BEACHES NEAR NYC WITHOUT A CAR

Take the A Train

Or the Q or the Bx12 or the LIRR. You won't need a car to get your fill of sun and sand at any of these ten beaches.

By Kate Appleton, New York Magazine

Approx. travel times assume you start your journey in midtown Manhattan.

Brighton Beach
Brightwater Ave., Brooklyn (Stretches east from Corbin Pl. to Coney Island)

The scene: Mom-and-pop shops with Cyrillic signage and eateries specializing in decent borscht and vodka line the boardwalk, giving Little Odessa a kitschy, Old World appeal. At the oceanfront park, Russian-speaking men face off at passionate rounds of speed chess.
Getting there: B, Q to Brighton Beach
Travel time: 45 minutes–1 hour
Contact: 718-946-1350
Fees: $2 subway; free beach admission

Coney Island
Surf Ave. at W. 12th St. (Stretches from W. 37th St. to Brighton Beach)

The scene: A gritty relic of Americana charm, Coney Island is home to the rickety Cyclone rollercoaster, the New York Aquarium, a circus sideshow, Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs—and its famous eating contest.
Getting there: D, Q, N, or F to Coney Island Terminal-Stillwall Ave.
Travel time: 45 minutes-1 hour
Contact: 718-946-1350; coneyisland.com
Fees: $2 subway; free beach admission

Fire Island
Ocean Beach, NY

The scene: Barefeet, bicycles, red wagons, and an overabundance of brazen deer distinguish the dozen or so tiny communities that make up this laid back, (comparatively) unpretentious Hamptons-alternative. The Pines and Cherry Grove are legendarily gay; Point o' Woods is exclusive, and gated; Dunewood and Fair Harbor are family areas; and Ocean Beach is the biggest scene.
Getting there: Take Long Island Railroad from Penn station or David Brothers Taxi from Manhattan (68th St. and Third Ave. or 53rd St. and Second Ave.) to Bayshore, then take ferry to Fire Island
Travel time: 2.5 hours
Contact: 631-289-4810; nps.gov/fiis; Ferry: 516-666-3600; David Brothers Taxi: 631-665-4384
Fees: Ferry, $13 one-way on weekday, $9.50 one-way on weekend, $14 for round-trip ferry; Taxi, $18 one-way, $21 one-way on holidays and Sundays; free beach admission

Jacob Riis Park
From Beach 169th St. to Beach 149th St.

The scene: An eclectic mix of sun-seekers flock to Jacob Riis, a part of the Gateway National Recreation Area and essentially a shabbier extension of Rockaway Beach. The isolated east end has long been a prime gay pick-up spot.
Getting there: 2 to Flatbush Ave., Q35 Bus to Riis Beach
Travel time: 1-1.5 hours
Contact: 718-318-4300; nps.gov/gate
Fees: $2 subway; free beach admission

Jersey Shore
Ocean Ave., Asbury Park (Stretches from First to Eighth Aves. along Ocean Ave.)

The scene: The beaches of the much maligned Garden State may bring to mind rowdy crowds, funnel cake and skeeball, but not so Cape May: a serene throwback to Victorian times, with slate sidewalks lit by gaslight, period houses and antiques shops. The catch? It's located a good four to five hours away (by bus), at the southernmost tip of NJ.
Getting there: NJ Transit from Penn Station to Asbury Park
Travel time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Contact: 732-775-0900; NJ Transit: 1-800-772-2222, njtransit.com
Fees: $10.05 one-way; $15.25 off-peak round-trip; beach admission, $4 weekdays, $5 weekends and holidays

Cape May alternative: NJ Transit Bus 319 direct from Port Authority to Cape May Transportation Center; $29.45 roundtrip for adults, $13.25 roundtrip for children and seniors

Jones Beach
Off the Wantagh Pkwy (South Shore of Long Island, roughly between the Wantagh and Meadowbrook Pwys)

The scene: Best known for the amphitheater's annual big-name summer concert series, the beach itself draws crowds for its four miles of bike paths, a nature center, an Olympic-size pool, and a blissful "no radio" policy throughout.
Getting there: Long Island Railroad from Penn Station to Freeport, then transfer to Jones Beach shuttle bus
Travel time: 1 hour
Contact: nysparks.state.ny.us, 516-785-1600; 516-822-LIRR
Fees: Round-trip train and bus package, $15 from Manhattan or Brooklyn, $11 from Jamaica; beach admission: $8 per day in summer; $6 per day regular season; $59 for season pass

Long Beach
South shore of Long Island (Stretches from Maple Blvd. to Brookline Ave.)

The scene: A celebrity-studded resort in its early 20th century heyday, this five-mile pristine stretch of sand still has an historic boardwalk for rollerblading or cycling.
Getting there: Long Island Railroad Express from Penn Station
Travel time: 1 hour
Contact: 516-431-3890; 516-822-LIRR
Fees: Roundtrip train and beach admission package, $17 from Manhattan or Brooklyn, $14 from Jamaica; beach admission only, $7

Manhattan Beach
Oriental Blvd., Brooklyn (Stretches from Ocean Ave. to Mackenzie St., on eastern end of Coney Island)

The scene: Stately mansions surround this rather remote, quarter-mile strip of sand. The concrete promenade, while less impressive than those at Coney Island and Brighton Beach, merits a stroll.
Getting there: B, Q to Brighton Beach, then 5 minute bus ride on B1 Bus to Oriental Blvd.
Travel time: 1 hour
Contact: 718-946-1373
Fees: $2 subway; free beach admission

