Rockaway Beach, NY

Optimum Seasons:  Summer

Gallery

A few things to know about Rockaway Beach:

1) After Hurricane Sandy, they rebuilt the boardwalk which stretches from Beach 9th Street to Beach 126th.  On this particular day, we visited the beach at 86th Street (which is close to the popular Rockaway Beach and Surf Club a couple of blocks north)

2)  It is the only beach in all of NYC that you are allowed to legally surf in.  At B86, one side of the rocks was strictly for surfing and the other was for us regular folk who just wanted to swim in the ocean.  (You'll see the rocks I mention in the video below)

3)  It is a myth that the water gets cleaner further east on the Island.  I found the beach here as clean as any in the Hamptons or on Long Island.  I guess it just depends on the day.  Or perhaps this is actually cleaner?  No seaweed the day we went.  Great waves.  Shallow water.  Maybe it was just our luck?

4)  Free street parking.  And no admittance fee.  At least on the weekday.  Or the day we went.  No one charged us anything.  I highly suggest going on a weekday as the weekends will surely be crowded with locals!  

5)  There are playgrounds all along the boardwalk for the children.  

6) They have pads to walk on to get to the beach comfortably if you have a stroller.

7)  The concession stands here beat those on any I've experienced on Long Island.  It's just a cute pretty place to eat.   

8)  The area is not so sexy once you walk about a block away.  For those who don't know, The Rockaways were like the Hamptons of New York in the early 1900s.  Once they built the subway and railroad system in the 50s, the area lost it's appeal to the wealthy and became accessible to all.  They moved out east, and government built low and middle income housing to accommodate the new population.  The Rockaways even had a famous amusement park that rivaled Coney Island's but was demolished to build these building.  As of late, developers have recognized the Rockaways as a potential goldmine.  It is along the ocean and close to the city.  You'll notice in my pictures that there are new apartment complexes on the beach.  I project in 20 years the Rockaways will be all cleaned up and a popular destination for all!!!!  

9)  Rockaway Beach and Surf Club is an adorable taco shack a couple blocks away from the beach on 86th street.  It is kind of easy to miss as your drive past it.  The signage is small.  It is right under the elevated subway line and kind of has a Wynwood Miami feel to it.  There is outdoor seating and well priced food and juices.  It is just way adorable.  You can't come to the Rockaway and not make a stop here!

10)  Even the bathrooms were better than those at other beaches I've been to.  There were lots of clean stalls.  Like, you don't have to worry about holding anything in here!

11)  If you are super adventurous, bring a bike so you can ride down the entire boardwalk.  In the evening.  During sunset.  Next on my bucket list!

12)  If you are visited from afar, it's worth driving down the entire peninsula (probably a 20 minute local drive at most from one end to the other).  Check the entire culture of the Rockaways.  Some points are more affluent than others.  Towards the west end there are some beautiful homes.  

For a list of other beaches, click here.

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