Luxury Living: Riverside retreats

High Point Estate is positioned on 15 landscaped acres along New Jersey’s Navesink River. Rich in architectural symmetry, this elegant French-inspired estate was designed by renowned architect Robert A.M. Stern with interior finishes by master craftsman Pierre Finkelstein. The property is further enhanced by four outbuildings, a heated pool and two cabanas, and magnificent gardens based on an original design by the Olmsted Brothers. Access to the river is provided by a private dock with boat lift.

This historic château is in a protected landscape of lush forests and pristine lakes in South Bohemia, 75 miles south of Prague. The estate has a romantic location on the banks of the Lužnice River, not far from its confluence with the Vltava. Built circa 1565, the magnificent main residence has been beautifully restored throughout. The baroque details include frescoes, wood panels and floors and ceramic fireplaces. The grounds include a lake with a dock and a herb garden.

Fairyhill House is a historic Georgian farmhouse on the banks of the River Shannon in the village of Parteen, County Clare. The six-bedroom residence, restored by its architect owner in 2006, blends 18th-century details with 21st-century comforts. The house is set within nearly an acre of picturesque grounds which include two ornamental pools, with a walled garden to the rear completing the atmosphere of sheltered charm. Fairyhill House is  17 miles from Shannon International Airport.

Encompassing two lots totalling 24 acres with 1,066 feet of Swan River frontage, this private, gated Montana estate is the ultimate fly-fishing retreat. The 4,567-square-foot main residence features three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a sunroom overlooking the river, and a great room with a 20-foot-high vaulted ceiling and floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace. Of particular note is the library, which housed the current owner’s collection of fly-fishing books—one of the world’s largest. The property also includes a two-bedroom guest house, three-car garage, and greenhouse.

The most significant offering in Savannah, Georgia, Riverbend (also pictured top) is aptly named for its panoramic views over the Wilmington River. This estate is sited on a high bluff with 300 feet of deepwater frontage. Complementing the eight-bedroom, French Caribbean-style main residence are two cottages, a pool, and a charming dock house perched above the river.