fascinating Revolutionary War history — Robert Townsend served as a secret agent in George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring. Visitors can discover faithfully preserved rooms depicting the life of the Townsend family during the Colonial and Victorian periods.
A maze of trails runs through the 550-acre expanse of Muttontown Preserve a short distance south of Oyster Bay. During the winter, these trails can be used for cross-country skiing. Muttontown Preserve’s captivating landscape features woodlands, fields, and ponds surrounding several historic estates.
Schools
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Centre Island is served by the Oyster Bay-East Norwich School District
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Theodore Roosevelt School, Public, PK-2
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Vernon School, Public, 3-6
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Oyster Bay High School, Public, 7-12