While the heart of summer is over in New England and the northern East Coast, the weather is still mild enough for beach walks especially as we get closer to those Indian Summer afternoons. I explored a handful of Long Island, Bronx and greater New York City beaches this past summer, which are included on this list — others came from research and recommendations from friends who have lived in the New York City area for more than ten years, and on some cases, their whole lives.
Lido Beach – we went here because it was easy to get and parking wasn’t a fortune. Apparently they have a special seniors program as well making it a unique beach in that regard in the area. I noticed picnic and barbecue areas however, so a great option for families as well and there were plenty of kids swimming and playing in the sand when we were there mid-summer. There’s also bocce, shuffleboard, basketball, volleyball, and handball courts and apparently I learned that there is a spray pool, comedy shows and arts and crafts for kids.
Long Beach Long Beach Road — This is located between Noyack and North Haven. I’m told this is a great beach for families since the ocean is a little warmer (it’s bay-side) and its a little milder overall.
Two Mile Hollow in East Hampton — Think money and nudity, at least that’s what I’m told for this East Hampton beach. Clothing optional and apparently fun for a person looking for a little wilder side to his/her beach.
Gibson Beach Gibson Lane in Sagaponack — This beach feels a bit higher end — you get that sense from the designer bikinis (apparently it’s top optional). So if you want to do a little eye surfing, this is your spot.
Main Beach Ocean Avenue in East Hampton – a great place for families as well and I read that its a great beach to take in the Fourth of July fireworks (mark the calendars for next year).
Jones Beach – I’ve been to Jones Beach before including this past summer. It touts itself as one of New York State’s biggest. It has 6.5 miles of sand, two swimming pools, a two-mile boardwalk, miniature golf and the Theodore Roosevelt Nature Center which offers educational tours.
Ocean Road Beach in Bridgehampton — Think surfers and more surfers. You apparently need a special parking permit otherwise it’s tough to park. And, it tends to get crowded, but the surf is great.
Wainscott Beach Beach Lane — The location of this beach is near to the wealthy neighborhoods of the Hamptons that you’ve all read about. Think old and new money alike and those who wanna be in the know, or should I say “show.”
Jones Beach photo: andrewandmarymartha.blogspot.com and Orchard Beach photo credit: jbronx.wordpress.com.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
