Oyster Bay

Understand

The northern half of the Town of Oyster Bay has long been known for its large estates, rolling hills, and rural & rustic feel. It is in stark contrast to the portions of the town south of the Long Island Expressway. Many famous people have called this portion of Oyster Bay home over the years – perhaps most famously U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt (whose Sagamore Hill estate in Cove Neck is now a public museum operated by the U.S. National Park Service).

Get in

By train

Oyster Bay is the last stop on the Oyster Bay Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. Other LIRR stations in this part of the town include Locust Valley on the Oyster Bay Branch and Syosset on the Port Jefferson Branch.

By car

Take Exit 35N from the Northern State Parkway or Exit 40E from the Long Island Expressway (I-495) and then take New York State Route 106 North.

Get around

For the most part, you will need a car to travel around this portion of the Town of Oyster Bay. Except for the westernmost areas (i.e.: the areas near the shore of Hempstead Harbor) and parts of the Syosset & Woodbury areas, there are no public bus services available. Most of the downtown areas and many surrounding neighborhoods (i.e.: Greenvale, East Norwich, Syosset, the communities along Hempstead Harbor, etc.) have streets with sidewalks, but the more rural areas (i.e.: the Brookvilles, Laurel Hollow, Lattingtown, Cove Neck, Centre Island, etc.) have very few, if any. If you must travel through the areas without sidewalks and do not have a car, your safest bet is to call a taxi. Bikers should also note that many of the streets without sidewalks (especially in those more rural places) often do not have wide shoulders, and you will therefore be sharing the road with motorists.

Stay safe

In terms of crime, there really is not too much you need to worry about. Northern Oyster Bay, just like much of the southern half of Oyster Bay, is extremely safe at all times of the day and night. Just be sure to drive carefully and look out for cars when walking on streets lacking sidewalks and you should not encounter any issues. The locals take pride in their community and are very serious when it comes to crime. Any inappropriate or malicious behavior will be noticed very quickly and will not be tolerated.

In an emergency, just as you would anywhere else in the United States, dial 911.

Respect

Just like in many other places in the United States, some locals may not wish to discuss religious and political views. Similarly, 9/11 remains a very sensitive topic to many locals – being a bedroom community of New York City, many locals were killed in the terrorist attacks. Many are open about these topics while others are not and prefer to not discuss them. Unless a local is the one who brings up these topics, it is best to either ask them or avoid the topic; it is the polite thing to do.

Go next

• South Oyster Bay
• Glen Cove
• Huntington