Where to Beach?

By Katie McFadden

So, you discovered Rockaway Beach. According to NYC Parks, in 2025, Rockaway’s beaches saw 3.7 million visitors! If you’re still getting acquainted, now comes the question…where do I put down my beach chair or towel? With 11 miles of shoreline facing the Atlantic Ocean to choose from, it all depends on the type of experience you’re looking for.

Beaches officially open the Saturday before Memorial Day and run through September 13 this year. Open means lifeguards are on duty from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Please only swim where lifeguards are present! Before you hit the sand or surf, check out the Beach and Boardwalk Rules.

Hot Spots – Boardwalk Concessions

Now, let’s start in the middle. Since the beach concessions at Beach 86th, Beach 97th and Beach 106th were revitalized in 2011 and new businesses on Rockaway Beach Blvd. popped up, the beaches in these areas have become popular. Plus, they’re easily accessible by the subway, and since 2017, NYC Ferry has been making trips from Manhattan and Brooklyn, bringing more visitors through the landing at Beach 108th Street. Parking is limited, so if driving, get there early!

These busy beaches have everything like great eats and drinks from Caracas or Brothers at Beach 106th, a variety of concessions including Seany Slices and Red Hook Lobster Pound, and the Sand Shark Bar at Beach 97th Street, and Rippers at Beach 86th Street. You’ll find public bathrooms at each, and can often find live music in the evenings. Lifeguards are likely to be on duty around these beaches.

The End of the Line

Beach 116th is coming back as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers winds down construction. Beach 116th Street is a commercial strip, so you can find plenty of food, bars and more. This area is accessible by subway and buses. There are public bathroom shacks by the boardwalk, and you’re likely to find lifeguards on duty.

Surfers’ Paradises

Coming to surf? Beach 66th to Beach 70th Street is a surfing area with several surf schools for beginners. You’ll find public bathrooms at Beach 67th Street. The original surfing beaches, from Beach 87th to Beach 92nd Street, are where surfers from around the world hang ten. A new addition is a calmer area from Beach 110th to Beach 111th Street. Surfing beaches do not have lifeguards.

Big, Diverse Bathing

They don’t call Riis Park “The People’s Beach” for no reason. Riis is popular as it can be accessed by buses and has a massive parking lot for $20 a day from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The Riis Beach concession at Bay 9 has food like ice cream, ceviche, burgers, wings and even frozen cocktails. You’ll often find live music in the afternoons. Expected to have a soft opening, the Rockaway Ocean Club at the renovated Riis Bathhouse is where you can find more food, drinks and entertainment, and maybe become a member for pool access. Unfortunately, in recent years, Riis has been experiencing heavy erosion between Bays 1-5, so there may be closures. Bay 1 is an LGBTQ+ friendly area, but you can find that crowd on the nearby open beaches.

Caribbean Vibes

In Far Rockaway, from Beach 9th to Beach 32nd Street, beaches can have a tropical feel. With Atlantic Beach across the East Rockaway Inlet, this area gives a different view. Swim only when a lifeguard is present, as this area can have swift currents and big drop-offs. At Beach 17th Street, you’ll find DredSurfer Bar and Grill, offering up Caribbean delicacies, burgers and more, plus alcoholic beverages. Public bathrooms are at Beach 9th, Beach 17th and at the Beach 30th/32nd Street playground.

Quiet Stretches

The beaches of Belle Harbor, Neponsit, and Rockaway Park, from Beach 117th Street to Beach 149th Street, are public; however, they’re not easily accessible aside from buses. Due to summer parking rules through September 30, there is no street parking on weekends in much of this area, and none at all in Neponsit. Except for restaurants and shops on Beach 129th Street, most of the area is residential, so there aren’t many options to grab a bite, and there are no public bathrooms. So, not an ideal choice for visitors, but the beaches tend to be less crowded.

Birds Only!

There are some areas to avoid. In the summer, a little shorebird, protected by the Endangered Species Act, likes to visit—the piping plover. Beaches around their nests are closed. In Rockaway, this includes Beach 38th to Beach 57th Street. Some of those beaches are open starting in August, as the piping plovers leave their nests. Nesting sites are also found in parts of Riis Park and Fort Tilden, but these areas are roped off, while the remainder of the beach is accessible.

Fishing and Clubbing

The beaches of Breezy Point and Roxbury, a private cooperative, are closed to the public. The public federal beach at the tip of Breezy Point is mostly used by fishermen who have permits. Another way to access beaches here is by becoming a member or grabbing a day pass at the Breezy Point Surf Club on Beach 227th Street or the Silver Gull Beach Club at Beach 193rd Street. These facilities have cabanas or lockers for rent, pools, restaurants, and private lifeguarded beaches. Nearby, Fort Tilden’s beaches are open to the public, but you won’t find a lifeguard there, and parking is limited.

Adapted from the award-winning Katie McFadden’s article in the Rockaway Times Summer & Community Guide.

Beach and Boardwalk Rules

Rockaway Beach is a place to be chill, but following some basic rules and etiquette will keep the peace and keep your family safe.

The Surfing Beach

Rules of Paddling:

• • When paddling out for a wave, the surfer who is closest to the peak has the right of way
  • A surfer already on a wave has the right of way
  • Stay away from the jetty
  • Never ditch or let go of your board
  • Avoid sitting too far inside the takeoff lane of other more experienced surfers
  • When paddling out, it’s your responsibility to avoid other surfers
  • Respect others, but don’t be afraid to ask for help
  • Don’t drop in. If it happens, apologize
  • Don’t snake waves; there will always be more opportunities
  • Always come to the aid of others in danger

For your safety:

• • Surf at your own risk, there are no lifeguards on duty at the surf beaches
  • There is an emergency call box at Beach 90th Street
  • The Surf Beach is open year-round from dawn until dusk

Beach and Boardwalk Rules Prohibit:

• • Littering and all glass containers
  • Rummaging through trash receptacles
  • Unleashed dogs at any time
  • Barbecuing or open fires, and erecting tents or shelters
  • Alcohol
  • Amplified sound, except by permit
  • Vending, engaging in commercial activity, and performing or other rallying, except by permit
  • Solicitation or panhandling
  • Feeding birds or squirrels
  • Unauthorized motor vehicles, ATVs, or scooters
  • Snorkels, fins, rafts, unauthorized watercraft, and other flotation devices
  • Fishing, except in designated areas
  • No bike riding on the boardwalk on holidays and weekends, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Please stay in the designated bike lanes.
  • No dogs on sand or boardwalk from May 1 to October 1.

Adapted from Sally McVeigh’s article in the Rockaway Times Summer & Community Guide.

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