Orchard Beach
Pelham Bay Park at Orchard Beach Rd., the Bronx

The scene: Robert Moses's man-made, mile-long "Riveria of New York" comes with a hexagonal boardwalk; a bandshell for concerts; 26 courts for tennis, paddleball, and basketball; and the outlying, heavily wooded Pelham Bay, three times the size of Central Park.
Getting there: 6 to Pelham Bay, transfer to the Bx12 bus to Orchard Beach
Travel time: 1.5 hours
Contact: 718-885-3273
Fees: $2 subway fare; free beach admission

Rockaway Beach
Beach 9th to 149th Sts., Rockaway Beach, Queens

The scene: A haven for handballers and surfers thanks to numerous handball courts and high, heaving waves, Rockaway runs the gamut from moneyed communities to housing developments to conservation areas.
Getting there: A to Broad Channel, transfer to the S to Rockaway Park-Beach 116th St.
Travel time: 1.5 hours
Contact: 718-318-4000; nycgovparks.org
Fees: $2 subway; free beach admission

Nine Beaches Near NYC Without a Car

By Lauren Madison, offMetro

Whether you’re an avid surfer, professional sand castle builder, or just a big fan of the sun, come summer, we’re all dreaming about escaping to the beach. And for those of us who hail from an urban jungle, slipping into a serene seaside is doubly euphoric.

From outer borough beaches to secluded Long Island shores, these nine stretches of coastline have something in common: they can all be reached from Manhattan and NYC without a car.

Sandy Hook, New Jersey
 
Features: Nearly 2,000 acres of peninsula, fishing, the oldest surviving lighthouse in the United States, views of the Manhattan skyline.
Cost: $40 round trip, free beach admission
Travel Time: 45 minutes
How to get there: Take the Seastreak Ferry from Pier 11, Wall Street. Visit sandy-hook.com for more info.

Robert Moses Beach, Long Island

Features: Five miles of pristine coastline, an 18-hole pitch-and-putt golf course, various amenities (food, grilling and picnic areas, bathhouses), surfing, fewer crowds than Jones Beach.
Cost: $23 train and bus fare round trip (with LIRR package), free beach admission
Travel Time: 1hr 30 minutes
How to get there: From Penn Station, take the LIRR to Babylon Station. Head downstairs to catch the S-47 Suffolk Bus, which will bring you to Robert Moses State Park Field 3 in about 20 minutes. See our article on Robert Moses Beach for more details.

Ditch Plains, Montauk, Long Island
 
Features: Excellent surfing, great quesadillas and lemonade at concession stand Ditch Witch. For families looking for an adventurous bike trip, read our article on Biking Montauk. For a romantic rendez-vous, head to Navy Beach.
Cost: $40 round trip LIRR ticket, Free admission
Travel Time: 3 hours to Montauk
How to get there: Take the LIRR to Montauk. See our article on surfing in Montauk for more details and specific directions.

Long Beach, Long Island
 
Features: Surfing (check the waves), two-mile boardwalk, ocean swimming
Cost: $19 round trip with LIRR package, $10 beach pass
Travel Time: 1 hr 15 minutes
How to get there: Take the LIRR train from Penn Station to Long Beach Station. The beach is a short walk east, then south.

Fire Island, Long Island
 
Features: Few crowds, 150-year-old Fire Island Lighthouse, family-friendly, tennis courts, a Sunken Forest, and cute nearby town.
Cost: $34 LIRR beach package round trip
Travel Time: 2 hours
How to get there: Through September 1st, take the LIRR to Bay Shore Station and board a David Brothers Taxi to the Fire Island Ferries. Lighthouse admission is included in special LIRR package. To explore ethnically diverse shores like Cherry Grove, visit fireisland.com.

Rockaway Beach, Queens

Features: Surfing, cheap, boardwalk, tacos
Cost: $2.25 subway ride; free beach admission
Travel Time: 1.5 hrs
How to get there: Take the A train to Broad Channel, transfer to the S to Rockaway Park-Beach 116th St. Visit nycgovparks.org/parks/rockawaybeach.

Governors Island Beach Club
 
Features: What’s not to love about being on a beach with live music, an outdoor grill, braised beef short ribs, local beer, and stunnning skyline views.
Cost: Free ferry ride, free beach admission
Travel Time: 5 minute ferry ride from downtown Manhattan
How to get there: The free Governors Island Ferry leaves from Slip 7 at the Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan, at the corner of South and Whitehall Streets. Visit the website for more details (which say no swimming allowed).

Atlantic City, Mississippi Avenue, and the Boardwalk
 
Features: Fishing, The Beach Bar at Trump Plaza, gambling, surfing, biking, people watching.
Travel Time: 2 hrs 30 minutes
Cost: $60 round-trip train ride, free beach admission
How to get there: Consult oM’s public transit guide to AC for various car-free options. Visit atlanticcitynj.com for more information.

Orchard Beach, Bronx
 
Features: Only public beach in the Bronx, animated crowds on weekends, 1 mile of beach, 26 courts for tennis, paddleball, and basketball, a hexagonal-block promenade, a pavilion stocked with food and specialty shops, two playgrounds, two picnic areas, canoe or hike around the bay, peaceful weekday escape.
Cost: $2.25 subway fare, free beach admission
Travel Time: Roughly 35 minutes from midtown
How to get there: Take 6 train to Pelham Bay Park then transfer to the Bx29 bus to Orchard Beach. Visit nycgovparks.org/parks/pelhambaypark/ for more info.
For more beach getaway ideas near NYC, read this guide to off the beaten path beaches.

Map:
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