West Sand Lake mixes a growing restaurant scene with lakeside leisure
West Sand Lake combines comfort, commerce and convenience. The hamlet is the largest of four communities within the town of Sand Lake. “It’s a beautiful town with rolling hillsides and old farms,” says Laurie Leckonby, the managing broker at Coldwell Banker Prime Properties’ West Sand Lake office, adding that the area is Sand Lake’s commercial center, full of restaurants, shops and businesses. Residents also get access to a town beach along Reichards Lake while sitting a few miles from the amenities of Downtown Albany.
Colonial Revival and New Traditional homes that sell quickly
Colonial Revival homes, New Traditional houses and ranch-style properties can be found throughout the community. Most properties sit on the western side of West Sand Lake Road. The median sale price is $415,000, close to the national median. Area homes tend to sell after around 20 days on the market, fewer than the U.S. average of close to 50 days. Residential roads are narrow and usually don’t have sidewalks, though main thoroughfares like New York State Route 43 often do near commercial areas. Tall trees surround the streets, which typically snake through the area instead of having a grid-like pattern. Yards are grassy and can feature many bushes and small plants. Some also have trees of varying sizes.
A sub shop, a diner and an upscale Italian restaurant are close by
Several of the area’s eateries and small businesses sit in a shopping center along Mall Way. West Sand Lake Community Church is a few minutes from the shopping center, along West Sand Lake Road. CrossRoads American Grille hosts karaoke and trivia nights. Hometown Diner serves classic American entrees for breakfast and lunch, and Doby’s Submarine has been feeding customers sandwiches since 1972. But even more options are a few miles away, like La Perla Restaurant, which Leckonby says serves “absolutely fabulous” Italian cuisine. Daley’s on Crooked Lake changes its upscale menu with the season.
Hannaford sells groceries, and Walgreens carries essentials. Hoffay’s Harvest House, at Hoffay Farms, sells in-season produce, ice cream and pies. Customers can play through the farm’s nine-hole mini golf course while there.
The Averill Park Central School District gets high marks from Niche
Most students are zoned for the Averill Park Central School District, which earns an overall B-plus Niche grade. West Sand Lake Elementary School holds a B-plus score, and Algonquin Middle School earns an A-minus. Averill Park High School offers students two possible diplomas: the Regents diploma and the Advanced Regents diploma, which requires more foreign language credits and fewer elective credits. It receives a B rating.
A small number of students who live off Parker and Shaver roads may be served by East Greenbush Central School District, which gets an overall A Niche grade. New York does not have a private school choice program. Robert C. Parker School, for prekindergarten through eighth grade, holds an A-plus rating. It is less than 3 miles west.
Beach access, farm tours, baseball fields and boat launches
Sand Lake Town Beach is free with proof of residency; passes can be collected at the Town Clerk’s office. Renovations to the beach, including the addition of floating docks and a boat launch, began in 2024. Nearby, Butler Park features baseball fields, a playground and a picnic pavilion. Visitors of June Farms can tour the facilities and brush its furry Scottish Highland cattle. The farm hosts weddings and special events. Sand Lake Veterans Memorial Park has military monuments. A few miles away, North Greenbush Dedrick Park sits along Snyder’s Lake and has a beach, a boat launch and a pavilion. The Sand Lake Public Library hosts events like author talks and sewing nights.
New York State Route 43 gives the community access to Downtown Albany
New York state routes 43 and 150 cut through the community, crossing each other near Walgreens and Hannaford. Downtown Albany is around 10 miles away, as is Albany Medical Center. Albany International Airport is nearly a 20-mile drive. Leckonby says the area is “a true four-season community” and can get large amounts of snow, though she adds that local road crews quickly clear the streets.
