Leisure Village

Leisure Village is a 24-hour gated, self-managed 55+ active adult community in Ridge, New York, on Long Island in Suffolk County. Established in 1969 and built out through 1986, the community spans 246 wooded acres with 14 miles of roads and 33 miles of sidewalks winding through 1,500 attached single-level condominium homes organized across roughly 490 low-rise buildings. The setting is rural and tree-lined — quiet cul-de-sacs, preserved New York State land backing many units, and a country-club feel without the country-club price tag. Floor plans range from compact one-bedroom Eton and Baronet models up through larger two-bedroom Cambridge, Carlton, Greenbriar, Oakmont, and Winfield layouts. Some units include attached one-car garages; others use assigned parking. Many have been extensively renovated — updated kitchens with quartz or granite counters, stainless appliances, walk-in showers, luxury vinyl plank flooring, enclosed three-season porches, and newer HVAC. Property taxes are notably low for Long Island, typically running around $2,700–$2,900 per year before STAR exemptions. The heart of Leisure Village is its 25,000-square-foot clubhouse, which houses a fitness center, auditorium, library, card and billiards rooms, ceramics studio, woodworking shop, sewing and craft rooms, and multiple multi-purpose rooms. Outside, residents enjoy an Olympic-sized heated saltwater pool, tennis and pickleball courts, bocce ball, shuffleboard, and walking trails. The community's own 9-hole par-3 golf course is included in the monthly HOA fee — an unusual perk at this price point anywhere, let alone on Long Island. Social life is the community's calling card. A full-time activities director runs a calendar of summer concerts, pool parties, theater productions, and holiday events, and residents have organized more than 50 clubs covering everything from bridge, bingo, and bowling to quilting, ceramics, book club, golf, tennis, hiking, and men's club. The HOA is self-managed — governed by residents rather than an outside management company — which keeps fees down and keeps decisions local. The monthly fee covers water, sewer, trash, cable, internet, exterior maintenance (roof, siding, gutters, walkways), lawn care, snow removal, sprinkler system, and all amenity access. Location is a genuine strength. Leisure Village sits just off Exit 68 on the Long Island Expressway (I-495), putting Manhattan about 65 miles west, the Hamptons and Montauk within easy reach to the east, and the North Fork wine country and Long Island Sound beaches minutes away. Port Jefferson's historic waterfront village, with its ferry to Bridgeport, Connecticut, and LIRR station to Penn Station, is a short drive north. For day-to-day life, Stop & Shop, King Kullen, and Tanger Outlets at Riverhead are all close by, along with Brookhaven State Park, Rocky Point Pine Barrens Preserve, and Wildwood State Park for hiking and nature. It's one of the few places where retirees genuinely can stay on Long Island without leaving for a lower-cost state.