The Easiest Beach Escapes Just Outside Manhattan
One of the best things about living here that people who DON'T live here don't even realize... is that we're within an hour of some really great beaches. Actual ocean beaches. My favorite is probably Long Beach - for it's proximity to the city and how easy it is to get to. But that's just the start.
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| NOT an actual beach in New York City - But wouldn't it be cool? |
Here's where to go, exactly how to get there, what it'll cost you, and which ones to skip on a crowded Saturday in July.
The Subway Beaches
Rockaway Beach (Queens)
If someone asks where the best subway-accessible ocean beach is, this is the answer. Full stop.
Rockaway is the only place in New York City where you can actually surf. The waves are real, the beach is wide and clean after its post-Sandy rebuild, and the food scene around Beach 97th and 116th has gotten legitimately good over the last few years — tacos, ceviche, great coffee, seasonal pop-ups that draw people from all over Brooklyn and Manhattan.
Getting there: Take the A train toward Far Rockaway. You can ride straight to Beach 67, 90, 98, or 116 depending on where you want to land, or get off at Broad Channel and transfer to the Rockaway shuttle. Either way, you're looking at about an hour from Midtown.
There's also the NYC Ferry Rockaway Rocket — runs from Long Island City and Greenpoint directly to Beach 108th Street, running July 4th through Labor Day. It's $12 each way and requires advance booking through the NYC Ferry app. If you're coming from North Brooklyn, skip the A train and take the boat.
Crowd tip: Mid-week in July, this beach is great. Peak summer weekends by noon? It gets genuinely packed around the beach bars. Get there before 10:30 a.m. or plan to stick to the quieter blocks east of the main strip.
Jacob Riis Park (Queens)
Think of Riis as Rockaway's less-crowded, more laid-back neighbor. Same ocean, smaller crowds, none of the scene.
The art deco bathhouse is a NYC landmark. The beach is wide and open. The vibe is more "actual beach day" and less "summer festival." It consistently stays calmer than Rockaway on summer weekends, which counts for a lot.
Getting there is slightly more involved: subway to Flatbush/Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn, then the Q35 bus over the Marine Parkway Bridge. Plan for about 90 minutes from Midtown.
Insider tip: The NYC Ferry Rockaway Rocket includes a free shuttle connection to Jacob Riis from the beach landing. If you're taking the ferry to Rockaway anyway, Riis is a free bonus stop.
Coney Island and Brighton Beach (Brooklyn)
The D, F, N, and Q trains run directly to Stillwell Avenue. That makes this the easiest beach day in the city from a transit standpoint — no transfers, no buses, no planning.
Coney Island is exactly what it looks like: rides, boardwalk, Nathan's, crowds, controlled chaos. It's not a relaxing escape. It's a New York experience — loud, busy, full of life — and if that's what you want, it delivers.
Brighton Beach right next door is a completely different planet. Quieter, neighborhood-scale, strong Eastern European character, and genuinely excellent casual food right on the boardwalk. If you want to eat well and watch the ocean without the amusement park noise, Brighton is the move.
Crowd tip: Both get packed on hot summer weekends. If you're looking for a mellow blanket-on-the-sand situation in July, pick a weekday.
Orchard Beach (The Bronx)
Genuinely underrated. Consistently overlooked.
Orchard Beach is inside Pelham Bay Park and faces the Long Island Sound — not the open Atlantic. That means calmer water, smaller waves, and a noticeably more relaxed atmosphere. Families who don't want to deal with rough surf love it for exactly that reason.
Getting there: 6 train to Pelham Bay Park, then the Bx12 bus or a seasonal shuttle to the beach. It's a bit of a journey from Midtown — factor in 75–90 minutes — but once you're there, it feels surprisingly removed from the city.
If rough surf isn't your thing, or you're bringing younger kids who want to actually swim without getting knocked over, this one's worth the extra time.
Train and Ferry Day Trips
Long Beach (Nassau County)
The sweet spot for people who want a real beach without a car and without spending half the day in transit.
The LIRR Long Beach branch runs from Penn Station or Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn. Off-peak, you're looking at around $13–15 each way — check the MTA TrainTime app before you go since fares went up in January 2026. The ride is about 50 minutes. No transfers, no buses, no guesswork. You walk out of the station and the beach is a few blocks away.
Long Beach has a long boardwalk, bike rentals, solid food options near the main boulevard, and a genuine beach-town feel that's a step above the city beaches.
One thing you need to know: $15/person admission fee for anyone 13 and up, during beach season. No cash — credit card only. Digital passes are also available in advance.
Crowd tip: As with any NYC-area beaches, Long Beach is a popular summer weekend destination. Go early or pick a weekday for the best experience. Either way, I prefer it to other, larger, beaches because it's usually less crowded and easier to get to.
