Rockaway Beach guide: NYC's greatest shoreline is filled with hidden delights

The Rockaway Peninsula, home to New York City’s greatest stretch of beachfront, beckons millions to its sandy shores every summer.

The 11 miles of waterfront are home to tight-knit communities that turn into boomtowns between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Each neighborhood offers a different vibe, and attracts a different crowd of city slickers. While the stretch from Arverne over to Beach 116th Street may get the most attention for tasty grub and bumping beach bashes, there are parts of the shoreline that offer delights to the beachgoer willing to venture a little off the beaten path.

I’ve spent decades visiting the Rockaways, and over the last five years I've conducted a thorough analysis of the area’s locales across more than 50 visits. The investigation included personal assessments and interviews with local experts, such as bartenders, surfers, lifeguards, retired first responders, anglers, beach bums, cyclists, outdoor gym rats, park enforcement officers and piping plover defenders.

This guide breaks down the overall vibe in separate sections of the peninsula, from its eastern reaches all the way out to the western shores of Breezy Point. Like the rest of the city’s beaches, the ones on the Rockaways are open for swimming this year from Saturday, May 24 through Sunday, Sept. 7.

Beach Ninth Street to Beach 32nd Street

Old-school NYC vibes

A visit to the waterfront on the very edge of the Rockaways puts you 17 miles from Central Park.

Here, motorboats ply the channel between the barrier island of Atlantic Beach and New York City’s easternmost ocean shores. All summer long, music drifts over the dunes from several designated barbequing areas.

Unlike the beaches farther down the peninsula, the water out east is calm, protected from the surf by a barrier island. If you stand still in the water, small fish will approach you to nibble your toes – providing a pedicure that costs a pretty penny in other parts of the borough.

This sandy cove — which is easily reached by car, the A train, or a short bicycle ride from the Long Island Rail Road Far Rockaway station — is sometimes overlooked by beachgoers. If you’re looking for a chill time during your beach visit, head to this area. The beaches are typically open for swimming, with several lifeguards stationed nearby.

Fishing is popular in this area, though the parks department urges anglers to cast their lines farther east from Beach 12th to Beach 14th streets.

“The water is beautiful and there's less people there,” said Janet Fash, who at times kept watch at the Beach 32nd Street post in her more than 20 years as a city lifeguard. “ It's just a beautiful scene.”

Pro tip: There’s rarely a line at the public restrooms, and the DredSurfer Grill offers up reasonably priced shellfish and beers. The Long Island Rail Road trains servicing the area usually have plenty of seats on summer weekends, and the beach is a 10-minute bike ride from the station.

Beach 32nd Street to Beach 57th Street

Vacant lots and piping plovers

This expansive section of beachfront abuts swaths of vacant lots and parkland, but the area won’t stay empty forever. Local developers are in talks with elected officials on a rezoning to allow for the construction of a major housing development called Arverne East.

For now, there is plenty of parking at this less-visited area of the beach. But you’ll want to be careful not to tread on sand that is part of federally protected habitats for endangered piping plover nests.

A parks department official confirmed that Beach 38th Street to Beach 57th Street is fenced off each year. “As additional piping plovers nest outside of this symbolic fencing, we follow U.S. Fish & Wildlife guidelines and set up additional 50-meter buffers around their nests,” parks spokesperson Judd Faulkner said.

Pro tip: Buy your provisions before heading out for the day. There aren’t any concessions here, and the closest deli can be a long walk.

Beach 66th Street to Beach 92nd Street

Surf and the city

This section of the beach hosts some of the city’s only official surfing beaches, with 87th to 91st designated for surfers only. The section is accessible from the A train. Beach 91st Street is surf central, according to Lou Harris, who runs the Black Surfing Association's east coast chapter.

Rippers, open since 2011, is among the most popular concessions in all the Rockaways. It also hosts live music and karaoke jams during the summer.

“ Everyone gets off [the train], you see them walking by with their surfboards. You see people riding their bikes with surfboards,” Harris said.

For an after-beach meal, Harris suggested Goody's BBQ Chicken and Ribs on Beach 72nd Street.

Pro tip: Bathers should yield to surfers in these sections. If you’re set on spending a lot of time in the water, you might want to choose another section of the beach. Parks enforcement officers will scold you for going too far out. Locals Surf School offers board rentals and lessons.

