Long Beach NY: Best New York Beaches

ByLisa Dworkin Hours

Beach Personality: Local Feel Yet Convenient to Manhattan

Long Beach NY

Long Beach Park is a 2-mile stretch of beach and boardwalk in the town of Long Beach, New York. Although most people tout Jones Beach State Park as the closest beach to Manhattan, Long Beach Park is closer. It’s less than 30 miles from Manhattan.

Long Beach Park isn’t a great beach, but it’s a nice local beach with many things to recommend it. The water is clean and the sand is soft and light in color. Those qualities in addition to the boardwalk, which is pleasant for walking, biking, and rollerblading, and the convenient amenities make Long Beach Park an enjoyable beach for locals and Manhattan residents.

Beach Activities:

  • Lounging
  • Swimming
  • Boogie boarding
  • Kayaking
  • Surfing
  • Fishing
  • Biking
  • Boardwalk
  • Free summer concerts

Beach Amenities:

  • Public bathrooms – Yes.
  • Showers – Yes.
  • Parking – Yes, free although beach passes must be purchased for beach entry during the summer.
  • Food – No, but food is available within walking distance on W. Park Avenue.
  • Lifeguard – Yes, seasonally.
  • Dogs allowed on the beach – No.

Beach Rentals:

Long Beach Surf (http://www.longbeachsurfcam.com/) rents surfboards.

In addition, the following businesses are within driving distance:

Empire Kayaks (http://www.empirekayaks.com) rents kayaks and paddleboards (SUP) and offers kayak tours and lessons.

Ted’s Fishing Station (http://www.tedsfishingstation.com/) rents boats and fishing poles.

Directions:

Long Beach Park is located just east of Broadway from New York Avenue on the south end to Neptune Boulevard on the north end. Parking is available on Broadway.

To get to Long Beach Park from all points west, drive to Route 878, Rockaway Boulevard/Nassau Expressway. Cross the Atlantic Beach Bridge and turn left on Park Street. Stay on Park Street even as its name changes to Marginal Road and then Beech Street. Turn right at New York Avenue and left at W Broadway. Look for a parking spot anywhere on Broadway.

You can also reach Long Beach Park by train. Take the Long Island Railroad from Penn Station to Long Beach. It takes about an hour. Long Beach Park is within walking distance of the Long Beach train station. For more information, see the Long Island Railroad website.

To many joyful beach experiences!

— Lisa Dworkin

Photos courtesy of Lisa Dworkin. More photos on Flickr.

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