Tell Me More about NYC-area Beaches (s/d, etc.)

I've decided to make an effort to see a variety of NYC-area beaches this summer, partly in an effort to conquer my residual childhood dislike of beaches, partly because I'm reading The Power Broker now, partly just to make my wife happy.

Visited Coney Island Beach for the first time since I was little today, which was pretty neat. A slightly surreal landscape with just about every kind of person you can imagine. I'm sure it's kind of miserable once it opens for swimming and gets super-crowded though (it was already pretty crowded today).

Where should we go next? I've heard Rockaway Beach is pretty nice.

ft tildon which is on the rockaways is really nice - totally swimable not too crowded and they hav pitch n putt - need to drive or bike there tho

i would never swim at coney btw so nast

ft tildon is a super nice bike ride if u go from prospect park to the ocean parkway bike path to the belt parkway bike path to flatbush and across the bridge and then the beach is right there - yr basically on bike paths the whole way

ft tildEn

then if yr too tired to bike all the way home after the beach u can just go to coney island or a few miles down the rockaways and get the subway

That sounds great. Need to get a bike again.

If you're reading Moses, you must go to Jacob Riis Park in the Rockaways--even if you aren't reading Moses. Dilapidated scenery plus 30s-era architecture--very atmospheric. Another obvious one: Robert Moses State Park. My favorite for a clean, serviceable, quiet beach is Long Beach.

you can also take a ferry to Sandy Hook

there's a Todd P show at Ft Tilden June 14, the day after a surfing contest at Rockaway Beach

Robert Moses is great, closest clean nice beach to nyc prob, by car at least, and because it's a state park, there's no touristy beachwalk bullshit.

I'm up for discussing the jersey shore of course.

Visited Jacob Riis/Rockaway today and enjoyed it. Area around Jacob Riis itself was way too crowded but there are nice beaches a couple bus stops down with no facilities or concession stands. Water was great for swimming, sand was clean.

hitting the jersey shore first thing tomorrow.

my God, the sand at Asbury Park yesterday was atomic-hot. Otherwise, like the barely-saved-from-falling-dowm ambience. And Ocean Grove is pretty.

love to go out to Cedar Beach in Babylon LI. great little spot, never too crowded and alcohol permitted on the beach. 45 min drive out from the city tho.

which beach are you going to dan?? we almost went to manasquan last week but went to a friends pool instead

I'd try Cedar Beach, I can certainly get the LIRR a hell of a lot faster than I can get NJT. Can you get to the beach from the train?

no train, but i think bus might be possible.

Bah.

This summer, I visited Montauk, Fire Island, and the Rockaways, with narry a visit to my beloved Long Beach. The rainy June really cut down on my beach going.

its been fantastic beach weather the last week tho - pretty crowded tho. whats montauk like?

i miss long beach!

morbs had it...went to Ocean Grove for the third time. It's a creepy/awesome Christian town filled with beautiful victorian houses and an old-timey apothecary, just a block south of Asbury Park, the decadent wasteland of Bruce's NJ turned budget South Beach gay paradise, featuring the Empress Hotel, co-started by Shep Pettibone, and it's disco nightclub. And on Sept 11th you can see the Rapture at the Stone Pony!

And yeah, I couldn't walk on the sand for more then a second.

Orchard Beach, Bronx

I successfully avoided the AP disco. I had pork chops and ice cream at the old-timey apothecary.

Fantastic beach weather to me is 60 degrees, with a sweater. I forgot how much I hate heat.

I'll likely be going to this http://www.villagevoice.com/events/the-beach-party-presents-soundstream-1312293/

I have no idea if this at an actual beach or not, and if so which and what.

lol water taxi "beach"

Montauk is windswept and state-park-y. It was a little less end-of-the-line feeling than I had anticipated, but it may be more like that in winter. It doesn't look expensive, but it is very, very expensive, especially if you plan to spend the night in a hotel.

had a great time going to montauk during the winter and staying at the big empty 20s era hotel, swimming in the practically empty indoor pool and having an indoor picnic in the hotel room.

gonna take my son out to long beach next week. used to go there back in the day. (easily accessible by train, or it was). anybody been there lately?

