Rockville Centre

With its restaurants, parks, housing variety, and 37-minute LIRR express commute, Rockville Centre is a lure for those who want to be able to walk to all. The restaurant capital of Long Island, it has more than 100 places to grab a bite, from gastro pubs and raw bars to cuisines from around the world. To complement the mix of Tudors, colonials, and Victorians, several apartment, co-op, and condo complexes have gone up near the downtown in recent years. There are parks and ponds along the western border of the village, which is also home to Mercy Hospital and Molloy College; the latter's campus includes a performing arts theater.