Thursday, October 1, 2026
North Shore beaches and hidden parks serve as recreational spaces for Sea Cliff and Glen Head residents. Sea Cliff’s beach and many parks offer a scenic experience for residents and visitors. Glen Head and Glenwood Landing hamlets are home to Francis M. Gaynor Park and Harry Tappen Beach. While activity may kick up in the summer, parks are certainly popular year round.
Music and family fun at Sea Cliff Beach
The season officially starts Memorial Day weekend and ends Labor Day weekend at Sea Cliff Municipal Beach. The village maintains the beach and has a committee that organizes recreational activities on the beach during the summer. Visitors to the beach between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends must be Sea Cliff residents. Certified lifeguards staff the beach during the season.
Containing a playground and snack bar and offering swim lessons, the beach is a child-friendly location for families. The Sea Cliff Beach Events Committee and the village organize a series of Friday night concerts. Local bands and artists perform on the beach’s stage throughout the summer.
Hidden green gems
In its 1-square mile, Sea Cliff contains 16 neighborhood parks. Among the most popular are Memorial Park and Clifton Park. It takes some exploring to locate some of the village’s smaller parks, along with its historic 18 Trails, walkways throughout Sea Cliff leftover from when it was an 1800s vacation town.
Memorial Park, also known to residents as Hippie Park or Sunset Park, is at the west end of Sea Cliff Avenue where the street meets Prospect Avenue. Visitors can take in a scenic view of the sunset each night from the park’s benches.
Clifton Park is home to Sea Cliff Baseball and North Shore Softball. The park also hosts the Sea Cliff Civic Association’s Sunset Serenade concert series featuring local artists each summer.
Revitalizing Francis M. Gaynor Park
Named for World War I veteran and brickmaker Francis M. Gaynor, the park was built in 1945 after the Post Brick Company closed. Gaynor advocated for the 22-acre property to be donated to Glenwood Landing American Legion Post 336. After being donated, it was developed into a recreational area and community center.
The park’s athletic facilities have received upgrades, like new turf, within recent years.
Tappen Beach has something for everyone
Harry Tappen Beach, on the border of Glenwood Landing and Sea Cliff, is open to Town of Oyster Bay residents during the operating season from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend with certified lifeguards on duty. Each May, Sea Cliff’s St. Boniface Martyr Church holds its Feast by the Shore there, offering food, concessions, music and carnival games and rides.
The on-site restaurant operates each season. Complete with a playground and basketball court, the park is a hub of activity.
Tappen is also home to a Town of Oyster Bay public pool, staffed by certified lifeguards. Open during the same season, the pool welcomes families and lap swimmers. Visitors can often find an ice cream truck outside the pool area.
