On the North Shore of Long Island with our feet in the sand, our town sits just on the edge of New York; Manhattan’s glowing avenues a 40 minute train ride away. It really is no surprise that Port Washington was featured on an episode of Best Places to Live, hosted by Cristina Cuomo. “We chose Port Washington as a great place to live because it has a rich history, many beautiful homes, great schools, a tremendous sense of community and is just a short train ride to Manhattan,” said Alan Goldsher, creator and executive producer of Best Places to Live and Re-Invention TV.
Port residents agree. Local Daniel Gale real estate agent and 29-year Port resident Linda Ruvio is featured in Port’s Best Places to Live episode. She is “so thankful we picked here to raise our family.” She continued, “One time I went up with my family to Nantucket and on the drive back, I realized, looking out at the water, we live in Nantucket. Why do we need to go there? We have such a beautiful town here.” As well, she always says that people stay for lots of reasons, but “ultimately they stay here because they fall in love with the town and the people.”
To live in Port Washington means that you have pride in the town, whether as an adult or a kid. Justin May, a graduate of Schreiber High School in 2014 and a volunteer for PortFest, thinks Port was chosen since “there’s plenty of great restaurants and a great view of the water.”
Maybe it’s that view that can’t be beat, or the fact that our town has homes like Mill Pond Acres, which “allow all the people who know and love the area to stay in the area,” but Ruvio thinks that Port is “a good, happy, safe, beautiful place to be.” We keep around the families that help build this town up.”
Richard Rybecky, a licensed associate broker for Accents of Real Estate, and Virginia Rybecky are a couple who call Port a generational home. The Rybeckys have lived in Port their entire lives and both of their mothers still live in the same houses where they grew up. When asked about why Port was chosen for Best Places to Live, Richard Rybecky said, “As a real estate agent, I have to think about what makes Port Washington a great place to live, but as a lifetime resident, I know what makes it a great hometown. Anyone with children will benefit from the youth athletic activities offered in the town and especially Port Youth Association (PYA).” He continued, “My father was involved in PYA since it started and is honored every year in their annual fundraising golf outing. Three of his five sons live in town, including me, and we have all been involved with PYA over the years.”
He added, “Port Washington is a water town and I love to sail. We are close to the water and have the best train on Long Island. We have a renowned library and a town dock where you can watch the sunset. Port is also a diversified community which provided the opportunity for our children not only to get a great education, but to make friends and learn about acceptance and other cultures.”
Port residents cite the community, dedication and spirit for why Port is among the Best Places to Live. Across each story is a common thread of home and pride for Port Washington. We will say, “yes we are from Port Washington, recently seen on Best Places to Live and, yes, the sunsets here never get boring,” as we wiggle our toes in the sand and feel the breeze of the Sound on our face.
The Port Washington Best Places to Live episode aired on WLIW21 on Tuesday, July 21 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, July 24 at 5:30 a.m., Saturday, July 25 at 9:30 a.m., Sunday, July 26 at 6:00 p.m. and Tuesday, July 28 at 4:30 a.m.
