Perched on the highest point of Long Island sits the majestic Gilded Age masterpiece “Oheka Castle.” It’s still the second-largest private residence ever built in the U.S., spanning 109,000 square feet with 127 rooms.
The historic French-style chateau located in the town of Huntington, about an hour drive from NYC (not during rush hour) or an hour-long train ride on the LIRR (plus a 10-minute Uber ride or half hour walk).
The estate was built in 1919 by financier and philanthropist Otto Hermann Kahn, who used it (if you can believe it) only as a summer home! Of course, he did host grand parties and welcomed many notable figures from celebrities to politicians to royalty, the Oheka Castle website shares.
After Kahn passed away in 1934, it held many different functions from a state retreat house to a military training academy, until it was bought by a developer in 1984 and was painstakingly restored.
It was a group effort involving architects, historians and researchers to make sure the castle was restored as accurately as possible to its original design. It ended up costing $40 million, the largest restoration in U.S. history.
Today, you can visit the mansion by booking a tour which includes a guided walk of designated public areas of the estate and formal gardens–or staying overnight, as it functions as a hotel as well.
There’s a restaurant on premises too, so you can really make a day of it.
They also hold plenty of private events and weddings there.
Fun fact: This is also where Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” video was filmed! Oh, and it was in HBO’s “Succession,” though in the show it was said to be in Hungary (for the corporate retreat location).
Find out more info on their website here. Plus, you can find more majestic castles in New York here!