I went regularly last summer--I'm not sure what it used to be like, but it's now clean, calm and low-key.

I've never been to Water Taxi Beach (LIC) but I've heard it's overpriced and kind of meh. It's confusing, because I ride my bike
around that general area, and there's a sort of dirt path with an arrow that says "Water Taxi," but it seems so deserted I'm
not sure that's the right place to go. Now it's cloned and there are multiple Water Taxi Beaches.

Tell me more about Fire Island and what to do there. Going with another couple just for the day Saturday.

[gay joke]

yeah yeah

walk through/picnic in Sunken Forest

So wound up going to Ocean Beach. Pluses: no cars on the island, clean beach, good clams, ferry ride is sort of fun, town is somewhat quaint and really makes you feel like you've left New York. Minuses: a bit of a hassle to get to if you're not staying the night, facilities are far from the beach, water was very rough (don't know if this is typical).

Also did not appear to be very gay. Whether that's a plus, minus or neither is up to you.

malibu beach club cabanas

a friend of ours took us here,her family has one of these canbans. crazy 60s vibe is pretty awesome and chill.

membership is not necessary to park and access the beach from this point btw

How gay is Fire Island Pines?

I mean I know it's mostly gay, but is it like 99% gay or 70% gay?

I thought this bump was gonna be able the 'rockaways are the new williamsburg' stories

about the*

^^Yeah, I can't believe we haven't eviscerated that article yet.

I've only been to Kismet and Saltaire in Fire Island, but I can't imagine you could go wrong there . . . no matter how gay or not gay it turned out to be.

I thought this bump was gonna be able the 'rockaways are the new williamsburg' stories

― iatee, Thursday, July 14, 2011 11:44 AM

ugh

Well, we booked a weekend there. There was almost no availability at any beach anywhere for when we wanted to go, and this place admittedly looks very nice. I've only been to Ocean Beach.

thought this bump was gonna be able the 'rockaways are the new williamsburg' stories

― iatee, Thursday, July 14, 2011 11:44 AM Bookmark

wait what can you link to these please

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/16/fashion/summer-in-the-rockaways.html?pagewanted=all

I want to go again on Sunday but WHERE?? Ft Tilden tempting me but I'd have to go alone, unless Virgie P will ride down from Astoria and meet up with me.

Hey Hurting - I grew up in Ocean Beach - even lived there year round when I was very little. My parents ran one of the biggest restaurants in OB so we spent every season out there so I know quite a lot about Fire Island.

The pines are pretty gay! I'd say like 90% but it's really beautiful and classy there and I can't imagine you wouldn't like it. Cherry Grove is next door to the Pines and that's also really really gay but it's more of a raucous party zone. The Pines are much Quieter and laid back.

If you end up not loving them you can take a water taxi from the pines to any other town for like 10 bucks then go to dinner or whatever and take one back.

I'm really fucking jealous. Last time I was out there it was two summers ago and only for lunch.

When are you going?

going to the rockaways tomorrow, will report back regarding alleged presence of fashionable young people

The beach I went to close to there was fine . Wasn’t crowded at all when I went, which was the best part.i had to get pretty drunk before I got in the water cuz it was super murky

I guess we could try LB again, VP? Maybe it's less crowded on a non-holiday?

Hey Hurting - I grew up in Ocean Beach - even lived there year round when I was very little. My parents ran one of the biggest restaurants in OB so we spent every season out there so I know quite a lot about Fire Island.

The pines are pretty gay! I'd say like 90% but it's really beautiful and classy there and I can't imagine you wouldn't like it. Cherry Grove is next door to the Pines and that's also really really gay but it's more of a raucous party zone. The Pines are much Quieter and laid back.

If you end up not loving them you can take a water taxi from the pines to any other town for like 10 bucks then go to dinner or whatever and take one back.

