Sands Point Preserve

I always love coming here. beautiful castle buildings to look at, a pond, some small trails, and a beach. they used to have a renaissance faire here every year but a few years ago, they stopped receiving funds. :(
I love coming here to get some awesome pictures and just to escape reality for a little while.

I can’t help but love this place. And that is simply for the grounds alone. I understand that there are two historic buildings here with events. But I can’t say that I’ve been to any or even will in the future. This is just a stellar park with beautifully maintained grass. There is also a cliff side beach that is quaint and private. As the seasons change this place gets even more gorgeous. An added bonus is the numerous trails available for avid runners or walkers. I’d have to say the best part about the whole preserve is that it is dog friendly. You can take your furry one for a swim or walk, whatever! Love love this hidden gem and for $ 100 for the entire year? I’d say it’s worth it.

I came here with my boyfriend to have a nice walk in the park. We came here on a Tuesday afternoon and it was beautiful. It cost $ 10 to park and we were given a park to guide us through the park. However, this map was not clear and we kept getting lost lol. The park so gorgeous and the castles were beautiful. There was also a beach front which was incredible. This is a great place to have a romantic walk with your significant other. Also, the Hempstead house that’s there is going to have a haunted house special at the end of October which im curious about because it sounds so cool. I definitely recommend!

One of long islands hidden treasures. The walking trails are great. Lots of great views of the bay. This is my goto place when I need a daycation

Beautiful mansion along the Long Island beach… Great place to bring your family and have picnic. Trails are not too long and easy to walk. Had a good time with my friends. Will visit again.

I love how it is secluded and not many people crowding the place to do their regular Sunday BBQ. The preserve is clean and spotless! The shoreline offers sanded beach and the other side is a rocky shoreline. You get to experience both.

Came here 2 weeks ago with the parents on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon. $ 10 parking fee per car. Plenty of parking available. Unfortunately, the castle-​like house seemed to be closed for some reason, probably a private party or renovations. No matter; the grounds were well maintained and the views of the ocean were spectacular!
As another reviewer put it nicely, AMAZING views of the Long Island Sound. A short walk down some stairs and past a trail, was a private beach. I wouldn’t suggest taking your shoes off, cuz there are lots of sharp sea shells and small rocks in the sand. If you have a dog, bring him/​her here! Your dog will love running in the sand, and maybe going for a short swim in the water!
If you walk further down the shoreline, you’ll pass a few private homes. HUGE beach-​side mansions! Overall, a nice place to relax with friends and family. Lots of nice pictures to be taken!

What a great escape from the city!
The day we went we missed the first tour by 15 minutes so we decided to walk around on our own to explore. The maps provided were very handy and easy to read. We really enjoyed walking to the pond, where if you stood really really still and quiet, you could hear/​see all of the frogs out and about. The walking paths themselves were well maintained, and didn’t have any steep hills.
We also enjoyed walking on the shoreline. The stairs down were roped off with no entry due to some storm damage/​unsafe conditions, so we had to find an alternate path down. Once on the beach you get a nice view of the ocean, expensive mansions next door, and horseshoe crabs on the shore. (I had never seen one before so it shocked me at first!!! they look like aliens!!!) There were also lots of sea shells and rocks to look at.
$ 10 per car to enter — bring your friends and a picnic and enjoy the scenery.
There are bathrooms and maps in the building closest to the parking lot. There are also big grassy fields and picnic tables.
FYI the entrance may be hard to miss from the road. We passed it and had to turn around.
Next time I will most definitely bring my dog — there were plenty of «dog stations» with bags and trash cans in the main grassy area. I would also like to do the tour as well — the day we went they had several different tours listed, and some for kids too!

Came here twice in September. Both days were sunny and beautiful. Entrance fee is $ 10/​car.
The location is just amazing. The parking is right in front of the castle on the lawn. To the left of the castle you can find the beginning of the hiking trails which are fairly easy. You get to pass a pond and most importantly the view of the Long Island Sound (which is just breathtaking). If you continue on path #6 (i believe) you will come to a paved road that to the right takes you to the beach and if you go left it will continue back into the woods. The beach access says that its closed but you can see plenty of people passing right through. On the first day I was there, the tide was low, so the beach was readily accessible. On the following day, the tide was high, so we decided to stick to the trails…
If you are not down for hiking through the woods. You can visit the mansion. The tour fee is $ 10 a person and I believe the tour times are limited since both times we were there, they were setting up for a wedding. Speaking of weddings, this place looks dreamy for a wedding venue. Though I am sure it is pretty pricey too. But you can always hold an engagement/​wedding photo shoot here and get some great shots by just about any direction you stand at.
Out of all the mansions I had visited on the island, this definitely goes on top along with Old westbury and planting fields.

Who doesn’t love park land and access to coast land? Preserving old expensive mansions, however, like this ugly Castle Gould and the Hempstead House is just silly. It’s preserving and praising decadence itself.
Even the filthy-​rich Goulds decided they didn’t like the castle after they had it built. They refused to live in it, instead building yet another big house. I can only imagine the tribulation endured by those deciding which mansion to live in. Also why the decadent, self-​congratulating fundraisers to encourage preserving this «history» anyway. Can’t these bored, rich folks just donate to ‘good causes’ without being wined and dined, without parties?

