The celebrity enthusiasts may keep their eyes on the Hamptons, but Long Island’s Gold Coast offers just as much glitz, glam and Gatsby. The area that inspired the famous F. Scott Fitzgerald novel is rife with history, famous former residents and beautiful winding roads.
One needs more than Google Maps to navigate those roads. Explorers and residents need a car that’s just as iconic as the mansions and towns. A Porsche comes to mind. The 86-year-old car brand has a knack for creating vehicles that are high-performance and high-style, including the new 911 Carrera, the most powerful in the company’s history (its engine can now spin to 7,500 rpm).
This summer, Porsche Gold Coast will unveil its new showroom, where prospective buyers can take the 911 Carrera and other sedans, SUVs and sports cars under the storied brand’s umbrella for a spin. It will give clients a chance to drive like they belong on the Gold Coast. And when they’re ready, they’ll want to take a mini-road trip to these historic spots.
Sands Point Preserve Conservancy, Sands Point
A must for every person who longs for a trip to East and West Egg, Sands Point Preserve is home to the Hempstead House, the mansion that inspired The Great Gatsby. Guests can tour the home and attend a variety of cultural events, plays and concerts the Conservancy hosts. Also on the 216-acre grounds: Harry Guggenheim’s 13th Century Norman Manor-style home and Falaise, one of the few homes that remain intact from the 1920s and a filming location for The Godfather.
Chateau at Coindre Hall, Huntington
This French chateau has the ability to take guests back to medieval times and the Jazz Age all at once. The 30,000-square-foot wonder, designed by architect Clarence Luce, has served as a home to pharmaceutical magnate George McKesson and boarding school. Today, guests can tour the 40-room main house, complete with a majestic foyer and circular staircase or sneak away to the boathouse for a breathtaking view of the Long Island Sound. Those in an outdoor-only state of mind should consider bringing their pups—dogs are permitted to explore the outdoor area with their Gatsby-loving parents.
Prime–An American Kitchen and Bar, Huntington
image: prime an american kitchen & bar
It may seem strange to put a restaurant that recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary on a list of iconic places. But anyone who has ever dined at Prime knows this is exactly where the resort-style restaurant belongs. During warmer months, the dock and Cabana bar are open for business, serving up waterfront views as wonderful as the oft-lauded surf ’n turf and cocktails. The intimate space set in a wine cellar has candlelit tables covered in white tablecloths and an endless supply of vino.
Old Westbury Gardens, Old Westbury
Even people who enter Old Westbury Gardens, once home to US Steel fortune heir John Shaffer Phipps, in Oscar-the-Grouch mode are known to leave with a smile. As beautiful as the brick-exterior Charles II-style mansion is, the scenery on the 200-acre property tends to steal the show. Guests can wander through the botanical gardens and past lakes and ponds. Entertainment buffs will—correctly—tell you the estate has been used as a set for Royal Pains.
Sunken Meadow State Park, Kings Park
Sunken Meadow Park
The South Shore gets a lot of credit for its waterfront views—and rightfully so, it touches the Atlantic—but don’t shortchange the Gold Coast. Sunken Meadow State Park offers its own boardwalk and waterfront views for beach bums. Those who aren’t interested in being called bums can attempt Cardiac Hill, which those on the sane side of the line only approach on the downhill.
Drive in style to these five iconic spots. Click here to up an appointment or walk into Porsche Gold Coast.