It goes without saying, there’s nothing like the beach—especially right now! These local beaches are all within an hour of the city and are reachable by car or train:
Jacob Riis Park, Queens. Jones Beach but closer. This beach-park offers a mile-long stretch of surf kids can swim in, plus ball courts, miniature golf, a boardwalk, a playground, and public grills. 718-318-4300.
Midland Beach, Staten Island. This beach is great for swimming and boasts concession stands, a playground, and the Sea Turtle Fountain, which has sprinklers kids can run around in. It’s also close to South Beach, which is popular for its boardwalk. 718-987-0709.
Sandy Hook, NJ. Only a 40-minute ferry ride from Wall Street, this beautiful, well-kept beach-park includes seven miles of ocean beaches, salt marshes, and hiking trails. If your family enjoys historical sites, visit the oldest surviving lighthouse in the United States, Sandy Hook Lighthouse, which can be visited on weekends from noon to 5 p.m. Also, be sure to bring your bikes and take advantage of Sandy Hook’s amazing bike trails. 732-872-5970, sandy-hook.com. For ferry info: seastreak.com.
Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn. Going east, first comes Coney, then Brighton, then Manhattan Beach, which adjoins a community of private homes. There’s basketball courts, paddle ball, tennis, a great beach shaped like a half-moon, and a big public parking lot (get there early to claim your spot!).
Brighton Beach and Coney Island. They share the same beach and boardwalk. Brighton has the infusion of Russian culture and restaurants. Coney has, in case you haven’t heard, rides, circus, Nathan’s, minor league baseball, and the aquarium. Whichever one you land at, it’s easy to visit the other.
Water Taxi Beach at Long Island City, Queens. Across from Manhattan, there are concessions and volleyball during the day, and dance parties at night. A great view, a great place for a family picnic.
Orchard Beach, Bronx. Once heralded as New York’s “Riviera,” it’s still quite a gem, with playgrounds, picnic areas, and more than two dozen sports courts—and a nice big and long beach front.
Long Beach, Long Island. Not to be confused with Long Beach Island on the Jersey Shore, Long Beach on Long Island is a year-round home to some, a great summer day to others. It has a Jersey Shore town’s mix of commercial stores and restaurants and club, with a heavy infusion of city cool and artiness. And a great beach.
Jones Beach, Long Island. Hugely popular, lots of concessions, public swimming pools, a performance venue for night concerts, basketball, tennis, shuffle board, mini-golf, picnic areas, rustic hiking—but the crown jewel, of course, is the big beach and delicious ocean.
