Sea Cliff: Beaches, Victorians, small downtown, tight-knit vibes draw buyers
Andy Suna, of Roslyn, takes a water break with his dog, Duke, along the waterfront on Prospect Avenue in Sea Cliff. Credit: Linda Rosier
THE SCOOP Affluent and artsy, a former hippie enclave that has retained its bohemian allure, storybook Sea Cliff may well be unique among the villages of Long Island. Where else is there a median income of nearly $200,000 that also has drum circles at the local spirituality/wellness store?
"There are more musicians and artisans in Sea Cliff by the square mile than anywhere else in America," hyperbolized Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino. "It's a community that embraces art in a big way, with musicians who live there, painters, poets, writers — and yet they could be living next to a surgeon or a lawyer or a business leader. So it's a very neat blend."
Sea Cliff Avenue houses a quiet strip of small businesses, eateries and boutiques. Credit: Linda Rosier
Indeed, in this 1.1-square-mile community of a little over 5,000 people, one could easily walk from that drum circle to the 18-hole golf course at the 112-year-old North Shore Country Club, which sprawls across both Sea Cliff and Glen Head. Or go sailing at the 134-year-old Sea Cliff Yacht Club. Or just breathe in the views from Veteran's Memorial Park, sitting atop a 120-foot bluff with a panorama encompassing Hempstead Bay, the Port Washington Peninsula and points north, west and south.
"It is a very cozy town," said Chamber of Commerce president Dario Gaite, 39, owner of the family-style Italian restaurant La Spezia. "Most of the people, they know each other. It's very family-oriented, meaning that once they like a business, they support you a lot."
It helps, he said, that Sea Cliff is "not trafficky, and there's plenty of parking."
Pietro Bosco, top, works the bar at the Campground Craft Beer & Coffee, where Debbie and Bill Kahn relax. Credit: Linda Rosier
Mom-and-pop stores and a few restaurants and cafes line the westernmost stretch of Sea Cliff Avenue, the main drag. Follow it eastward and a North Shore Farms supermarket sits just over the border in Glen Cove. Keep going east and you'll find, also in Glen Cove, the incongruously named Sea Cliff Long Island Rail Road station.
Beaches and parks abound. Among them are Harry Tappen Beach, with a residents' pool, a playground and an adjacent large public marina; there is also a playground in Central Park. Roslyn Park has a baseball/softball field, while Elm Park has a natural stage used for open-air theater. The 5-acre Clifton Park and the small Plaza Park, like Veteran's Memorial Park, commemorate fallen servicemembers.
Homes along 8th Avenue, top, and along the steps at Central Avenue in Sea Cliff. Credit: Linda Rosier
The village, known for its many restored Victorian homes, has no big-box stores, but each fall the more than 50-year-old Sea Cliff Mini Mart, one of Long Island's largest artisan craft fairs, attracts some 10,000 attendees.
"When you are in Sea Cliff," Saladino said, "you know you're someplace very different, very unique and very memorable."
SALE PRICES Between April 9, 2025, and April 8, 2026, there were 43 home sales with a median sale price of $1.07 million, according to OneKey MLS. During the same period a year earlier, there were 40 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 5,033
Median age 40.5
Median home value $905,000
Monthly LIRR ticket from Sea Cliff $299.75
School district, graduation rate North Shore (98%)
Library Sea Cliff Village Library
Transit NICE Bus Route 21
Sources: 2024 American Community Survey; OneKey MLS via InfoSparks by ShowingTime; LIRR; data.nysed.gov; Nassau Inter-County Express
ON THE MARKET
$2.75 million
This $2.75 million Sea Cliff home is 4,900 square feet. Credit: Made with Google AI/Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty
A new construction on a 0.45-acre lot, this five-bedroom, 5½-bathroom, 4,900-square-foot home offers 9-foot ceilings on both the first and second floors. A chef’s kitchen flows to a great room that opens to a back patio. There is a finished basement, a fireplace, central air and an attached two-car garage. Taxes are approximately. $20,000. Damian Ross, Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty, 516-369-5868
$998,000
This $998,000 English cottage-style home in Sea Cliff was built in 1920. Credit: Heidi Hunt Photography
This three-bedroom, 1½-bath English-style cottage built in 1920 boasts a large eat-in kitchen with plentiful cabinetry and modern appliances and a formal dining room. The 1,167-square-foot home on a landscaped 0.15-acre lot has two porches, a bluestone patio, fireplace, finished basement and one-car garage. Taxes are $14,440. Sheila B. Wenger, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, 516-507-9303.
RECENTLY SOLD
$1.75 million
Downing Avenue
Style Colonial
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 3½
Built 1952
Lot size 0.46 acre
Taxes $25,046
+/- List price Sold for asking
Days on market 75
$997,000
15th Avenue
Style Colonial
Bedrooms 3
Bathrooms 3½
Built 1888
Lot size 0.11 acre
Taxes $12,440
+/- List price +$2,000
Days on market 119
$610,000
Downing Avenue
Style Ranch
Bedrooms 2
Bathrooms 1
Built 1954
Lot size 0.14 acre
Taxes $10,866
+/- List price +$10,000
Days on market 80
ON ONEKEY MLS
Number of listings 13
Price range $499,000 to $3.199 million
Tax range $7,936 to $20,000
