Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

We are still contemplating the "big move" from the South Shore to the North Shore.

I have been to Northport a lot recently and I just drove through Centerport and Kings Park last night.

From what I read, all of the schools are good. The areas look nice, but other than that, we really don't know too much.

Let me tell you what we are looking for, and maybe you can offer some insight.

We want a "sense of community"- a lot of events and organizations. We want a "main street" where you can walk around, do your errands and see your neighbors. We want a "family oriented" town- someplace safe where there are a ton of kids running around and there are block parties, etc..

So, in these 3 towns, which do you think meets these criteria??

In these towns,
where do you food shop?
What parks do you go to?
What beaches?

Can you think of any other town that might be good to look into??

Thanks, Tara

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

I would say Northport for what you want. There is a great sense of community, a downtown, etc. Schools are good. Centerport is a much smaller downtown area and KP really does not have a "downtown." Have you looked into Huntington? I would love to live down there tho Centerport would get you closer to Huntington so thats an option. I grew up in Commack

There's a Stop N Shop on 25A, KP has a Waldbaums, but you would probably go into Smithtown for better shopping which along Jericho can be a nightmare. There is Crabmeadow Beach in Npt which si great for kids, The Bluff is in KP which has lots of families but its a crappy rocky beach but nice scenery. You can also canoe down the Nissequogue River which is fun! Also Sunken Meadow is close to all three but lots of people don't like it. Robert Moses is only about 15 minutes. HTH

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

Im from Kings Park, grew up there and i LOVED it. There are a few things you need to love, to love it there......a really small town vibe, the kind where evryone knows everyone but with that everyone knows EVERYONES business. Its a gossipy town. While there is a Main St, its not the kind youd go for a walk down. There isnt much there....biker bar, stationery store, bagel place, butcher....its not like Northports where there are quaint shops.

The schools are great though. Thjere is a great sense of community, but not many events except for Kings Park day.

The other nice part is the water, lots of access to beaches and the Nissequoge river. There are also only like 2 restaurants in town (my BIL owns one of them, like I said small town, LOL).

It depends on what you are looking for.....I LOVE KP and have our home on the market so we can move back.

where do you food shop? THe waldbaums in KP is awful and most locals go to the Stop and Shop by the bull or Key Food in town on Indian Head Rd (not all the way to Jericho)

What parks do you go to? There are 2 main parks in KP - Memorial Field off of Pulaski and a new little on in San Remo off St Johnland.

What beaches? Above poster is right....DO NOT go to Sunken Meadow, its so crowded and a NIGHTMARE on the weekends. Its great at evenings though for walks on the boardwalk. The best local beach is a tiny beach called Callahans off 25A in Fort Salonga. The Bluff, is my favorite place in town.....but its not a beach meant for lounging and swimming. Its only for the overlook and for fisherman and people who canoe to leave out of.

Message edited 8/8/2009 8:59:42 PM.

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

I made the move from South Short to NS and love it.

I would say for what you want Northport and Kings Park are your best bets, I think either of those areas will fit your criteria.

I am more familiar with KP as I live just on the border (even though I am in SMithtown) and my ILs are in KP.

There are actually more than 2 restaurants in the town, a Thai place, Okey Dokey Diner, Patty Joes Grill, a Chinese place (cant think of the name maybe something Dragon), and an italian place, there is also a new BBQ place on Indian head Rd that I hear is good.

The bakery is good as well we have gotten a ton of cakes from there. Ralphs ices is in town which is always good on a summer night...

Shopping is very accessible, although Waulbaums there stinks and the Key food to me is only good for a quick trip, down on Jericho there is plenty....

Beaches/Parks there are a ton...as a resident of Smithtown you are able to use all town beaches / parks including, Callahans, Short beach, Long Beach, Hoyt Farm...
I prefer Long Beach to Callahans, but we BBQ at Callahans a few times a year with the family and its always fun....

Kings Park Day is a big deal, and every thursday in the Key food shopping center parking lot alot of people show their old cars which is cool...and Smithtown and Northport are so close its easy to just go to their fairs. At Hoyt Farm they have outdoor concerts and movies in the summer and at the Smithtown Library they have a summer concert series as well!

SO there is always something to do...

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

Message edited 11/21/2010 11:44:47 PM.

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

Centerport doesn't have a downtown at all - on the president side there are maybe 10 stores. There are about 5 on the vanderbilt side - plus a few restaurants on 25A (Thatched Cottage area)

food shopping is bad too...on the president side the closest is King Kullen in Hunt Village; on the Vanderbilt side, Greenlawn Waldbaums/Northport Shop and Stop are probably equidistant.

as for parks - there aren't many unless you go into Greenlawn or Huntington.

beaches - you have options. Centerport Beach (vanderbilt side) and Fleets Cove (president side) Beaches are town beaches and pretty well kept. If you are on the president side and within the HBCA, you are part of a private beach, with park and the casino - room to rent for parties.

Harborfields and Kings Park probably edge Northport in the school area.

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

Message edited 8/9/2009 11:18:46 AM.

