“Why would people spend time here?” Don Pasinkoff wondered seeing the Silver Point Beach Club for the first time. He saw rickety cabanas stretching out to the ocean. But he would soon learn to love this place.
The Silver Point Beach Club has been a Long Island treasure since the 1930s. Middle-class families sought an inexpensive summer escape here. This was long before air conditioning became common. Shopkeepers, teachers, and civil servants escaped the city. They came with their families.
The Silver Point Beach Club is not fancy. It is not like the Hamptons. It is a stoop by the sea. It feels like the old neighborhoods. Everyone can come home here.
The club has tiny but tidy shacks. Longtime neighbors swap gossip. They read summer novels. They watch each other’s children. There are no trendy stores. There are no highways packed with road rage. Instead there is a beautiful sandy beach. There is a large swimming pool. There are communal bathrooms and showers. A tiny boardwalk completes the scene.
Forget waiting for hours at Hamptons restaurants. At Silver Point Beach Club the aromas of home-cooked meals fill the air. Chicken Marsala and eggplant parmigiana are common. Marinated pork tenderloins and beef enchiladas tempt the senses. Feel free to sample your neighbor’s cooking.
The Silver Point Beach Club sits on a small beach past the New York City border. There are 11 other similar clubs. These clubs have become a magnet for families. They have been coming here for decades. They wouldn’t spend their summers anywhere else.
The typical rent for a cabana is $4400 for the May-to-September season. Many families split the lease. The units are small. Most are rented by the same people every year. Waiting lists are common.
The Silver Point Beach Club prides itself on a quiet lifestyle. There are few rules. Tenants decorate their cabanas as they wish. Some constantly upgrade their spaces. Others keep them spartan.
David Mittleman spent his first summer at Silver Point during World War II. He has been coming ever since. Cynthia, his wife, is a relative newcomer. She has only been coming since 1960. Key moments in their lives happened here. David remembers soldiers patrolling the shore. They were looking for German U-boats. David and Cynthia brought their children here. Now they watch their grandchildren play in the same sand.
Getting along with your neighbor is essential. Most days are lazy. Families arrive early. They stay until late. They do not spend the night.
Silver Point Beach Club offers more than just a beach. It encompasses over 100 acres. There is plenty of room for swimming, surfing, and sunbathing. The club includes an Olympic-size swimming pool. A kiddie pool is also available. There are tennis courts and playgrounds. Paddleball and basketball courts provide recreation. You can also enjoy beach volleyball, bocce, and softball. A cafeteria serves food. Family activities and live music entertain.
The Silver Point Beach Club’s beauty has attracted Hollywood. Vogue, Glamour, and Vanity Fair have filmed here. Apple TV and Amazon TV have also used the location.
At Silver Point Beach Club, you may give up your husband or your children. But never the cabana.