Sandy Hook (New Jersey)
The most underrated day trip from Manhattan. And honestly one of the most beautiful.
The Seastreak ferry departs from Pier 11/Wall Street and East 35th Street, takes about 40–45 minutes, and drops you directly inside the park. Shuttle buses meet you at the landing and take you to your choice of beaches — they pick you up in the afternoon for the return trip too.
Cost: $49 round trip for adults. Book the first departure of the day and it drops to $39 — that's a real discount worth planning around. The 2026 season runs June 12 through October 12. Reservations are required well in advance. Do not just show up at the dock. Book at Seastreak.com.
Once you're there, admission to the park is free (it's a national park). Sandy Hook has multiple distinct beaches, historic Fort Hancock with a 19th-century lighthouse, bike paths, and Gunnison Beach — one of the only legal clothing-optional beaches on the East Coast, if that matters to your group.
The ferry itself is worth mentioning. It's comfortable, there's a full bar on board, and watching the Manhattan skyline shrink behind you as you cross the harbor is a genuinely good way to start a beach day.
Things to know: No alcohol on the beach. No dogs on ocean beaches from March 15 through September 15.
If You Have a Car
Jones Beach State Park
I feel like this was the general beach of preference for working-class families 'in the boroughs' who had cars when I was growing up. It spans 6.5 miles of open Atlantic Ocean beach, has acres of parking fields, is only $10 per carload of people, and the Jones Beach Theater is an entirely separate attraction if you want to catch a summer concert on the ocean.
The Catch: Expect a longer walk from your car than most other beaches - depending on which field you park in. If you can get a spot in field 6 (get there early) you have direct access to the beach. Almost all the others require quite a walk.
As I said, in exchange for guaranteed parking, expect slightly longer walks in the blazing sun (do we need to bring the parasol back?) on molten lava sand just to get to the beach. The sand is farther inland from the ocean - so expect to walk a bit before navigating a maze of blankets and umbrellas before you even get to the water. Once you get there, you will very much be in a world of 'NYC On The Ocean'. So don't expect the Hamptons or Montauk. Expect to be surrounded by real New Yorkers, soft sand, and nice, cool water that will chill your humidity-soaked, stressed, New York body as you just throw yourself into the ocean and cool yourself down.
Driving from Manhattan: 45 minutes to an hour under normal conditions via the Meadowbrook or Wantagh Parkway south. Parking is $10 per car when the beach is open. If your family is going more than eight times this summer, the Empire Pass costs $80 and covers everyone, works at Jones Beach, Robert Moses, and every other New York State park. Buy it once and you're covered.
There's a public transit option (LIRR to Wantagh or Freeport, then a seasonal Jones Beach Express Bus), but it's a long, complicated trip on limited schedules. Doable, but not ideal.
Weekend reality check: The Southern State Parkway on a Saturday in July can turn a 45-minute drive into 90 minutes or worse. (Maybe leave a little on the earlier side).
Robert Moses State Park (Fire Island)
If Jones Beach feels too big and too loud, Robert Moses is the right call.
Same barrier island coastline, smaller crowds, quieter atmosphere, less commercial buildup. A lot of Long Islanders prefer it for exactly that reason. Field 5 is the most popular section — the walk from the parking lot to the water is a few minutes, and once you're on the beach it feels genuinely open.
Also $10 to park. Empire Pass works here too.
Realistically, you need a car. There's a train-to-bus option but it's a serious commitment.
Asbury Park (New Jersey)
This one gets slept on by Manhattan people and it shouldn't.
NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line from Penn Station gets you there in about 75-90 minutes for roughly $15–20 each way depending on the fare zone. Walk out of the station and the beach is right there.
But here's the thing about Asbury: it's not just a beach. The food and bar scene on Cookman Avenue and along the boardwalk are legitimately good. The Stone Pony is a block from the ocean. Convention Hall is worth walking through. It has a real personality that most beach towns don't have and it keeps getting more interesting without losing its edge.
If you want a beach day that actually has something going on, this is it.So Which Beach Should You Choose?
Here's the honest breakdown:
Just want ocean waves fast and easy? Take the A train to Rockaway. Done.
Bringing kids who need calm water? Orchard Beach. Less surf, less chaos.
Want a real beach-town feel without a car? Long Beach LIRR. Pack a credit card for admission.
Want something that actually feels like a getaway? Sandy Hook ferry. Book in advance. The $39 first-departure fare is the move.
Have a car and want a serious beach day? Jones Beach mid-week if possible. Grab the Empire Pass if you're going multiple times this summer.
Want a beach with dinner and a story to tell? Asbury Park. Train there, walk everywhere, eat well, take the last train home.
One honest caveat on all of them: "about an hour" is always the best-case number. Summer weekends, delays, traffic, they all have something to say about that. Get there early, build in buffer time, and you'll have a great day. That's true for every option on this list.
