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Glenwood Landing: Schools, boating draw buyers to 'quiet, tucked away' Gold Coast community

Glenwood Landing overlooks Hempstead Harbor, where boats can cast off... — Glenwood Landing overlooks Hempstead Harbor, where boats can cast off from Glenwood Landing Marina. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin

By Frank LoveceSpecial to NewsdayAugust 19, 2026 5:00 am

THE SCOOP For fishing and boating enthusiasts, there's a one-square-mile hamlet where prospective homeowners may just land a prize catch: Glenwood Landing, in the Town of Oyster Bay — and also in the Town of North Hempstead, since the community includes a noncontiguous tip land across the waters of Hempstead Harbor.

In Glenwood Landing, "Kids get into fishing very young because they're so close to the water," said Diane Rifino, 74, who with her husband Blaise Rifino took over the longstanding local business Duffy's Bait & Tackle in 1984, relocating from nearby Glen Cove five years ago. While they themselves live in Huntington Station, Rifino said people raise families in Glenwood Landing because "it's a great place to grow up."

Glen Cove Avenue houses the small business district in Glenwood... — Glen Cove Avenue houses the small business district in Glenwood Landing. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin

School ratings website Niche.com gives the North Shore Central School District, of which it's a part, an overall grade of A+, with A− to A+ grades in every aspect except diversity, a still-respectable B−. None of the district's three elementary schools nor its middle school or high school are within the single-square-mile Glenwood Landing, but in the adjacent communities of Glen Head and Sea Cliff.

"I have two children. One of them graduated high school last year, one of them graduated this year and they both had wonderful experiences in the schools," said Dave Ludmar, 53, a manufacturing executive and a board member of the hamlet's civic association.

Beyond that, he said, Glenwood Landing "is quiet, tucked away, so it's not a thoroughfare with people going through. Each house is different — it's not a subdivision where all the houses were built at the same time — so every one has great character."

Sunbathers enjoy Harry Tappen Beach on Roslyn Shore Road. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin

Its crown jewel may be the residents-only Harry Tappen Pool Beach & Marina, which features a saltwater pool, playground, half-court basketball, picnic area, kayak racks, boat-launching ramp and 267-slip marina. It also hosts free outdoor movie nights and other events sponsored by the Town of Oyster Bay. Additionally Glenwood Landing shares the North Shore Country Club with Sea Cliff, the hamlet's northern neighbor.

Almost entirely residential, with a rural flavor, the hamlet of fewer than 4,000 has little commercial activity away from the harbor. For groceries, residents generally visit the Holiday Farms supermarket in easttern-adjacent Glen Head, where the nearest Long Island Rail Road is, or North Shore Farms a little farther off, in Glen Cove.

Homes along Highland Avenue in Glenwood Landing. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin

Not that anyone seems to mind the trip. "Today's buyers often prefer that balance," said real estate agent Maria Babaev, of Douglas Elliman. "They want peace and privacy at home, while still having excellent amenities just a short drive away."

She added, "Many buyers tell me they weren't originally searching specifically for Glenwood Landing. They discovered it while exploring the North Shore and were pleasantly surprised by how peaceful and authentic it felt. Even those who've never owned a boat often tell me they simply love being surrounded by the harbor, open water and coastal landscape."

SALE PRICES Between Aug. 13, 2025, and Aug. 12, 2026, there were 16 home sales with a median sale price of $997,500, according to OneKey MLS. During the same period a year earlier, there were 13 home sales with a median sale price of $999,000.

CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are no condos or co-ops on the market.

OTHER STATS

Population 3,896

Median age 51.3

Median home value $830,000

Monthly LIRR ticket from Glen Head $299.75

School district, graduation rate North Shore (98%)

Library Gold Coast

Transit NICE Bus Route 21

Sources: 2024 American Community Survey; OneKey MLS via InfoSparks by ShowingTime; LIRR; data.nysed.gov; Nassau Inter-County Express

RECENTLY SOLD

$1.2 million