I'm really fucking jealous. Last time I was out there it was two summers ago and only for lunch.

When are you going?

― (｡◕‿‿­­­­­­­◕｡) (ENBB), Thursday, 14 July 2011 16:02 (1 hour ago)

We're going on a Sunday thru Tuesday in August, so it will probably a little bit quieter. I was less concerned about it being just a bunch of gays hangin out than a big raucous gay party scene, so good to know.

the coolest thing I saw when we went to the rockaways a few weeks was starbucks in howard beach, it's like a huge old house turned into a starbucks

has anyone been in? we were passing it on a bus but I want to go inside

http://i.imgur.com/s8Y0g.jpg

a few weeks ago*

Hurting - yeah it'll be really nice. I'd just recommend not going to The Grove unless you decide you do want to end up in the middle of the gay party scene. We should to go there for fun p frequently but I totally understand if that's not what you had in mind for a relaxing weekend. You know what is close to there that you should visit? The Sunken Forest. http://www.nps.gov/fiis/planyourvisit/sunken-forest.htm.

are the beaches around rockaway taco good? ive only been to jacob riis

― max, Thursday, July 14, 2011 12:53 PM Bookmark

I don't remember the exact streets, but i remember that we took the bus a few stops past jacob riis and the beaches were much quieter/nicer/cleaner.

yeah over by fort tilden is great but thats farther away from tacos

BTW, ENBB -- any thoughts about best way to get to Sayville Ferry without a car? The train looks like a bit of a hassle but maybe it's not so bad IDK.

lol - During the winters I grew up in Bayport which is the town next door to Sayville so I'm v v familiar with the Sayville LIRR train station. It's actually the easiest way and a total piece of cake. Trains leave frequently from Penn and you change in either Jamica or Babylon but it's very simple. When you get to Sayville there will be taxis from Colonial Taxi service (vans actually) and the drivers will be yelling, "Ferries!" Get in one of those, It'll be a 5 min $5 ride to the ferry and totally worth it. :)

ok cool. YAY!

Yeah it really is super easy. If you want to take the number with you for Colonial just on the off chance that they're not at the station for some reason (though I'm near certain they will be) it's 631-589-3500. Enjoy it!!

thankig u

Yeah, Laurel, let's try some beach, I don't have a strong opinion on which one ... Actually I think theres a bus from qns I could take to the rockways ... The Jacob Riis part I think ...

yeah the bus in woodside goes there

it's prob only faster if you're starting in woodside tho

but you go through some interesting neighborhoods

Oh hey, it's on the same little spit of land as Ft Tilden! I'd just make that bike ride by myself and meet you in Riis Park, then. It doesn't help me to go all the way up to Woodside, no. ;)

Yep, I'm gonna research it and see if it's at all feasible for me to bike there, if not I will meet you and your bike via bus.

Rockaway Taco is on Beach 95th street. Beaches a little crowded and smallish right there but if you go down to about 81st-82st by the rock jetties beaches are hugish and much less crowded.

Stop by Connelly's on 94th also for a frozen pina colada. Old school surf bar that's been there for ages. Nice big booths, doesn't get too crowded on weekday afternoons.

Oh, I forgot to check this thread and therefore missed going to Connelly's, but I will try it next time. I thought we were going to the Rockway Taco shack, but we ended up at their outpost in that new-fangled food market. There's a lot of good food in that old NYC recreation building . . . I hope they return next year.

I should go to the Rockaways on one of my summer Fridays; never been.

I'm SHOCKED you've never been to the Rockaways and ENVIOUS of your summer Fridays.

I forgot to mention how enjoyable the Q53 bus was--I'm never taking the A train again.

well, I wonder if there any alternatives to the A in Brooklyn?

Driving, biking, walking. I once took a ferry from downtown to Jacob Riis--that was pretty cool.