Beach 90th Street to 98th Street

Ferry riders, galore

The proximity of this section to the beach to public transportation, including the NYC Ferry, makes it a destination for visitors from all over the city.

Concessions and bathrooms are close at hand, though the lines can get intense on busy days.

There were more than 1.7 million visits to the Rockaways last summer, according to a report from the city's Economic Development Corporation. Attendance has been bolstered by increased service from the NYC Ferry, which is a short walk from the beach.

Be prepared to arrive early to secure a spot close to the water.

Pro tip: Reserve your ferry tickets in advance. Connolly’s Bar on Beach 95th Street is a favorite among regular visitors, who are wont to recommend grabbing a piña colada to go — with a rum floater. “That’s the best place,” said surf instructor Lou Harris. "It opens up this weekend."

Be discreet if you’re drinking, though. Joe Puleo of the Parks Enforcement Officers Union said officers aren’t specifically looking to issue drinking tickets. “It's when it turns into a fraternity party that it becomes an issue,” Puleo said.

Beach 98th Street to Beach 116th Street

Quiet(er) enjoyment

This section of the beach boasts proximity to shops, bars, and restaurants on 116th Street, which feels like a Main Street in Anytown, USA.

A large section of the beach in the area has been closed for several summers to stage equipment used to fight erosion along the shoreline. City Councilmember Joann Ariola said some of the equipment is moving away this summer, offering a rebirth of her favorite spot on the peninsula.

Sam Fleischner, who recently released a film about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' resiliency work at the Rockaways, said he’s excited to see more areas of the beach open to the public.

“For years, the residents had to endure seismic shaking when 5-ton boulders were dropped out of trucks,” said Fleischner. “I’m glad to see that they’re going to clear out that strip that’s been severed from the beach for a while.”

The beach is easily accessed via the A train or Rockaway Park Shuttle.

Pro tip: Pizza D’Amore on Beach 116th Street is one of the more beloved pizzerias on the entire peninsula, and offers a quick slice not far from the beach.

Beach 116th Street to Beach 149th Street

Territorial but tidy

While the stretch of sand bordering Jacob Riis Beach west of this area is open to the public and accessible from the street, parking is limited and bitterly protected by neighborhood residents, many of whom are retired police officers or firefighters.

It’s also beyond the reaches of easy subway access, but buses heading over the Marine Parkway Bridge can get you close.

The beach is often dotted by American flags and is sparsely attended compared to busy sections to the east with subway access. Lou Harris, the surf instructor, said he once tried surfing here but found the car he arrived in smeared with dog waste when he left. “ I was turned off, never went back there again,” he said.

Fash, the veteran lifeguard, says the beach is an extension of a tight-knit community.

“ They pick up after themselves, so when people come there, they want them to be respectful of their neighborhood,” she said.

Pro tip: When other beaches are crowded, this can be a good place to access by bus, bicycle or foot. Avoid driving, as the summer parking regulations here are onerous.

Beach 149th Street and beyond

The federal lands of Jacob Riis Beach and Fort Tilden

Longtime Rockaway resident and former lifeguard Carl Quigley (no relation to this reporter), has a full set of options when hopping on his bike to head to the water. He says his favorite beach is the secluded sand at Fort Tilden.

“I think this is one of the most beautiful areas in New York City. If you wanted just a nice, quiet day, this is where you should go,” he said.

Quigley pointed out how some of the natural landscape has naturally restored itself after the area was decimated by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

“Naturally, the dunes are making their way back with very little help from anybody — except to stay off them,” Quigley said.

The beach is run by the National Parks Service and there are no lifeguards. It’s a short walk or bicycle ride from the parking lot at Jacob Riis. Ferry riders can also take a free shuttle to the beach.

Being naked is popular at Fort Tilden, though against park rules. Its hedonistic atmosphere has captured the attention of filmmakers. Those who wish to be nude at a beach and not break the law can head to New Jersey's Gunnison Beach. Being topless is allowed at National Parks beaches as well as city beaches.

It’s also called Fort Tilden because it used to be an actual fort. If you hike around the area, you’ll spot aging bunkers that dot the inland landscape.

Pro tip: Alcohol consumption on many of these beaches is abundant, albeit against the rules. If you’re imbibing at Fort Tilden, be wary of federal parks police officers mounted on horses who can suddenly tower above you, ticketbook in hand.