Wantagh and Seaford, gateway towns to Jones Beach, may have separate libraries, school districts, fire departments, chambers of commerce and historical societies, but they also share a lot besides the community newspaper.
For example, there’s the Wantagh-Seaford Homeowners’ Association. And many houses of worship have members from both communities as do the Daughters of the American Revolution. Wantagh’s patriotic Fourth of July Parade is one of the largest in the state and a fitting prelude to the fireworks at Jones Beach.
On either side of the parkway to the beach are two county parks which both feature dog runs. Wantagh Park has a fishing pier, marina, pool and water slide, picnic fields, athletic fields and playground. Cedar Creek Park has a sledding hill, aerodrome, one of the world’s few tether car parks, picnic fields, athletic fields and courts and a playground. It is also the entrance to the bike path to Jones Beach. The Cedar Creek Sewage Treatment Plant is monitored by homeowners in both communities.
The Wantagh-Seaford waterfront is one of the community’s wildlife treasures and the waterways are a veritable paradise. Any boater can tell you about the ever-changing landscape as the tide moves in and out amongst the reedy marsh lands teeming with wildlife. The Verity family of duck decoy carvers are famous early residents. Seaman’s Neck Park near the water has a sprinkler park for kids along with athletic courts and fields.
Seaford also borders the Tackapausha Preserve, and Wantagh is home to the beautiful Twin Lakes Preserve and the famous Bideawee Pet Cemetery, resting place of President Richard Nixon’s famous dog Checkers.
Among sought-after Wantagh neighborhoods are Brookside Estates, Forest Lake, Holiday Park, Mandalay, Sunrise Park and Wantagh Woods, and many young families settle in the smaller town of Seaford near their parents and grandparents. It’s a family kind of place.