Seclusion and access to nature draw residents to Great River
Surrounded on two sides by the Connetquot River, Nicoll Bay and Great South Bay, Great River’s defining features are its seclusion and its access to the outdoors — on land and water alike. There’s no shopping in the little community, and though the closest groceries can be found in nearby East Islip a few minutes away, it’s solidly car-dependent when it comes to anything beyond a daily walk along its quiet, private streets. But residents like it that way, even when it comes to the area’s quirky arrangement when it comes to getting their mail. “You don’t have mailboxes. You have to go to the post office, and it’s the cutest little post office you’ve ever seen,” says Debra Carpluk, a licensed associate broker at Keller Williams Realty who has been selling homes here for 33 years. “It’s a great chance to get out and get your steps in for the day. People will walk to the post office — somebody goes to get their mail, maybe go to the deli, grab some lunch. It’s a good way to get to see your community, running into people.” Disabled residents, though, can sign up for door delivery with the proper documentation.
Kayaking on the Connetquot River, faces south.
Connetquot River, one of many ways to enjoy the river views in Great River.
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Hiking, beaches and kayaking at Heckscher State Park
At 1,600 acres, Heckscher State Park takes up a majority of Great River’s land. It has 4 miles of hiking and biking trails, and dogs are allowed on these trails as long as they’re on a leash. The massive park also offers disc golf, camp sites, accessible playgrounds and athletic fields, which Carpluk says are particularly popular for local soccer games. The park’s beaches, which face out into the Great South Bay, tend to be a little rocky but quiet with calm water, which makes it particularly good for the little ones. With so much water around it, there are also plenty of spots to launch kayaks and canoes in the community, from spots in Heckscher Park to a little boat ramp along the Connetquot River. “We have a marina there, so people have their boats down there,” Carpluk says. “You’ll find a lot of us are boaters and, depending on the marina that we belong to, we skedaddle over to Fire Island or just go boating in the Great South Bay.”
The Bayard Cutting Arboretum is also a major facet of the community, calling itself a “museum of trees” on its site. The 691-acre park is meant to be peaceful and beautiful, so sports, pets and picnics aren’t allowed here. “It’s a great little place for seeing all the different blooms and flowers,” Carpluk says. “A lot of people go there for their wedding pictures. It’s just a great way to spend an afternoon.” Timber Point Golf Course sits between the two green spaces, offering 18-hole and 9-hole public courses and a driving range right on the water where the river and bay meet.
Enjoy a stroll through the vast trails of Heckscher State Park in Great River.
You can get a beautiful view of the Great South Bay at Heckscher State Park in Great River.
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Smaller inland homes starting around $650,000
Great River’s streets are quiet, residential and usually wooded, adding to that secluded feel even when homes are right across the street from one another. It’s not hard to find homes with larger yards, anywhere between a quarter of an acre to well over 2 acres. “People really get to unwind and enjoy their backyards,” Carpluk says. “Each home is as beautiful as the next. Tree-lined streets and not cookie-cutter.” Ranch-style homes are common here, as are a range of colonial styles, split-level homes and hi-ranches, but each is made of different materials and has little flourishes that sets it apart. There are a handful of more recently built new traditionals, but these aren’t as common as other home styles. Inland homes typically start at around $650,000 and climb to $1.4 million. Homes on the river are typically larger, sit on bigger properties of at least an acre and have private docks where owners can keep boats and launch kayaks. They usually cost between $1 million and $3.5 million. “A lot of people buy the smaller homes and they just build up and add on,” says Dorothy Ziccardi, a licensed real estate salesperson at Signature Premier Properties who has sold homes here for 15 years.
Great River is at moderate risk of flooding, but the real concern comes with hurricane season, where damage from high winds is a big concern — especially given all the community's trees. The CAP Index crime score is 1 out of 10, below the national average of 4.
Newly-refurbished ranch and Cozy Cape home in Great River.
Colonial style home with waterfront views in Great River.
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Art classes at Bayard Cutting Arboretum, sports and concerts at Heckscher
Bayard Cutting Arboretum offers a schedule of events, ranging from free tours of the historic grounds to garden tea parties and farm school for kids, plant sales and artist workshops focusing on mediums like painting, metal-sculpting and sculptures. Heckscher State Park also has a wide range of community events. It often hosts the East Islip Fall Classic, an annual soccer tournament that Carpluk says is big among local families. There’s also a summer concert series, and the annual New York Philharmonic concert in mid-July. “Everyone would go down to Heckscher and sit on the grass and grab a blanket, grab the kids, and listen to the Phil Harmonic with fireworks,” Carpluk says. The Great River Community Association also hosts frequent events for its members, though there’s a yearly fee for those who choose to join.
The Paws of War 5K Family Run/Walk in Great River first female winner crosses the finish line.
Explore the magnificent 691 acre grounds of the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River.
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A couple restaurants along River Road, essentials in East Islip
Beyond its little post office and fire department, Great River has a few restaurants. Great River Deli is a little spot with grab-and-go options, and George Martin’s Strip Steak is an upscale restaurant with a dining room that resembles a speakeasy. It operates out of a Dutch Colonial home built in the 1920s. Just outside the northwestern border of the community, Fatty McGees Bar & Grill is a sports bar with wings that locals say are to die for. For more dining options or shopping of any kind, locals need to drive into East Islip or beyond. “It’s quiet; it’s not for that person who wants to walk into town where there’s shops and restaurants,” Ziccardi says. Pats Marketplace is the closest grocery store at just 2 miles away, while Stop & Shop is just over 4 miles away. Although Great River can feel isolated, especially given all the trees lining its little streets, locals don’t have to drive too far to find more shopping, dining and entertainment options. “We are minutes from local downtown areas such as East Islip, Islip, Bay Shore,” Carpluk says. East Islip is the closest of these communities, sharing a border with Great River, while Islip is 4 miles away and Bay Shore is less than 6 miles away.
Get yourself a tasty sandwich at The Great River Deli.
Enjoy a meal in the dining room of Mary's Pizza and Pasta in nearby North Great River.
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Music, art and sports in East Islip schools
Niche gives the East Islip Union Free School District an A-minus, and the district received recognition from the National Association of Music Merchants when the group awarded it one of its “Best Communities for Music Education” in 2023. Children can attend Connetquot Elementary School, which has a B, from pre-kindergarten through second grade before finishing elementary school at Timber Point Elementary School, which has a B-plus. Their next steps are East Islip Middle School and East Islip High School, which both have an A-minus. In 2024, the state and county both gave the high school’s softball team postseason honors after it reached the Suffolk County Final with a team whose oldest starter was in 10th grade.
East Islip High School, Home of the Redmen
Welcome to Connetquot Elementary School.
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Major highways, nearby LIRR station
Heckscher State Parkway and Montauk Highway run alongside the community, making it easy to connect to major roads by car. Great River also has its own stop on the Long Island Rail Road’s Montauk line. The station doesn’t have a lot of parking spots, but Great River isn’t a big community. Reaching Manhattan’s Penn Station from the station takes about an hour and 15 minutes. Nearby, Bay Shore runs ferries to Fire Island. Long Island MacArthur Airport is about 9 miles away.
Great River Train Station is located off of Connetquot Ave.
Great River Long Island Rail Road Station.
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Written By
Hannah Rainey
Photography Contributed By
Anthony Costa
Video By
Alex Jacobsen
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Megan Gardner,
an experienced agent in this area.
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