You can catch the B46 on Utica Ave and take it to Avenue V, where you would have to get out and wait for a B35 to take you across the bridge onto the peninsula. The B41 from downtown Brooklyn accomplishes the same thing: Take it to Kings Plaza and xfer to the 35. But be careful, cos it seems to have two possible terminal destinations, and you don't want the Bergen Beach one.

I guess the 35 is in fact the Q35! Sorry, Queens! And queens.

ime the bus routes and train routes to rockaway take about the same amount of time unless you're already on an A stop. im sure biking is way faster

Biking is faster if you already live out by Utica! Because Utica goes straight there, although you have to contend with it also being a heavily used bus route. If you lived over in Park Slope or, god forbid, Williamsburg or Greenpoint, I think public trans is your friend.

Why would you want to arrive at the Rockaways tired?

Maybe you're the type that likes to sleep on the beach, or you are wary of life and don't particularly want the strength to fight the undertow...

so you can eat more tacos xp

So yeah, we're at fire island pines. It has it's pluses and minuses - it's a beautiful place that's not overcrowded, and during the day I've really enjoyed it here. The place we're staying is small and peaceful. It clearly caters to gay people and I don't think they get straight couples often but I don't think we're the first. Usually when we've gone to eat or to the beach or for a walk we've seen other straight couples, but not more than one or two. I don't get the sense that most people mind us being here but I also feel that too many straight couples would cramp people's style, because they seem to want this to be a place where they can be totally unself-conscious and free, and I respect that. I can't pretend that i haven't felt uncomfortable at all, although most of the time I'm just enjoying the atmosphere and not really thinking about where I am. At night there's just not a lot for us to do, although to be fair it's not like we'd enjoy jersey shore clubs more than gay discos. There was a little bit of culture shock for me - obviously I see openly gay couples every day but I've never been in a place where it was so in my face all the time, and I don't mean just seeing a lot of gay couples, I mean very overt sexuality everywhere all the time. I know the obvious response is to point out that gay people have to live with these discomforts all the time, and if anything this has made me much more appreciative of how hard that must be and why gay people want to come to a place like this. Anyway it's been a nice relaxing trip but I don't know that I would come back.

I am trying to decide if I want to go to the Pines on Saturday. Leaning against.

OK, I am going to the Pines, likely for about 12 hours. One friend's reaction: "What in god's name did you do to bring this upon yourself?"

FI was a larf... this weekend it's Tourists, Stay Out! while they repair...

so what else should I hit besides Rockaway Taco and Connelly's tomorrow?

well, I guess I will just read the NYT article

Sorry! I've only been there once, with Mary as tour guide. Otherwise I know nothing of these Rockaways, as you say.

Hung out at Coney Island beach a month ago while in town, had a total blast. It was an hour and a half trip from the Lower East Side via subway, but worth it.

shoulda been more like an hour, but gremlins, mebbe

there really isn't much to hit, morbs!

I have never been to an NYC-are beach, only in the movies

Rockaway Taco was pretty solid but couldn't measure up after eating tacos at Nixtamal last weekend. Also I have a bone to pick with only offering Chorizo, Fish, "Carne" and Tofu. Maybe it's some kind of SoCal thing I don't understand, but how can you not have some kind of pork taco? Anyway, long line but it seems like part of the fun is the scene in the line or whatever. We did the beach at Jacob Riis though, still haven't been to the beaches around taco.

I figure they must be doing several thousand dollars an hour in sales for at least several hours of the day, quite a business. Constant line, moves fast.

I just wanna say I'm happy the rockaways exist. The fact that I can get there in 30 mins almost makes this miserable city seem bearable in the summer.

i went to rockaway beach today! it was lovely, and also about 12° cooler than my neighborhood in brooklyn. i had an uzbek(istani) lunch

would hang

fort tilden is the perfect spot. the waves are nice, the water temp gets better in hotter days, not a lot of people <3 and if you have a car, it's easier to park near in a avenue behind and just walk over near the abandoned structures. I did some birthdays there for my wife, it's a good plan if you bring stuff

xp would be honored, but i suspect the waves are insufficient for a world-class wakeboarder