“Locust Valley is having a major moment, and you don’t need to come from a storied family or belong to a country club to enjoy it. The vibe has shifted. This isn’t your grandparents’ North Shore anymore.”
Locust Valley is the North Shore’s greatest legacy —an enclave of old-money Gold Coast glamour, equestrian history, quiet wealth, and a tight-knit community. Yet it feels refreshingly down-to-earth and modern despite the heady pedigree.
But here’s the insider secret: Locust Valley is having a major moment, and you don’t need to come from a storied family or belong to a country club to enjoy it. The vibe has shifted. This isn’t your grandparents’ North Shore anymore. The old “Locust Valley lockjaw” has loosened, replaced by something younger, more creative, and genuinely fun.
The next wave has arrived. Adam Sandler nabbed a house on coveted Piping Rock Road and Jimmy Fallon owns Cedar Knolls, a 10,000-square-foot Georgian Manor in Laurel Hollow built for railroad magnate Frank Gould in 1929. The house, which has a private beach, ballroom, and underground speakeasy, is straight out of West Egg. Paging Daisy Buchanan.
The new Gatsbys are coming to Locust Valley. Sure, there are tech billionaires and hedge fund sharks in droves, but the Social Register set still rules at private clubs like Piping Rock, the Creek, and Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club on Oyster Bay’s ultra-secluded Centre Island.
Some credit fashion designer Veronica Beard for Locust Valley’s popularity. Her pals Jill Jervis, Beth Blake, and jewelry designer Brent Neale —who bought decorator Jeffrey Bilhuber’s 17th century farmhouse “Hay Fever,” —all live here. Recently, red-hot interior designer Alfred Paredes completely brought “Cocuyo” back to life. Kate Doerge, a motivational speaker and brand strategist who co-founded Penny’s Flight Foundation with her husband, is also a neighbor.
“There is a whole new group in town which has been wonderful. There has been a noticeable influx of young families. Locust Valley had gotten a touch sleepy, but it feels fresh again.”
Interior designer Meg Braff, one of North Shore’s go-to decorators, who also owns a design store in Locust Valley, welcomes the boom. “There is a whole new group in town which has been wonderful,” she says. “There has been a noticeable influx of young families. Locust Valley had gotten a touch sleepy, but it feels fresh again.”
Philanthropy is big in Locust Valley. Giving back is part of the culture and charity events make it easy to get involved. There are options from the North Shore Land Alliance auction (supporting the preservation of Long Island’s landscapes) to fundraisers that support historic estates like “Munnysunk,” now the Bailey Arboretum—which is open to the public to stroll acres of gardens and explore trees and plantings from a bygone era.
Lined with antique shops, cafés, and chic boutiques, downtown feels refreshingly un-corporate, with local spots like the Ooh La Shoppe, Valley Attic, and Karmic Grind to grab a cup of coffee. Birch Hill Market & Bistro is an old-world butchery meets restaurant, and The Village Pub is everyone’s go-to for laid-back lunches and dinners.
Families flock to the fourth generation Youngs Farm for seasonal produce, a bakery, a legendary farm kitchen where locals pick vegetables, stock the pantry and let kids roam. Locust Valley life is deeply tied to the outdoors, from sailing to long summer days at Stehli Beach. Miles of country roads, riding trails, and vast open green space are why Locust Valley is having a big moment. Families here value heritage, the sporting life, and a deep connection to the outdoors. – TED HILDNER