Time well spent! Excellent guided tour! Worth every penny of the $ 10/​person! Our tour was set for noon and when the driver never showed up to begin it, we finally went inside with the other 2 groups and let them know we were still waiting at 15 past noon. That was really the only odd part of the tour. Once they got a worker from in Hempstead House (closed for repairs) to come drive us to the tour guide, it was fantastic. Our guide was Fred and it was as if he knew every person that ever lived in or visited a 50 mile radius of this place! What a wealth of information! Seriously, he taught us a lot about the connections between families, but wasn’t so stuck into a schpiel that you were afraid to ask questions. And when any of us asked, he was very well informed. Boy, oh, boy, do I wish we could have taken a dip in that pool! What a beautiful place! No kids under 10 allowed, by the way, although it would be a rare 10 year old that would have the stamina to do this tour. It was very lengthy-​in a good way. I really felt like we really got our money’s worth and that after it I knew more about the history of this whole area, not just this one particular mansion! I highly recommend you do the tour! Grounds are fabulous, but you definitely won’t be sorry if you spend the time on the tour too!

What a beautiful place !
Long Island has some of the most beautiful castles in the world.

Great event venue for outdoor cocktail party and indoor reception.
Elegant and stately. Amazing views. Definitely picture perfect.

A few quick points, the tour isn’t available until June 1^st, and the entrance fee is now $ 10.
Parking is right infront of the castle which has nothing but bathrooms and a vending machine and air conditioning upstairs hehe. Head over to the hempstead house for nice architecture and check out the garden which has an amazing view of the Long Island Sound (not sure if its the sound though). I came here a few days ago when it was 65 degrees, it was gorgeous, wish I brought food or a bbq. If i come here again I’ll be sure to head down on the trails and go down to the water. I took a lot of shots with my dslr which came out quite nice.

The trails are nice, and I like how you can walk on the beach. Over the summer, there were a lot of dead Horseshoe Crabs (or at least that is what I think they are called). Once summer was over, they were gone and the beach was nice again. You can not go swimming here.
The best time to go is in the late spring.
I went there early spring, and it was very muddy. Whenever it rains, it stays muddy for a long time probably because there are so many trees.
Another neat thing about the trails is that there are pull-​up bars, monkey bars, and etc so you can add that to your workout.
If you are a student, you can get a yearly pass for a decent price. They raised the price this year but it is still affordable. The pass is for the car so if your car fits 5 people then all 5 people can get in with the pass. If you walk and enter, I’m not sure how that works.
If you just come one time, then it is a little pricy because there is a parking fee.
Often, they have special events. During those times, even if you have a yearly pass, you have to pay money to enter. It is usually during holidays so I just avoid those times.
Last year, they were opened until 6 pm but now, they are opened until 5 pm during the weekdays and until 6 pm during the weekend. I think they are going to be opened until 7 pm during the summer.
There are bathrooms, a water fountain, and vending machines.
It is dog-​friendly as long as they are on leash.

It’s a nice estate with one house to tour. other house is being used for private functions. one thing they don’t mention on the site is that not only is there a parking fee but the house tour fee is an add’l $ 10 pp. so total, we spent $ 30 for parking and 2 tours.
it’s a nicely preserved home w/​lots of history and unique architecture. not your traditional mansion but more tastefully done.
grounds are large and pretty w/​fantastic views of the water.

I have so many amazing childhood memories from here. It’s incredible how much this place has transformed in the past 15 years or so. The erosion has really changed the landscape of the coastline.
Regardless, it’s still a great place to enjoy Long Island nature. When you first park, you’re by the «castle.» You can’t actually explore inside besides the public restrooms that are there. Even if you could, the castle isn’t furnished with the original furniture so it doesn’t act as a historic museum.
You’ll have to take a short walk through the woods to get to the beach which is really neat. If you’re not outdoorsy, you don’t have to worry because the pathway is all paved. If you are outdoorsy, you can decide to trek off & into the hiking trails. After the quick 5 min walk, you’re at the beach. It’s not really for swimming but it’s awesome for a stroll or just to sit down to enjoy some quiet time for yourself.
I love it here. Just be careful of when they close & lock the gates. I once stayed too long (I think it closes at 4pm) & got locked in. Luckily (or creepily?) some guy happened to drive by & he had the keys to get out. Also, I think during the summer time you pay $ 4 or so per car to get in.

COME HERE with a camera!
it’s gorgeous!
Castles, Trails, Beach… simply breath-​taking
VERY CLOSE-​BY is the Nassau County Museum of Art, visit both and make it a day trip!

This is a beautiful estate with a number of buildings on the grounds on Long Island Sound. This estate has three gold coast mansions on it and is open for tours. It also hosts the Dinosaur Museum.
To visit it online
or to see the complete review of all Gold Coast Mansions remaining on Long Island visit

If you ever find yourself on the North shore of Long Island in Nassau County, NY, 20 miles from NYC, this is the place to go for some beautiful scenery.
This is one of my favorite parks near where I grew up. On one side there is a castle called Hempstead House and on the other there is a mansion overlooking the ocean called Falaise. Both were owned by the Guggenheim family.
To get down to the ocean, you need to walk through a wooded area. It’s incredibly serene and picturesque. One minute you’re in a shady area surrounded by trees, bushes, and flowers, and the next minute you’re standing at the ocean.
For those unfamiliar with Long Island beaches, the South shore is where you go for swimming in the ocean. It’s generally flat and has finer sand. The North shore is where the Great Gatsby takes place: wealthy estates, cliffs, and rockier sand… not ideal for swimming.