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

You want to focus in then on Northport or Kings Park.

I grew up in Centerport, and there is not the same kind of "main street" feel that you are looking for there. there is a small strip of stores up in the President Streets (Huntington Beach Association Area), another small strip at the intersection of Little Neck Road and 25A. While I love where I grew up, it's not what you described as what you're looking for. Greenlawn is kind of what you described, so perhaps look there. A portion of Greenlawn and all of Centerport comprise the Harborfields School District.

I am not personally familiar with KP, other than driving through it every day when I lived on the Island, but from what I've heard from people who did live there, it has that kind of feel to it.

Northport is great. If we ever moved back to the Island, I'd want to look there. The village is great (Cow Harbor Festival is super fun), and there are a bunch of grocery stores on 25A there. I love the feel of the streets and the kinds of homes there (North of 25A), and for someone like myself who loves "New England" style areas, Northport fits it.

GL!

edited: sorry, forgot to mention beaches: Northport and Centerport are both in the Town of Huntington, which means as a TOH resident, your beach sticker will get you access to all 8 TOH beaches: Crab Meadow (LISound beach), Hobart (Sound and Bay), Asharoken (Bay), Centerport (Bay), Fleets Cove (Bay), Crescent (Huntington Bay), Gold Star (Huntington Harbor), West Neck (Cold Spring Harbor).

Kings Park is Smithtown, so you'll have access to their beaches: Callahans, Long Beach, Short Beach, and Schubert's Beach.

Message edited 8/9/2009 12:57:35 PM.

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

I grew up in Kings Park - my dad's family has been in Northport since they had a summer cottage there in the 1920s, and when my parents bought their first house they couldn't afford Northport so they wound up in KP.

My husband grew up in East Northport.

I lived for a year and a half in Centerport.

When we started our house hunt we focused on exactly those towns. If money were no object we would have lived in Northport Village (preferably in my grandparents' old house since it was back on the market - my grandparents are long gone - but at $1.2 mil is was just slightly out of range - hahaha).

We wound up buying in KP and are very happy here. Having grown up here and with the fact that my parents are still here and my mom teaches in the district, I can understand the "gossipy" comment. As a teenager I hated that everyone knew everyone's business because it meant you couldn't get away with anything! But now as I think about starting my own family that appeals to me.

Yes, it is lacking in the main street feeling, but it has gotten better. I actually like Patty Joe's if you are just looking for a burger or steak sandwich. The schools are great, the access to town beaches is great (Callahan's or a short drive to Short Beach in Nissequogue), and even Sunken Meadow in the off season. From my parents house I could walk to water and from my house I can walk to the river. I love that.

What it offers that Northport doesn't is easy access to the parkways. The Sunken Meadow Parkway ends in KP. It doesn't get more convenient than that - yet up here it's not as heavily trafficked so you don't feel like you are on a highway. What it lacks in Northport's charm is okay with me since it's just a 5-10 minute drive away!

As for Centerport - it's a beautiful area, and great schools, but it lacks a "town" feeling and it is not really convenient to any major roads other than 25A, so if you are running late to work and there is an accident you better know the back roads!

So there's my two (dozen?) cents. They are all really great areas though.

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

don't forget about east northport!!!

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

I grew up in Greenlawn and my husband grew up in Kings Park. We are still near both areas and our parents are still in our childhood homes. I agree with those who have said that Centerport does not really have a downtown to speak of. I think of Centerport as having 2 sides that are sort of separated by water. It seems that there is a sense of community in either section anyway but there is not much of a downtown.

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

I live in Kings Park now, it is a small town and they do have a few things that go on like the PP's mentioned. Since it is so close to Smithtown,
I do most of my shopping there. I think KP is great that it doesn't have a ton of things going on, keeps traffic down and we can go to Smithtown if we wanted to go to a restaurant.
We just went into contract and when we were looking for a house we had it down to KP or Smithtown. Both great towns, school districts and both have a sense of community.

I think what you are looking for is in either KP or Northport.

Re: Does anyone live in or know about Kings Park, Northport or Centerport.

We live in Kings Park too. I don't see if as very gossipy either. Although I do sometimes feel that it is clicky.....if you're not born and raised there, people know it but I think in time that will change.

We do our food shopping in Stop & Shop in Smithtown which isn't too far from Kings Park. People are correct in saying the Waldbaums in town is gross and in dire need of an upgrade.

Having grown up on the North Shore, I am used to the rocky beaches so I don't mind it. We usually go to Long Beach or Short Beach. We go to Hoyt Farm alot (in Commack (or Smithtown not actually sure).

The Town of Smithtown has ALOT to offer. As compared to Town of Huntington, the beach passes are free. There are alot of free things that go on in Town of Smithtown.

The only thing I've been disappointed about so far is that the kindergarten is only 1/2 day. We have to send my DD to catholic school for kindergarten.

Restaurants - we usually go to Commack or Smithtown.

All of my doctors are still in Huntington - just because I've been going to them forever and due to where I work, it's more convenient for me.

Message edited 8/10/2009 8:48:38 AM.